Rapha Women's 100 (cycling challenge)

[Velorider]

Has anyone heard of this or doing it??
It's a worldwide event taking place on the same day (July the 20th) where women will cycle 100km. I've just signed up via strava.

Has anyone else signed up? It would be great to create a support group on here, to swap training tips, snack ideas and just general stuff.

I'm a pretty proficient cyclist but only cycle about 40 miles in one to due to kids etc. So sign in, sign up and let's swap stories!

We did another family bike ride Mon. 22miles was good weight training with my 2.5yr old in her seat . My dh struggled on the way back with our 7yr old on the tag along. I've cycled into work today but just looked at forcast home its heavy rain and head wind
Hope you all enjoyed a cycling easter.

The weather is terrible. I read it yesterday and it was forecast rain today so I organised coffee and cake with a friend. Of course it is glorious now! So decided to take my bike later so when the kids go to their karate class I can go for a spin, then get DP to collect them and I can have a quick hour alone on the trails before a well earned dinner. With rain all weekend, it's better than being on the trainer!

Forecast was half wrong I got home dry but very tired in a head wind all the way.

My Waterproof jacket I use for walking mainly is very lightweight Patagonia one but I used it this on the bike and now it smells very sweaty and it's not easily washable without re proofing. What do you all wear when cycling in the rain? Do you just assume that you will get soaked regardless?

Ssmile I pack a rapha rain jacket. Seriously small, lightweight and I just bung it in the wash with the rest of my kit. Never even thought I would have to do anything to it with regards to waterproofing it! Though I am certain you don't need to. It has never let a rain drop in!

I don't mind getting wet too much in summer rain as you warm up and dry off. It's still a bit cold where I am so I would end up shivering if I got soaked totally. There are a lot of decent ones on the market. I also have a proviz night vision jacket that's pretty good too. Don't wear it often though.

The Raphael jacket looks good but a little out of my price range at the moment. Has anyone tried dbh jackets? Wiggle had some in £50-£70 bracket which I can justify at the mo using my birthday money I've not spent yet

Did an hour this morning on my bike dodging the showers but still finding it a struggle think I'm still recovering from this virus as throat sore yet ago tonight and whacked out. Hohn.

Hope everyone else got a few dry miles in this weekend.

What is everyone planning this week? After a very soggy week here, I am hoping to get the miles in this week!

Ssmile, I have some dhb bibs and can say they are really good. I have a couple of their tops too, so can only imagine the rain jackets will be as good quality!

ssmile you did a family bike ride of 22miles?! That's awesome. Right, I want to get a tag along for DS so we can do longer family rides.

My bike is in the shop, I'll get out on it for a few hours on Friday while my mum watches the DC but won't then get a decent ride in again until a week on Wednesday because of guests. I miss my bike!!! Been trying to make up for it by running each morning with my dad and DH and I did 3 solid days of hiking at the Grand Canyon which was immense

ATB. Jealous of the hiking. I love desert canyon hikes. I spent couple yrs in USA working in NPS in some great parks. The family ride 22miles was over 6hrs and had a park n cuppaT stop, cafe lunch, then on way back stop in different park then pub drink n sweets stop then another park stop and home we plan our family rides around parks, cafés and pub stops! Very luckily to life in a nice part of SW UK where lots folk come on hols.

Gd to know DHB ok velo as I've not heard of them before. So I will check out some of their kit. Planning to cycle to work tom have just rolled a top n trousers into a plastic freezer bag to suck air out and squeeze into my handle bar bag I normally plan ahead and leave clothes at work but didn't get chance last week and I really want to do tues &thurs to keep building my miles.

Hello all, good to hear everyone enjoying their cycling and the family day sounds like it was a good one Ssmile! Also agree the dhb stuff is pretty good, decathlon also worth a look, I've had some running and cycling bits from them over the years that's been fine. Only item I wouldn't compromise on is leggings/ shorts - need to be comfy, especially on longer rides!

How were the trails Velo? And take care with that virus!

ATB, hiking sounds perfect, you live in the best place for outdoor pursuits - am jealous! How's training for the big event going? I've managed a couple of decent rides since my tumble (an 80 and 60 miler with a couple of smaller rides-15 and 30 miles) but would have to get some serious training in to manage 100 odd every day over a week.

Also had my first taster of open track riding last Wednesday (Mallory Park, only 7 miles away so nice little run down there too) and it was a blast! Was very wet so was careful but looking forward to going back this week, thoroughly recommend it.

Glad the weathers getting a bit better and roll on the later nights!

