Wicklow 100/200 2019

cajonlardo

Number arrived this morning

Sinbad_NI

Was looking at this last weekend... but tbh €70 is plain ridiculous. Don't see what they offer over any other Sportive but 4-5 times the price.

They must get the numbers they want or fill their allowed quota I guess, so probably very happy.

Sorry I just needed to vent my frustration somewhere :-)

Weepsie

I'd do it, but can't currently afford it, and don't fancy cycling to bray before hand after my resevoir dog got curtailed before I even got to the start and the first dart is not til 9 am. It avoids Sally Gap and military road so that's my place to cycle in wicklow if I fancy it on Sunday

Sinbad_NI

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Was looking at this last weekend... but tbh €70 is plain ridiculous. Don't see what they offer over any other Sportive but 4-5 times the price.

They must get the numbers they want or fill their allowed quota I guess, so probably very happy.

Sorry I just needed to vent my frustration somewhere :-)

I paid €52.97 for this at the early bird price, which while still expensive, is cheaper than The Ring of Beara, and compares to the ring of Clare which is €40, bearing in mind it's sponsored by Skoda, or the Great Dublin Bike Ride which is €45, so hardly 4-5 times the price.
I think the organisation of the event has improved a lot over the years, and it enables me to the 100km, (so 150km for me, to cycle to start and then home) cycle home, and still have lunch and an afternoon with the family.

Andrewcasino

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Was looking at this last weekend... but tbh €70 is plain ridiculous. Don't see what they offer over any other Sportive but 4-5 times the price.

They must get the numbers they want or fill their allowed quota I guess, so probably very happy.

Sorry I just needed to vent my frustration somewhere :-)

Price set
by demand.
last year there was over 3000 and this year is probably no different. There will be a maximum field allowed as the roads remain open to traffic, due to health and safety concerns there will be a set quoto allowed after consultation with the garda.

Sinbad_NI

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I paid €52.97 for this at the early bird price, which while still expensive, is cheaper than The Ring of Beara, and compares to the ring of Clare which is €40, bearing in mind it's sponsored by Skoda, or the Great Dublin Bike Ride which is €45, so hardly 4-5 times the price.
I think the organisation of the event has improved a lot over the years, and it enables me to the 100km, (so 150km for me, to cycle to start and then home) cycle home, and still have lunch and an afternoon with the family.

So what do these "sponsored" events give you that normal cycle club organised sportives do not.
Coupe of local ones to me I've done recently were £12-15 on the morning... So yes that's say 1/3 of the price.
For what extra? All supplied couple of food stops and grub at the end + marshaled junctions.

I've paid that amount before certainly, grand Fondo Belfast for example, and was happy to do so as the closed roads were worth it.
Don't see what these guys offer that justifies €70.

ED E

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Don't see what these guys offer that justifies €70.

Nothing really.

Im doing it this year to check it off the list then likely never again.

KevRossi

Have one available if anyone is interested. Can be collected in Dublin 3 tonight or city centre tomorrow - I work near Merrion Sq.

Can be posted if necessary, but will be out of the country from Thursday morning.

€40

saccades

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Don't see what these guys offer that justifies €70.

I was going to agree with you but I've re-written this twice and ended up completely opposite.

It's right next to Dublin. The bit with most of the people. The hard bits are well known to people who don't cycle so you get kudos. The fuel alone to get to/from the ROK is €50. You don't need accommodation. Something goes wrong you're not actually that far from home and will end in st Vincent's anyways. It's a decent time of year, probably good weather, late enough you can be fit after winter but not clashing with summer holidays.

I paid 50 quidish and that made me owch, but all the above reasons stack up (plus I use it as a fitness marker for another event later in the year).

In addition I've seen the professionalism increase as the event has grown. You can't compare making butties/cakes for 300 riders, a couple of big stew pots in the local GAA club Vs catering/plumbing for 2500 or so. I can see why costs have increased as catering has moved to buying pre-packed to be able to cope.

It's also not a sponsored ride where 10k or so has been thrown into the kitty to drop costs, it's a fund raiser for the IVCA.

NamelessPhil

Whatever about the price these are my tips for survival from someone who's ridden more 200s than I care to think:

1. You've loads of time. Take it handy, get in a group if possible. Having said that don't make an agreement to stick with someone for the whole day, it rarely works and can break good friendships. Arrange to meet at the next food stop, top of hill, or the end.

2. You might feel like crap at some stage, this normal and it will pass. Stop, eat something and just give yourself a break for 5 minutes, then get back on the bike and ride! Your ride is not over.

3. Make sure your bike is in perfect working order before the start. You don't need an obvious mechanical 5km in.

4. Don't think about the whole ride, break it down into sections.

5. Enjoy it! It's not every day that all you have to do for a day is sit on a bike and ride with no other responsibilities.

Best of luck, your legs will get you home! 🚴

billyhead

Anyone traveling from North County Dublin that has space for one. Will contribute towards petrol costs. Can make my way back on the train.

ted1

billyhead wrote: »

Anyone traveling from North County Dublin that has space for one. Will contribute towards petrol costs. Can make my way back on the train.

