So a couple of months back my 'outdoor' club I ride with announced doing a ride up 'The Tumble' - https://www.strava.com/segments/12315655
Obviously, I was looking forward to this! I'd ridden it a couple of times before one of which (in 2017) I'd missed a 24 minute goal by 19 seconds. I'd been long overdue a new attempt, but also having ridden it before knew what to expect and what sort of form I needed to be in... I'd been close the last year or so fitness wise, but it being a bit of a stretch away distance wise not one I'd chosen to ride solo (usually involves a main road slog). So of course, skipping a weekend to do a bunch of DIY, then being ill last weekend (so skipping more riding), to still be fighting the tail end of the illness was never going to be ideal preparation. But that's just the way things go, isn't it!
With over 25 riders out we had far more than planned. I'd gassed myself a little on the zoom down to meet up (after a last minute cooked breakfast), so I nominated to help co-lead the rear group. Good excuse for clearing snot from my nose without needing to check behind too often (lol). Good socialable ride out but obviously ended up with a slow rider. Local councillor who is 'towards the heavier side' but nice guy who just churns away so know what to expect with him. Dread to think what his average cadence is - probably below 60rpm (or how bad his knees are with the horrible pedalling style EDIT 57rpm, ouch)! Other rider in the group took a call (guy who snapped his forks a few weeks back) just before we hit the main road slog, so went back for him. Did a good long tow chasing him back to our merry group, my legs feel really good which was an amazing feeling! So I'd done 2 fairly long intense sessions that morning and recovered well from them which was good to know. Told myself then it was going to be worth putting a 100% effort into the climb but to otherwise take it easy...
Just before Abergavenny we turned off the main road and grouped everyone together (mad fast descent into town) so we didn't lose anyone - it's a steep downhill on rough roads into traffic with multiple turns/junctions to get across/through, crossing several A roads and roundabouts to get to the road/village The Tumble turns off from. We lost 2 riders somewhere and I knew slow guy from earlier was still off the back so eased for them. I kinda knew the way and where I was so was getting myself prepared for a couple of minutes. Happy to dangle and 'play it safe' through traffic for others to rejoin with at that point. It worked well and got everyone together before the turn.
Bottom of the road there's a bunch of houses, in trees and 2 switchbacks (called 'Fiddler Elbow'). There was lots of traffic and our group almost immediately split by it multiple times. Stuck behind a van used him as a bit of a leadout and got a nice tow as things then spread out and leaving most of the riders around me. Paced the bottom hard, but also knew the final switchback is utterly brutal (hits 20%) so although I'd reeled 3-4 riders in there had gone quite deep. Resolved to settle in and pace it - already in lowest gear (34x32). Going by cadence and how I was feeling, alternating between sat at 70 rpm, any time I dipped below I'd stand until my HR hit 180bpm then sit again, just surviving it until I was over the cattle grid (this is horrible at this point of the climb) but such a 'landmark' as soon after it you come over it the road starts to widen, the trees stop, gradient eases a bit and things open up in front of you. The worst is (mostly) over (looking at the data that middle section is a mile at just over 10%), but it helps to know it there is still a long way to the actual top... It's really a slog after that as although there's several corners, the 'top'/finish is hidden and the landscape all looks very similar.
At this point going past one of the pull in's I glanced down and saw my HR at 180bpm. I'd gone easier a couple of times without it really dropping much. I knew I was unlikely to sustain it, had a Wahoo 'segment' reminder soon afterwards telling me a countdown and how close I was to my PR counting down seconds & feet! Not what I needed as I was in a world of hurt and didn't think I'd be anywhere near it! So silenced it and eased to get my HR down a bit. I figured pace this section, get my HR down to 175 and then just at the final corner where it really eases to the summit put the power down to get the speed up. It worked well - having a carrot really helped but was very spent at the top, but I DARED not look at my segment time until around 3 hours afterwards...
There was no ice cream van on top of the tumble! Every time I'd been up there - even once in almost-October there has been one there! Was pretty disappointed. We'd arranged a 'cafe stop' afterwards and I assumed it was going to be back down in Abergavenny... Not so! 2 club members who'd not ridden had baked a bunch of cakes and met us by 'Keepers Pond'. Good fun and we could all laze in the sun stuffing our faces and nattering! Lovely fast descent
It was a fairly long slog back, the group very sociable. Some hilarity when lead (Linda) got her directions wrong and most of us ended up doing a full circuits of a roundabout before heading the right way.
youtu.be
Serious, I didn't expect myself to be close on The Tumble. Was hoping to be 'better than my worst' (28 mins) and would've been happy anything below 26 mins...
