8/7/15 2:06 PM

Probably no one else is doing this, and I think April is out of the rotation this year, but I throw this out in case anyone is heading to Deerfield in 2 weeks for the mother of all dirt/gravel rides.

I am resolved to try the 180k, which I am not at all sure I can complete, but hey, only one way to find out. I am in good shape but don't have the long miles which would probably help (I did a century recently but a road century doesn't scratch the surface of this sucker).

Plan is to ride with a friend who is a comparable rider, and who hopefully has a better sense of direction than me (a low standard).

So let me know if yer riding, and I'm sure you can still register! Seriously, it's great, for pure riding my favorite bike event.

8/7/15 8:31 PM

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I am resolved to try the 180k, which I am not at all sure I can complete, but hey, only one way to find out.

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I think April is out of the rotation this year

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8/8/15 8:00 AM

Actually if I make it to lunch on the 180, that will be a decent accomplishment in itself. 64 mi and 9500' climbing to work up an appetite. Also the 27% wall FOLLOWED by "the hardest climb on the course." I generally take grade percentages with much salt but I believe the D2R2 descriptions.

And the before lunch section also includes the caution for pigs in the road.

If I get to lunch within the time limit, I'll probably be able to gut it out to the end.

8/8/15 3:44 PM

Having "sampled" a few segments of the long courses, I took seriously the notion they're less about the longer part, but the steepness part!

On the shortest one, the Metric Century, there's nothing really steep, though there's one long climb that's just steep enough and long enough to be a pain. The 110k throws in SEVERAL steep ones. But it's getting to the 150/180 that consist of long AND steep climbs.

That's a big part of why I lost my appetite for the long courses. I can ride forever for as long as I have enough gear. But I don't have the power to make some of those hills on standard front rings, even combined with mountain cassettes! Since I don't see myself getting stronger, and I've pretty much exhausted the gear combo's, I just need to save my knees.

8/26/15 2:21 PM

Having spent 13 hours on the course Saturday at D2R2, I put together some notes mostly for my own purposes (at my age my memory ain't that good!) I cut and paste them below in case anyone is interested - they may provide some of the flavor of a 111 mile dirt ride.

Notes on D2R2 2015

This year I did the 180k, 111 miles with 15,900’ climbing, nearly all on dirt roads. Most climbs are 2 miles or less. The steepest is Archambo Rd., a reputed 27%, I’d say about .4 miles. It precedes Hillman Rd., described as the hardest on the course, which is not as steep but 1.6 miles. A couple of other climbs are around 15-20%. I surprised myself by riding all the climbs (no dismounting or walking).

The weather was great, fairly hot (around 85F), no rain, and the dirt roads were in relatively good shape (some are pretty gnarly, but they had been a bit rougher in previous years - more ruts, water, etc.).

I rode the whole way with my friend Mike. He helped keep me on course (most of the time) as I am directionally challenged, and it was good to ride with a friend. Mike fell on Archambo Rd. when he got his front tire in a ditch (easy to do, front wheels were lifting and hard to control) and banged his knee and back, but got up, remounted and finished the hill and ride even though his knee was acting up and popping at times. He made sure to remount below the fall in order to ride the whole hill. Not to mention the issue of restarting on a steep slope. Tough dude.

I had a front pinch flat going pretty fast on a rutty, rocky descent at about 30 miles. Fortunately I was able to keep the rubber side down. No further problems after fixing the flat.

We finished in just under 13 hours. This included a long lunch (you wait in line for sandwiches made to order), plenty of time at stops, the flat, and about 6 miles and some climbing we added on with a couple missed turns (common in this event). But all rest was needed.

My bike worked great. Gunnar Crosshairs (with the 531 fork), Clement LAS clincher cross tires, VO 46/30 crank, 12-32 cluster, Chorus 10 speed Ergo, Campy Cantis. I was in the low gear a great deal of time, but never really felt like I wanted a lower gear. Ha ha I could care less about high gears or gaps on this ride. The Cantis worked fine, no problem controlling the bike on steep descents. You do need to use a lot of hand pressure, maybe that would be easier with disks, but that’s not enough for me to look for another bike. I won’t change anything on the bike.

How I felt varied alot during the ride. I felt good from the start, though a pretty stiff climb right off the mark had the legs talking a little (no warmup). I felt great through the toughest climbing part which started around 45 miles – the aforementioned Archambo Rd. and Hillman Rd., followed by Wilson Hill Rd., Christian Hill Rd., and Franklin Hill Rd. (all going up, and yes there seems to be a theme here).

