Ring of Clare 2018

DeepBlue

http://ringofclare.ie

What is people's experience of this sportive? I'm thinking of signing up but just trying to find out how good/bad it is in terms of organisation and roads etc.
Would you recommend?

jamesd

Did it last year, nice enough route and well marshaled and the food stop was fine.
Scenery is nice but didn't blow me away compared to the Tour de Burren route.

mamax

166km or thereabouts, about 1500mtrs of climbing, most of the roads are fine but there are a few rough bits as on every spin this long.
Food stops are good too always plenty there
Kilrush back to Ennis via Kildysart will be tough if you've gone too hard too early, last bit of advice is always bring a rain jacket to cycle in Clare as the weather can change very quickly

DeepBlue

jamesd wrote: »

Scenery is nice but didn't blow me away compared to the Tour de Burren route.

Sounds like the Tour de Burren might be a winner.

Also there's this......

Food stop in Lisdoonvarna serves delights such as cheesecake & smoked salmon on brown bread

Yum!! :pac:

Boscoirl

Have done this the last 2 years. The new route last year was an improvement.

It’s an enjoyable spin. No difficult climbs but at the same time there is no flat bit of road especially the last 40-50km
Some nice views

I have signed up again for this year.

jamesd

DeepBlue wrote: »

Sounds like the Tour de Burren might be a winner.

Also there's this......


Yum!! :pac:

If the weather is good you won't beat Burren or the Ring of Beara sportives.

Cona

Is it acceptable to start this earlier than the official start time? Similar to the Ring of Kerry cycle, I would rather start a bit earlier to allow for a slightly earlier finish...

The Noble Nudge

Guessing about 2 and a half hours to drive down from Dublin?
Thinking about travelling....

ah forgot I had tickets to Madness......same night...

Boscoirl

Cona wrote: »

Is it acceptable to start this earlier than the official start time? Similar to the Ring of Kerry cycle, I would rather start a bit earlier to allow for a slightly earlier finish...

I started earlier last year. Just rolled out after I had registered. Few others did the some same

jamesd

Started a bit earlier last year too, no issues.

AxleAddict

I've taken part for the last two years - it was initially called the Gran Fondo Hibernia before it became the Ring of Clare. Originally the route was clockwise with most of the climbing at end of the route - they then reversed the direction of route last year so that the main climb was at the beginning - good to get it out of the way early in some respects when the legs are still fresh but does mean that the peleton breaks up earlier - so you might find yourself riding solo for a while until a reasonable sized group forms and catches up with you (at least that was the case with me). There was a decent enough turnout for the first year of the event, and from what I could see, numbers were significantly up last year too. I've done a few of the sportives in the Skoda Celtic Series** over the last couple of years and they've tended to be quite good value for money, a good atmosphere, ample food at the foodstops and professional (free) photos if you're lucky enough to pass one of the photographers out on the route.

** I reckon the Tour de Conamara is easily the best sportive of the series.

motley

Intending to do this Saturday. Weather doesn't look too good though. Could be a long day on the bike.

maggiemissy

Also doing this on Saturday, so it looks ok then to leave before the start time, i've doing the 120 and i'll be there from 8 just hanging around, wasn't sure if it was ok to go before 9.30 or not.

Boscoirl

There is an airshow in Foynes on Sat, so we should see some of the planes on the way back to Ennis from Kilrush

jamesd

maggiemissy wrote: »

Also doing this on Saturday, so it looks ok then to leave before the start time, i've doing the 120 and i'll be there from 8 just hanging around, wasn't sure if it was ok to go before 9.30 or not.

Yes no bother leaving early.

Boscoirl

Great day today after a miserable start.

jamesd

Yes a very wet start but turned out nice, very bumpy route wasent it.

DeepBlue

Boscoirl wrote: »

Great day today after a miserable start.

Yep, got soaked before even reaching the start line. It didn't help that after all the fine weather I completely forgot to bring any wet weather gear.

Still it didn't get too cold and cleared up after the food stop. Bit of a lumpy route alright back to Ennis from Kilrush.

Cona

This is my second sportive, Ring of Kerry being my first. Weather was a bit of a downer but I started to enjoy it once the sun came out.

Found this much harder than ROK, lots of up and downs which were sapping.

Generally speaking would people rate this course as hard, medium, easy etc?