You can take bikes on the dart outside peak hours. Not sure what tunes the DART starts at but that might be an option for you. Straight to Greystones

07Lapierre

NamelessPhil wrote: »

Whatever about the price these are my tips for survival from someone who's ridden more 200s than I care to think:

1. You've loads of time. Take it handy, get in a group if possible. Having said that don't make an agreement to stick with someone for the whole day, it rarely works and can break good friendships. Arrange to meet at the next food stop, top of hill, or the end.

2. You might feel like crap at some stage, this normal and it will pass. Stop, eat something and just give yourself a break for 5 minutes, then get back on the bike and ride! Your ride is not over.

3. Make sure your bike is in perfect working order before the start. You don't need an obvious mechanical 5km in.

4. Don't think about the whole ride, break it down into sections.

5. Enjoy it! It's not every day that all you have to do for a day is sit on a bike and ride with no other responsibilities.

Best of luck, your legs will get you home! ��

Good points.

Another tip.

With a week to go now is a good time to check your bikes tyres. The no.1 mechanical is a puncture. How old are the tyres on your bike? If they are old, buy new ones now and fit new tubes while your at it.

I'd also recommend you replace your brake pads if they too are badly worn. There's quite a bit of descending and if the weather is bad, you'll be doing a lot of braking.

Remember, you want to spend the day cycling, not standing on the side of the road replacing a tube!

Johnny Jukebox

Another tip;

For me, the start of Slieve Maan is always the hardest part of the 200 - so I mentally dig in at the start of that climb, get the rhythm going, zone out and when I finally look up, I'm passing the pine trees and can see the top...

NamelessPhil

Johnny Jukebox wrote: »

Another tip;

For me, the start of Slieve Maan is always the hardest part of the 200 - so I mentally dig in at the start of that climb, get the rhythm going, zone out and when I finally look up, I'm passing the pine trees and can see the top...

I've counted my way up Slieve Maan, "You can walk at the next tree, ok the next tree, oh look you're at the top!"

I've given a Rocky Balboa style punch in the air at the top of the last climb of the day before now.

cajonlardo

Andrewcasino wrote: »

They probably leave it late so people are hindered from reselling.
My shirt and number arrived this morning.

Shirt?
I got a small envelope containing wristband and bike number, that was all

brocbrocach

ted1 wrote: »

You can take bikes on the dart outside peak hours. Not sure what tunes the DART starts at but that might be an option for you. Straight to Greystones

It's too late in the morning because it's Sunday times. Going straight to Greystones might cause problems anyway...

billyhead

brocbrocach wrote: »

It's too late in the morning because it's Sunday times. Going straight to Greystones might cause problems anyway...

Going to have to cycle to the start.

billyhead

billyhead wrote: »

Going to have to cycle to the start.

Pick up the number on the Saturday, and save yourself a couple of kms by intersecting the route near Enniskerry,

rondog

cajonlardo wrote: »

Shirt?
I got a small envelope containing wristband and bike number, that was all

Likewise.I just received a wristband and number.

is the Shirt included in the regular pack or do you have to pay extra for it?

Maybe we pick up in the goodie bag at the GAA club at the start?

smacl

NamelessPhil wrote: »

I've counted my way up Slieve Maan, "You can walk at the next tree, ok the next tree, oh look you're at the top!"

I'm pretty sure I've done that every time I've gone up Slieve Maan. Then going up Shay Elliot I tell myself, hey its steep, but at least its not Slieve Maan.

Detoxica

I've an early bird entry that I'd like to sell at face value. Any takers?

loyatemu

ted1 wrote: »

You can take bikes on the dart outside peak hours. Not sure what tunes the DART starts at but that might be an option for you. Straight to Greystones

it doesn't start in Greystones anymore.

smacl

loyatemu wrote: »

it doesn't start in Greystones anymore.

Bray or Shankill Dart stations and handy enough for the start, Bray's probably a little closer.

Weepsie

smacl wrote: »

Bray or Shankill Dart stations and handy enough for the start, Bray's probably a little closer.

First DART on a Sunday wouldn't get you there til 2 hours after it started

smacl

Weepsie wrote: »

First DART on a Sunday wouldn't get you there til 2 hours after it started

Yep, public transport on a Sunday is pretty weak. Not doing it this year but in previous years I've always cadged a life off my wonderful missus who still cursed me out of it for waking her up at that hour and yet invariably managed to make it back with the kids to cheer me on when I got in. Totally out of shape at the moment, but eyeing up NamelessPhil's West Wicklow 200 as a solo effort later in the year on the basis that it starts and finishes about 200 yards from my front door.

ted1

Weepsie wrote: »

First DART on a Sunday wouldn't get you there til 2 hours after it started

That’s ridiculous.....

Andrewcasino

Participating in my 1st Wicklow 200, is anybody interested in forming a group?
Looking to complete this years 200 in sub 8 hours (ride time), recently completed the recent RMHC 100 in 3H 30M as part of a small group and the Wicklow Mountain Challenge solo in 3H 45m.
Looking to start no later than 6:30am

De Bhál

anyone driving down and got room for one more. I'm based in Glasnevin. I have a lift back organised.

Otherwise I'll cycle down if anyone wants to join up for that...but would prefer a lift

David2009

I have two entries for sale for Sundays cycle if anyone is interested.
I will sell the two for €70 if any takers