Hi everyone! Sounds like we are all keeping active, which is great! It's really good having like minded people to connect with.
ATB hiking sounds brilliant, not long until you get your bike back now.

It's raining here, so I am taking the day off. Went out with do yesterday for a short one, but I feel something is better than nothing. Getting time for anything at the moment is hard as I have a lot of work on (all cycling related ironically). As I'm freelance I have to take it as I get it too.

Pip the tack sounds amazing!

*track!

Track was great fun, bit of a headwind but still excellent to ride on such a good surface and no worries about traffic so you can get your toe down. Back again tomorrow evening for more of the same and had a rest day today. Got a 100k sportive on Sunday, it's a hilly one so will be interesting to see how it compares to last Sundays event.

Track sounds good fun pipkin hope your sportive goes ok.

Hope you can still get some rides in between work Velorider.

I've had some good rides this week, slowly building my weeks total. Aiming for 70miles this weeks total. It's not high by you guys standards but I pleased to be feeling fitter and slowly working on getting miles in my legs

Hope you all have some good bank holiday riding.

Hello Ssmile, glad to hear you're enjoying your rides and don't knock your milage, 70 in a week is good going, that's exactly how I built up. The only reason I've been able to get more in recently is because I've had quite a bit of leave owing to me so have used the time when there's been a nice day to get out.

Hope you get another one of those family rides in this bank holiday, last one you described sounded great fun, I wholeheartedly commend planning rides around a pub stop!

Your work sounds interesting Velo, glad to hear you've got plenty coming in.

How's the bike now ATB?

Good luck with the sportive today Pip!! I hope it goes well for you.

I really need to up my miles and have struggled this weekend with the kids being off. Just hoping it dries up a bit here so I can get out later today and see how far I can go!

I hope you all have lovely bank holiday rides if you can get one!

Hope the sportive was good pipkin - I've not done one of those before what are they? Competitive race or fun ride on road or off?

Yep we had another family 20mile ride today . We got the train today and cycled back with 2 pub stops, a park and a cafe for lunch was very nice and the girls enjoyed it. DH did get a puncture which very nearly cause a crash with his brand new SPD shoes n pedals on (I'm jealous as I have never used them but want to..) with tagalong on the back but he managed to keep it upright and release his foot in time. I tired to get my 7yr old DD to watch whilst he mended the puncture as she could learn - I am all for empowering girls especially with learning - and she was "oh I couldn't possibly learn how to do that its toooo hard!" oh dear I have a way to go with her confidence building It was actually lovely (if a little chaotic on the path) to see SO many people and kids out riding. I feel a little odd sometimes amongst my "mummy friends" that all their kids have bikes but the mums themselves hardly cycle at all. Its such a shame and I don't get it? Lots of mums will run but not cycle? Is it a confidence thing?

Ssmile your bike ride sounds fab!
I agree, lots my my friends kids have bikes but they themselves don't ride. It's such a shame. Most women don't ride because they don't feel safe and 79 percent of women don't cycle at all. It's something I am personally working on changing.
A sportive is an event that usually raises money or awareness for a charity or cause. You pay a small entry fee and do my ride. There are usually levels from beginner to pro, in that distances get longer and tougher. It's usually not a race, but just a pace that suits each rider.

I'm waiting on some mtb slicks and am excited to change them over on my bike. Cheaper than buying a road bike!

Hi there Velo and Ssmile, sportive was great thanks, pretty hilly but got round in 4hrs 12 mins so happy enough with that (need to work at fuelling on the move rather than stopping!)

As Velo says, non competitive events but not quite in the fun ride territory. There will usually be a few climbs and there will usually be an event cut off time. They can be a bit costly ( last two were £50 and £28 respectively) but are generally to raise money for charity and I can't knock the events I did for planning/ facilities etc.

Hope your DH is mastering his pedals - I think we've all done the fall of shame at some time- usually in front of a bunch of strangers!

With regards to womens cycling, I've recently become a ride leader for Breeze, just waiting to complete my first aid then will be able to take some rides out- have a look at the website Ssmile, some rides also extend to kids coming along too. (Google sky ride breeze and you should find the relevant page) speaking of, it's stage 2 of the womens tour of Britain tomorrow, starting at Hinckley (not far from me) so I'm joining the breeze team who have a stand there - will let you know how it goes. Really looking forward to it and will catch up on the start today as it's on itv 4 later tonight.

Hope you get on well with the slicks Velo, you should notice a big difference.