Boscoirl

It’s a lot harder than The RoK and the tour de Connemara

I haven’t done any of them yet but I imagine any in Wicklow would be harder

Cona

Boscoirl wrote: »

It’s a lot harder than The RoK and the tour de Connemara

I haven’t done any of them yet but I imagine any in Wicklow would be harder

TBH although I'm not an experienced cyclist, I found the ROK an easy course and wouldn't imagine many would class it as "hard". Ring of Clare was much more draining, there seemed to be little respite (from hills) on the second half of the course.

ridelikeaturtle

Cona wrote: »

TBH although I'm not an experienced cyclist, I found the ROK an easy course and wouldn't imagine many would class it as "hard". Ring of Clare was much more draining, there seemed to be little respite (from hills) on the second half of the course.

To me, seeing the map beforehand showing that none of the hills on the second half were very steep or long, made it so much easier mentally; and if you felt frisky you could push on a bit knowing it's not going to be a long climb.

Plus there was the tailwind off the coast, which really helped this year. I'm guessing that's the normal daily wind direction? I cannot imagine trying to power through that the other direction.

borntobike

Gave this a good dig with a 31.5km/h average for the 160km. I thought the route was brilliant and the stewarding equally so. But the registration and BBQ were a total disaster with massive queues. Also for the entry fee you would have at least have expected not to have to pay for a cup of tea at the start (like most good sportives). Would love to do the route again but there are so many more better value for money events.

ridelikeaturtle

borntobike wrote: »

Gave this a good dig with a 31.5km/h average for the 160km. I thought the route was brilliant and the stewarding equally so. But the registration and BBQ were a total disaster with massive queues. Also for the entry fee you would have at least have expected not to have to pay for a cup of tea at the start (like most good sportives). Would love to do the route again but there are so many more better value for money events.

The queues did go very quickly at least.

Which sportives offer free tea & coffee at the start?

Cona

borntobike wrote: »

Gave this a good dig with a 31.5km/h average for the 160km. I thought the route was brilliant and the stewarding equally so. But the registration and BBQ were a total disaster with massive queues. Also for the entry fee you would have at least have expected not to have to pay for a cup of tea at the start (like most good sportives). Would love to do the route again but there are so many more better value for money events.

Jesus for 40€ I find cycling events superb value for money. I come from the running world where people easily pay that money for much shorter and lesser events. You are getting 2 fully stocked foood stops along with stewards directing us throughout. I personally think €40 was great value for a full days outing. I mean do people think that these things should be free or what 🙄

Boscoirl

The little tub of sudocrem was a nice touch

ridelikeaturtle

... and you get a gillet (or hoodie, or jersey). Great value as far as I'm concerned. I can make my own cup of nice coffee, pre-ride, in the morning.

who_ru

The 2nd food stop was 112km not 103km as shown on the official map. They need to correct that as it’s a bit of a head melter wondering where exactly the stop is.

The wind from doonbeg heading south on the 160km route was very hard work but super when it was at your back after turning at carrigaholt. I’m afraid for me some sections of road after kilrush we’re not suitable for cycling on. I know the organisers want to avoid busy main roads but some of it was brutal.

I’d have to think about doing it again. It’s a tough day in the saddle. I might try the burren next year instead.BTW I did 167.9km.

setanta74

Loved it. Gary Sheehan bike mechanic saved my bacon right at the very start with quick release lever issue. Talk about bad timing. Then the rain and barrelling down The Hand at 55kmph into the wind and driving hail. Think I screamed all the way down. Very hard to see. Everyone was doing the same. What a highlight looking back. Terrifying and painful at the time though.


Weather cleared after Doonbeg for the best part along the Kilkee cliffs out to Carrigaholt. The hills all the way home were rough. Relentless little bumps that came one after the other. Great to have the wind behind though. Loved the event. Gillet, medal, bottle, burger, lights, tub of sudocream (after 100k...thank you Jesus!!!) and plenty of food along the way. Superb bike mechanic and good marshalling by people who probably wanted to watch the hurling. Fair play. Great day and great value.

Would agree that some of the road surfaces were very poor quality and sapped a lot of energy and gave the bike a fair rattle.

statto25

I did the 120km and bar the sideways rain at one stage I really enjoyed it. My only gripe was the toilets before the event began. There was no water in the stalls and people who couldn't hold were basically going to the toilet on top of other peoples toilet motions (sorry for anyone eating) I walked in as one of the GAA clubs lads was about to try and clean up the mess and he was going mental and I didn't blame him although his rant was hilarious.