Gaelforce West - Discussion & Afters

clopd

Sniipe wrote: »

You would be better off with a set of puncture proof/resistant tyres. I've got armadillos on my bike and the have been thru glass, stones, curbs,... I went out on them last Sunday to do the cycle, CP and cycle again and they were perfect. I didn't get off the bike at all after CP.

The first hill on the bike has an elevation of 192m, the second hill which is just below CP is 249m (so from that we can figure out that the CP climb its self is 764m (CP height) - 249m = 515m of a climb by foot)

link from last sunday: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/11289514

note: I missed the turn off that clopd mentioned. Definately look out for the kennels sign (but I'm sure there will be someone there this year).
Also note I was with 3 others and took it handy.
Also note split 1 = cycle stage4, split 2 = up CP, split 3 down CP, split 4 cycle stage6 (split 5 redundant 6 seconds)

Snipe your a Garmin geek!!!
like it -
fair play to you - useful data here.

Sniipe

I likes my numbers clopd I'll be taping a note to my handle bars telling me when the two climbs are about to start so that I can recover before them and get my drinks/bars in before them

firsttimer

Not that I am pessimistic or anything (!) but does anyone know what the cut-off time for ascending Croagh Patrick is?

ronanmac

Sniipe wrote: »

You would be better off with a set of puncture proof/resistant tyres. I've got armadillos on my bike and the have been thru glass, stones, curbs,... I went out on them last Sunday to do the cycle, CP and cycle again and they were perfect. I didn't get off the bike at all after CP.

Sniipe, did you do the cycle on a road bike or mountain bike? Am doing it on a road bike with Continental Grand Prix 4000 tyres (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Continental_Grand_Prix_4000_Tyre/5360019477/ ) and am worried that I will have to get off the bike for some of the second leg, as I will be wearing clipless pedal shoes, and I can barely walk in them on nice even surfaces, let alone on the back slopes of Croagh Patrick!

I had intended to wear runners for the entire thing, but my plan was scuppered on the weekend when I tried to replace my clipless pedals with the old toe-clip pedals that came with the bike, and discovered that the pedals wouldn't budge for love or money (or for a whole lot of physical force!)

Also, does anyone know if there is much of a run at the end at Westport House, and on what kind of surface will we be running?

Mr Freeze

ronanmac wrote: »

Also, does anyone know if there is much of a run at the end at Westport House, and on what kind of surface will we be running?

200m I believe. And its on tarmac, but there is a grass verge, so probably easier run on that in cycling shoes.

I too had a nightmare switching my pedals (took a lot of psychical persuasion) , so I could wear runners for the whole event.

richiemack

can we leave our bags with our bikes for the last 200m dash? be nice to sprint accross the line

guapos

hi,
Getting very excited about my first gael force. Do the waterproofs count as full body cover or are you expected to have another layer? good luck to everyone for saturday

Sniipe

All 4 of us were on road bikes. 1 of us decided to wear runners for the difficult terrain. We all overtook him. I will be wearing my bike shoes and will not be getting off the bike. I was the only one on puncture proof tyres, but the rest managed perfectly fine on normal road tyres.
The run at the end is tiny, you can leave your bag there but i didnt bother. After the run i went back to my bike and put it in my car. After that i went for my free much needed rub down.
I should think that waterproofs are fine. Essentially the are required to keep you out of the wind if the worst comes to the worst. I will only have a light waterproof jacket and pants which will take up little to no room on the bag.

richiemack

After much panicking, and bags been sold out in every shop in Galway I finally got one this morning in Great |Outdoors in Galway, in case anyone else is stuck they ordered a good few. Bought an emergency blanket for €3, that rat race shop's a bloody rip off!!!

yop

The underlayers on the rat race site are decent though, 60 euro for the same in Elverys!

clopd

Survival Bag / Blanket?

I checked with 53 Degrees North and Great Outdoors for Survival Blanket - no joy. Anyone got advice where I can get one?

Could a black bin liner be classified as a survival bag?

gaelforce09

http://www.ishkasports.com/

next day delivery

GForcer1

clopd wrote: »

Survival Bag / Blanket?

I checked with 53 Degrees North and Great Outdoors for Survival Blanket - no joy. Anyone got advice where I can get one?

Could a black bin liner be classified as a survival bag?

53 deg North in Blanchardstown have them, got one at wend, €4, suprised these places dont have them?

yop

clopd wrote: »

Survival Bag / Blanket?

I checked with 53 Degrees North and Great Outdoors for Survival Blanket - no joy. Anyone got advice where I can get one?