Missed my old goal by 1 second!
£5000 to spend on a bike... What would you do? I have a Di2 groupset I can put on it. I have good disc brake wheels I can put on it. I have a good 'day to day/everything else' bike. Aethos? TCR? SL7?
www.strava.com
Basically, if you did come across the Zipp item number/code etc for it when you looked, then worth looking around using that. Once I spotted was labelled for the 177D hub, but I know Zipp tend to make their stuff cross models/series.
EDIT: here it is - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185824367341
I'm riding a 2016 Diverge Comp Carbon. I love the carbon frame but for what I'm using it for (glorified comfortable 'do everything' road bike) I could be using the E5, or even the Roubaix for that matter as my Diverge came with road gears and I've (almost) never used it offroad.
I think both will be more than capable of what you want - comfortable and relaxed geometry, but verify an off-road gravel oriented type bike is what you need. They've both got pretty low gears/drivechains for the road (46/30 with 11-36t and 48/32 with 11-34t), but if you're not doing much over 14/15mph average rides then likely not a problem.
If you're looking to get faster on the road probably not the best. They are good bikes if you're after bikes capable off road, lots of trails and gravel/hardpack where you need tyre volumes over 32mm with low road use, then they're great options. If you're after a comfortable mostly road mile muncher with some less technical off road capability then you are looking at the wrong bikes. Giant Defy or Contend - something with the clearance for bigger tyres, but with road gearing will give you more of a 'do everything endurance road bike' with comfort and some off road/light trail capability (with a change in tyres) without compromising the road speed side of things.
Obviously, I was looking forward to this! I'd ridden it a couple of times before one of which (in 2017) I'd missed a 24 minute goal by 19 seconds. I'd been long overdue a new attempt, but also having ridden it before knew what to expect and what sort of form I needed to be in... I'd been close the last year or so fitness wise, but it being a bit of a stretch away distance wise not one I'd chosen to ride solo (usually involves a main road slog). So of course, skipping a weekend to do a bunch of DIY, then being ill last weekend (so skipping more riding), to still be fighting the tail end of the illness was never going to be ideal preparation. But that's just the way things go, isn't it!
With over 25 riders out we had far more than planned. I'd gassed myself a little on the zoom down to meet up (after a last minute cooked breakfast), so I nominated to help co-lead the rear group. Good excuse for clearing snot from my nose without needing to check behind too often (lol). Good socialable ride out but obviously ended up with a slow rider. Local councillor who is 'towards the heavier side' but nice guy who just churns away so know what to expect with him. Dread to think what his average cadence is - probably below 60rpm (or how bad his knees are with the horrible pedalling style EDIT 57rpm, ouch)! Other rider in the group took a call (guy who snapped his forks a few weeks back) just before we hit the main road slog, so went back for him. Did a good long tow chasing him back to our merry group, my legs feel really good which was an amazing feeling! So I'd done 2 fairly long intense sessions that morning and recovered well from them which was good to know. Told myself then it was going to be worth putting a 100% effort into the climb but to otherwise take it easy...
Just before Abergavenny we turned off the main road and grouped everyone together (mad fast descent into town) so we didn't lose anyone - it's a steep downhill on rough roads into traffic with multiple turns/junctions to get across/through, crossing several A roads and roundabouts to get to the road/village The Tumble turns off from. We lost 2 riders somewhere and I knew slow guy from earlier was still off the back so eased for them. I kinda knew the way and where I was so was getting myself prepared for a couple of minutes. Happy to dangle and 'play it safe' through traffic for others to rejoin with at that point. It worked well and got everyone together before the turn.
Bottom of the road there's a bunch of houses, in trees and 2 switchbacks (called 'Fiddler Elbow'). There was lots of traffic and our group almost immediately split by it multiple times. Stuck behind a van used him as a bit of a leadout and got a nice tow as things then spread out and leaving most of the riders around me. Paced the bottom hard, but also knew the final switchback is utterly brutal (hits 20%) so although I'd reeled 3-4 riders in there had gone quite deep. Resolved to settle in and pace it - already in lowest gear (34x32). Going by cadence and how I was feeling, alternating between sat at 70 rpm, any time I dipped below I'd stand until my HR hit 180bpm then sit again, just surviving it until I was over the cattle grid (this is horrible at this point of the climb) but such a 'landmark' as soon after it you come over it the road starts to widen, the trees stop, gradient eases a bit and things open up in front of you. The worst is (mostly) over (looking at the data that middle section is a mile at just over 10%), but it helps to know it there is still a long way to the actual top... It's really a slog after that as although there's several corners, the 'top'/finish is hidden and the landscape all looks very similar.
