26" ride on a roadie ride?

[Skynet]

No e-bikes fair enough, not that any have that range anyway. You can also understand no tri bars. However other than why would there be any other restrictions? A 26er is a no go but if you’ve 27.5 or 29 then that’s fine. It sounds like a typical bunch of roadies and you are better off without them. Plus most of the rides these days are vastly overpriced for what you receive in return, always good to look at the cost per mile and that’s usually enough for me to give them a miss.

But roadies have always been a weird bunch, obviously not 100% of them but often cliquey and miserable. My earliest memories when I joined a more touring orientated club as an early teen was saying hi or hand up and always being ignored by them. Soon gave up bothering. A couple of summers ago my brother went out on some rides with the local road club and I told him about that, he said they were exactly the same.

 

[xtaffa]

Thanks all, not least for the reality checks from those who've done this/similar. I'm ambivalent about organised rides and the fees vary in what they get you, but the good ones have a good vibe to them, and you can add to the Chufty Badge collection, of course.

As some of the informed comments have revealed, I've probably underestimated this. However. Allowing for needing to do this inside of one day, I saw it more as a forced pace trekking/touring ride, than a head down roadie, marginal gains, powergel in pocket race. That's why I'm as bemused as offended by the drop-bar 700c only etc rules. Surely a tourer/hybrid with comfy touring/distance setup - e.g butterfly bars etc. - is going to give most average riders the best chance of surviving/doing this route. Rather than a bum up head down, speed orientated rig.

Anyway, fundamental rethink in play now!

 

[Woz]

There is a difference though riding along fairly solitary and joining a peleton with a pace line going on to share the work load into the wind. Wide bars in the later is not a good thing for safety and speed reasons. With those distances and difficulty there will be many groups formed naturally with pace lines - not necessarily with an aim to get record speeds but with a simple aim to survive individually, get under the cut-off times and reduce the time spent in the saddle.

 

[greencat]

It's a tidy distance for sure. I used to do hundred mile day tours, loaded up with camping gear, on a flat handle bar mountain bike in my twenties. Average speed was 10-12mph. But it would often take a few shorter days of 40-60 miles to start to work up to it. At nearly 50 with my touring days long behind me, I wouldn't consider doing it again without some serious prep - and as much mechanical advantage as I could get bike wise.

 

[Prodigal Son]

No e-bikes fair enough, not that any have that range anyway. You can also understand no tri bars. However other than why would there be any other restrictions? A 26er is a no go but if you’ve 27.5 or 29 then that’s fine. It sounds like a typical bunch of roadies and you are better off without them. Plus most of the rides these days are vastly overpriced for what you receive in return, always good to look at the cost per mile and that’s usually enough for me to give them a miss.

But roadies have always been a weird bunch, obviously not 100% of them but often cliquey and miserable. My earliest memories when I joined a more touring orientated club as an early teen was saying hi or hand up and always being ignored by them. Soon gave up bothering. A couple of summers ago my brother went out on some rides with the local road club and I told him about that, he said they were exactly the same.

It´s only bicycles...some ride better on asphalt while others on singletrack. it´s 2021 and the old "roadies are bad" tales became irrelevant because gravel and all road bikes go everywhere. Or you can even grab an old 650b french tourer w/ the low trail of MTBs but steep head angle and ride Liege Bastogne Liege. Times have changed.

 

[legrandefromage]

Heres the reply I got from Open (as long as you're eligible) Cycling

Hi Mark - guessing you want to use one of these bikes.
For the MTB's and Hybrids - we did use to allow them, but these people were always the last to come in and the most likely to retire. Almost without question they regretted it.
For tri-bars - we just don't think that people have complete control over the bikes when using these. The event is on roads with many junctions and other traffic. We have had our fair share of incidents so keen not to increase that number.
Electric bikes. Suffice to say things are changing here, but until recently electric bikes just wouldn't do the distance and become more of a hinderance than an aid. I suspect in years to come as battery tech improves the event will need to review this.
There are a few exceptions to the flat bar rule - but the "its the only bike I have" is not one of them. Just need to email in and we can reply.
As to being OPEN yep we like to think we are.. can ask some of the participants who have taken on the ride. I guess we just would rather see the majority of those who start, get to the finish. Its not fun for them or us when they don't
James Thurlow
Open Cycling.

 

[legrandefromage]

I used to ride from Huntingdon to Hunstanton on me Zaskar with rack and camping gear

...and Panaracer Smoke/ Dart!!

 

[brocklanders023]

I used to ride from Huntingdon to Hunstanton on me Zaskar with rack and camping gear

...and Panaracer Smoke/ Dart!!

Used to holiday in my Gran's caravan at Hunstanton every year, the ones past Vegas chip shop, left then by the sea wall. Still love the place.

 

[The History Man]

Used to holiday in my Gran's caravan at Hunstanton every year, the ones past Vegas chip shop, left then by the sea wall. Still love the place.

Did she do the cards or just palms?

 

[Woz]

Technically, it's not a compact frame, and with some debate and fuss flexing and bending the rules with the organisers (give them the "no carbon footprint speech"), you could do it on something like this. Lastly, you would need to take a course of horse painkillers for any benefit.

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