I expected to walk on Archambo and maybe Hillman, but was able to ride up them and the others, and was feeling pretty good about myself. Then I really flagged, not sure if it was the bonk (I thought I had eaten plenty) or just the exertion. When we rolled into lunch I was exhausted and my legs felt tied up (by lunch you had ridden 64 miles with 9,500’ climbing).

During the long lunch and immediately after, I felt terrible and was not sure I could finish the ride (actually I was pretty sure I couldn’t finish unless I got a second wind, came through the bad patch, or whatever). But I also knew I usually improve in the second half of long rides, and gradually I did. I don’t know if it’s the food metabolizing or something else, but by an hour or so after lunch I was starting to feel good, and felt great by the end which was fortunate because the killer climb Patten Hill Rd. lurks late in the ride, and I rode that well.

At lunch I drank a good bit, and then after lunch went through 2 water bottles pretty fast, and was really parched. Usually I don’t drink that much on even long rides, but this is not like other rides I do. We were coming up on a Supergas store in Colrain described on the cue sheet as “good place to stop if you’re bonking” and looking forward to restocking, but it was closed! Oh no! Actually I think that was mentioned in a preride email, and there was a self-service rest stop shortly after (large cooler trunks of snacks and drinks). Seeing that was like an oasis in the desert. Only 27 miles after lunch, but I was processing fluid pretty fast by then. The organizers know what they’re doing.

I saw a guy in a Williams College jersey (my alma mater) and chatted a bit. There were 3 of them from class of ’83, including a couple, all riding the 180. OK, a 54 year old couple riding the 180 is pretty impressive, Go Ephs! They in turn were impressed to hear my class, which is a bit more remote than ’83. That was fun, and I see the value of wearing a jersey with some connection. I also saw a Middlebury College jersey and one from University of Texas.

Musculoskeletal-wise I was comfortable the whole ride (no back pain, etc.), though as noted my legs were tied up for awhile but I was able to ride through that. At the last stop and finish I started to feel a hamstring cramp when I swung my leg over the bike to dismount. There was also some hand/wrist stiffness from grabbing the brakes on the steep washboard downhills.

For pure cycling content, this is my favorite event. There were around 1,100 participants, spread out over 4 somewhat overlapping courses (plus 2 more family oriented rides). Even with that many people, for most of the ride you are alone or around just a few other riders.

Two comments repeated when trying to decipher the course: “if there’s a choice, the uphill is probably the way” and “any road with “Hill” in the name is on the course.”

The whole area is breathtakingly beautiful.

The event is extremely well organized, the food is great, and you can even camp out. It is the Cycling Woodstock.

This is the toughest ride I’ve had on the bike. Harder than the Death Ride, which has a similar amount of climbing, but over more miles and on long, roughly 8% paved passes. On D2R2 8% paved is like going downhill. Comparing D2R2 to Mt. Washington is apples and oranges, but if I had to pick one I’d say D2R2 is harder no question.

I think the primary reasons I was able to finish are that I have lost some weight and that I did some structured Computrainer ErgVideo training over the winter. Thanks Smelly!

I still need to work on my navigational techniques, mostly paying better attention to the excellent cue sheets (there’s a turn roughly every mile on average, nearly all unmarked, some without even road signs). I didn’t bother with GPS this year; Mike had one but abandoned it early.

I’ll be back next year, plenty of time to decide which course.

8/26/15 2:34 PM

What a really nice report. It's just navigating with cue sheets all over again!

Now, I -REALLY- wanna do it!

OK, semi-serious now. Next one is August 20th 2016.
I just checked and I don't start teaching until August 22nd.

But I don't own a suitable bike. Damn!

Sandiway

8/26/15 3:41 PM

Well done, Dan, for completing the 180K course.

As usual, D2R2 is a very personal event. Everyone goes through some personal struggle internally along the way. (and you got plenty of time to do that).

Last year, I got cornered by a reporter and my answer ended up on their newsletter as why the ride is such a draw... something along the line of "it's such a hard ride, but just barely doable, so you feel good because you surprised yourself over and over on each climb"

Me? I'm done "challenging" myself a long time ago. This WAS the last hard ride I do. But I stopped doing the official full course of whatever distance the last few years. So I'm not sure I really count any more.

It maybe a cycling Woodstock. But there's a dead seriousness just under the surface.

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But I don't own a suitable bike. Damn!

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8/26/15 10:29 PM

Fantastic!

8/27/15 12:26 AM

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That's easy. What best excuse than this?

I've been riding my cross bike a lot more than my "regular" road bike.

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8/27/15 6:24 AM

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Hard to justify buying a bike just for one event

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I need to personally check out the course but it seems 32-38mm wide tires and low pressures are needed.