At this point going past one of the pull in's I glanced down and saw my HR at 180bpm. I'd gone easier a couple of times without it really dropping much. I knew I was unlikely to sustain it, had a Wahoo 'segment' reminder soon afterwards telling me a countdown and how close I was to my PR counting down seconds & feet! Not what I needed as I was in a world of hurt and didn't think I'd be anywhere near it! So silenced it and eased to get my HR down a bit. I figured pace this section, get my HR down to 175 and then just at the final corner where it really eases to the summit put the power down to get the speed up. It worked well - having a carrot really helped but was very spent at the top, but I DARED not look at my segment time until around 3 hours afterwards...
There was no ice cream van on top of the tumble! Every time I'd been up there - even once in almost-October there has been one there! Was pretty disappointed. We'd arranged a 'cafe stop' afterwards and I assumed it was going to be back down in Abergavenny... Not so! 2 club members who'd not ridden had baked a bunch of cakes and met us by 'Keepers Pond'. Good fun and we could all laze in the sun stuffing our faces and nattering! Lovely fast descent
It was a fairly long slog back, the group very sociable. Some hilarity when lead (Linda) got her directions wrong and most of us ended up doing a full circuits of a roundabout before heading the right way.
Gannets Tumble 2023 Descent
youtu.be
Serious, I didn't expect myself to be close on The Tumble. Was hoping to be 'better than my worst' (28 mins) and would've been happy anything below 26 mins...
Missed my old goal by 1 second!
£5000 to spend on a bike... What would you do? I have a Di2 groupset I can put on it. I have good disc brake wheels I can put on it. I have a good 'day to day/everything else' bike. Aethos? TCR? SL7?
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Hmmm, I'd dug up an axle on the 'bay and was sure I linked it here friday but looks like my message didn't post...?
Basically, if you did come across the Zipp item number/code etc for it when you looked, then worth looking around using that. Once I spotted was labelled for the 177D hub, but I know Zipp tend to make their stuff cross models/series.
EDIT: here it is - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185824367341
Nicely done & congrats to your old man (assuming) knocking that out too!
You'll get good prices on the Giant around with more deals, the Specialized will have less deals on it but will hold it's value. The E5 is a well know and very well respected, followed and specc'd bike for the money.I've come down to two bikes:
Specialized Diverge E5 Elite 2022 - Out of Stock | Tredz Bikes
Specialized Diverge E5 Elite 2022 - Gravel Bike. Out of Stock. All Gravel bikes are delivered free to the UK mainland, 365 day returns & Price Match.www.tredz.co.uk
Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2022 - Out of Stock | Tredz Bikes
Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2022 - Gravel Bike. Out of Stock. All Gravel bikes are delivered free to the UK mainland, 365 day returns & Price Match.
The Giant can be had for £1650 elsewhere and I think Tredz will price match.
Apart from the Giant having a Carbon frame, are there any reasons to choose one over the other? I'm wanting a more comfortable bike, rather than out and out racing snake pace on the road.
I'm riding a 2016 Diverge Comp Carbon. I love the carbon frame but for what I'm using it for (glorified comfortable 'do everything' road bike) I could be using the E5, or even the Roubaix for that matter as my Diverge came with road gears and I've (almost) never used it offroad.
I think both will be more than capable of what you want - comfortable and relaxed geometry, but verify an off-road gravel oriented type bike is what you need. They've both got pretty low gears/drivechains for the road (46/30 with 11-36t and 48/32 with 11-34t), but if you're not doing much over 14/15mph average rides then likely not a problem.
If you're looking to get faster on the road probably not the best. They are good bikes if you're after bikes capable off road, lots of trails and gravel/hardpack where you need tyre volumes over 32mm with low road use, then they're great options. If you're after a comfortable mostly road mile muncher with some less technical off road capability then you are looking at the wrong bikes. Giant Defy or Contend - something with the clearance for bigger tyres, but with road gearing will give you more of a 'do everything endurance road bike' with comfort and some off road/light trail capability (with a change in tyres) without compromising the road speed side of things.
Will be a 'different' heat in Girona though won't it? Was so humid here on Sunday, Saturday the far better day. Had a couple of light showers here sunday afternoon which worked well for me trimming hedges, as without it I would've stopped as just so oppressive!Sunday with my 'club' we intentionally kept it a short one of 40 miles, setting out at 8am again, but were back shortly after 11am, so it hadn't heated up too bad. We are all off to Girona in two weeks though and it's worried us a little as it could be even hotter then
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