Could a black bin liner be classified as a survival bag?

I can see myself with a stall outside Delphi!

"Last of the survival bags, 10 euro"

guapos

You can get survival bags in Army Bargains off Capel Street for E3

clopd

gaelforce09 wrote: »

http://www.ishkasports.com/

next day delivery

Thanks for that link gaelforce09 -
that's sorted - should have it tomorrow.

richiemack

Gawd the hours are passing very slowly this week. Can't wait to get out of work on Thursday evening........

Irishrm

I know this has been asked before but I don't think there was an accurate reply posted but how long id the off road section of the cycle after the CP decent?

richiemack

I feel like an awful twat but decided to try out my new bladder and when it's not got water pissing out of the mouthpiece I'm just sucking air.what am I doing wrong?

VR46

Irishrm wrote: »

I know this has been asked before but I don't think there was an accurate reply posted but how long id the off road section of the cycle after the CP decent?

Yeah anyone have an answer to this??

And what type of off road are we talkin bout.. trails or fields of cow sh!t or what?

Mr Freeze

VR46 wrote: »

Yeah anyone have an answer to this??

And what type of off road are we talkin bout.. trails or fields of cow sh!t or what?

Its 2k Max....Its uphill mostly and its a grass/rocky road, its a very bad surface, with the rain lately, its gotten very bad, lots of ruts and holes in it now, and water running down it, it was like a river thursday night last when a few of us done it.

The downhill section of it is short, but very rocky. I dont cycle down it for the sake of 5-10 mins walking it, it be easy fall on it or warp a wheel.

I'm sure the elites rip down it though, the choice is yours.

Irishrm

Thanks for that CKWPORT. I am planning on using a road bike and leaving the standard tyres I got with it on it. Do you suggest an upgrade to puncture resistant tyres? If the surface is so poor there may be no way of cycling a road bike up it anyways...

Not long to go, this week is really dragging...

Mr Freeze

Its a racer I am using, and you will cycle up it no problem, going down is really rough, so i will be walking down it.

I have normal tyres too. They've been sound so far, hopefully will be sound on the day too, I dread getting a puncture. Its my biggest worry for the day.

Poncherello

is there much to cycle after the off road section....? am thinking if its very wet u will need to change ur scyle shoes for runners and if there was only a couple of k left after that u wouldnt need to bother putting them back on ?

yop

Poncherello wrote: »

is there much to cycle after the off road section....? am thinking if its very wet u will need to change ur scyle shoes for runners and if there was only a couple of k left after that u wouldnt need to bother putting them back on ?

The final cycle is 12.5km. So I think you are talking about circa 1km from rescue station to the left turn of. You can prob cycle another 1km of that. Then if you are on a roadbike then you will prob walk/run the next 2km with the bike on your back.
So I suppose before you come back on road again you are talking about 4km done??? So another 8km or so left.
The decent to the main road is tight and there are a few tight corners and potholes.

toomuchdetail

Guys, ploughing over old ground here but what is the view on runners V's bike shoes based on the current ground condition and outlook and the prospect of carry the shoes with additional changes etc ?
I have asics Kayano , is it to late to try and purchase and break in a pair of hill/trek shoes, have ran the reek twice in the asic's,a slow and slippy decent but not sure a pair of XT's will help there .
The more experienced hill runners would they take the "lose shale" path down?
Not sure if now is the time to be concerned about these things.

Poncherello

Personally having read advice from those who have done it in past I think bike shoes and trail shoes are the way to go.
But you would be mad buying trail shoes now having not run in them before the race.

ChickenBalls

Anyone know where i could get one of these without being ripped off?

cyclesuperstores have them but 102 euro!
Does anybody know if wiggle will deliver next day?

mymojo

toomuchdetail wrote: »

Guys, ploughing over old ground here but what is the view on runners V's bike shoes based on the current ground condition and outlook and the prospect of carry the shoes with additional changes etc ?
I have asics Kayano , is it to late to try and purchase and break in a pair of hill/trek shoes, have ran the reek twice in the asic's,a slow and slippy decent but not sure a pair of XT's will help there .
The more experienced hill runners would they take the "lose shale" path down?
Not sure if now is the time to be concerned about these things.

im in the same boat toomuchdetail...have only runners...no trail shoes etc??!! was gunna buy sum but think at this late stage may be bad idea?

Timmah!

keith123 wrote: »

Anyone know where i could get one of these without being ripped off?

cyclesuperstores have them but 102 euro!
Does anybody know if wiggle will deliver next day?

Got one in Snow + Rock in Dundrum last week, €85 but I haggled a fiver off...