Vicelord

I'm just gearing up for the travel season, I'm putting together some new rides to hand out to cyclists ranging from beginner to advanced. I just created a new one and wanted to see what most would consider its difficulty just by looking at it... pretend I just handed you this route and said to ride it.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/652847#

KoNP

those are some pretty weird routes

i get riding up to 5 and back down that seems pretty fun, but why ride into some random neighborhoods and just turn back around like 9 20 and 23?

Grumpy McTrumpy

define intermediate.

Vicelord

I made this route specifically to hit all the local climbs. It's so flat around here and most of the climbing streets dead end at the preserve, so if you want to climb, you're going to hit a dead end most of the time.

20 is Sage climb, which is actually considered one of the toughest climbs in PV. There are parts of town with real climbs that don't require u-turns, but around here it's tough.

Macster

:sigh:

This guy again. :facepalm:

Vicelord

Not a beginner riding around on platform pedals wearing gym shorts, but not a pro cyclist either. The average person who considers themselves a "cyclist" rather than a person who races or "rides bikes."

Grumpy McTrumpy

then I'd say it's going to hurt them a bit, but be doable.

RUOkie

compact or standard?

nathan.johnson

Depends how fast you go.

Vicelord

both. I'm assuming there will be a mix of triples, compacts, and standards. Mostly rented bicycles in the past years. I'm trying to switch up the routes because a lot of guests who come every year will want to see different rides.

I think the Roubaix's we get as rentals are standard Rival, and the Madone 5.2 I believe is a compact double.

Vicelord

I didn't realize it would be difficult for people to look at a ride and based on elevation, distance, and a graph, not be able to judge its difficulty.

DScott

IMO, it's doable for a decent, serious cyclist with some experience climbing, but they're going to hate you for the wierd route. Climbing an average of 1000ft per 100 miles is stiff if you're not used to climbing, or don't particularly enjoy it. That's a 2-3 hour ride, depending...

If it was me, I'd be aggravated about spending too much time tracking the route sheet just not to get lost, and would prefer a nice out and back, or a simpler loop route.

RUOkie

It is not difficult. But you know the answer already. So why don't you go ride it and make a determination for yourself. Pretty much everyone on this board could finish that route. Even the people from Florida. How tired they would be when they are done is what will be different.

Vicelord

I hear that.... all of the other routes are out and back and easy simple directions. I'm looking into getting a garmin 800 for these rides and taking a deposit to borrow it.

As for ROUkie's comment, I've ridden it. It's not easy. A couple of those hills are little bastards. the one at 9 miles and the one at 20 miles specifically. The ride isn't for me. I'm just trying to gauge a general concensus of the difficulty, and having it available as a "climbing route" which probably won't be utilized by anyone unless they are here and want to train for something or can't stand not hurting.

tanguy frame

I would want pink arrows on the route to tell me where to go. I would never look at your cue sheet and I'd be lost. I don't necessarily want to follow someone who knows the route. The cue sheet makes it advanced for map following skills, I don't care if you have big hills or not.

Vicelord

Great point, I wish these roads weren't all dead ends.

If anyone is really bored and wants to help re-route it and still get the same elevation gains, be my guest.

Seattle Forrest

Medium difficulty. 35 miles and ~2,500 feet of ascent is what I'll do on a typical weekend if I don't have a lot of time to devote to cycling. People out here do the Chilly Hilly ( 33 miles, 2,700 feet ) on all sorts of bikes, and even unicycles.

DScott

Suggestion for satisfying the more serious cyclist guests: shuttle bus to great climbing/riding in the area. Bonus points for SAG support.

How pro would it feel to have cold water bottle handups, a place to carry all your crap, and a catered gourmet lunch somewhere beautiful along the way?

There's got to be better riding out there than downtown Scottsdale...

chipcom 

fify

I'd rather have them fossils on bikes than running me down in their motor homes.

wkg

Impossible.

Vicelord

I only wish I could devote half of my work day to follow some bicyclist around and hand them water bottles.

As for better riding, hell yeah there is better riding than downtown scottsdale... but the route I posted never even goes into Scottsdale.... ?? To get any of our truly great riding, you've got to go 15 miles to get to it so you've already eaten up 30 miles (round trip) right there. I have routes at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, 100 and the longer ones go into some great areas. I wanted something short that just threw all the crap at someone I could find. Considering how much of the ride I posted is flat, there is a lot of climbing in <20 miles.

Macster

Oh no he di-ant!

DScott

For the SLAM-dancing "where can I do some MASSIVE climbing before lunch" musclehead guy I'm sure it'll be fine.

Too bad about the shuttle rides, though...

branstone

i would say go ride it and see, its only 34 miles. i am not a real cyclist, but i think i could do it and not kill myself. On the 80 miles - 1st day of the MS 150 we did over 5000 ft of climbing during the 80 miles. it was super hard for me.

haaseg

I'd look at the cue sheet and pass - too many turns and it looks like you're never on any one street for more than a couple of miles. Maybe less than 40 miles but with all the stop and go it'd probably take a whole day.