Training for Ride Around The Bear
Just FYI - Bicycle Club of Irvine each year hosts training rides to prepare for Ride Around the Bear. If you want more information go to bikeirvine.org and see "Calendar of Events". All the bear rides are listed. The training actually started in January so I am (sorry!) posting this alittle late. The next training ride is March 5 and everyone is invited to join. From the website:
Our Bear Training rides help you train for the Ride Around the Bear Century, hosted by the Orange County Wheelmen. There are ten scheduled Bear Training rides, which increase in climbing and distance over the six months. Interspersed with the regular Sunday rides, these periodic remote rides such as Angeles Crest, Palos Verdes, and Graduation Day (to Mount Palomar) are a real challenge! The distances begin in the high 30-mile range and progress to 40 miles quickly. More attention is paid to the amount of climb, so the first ride has about 2400 ft. of total climb. Please join us. It’s a great way to build endurance, even if you don’t plan to participate in the Ride Around the Bear. We recommend that you ride at your own pace. Don’t try to keep up with faster riders or slow down for slower ones. The 2009 Ride Around the Bear is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, and begins in the city of Redlands, at the base of the San Bernadino Mountains. It climbs up Rte. 330 to Big Bear Lake and from there up to Onyx Summit, at an altitude of 8,400 ft. The descent is down Rte. 18 and back to Redlands. The total climb is approximately 9,500 ft. |
Originally Posted by Pamestique
(Post 8447624)
The 2009 Ride Around the Bear is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 |
Originally Posted by obie
(Post 8448025)
Edit: the ride is actually Saturday, June 13...per the OCW site.
Training rides are a great idea. How often are people working on climbing? |
Thanks Pam,
I was looking for some training partners. I'm gonna check it out. I registered this morning. The Bear is my ride goal this year. I realized that if I didn't have a ride goal in mind, I only half-@ss train. It only took me 3 years to figure this out.:p |
Well, if it really is June 13th, I can ride it AND the Eastern Sierra Double, since there won't be at date conflict! That's great news, I will register for The Bear too.
Re: BCI training rides, the only one I've ever done was Palomar, but that was excellent! Rick / OCRR Okay, I'm in, confirmed! See you in Redlands and on top of Onyx Summit! |
Originally Posted by Rick@OCRR
(Post 8450247)
Well, if it really is June 13th, I can ride it AND the Eastern Sierra Double, since there won't be at date conflict! That's great news, I will register for The Bear too.
Re: BCI training rides, the only one I've ever done was Palomar, but that was excellent! Rick / OCRR Okay, I'm in, confirmed! See you in Redlands and on top of Onyx Summit! I don't have anything as nearly that ambitious planned. I want to do the Palomar one too. Is it more difficult than the bear? |
FYI, There’s another small group with OCW that also trains for the Bear which also welcomes anyone interested; you don’t need to be a member to participate.
It is lead by Mrs Kashima and has a start at 7:30am at Northpark Plaza on the corner of Culver and Irvine Blvd. You can find more info on their web site. |
Originally Posted by DScott
(Post 8449358)
Yeah, but if you go on the 6th, it'll be a lot less crowded. ;)
Training rides are a great idea. How often are people working on climbing? Maybe less cyclists but a lot more hd bikers. Last year the OCW and Big Bear Choppers events were held the same day. May be the reason why Around The Bear was pushed back a week for '09. |
Originally Posted by grrlyrida
(Post 8450275)
Yeow Rick, I don't have anything as nearly that ambitious planned. I want to do the Palomar one too. Is it more difficult than the bear?
Now, on the other side of the coin, there are parts of Palomar that are steeper than anything you'll encounter on The Bear, but that's another reason it's a good training ride. I would also recommend Gledora Mountain Road to Glendora Ridge Road to Mt. Baldy Village as a good Bear training ride. Again, not as long (44 miles out and back), but more similar gradiant (mostly 5 and 6%). Rick / OCRR |
Originally Posted by grrlyrida
(Post 8450123)
Thanks Pam,
I was looking for some training partners. I'm gonna check it out. :p |
Originally Posted by Tumbleweed
(Post 8451051)
Maybe less cyclists but a lot more hd bikers. Last year the OCW and Big Bear Choppers events were held the same day. May be the reason why Around The Bear was pushed back a week for '09.
|
Hmmm, let's see.... Training for a 100-mile-9K-feet-of-climbing ride by doing 10-12 rides in 5 months that average just over 50 miles in distance and 3,500 feet of climbing? This sounds like training for a boxing heavyweight match by fighting guys lighter than 130 lbs. :D Sorry, but except for the Palomar and the Angelest Crest rides, the rest won't help me much to prepare for the Bear.