I already did notice a difference in the tyres pip! Although I managed to put them both on backwards and had to spend another 30 mins changing them round. Plonker!!

Really looking forward to watching the women's tour later too! Lucky you getting to go! I've been lucky enough to chat with Giorgini Bronzini and Lizzie Armistead though. I'm slowly working my way through team Wiggle! All for work related purposes of course!

Hello ladies, I hope you are well! I've not been on here for awhile and I haven't been on my bike much either due to starting a new job that's a little bit too far to cycle to.

It was my birthday last week and my lovely fiancé got a me a new bike! Cycled about 30 miles today, it is amazing. It's my first road bike so I was apprehensive about the drop down bars and the brakes/gears being in a strange place. But it was OK and it will get better with practice. The bike is so much quicker thanks to being super light. I love it! Fingers crossed we have a dry, wind free summer!

How's everyone's training coming along? I've been doing lots walking practice for Nijmegen so the cycling has been neglected.

Hi Bisto! Beautiful looking . Love the new emoticon too! I don't own a road bike, how difference are they? The gears are controlled by the breaks? Is that right?

My training is getting there. I've made a point of cycling every day, even if it's just a little 6 miles whilst the kids are at their activities. Otherwise I found I had no time. I'm taking the little and often approach!

Lack of cycling this week :( family commitments, children and weather have meant I haven't been out at all this week, only for a 3mile trip to the shops to buy bar ends and mud guards for newish bike. Must do better next week if I am to do my first sportive at the end of June! I didn't realise it was called that! I just thinking if it as a charity bike ride with some nasty hills.... The wind has been awful in the SW this weekend with50mph gusts and I was doing a late night charity walk at the weekend so my legs were a little weary today.
bisto lovely present for your birthday. I super impressed your OH managed to get a bike that fits you it's taken me weeks of adjustments to get my bike feeling "right". Maybe I'm just a fussy pots
Feeling rather ignorant that I had not realised the women's tour was on, when the men's tour gets SO much publicity I should be doing my bit to support them!
velo I know the feeling of trying hard to squeeze in any riding between kids it gets really frustrating sometimes especially now my DH has taken up riding again and we are competing for "child" free times. I gave away to the one chance I had to commute this week to him as he was keener than me but I would have gone if I had looked at the blue sky that morning

Hello everyone, been out of the loop as my parents we're here so very little exercise of any kind was happening, but AIDS/LifeCycle sets off a week today so am back in the groove - 80miles yesterday (half brutal headwinds, half glorious tailwinds), out and about tomorrow for various birthday treats but will be riding all the time so should get a few miles in, then planning 30 with DH on Wednesday and a decent 60-70 at the weekend with a friend in San Diego. Final countdown has really begun - soon I'll be flying up to San Francisco to prepare for the big one!

You all sound like you're going great guns, family rides, new bikes, sportives - I must get online to follow the women's tour. Agree not enough women ride, there was a big push this year at ALC to encourage more female riders - last year there were only about 400 of us and 2100 men!!

Hi Bisto, very nice bike! Have you noticed much difference to your rides?
Ssmile, as you, I've also had a week off. I think I did a little more damage to my elbow (as in couldn't bend it properly) after my spill a few weeks ago so decided to rest it properly and let the swelling go down. Feels a lot better now and enjoyed a 30 mile run out today. Hopefully some circuits round Donington Park tomorrow - cracking value, just £1.00 gets you riding the track for as long as you like between 5.30 and 8.00. Think I'll just aim for an hour or so though!
good to hear training going well for the ALC event, ATB. I'm going to aim to get some miles in too this week, hopefully the weather will improve!
Velo, see if you can beg, borrow or steal (maybe not!) a road bike- I found the difference is really noticeable compared to the boardman hybrid I was using a couple of years ago.

Hello all! Good to see we are getting out. The weather is def improving. I keep getting sunburnt NAND forgetting the sun cream! I am must be of Viking decent when they came to scotland , very pale skin and blonde hair and burn like a potato in a fire pit!

ATB you are good at squeezing in the miles! I'd love to have your days. I literally get between 915-1115 on weekdays, and from after 6pm if I'm not to shattered and it's not raining. And sometimes at weekends due to DP working, me working etc.

Did an 18.5 mile yesterday which felt really good and I could have kept going, but had to be back to collect dd. Off out tomorrow too to do the same and again on Friday and a long one hopefully on Sunday!

Pip are road bikes suitable for fairly gravely trails? As I ride a five mile trail to get to the smooth off road trails I frequent.