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8/27/15 6:26 AM

The best description of bikes for D2R2 I have heard is "you don't have the right bike, no matter what bike you have." People ride it on road bikes, cross bikes, rando bikes, mountain bikes, and even a Fat Bike or 2. For me a cross bike with 33 mm cross tires (for fast conditions) works well. Some ride it with road tires, 28 or even 25. I wouldn't do that, but I am conservative about equipment, not highly skilled and don't care about going fast. And the weather of course is a wild card, I've never ridden it in really wet conditions.

8/27/15 10:26 AM

"But you missed my point. That bike will become a bike you will use regularly. So it's not just for one event. "


I sold 4 others before the All Road Strong got here, and I see 2 more that look like they can go. Although I admit I am honey mooning on it. Trying a brooks on a long ride today...

Have some Tubelss 40C Nanos on the way as well...

<img src="http://coupekiss.host-ed.me//images/ttf/CX-fin-m45.jpg" width=320>

8/27/15 11:04 AM

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But you missed my point. That bike will become a bike you will use regularly. So it's not just for one event.

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8/27/15 12:01 PM

"How much would a decent cross bike run me? "

Being that I am well aware a high bar on average as set here by discriminating cyclists... On the definition of 'decent', I can't see less that mid upper teen$ personally in answer.

But like MTN bikes, but is there is more carting, or tire compromise for the ride to the starts of ride perhaps. The whole idea of the All Road/gravel/woods bike is getting a lot of popularity for good reason.

I used a few canti CX bikes for a few seasons until I decided the green machine would get plenty of use as to justify the cost. I even had two cobbled bikes that got good love/use off the beat and path.

Maybe buy a used TCX in your size or something??

8/27/15 12:48 PM

Trek Boone Disc 50cm frame size on Ebay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-Trek-Boone-7-50cm-disc-/301581062276

8/27/15 1:22 PM

A lot of people ride it on cobbled beaters - basically anything they can get the tires and gears on. My friend Mike rode a contraption he put together from "whatever was cheapest on ebay" or something like that. Looked like an old steel touring frame that someone had put personalized decals on. Don't know total cost, but doubt it was much.

And Sandiway, a few do ride it on tandems!

8/27/15 2:18 PM

If that was Mike Kearney you rode with the whole way, you definitely had a good ride. Mike's a beast on the bike! We've ridden a couple of 200K brevets together. Congrats!

David

8/27/15 2:22 PM

Hi David,

Thanks, Mike K it was indeed, and I understand you 2 are short track clubmates as well.

Dan

8/27/15 2:43 PM

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And Sandiway, a few do ride it on tandems!

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8/27/15 2:53 PM

>Trek Boone Disc 50cm frame size on Ebay...

And it is green too! ;)

if you can cheap it together, personally I will do steel or Al for something I might be bouncing rocks off. Although carbon MTBs been doing the rounds for the duration.

A point; if you are going to run 35-40mm tires and especially tubeless and @ your weight Sandi... How forgiving is a Ti or Carbon frame really going to effect ride quality?

Like a free pass for a good cheap AL TXC or CRUX or something... Although, not best time of year to shop for those. ;)

8/27/15 3:20 PM

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Although, not best time of year to shop for those. ;)

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8/27/15 3:48 PM

I suppose maybe guys wanting to get the new one for this season may need cash from last years bike to do it, and be more open to offers otherwise?

Just mindful of BB drop if you look in CX frames. Some are quite high, a non starter for me. I intend to run 40s and 42s due to my girth, which would raise the BB even more.
Smaller riders still run 30s for CX racing, barriers and such on course etc play into CX frame geom and BB heights.

Example was the 2009 TCX I had in 2010 raised the BB quite a bit and Giant did not even include BB height or drop in the stats. A lot of folks got a surprise they did not appreciate upon getting the 2010 and newer before that got around.

8/27/15 3:48 PM

including (used) powertap for $1400. frame/fork/hs was $375. original build pictured, it's changed a bit since -- and its alot more grimy!!! :-)

<img src=http://brown-snout.com/cycling/bikes/chinaman_allroad-ac024/P1020255.JPG height=480 width=640>

Last edited by walter on 8/28/15 6:32 AM; edited 4 times in total

8/27/15 3:53 PM

And for $375.00 frame/fork if you pop a hole in it you are not going to go too broke getting another one. ;)

Walter and I have emailed a lot on the All Road gravel use. I do not recall Walter making one comment that gave me any impression he was not tickled pink with he budget grinder. My Strong frame and fork cost near double his entire budget.

8/27/15 3:55 PM

all-road/gravel bikes are FUN! they're still plenty fast if you want it, and the big up-side is that nothing is off-limits.

make a move, sandy!