Hey Mr. Beanz, would you disclose your secret training program and organise some more adequate training rides like GMR, Forest Falls and, well... Palomar? :D |
Looks like they get up to 6350 ft of gain on the last ride. I guess it would depend on what your goal is. If it is just to finish the ride, those training rides might be sufficient. If your goal is to do well and post a good time, it falls short. Of course, I'm one of those people that likes to train harder than the actual event or race. :p
|
Palomar is a GREAT place to gets climbs ins. My simple out and back Pie ride is good training, about 70 miles and 7500ft of climbing.
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...-Back-Pie-Ride If you're feeling hardcore and want the latter options, then it's about 93 miles and 11k ft of climbing and yah you still get PIE http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...th-all-options (all start at Harrah's Casino) |
Originally Posted by JimmyNH
(Post 8457438)
Hey Mr. Beanz, would you disclose your secret training program and organise some more adequate training rides like GMR, Forest Falls and, well... Palomar? :D
|
Originally Posted by Mr. Beanz
(Post 8458474)
Training? Only training I'm doing is playing with the grandson and his Choo-Choo!:D
Rick / OCRR |
Originally Posted by Brandy
(Post 8457943)
Looks like they get up to 6350 ft of gain on the last ride. I guess it would depend on what your goal is. If it is just to finish the ride, those training rides might be sufficient. If your goal is to do well and post a good time, it falls short. Of course, I'm one of those people that likes to train harder than the actual event or race. :p
I did them all and was able to post a respectful time when I did the Bear. I wasn't doing it to race but I felt good and it was easy for me. I did supplement my training with long distance rides and additional climbing. The nice thing about the Bear Routes are it gives one a chance to see what real climbing is about. I have used all the hills surrounding Turtle Rock (love Summit park!) and Newport Coast as a nice way to supplement other training for climbs. The Bear Training rides are probably best suited to first time Bear riders or people who ride alot but want a nice social way to get into shape for the climbing. |
Originally Posted by Pamestique
(Post 8460775)
The Bear Training rides are probably best suited to first time Bear riders or people who ride alot but want a nice social way to get into shape for the climbing. |
Originally Posted by grrlyrida
(Post 8461657)
This sounds like me. I've done AC, but haven't done GMR. I'll do it with the Grand Tour training. I haven't been that far south (Irvine) with my bike yet. Anything social sounds fun to me.:D
The Bear feels like GMR IMO. Only you need to relax and realize it eases up after the second rest stop. Then a little struggle up Ony but not to tough. When I did my best on the Bear (7:40), I didn't do any climbs longer than GMR to the village and back. Just added a little more intensity. |
Originally Posted by Mr. Beanz
(Post 8461913)
My opinion? I knew you would ask!:D..........If you can do GMR, you can do the Bear!:thumb:
The Bear feels like GMR IMO. Only you need to relax and realize it eases up after the second rest stop. Then a little struggle up Ony but not to tough. When I did my best on the Bear (7:40), I didn't do any climbs longer than GMR to the village and back. Just added a little more intensity. |
Originally Posted by grrlyrida
(Post 8462112)
Hmmm, I think Rick said that too. As a female, I don't want to do GMR by myself. :( Yes I'm wimpy. I don't need people to ride along with me, but I'd like a meet up point down the road. I just don't want to be by myself if something happens. LA Wheelmen is doing a Mt. Baldy Village training April 18th. I plan to check it out with them. They start in Azuza, though.
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Originally Posted by Brandy
(Post 8462705)
I've never felt unsafe on GMR and I train out there alone all the time.
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Originally Posted by grrlyrida
(Post 8463290)
I know you're right. But in my kookoo mind I think there's some guy named Chester in a serial killer van trolling for women. :rolleyes:The truth is I shouldn't blame it on my femaleness, but on my unfamiliarity with that area. I been up AC by myself and all the hills in Solvang alone, cuz AC is practically in my backyard and I'm from the Santa Ynez valley. I don't know anything east of Pasadena. Ohm I'm lying. I know where Din Tai Fung is in Arcadia.:D
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Brandy is right, I've seen her on GMR several times and no guy named Chester was following her (at least not in a Serial Killer Van). So I agree with everyone above, no worries.
Well, there was the time my friend Roseanne was on GMR by herself and she was confronted by a bear, but that's not likely to happen (I've ridden up there 50+ times and I've only seen a bear once). Plus, Roseanne could ride faster than the bear could run (not that bears are slow), so she escaped with nothing bad happening and a great story to tell. Rick / OCRR |
Originally Posted by Mr. Beanz
(Post 8412739)
ME!:D....Down 12 lbs and want to lose another 15 by the ride! (June)...Been loafing too much the last 3 or 4 years!;)
Originally Posted by Brandy
(Post 8457943)
Of course, I'm one of those people that likes to train harder than the actual event or race. :p
Whatever, the way things are looking right now, I might not be able to do the Bear this year. |
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