Any New England folk on here that have done this event before? I’m definitely going to register but I’m stuck on which distance to sign up for. I’m newish to cycling (started bike commuting in August this year and about 1/3 of my route is on gravel). The longest ride I’ve done so far was about 40 miles on the Northern Rail Trail up near Concord, NH. The event is in August so plenty of time to train. I’ve never been to an event that needs a cue sheet either so looking for any tips. https://d2r2.franklinlandtrust.org/ here’s the link to this years event if anyone is interested
by Heres-How038
6 Comments
I like 60 mile rides so that I can enjoy the post party and not be exhausted.
Did the 120k back in 2022. It was great, loved all the dirt roads and the scenery. It’s no joke though, my day ended with 78.5 miles and 5200’ of elevation. With some training it’s very doable and a lot of fun.
I did the 100k Original this year – it was my favorite ride of the year and one of the better events I’ve done.
Even the 100k was challenging – several sustained climbs of 2+ miles at a time, a few technical descents, some loose and rocky surfaces. The rest stops are great, but they’re 20 miles apart. It’s gorgeous out there, but it’s definitely not a leisurely ride. You’ll end up doing roughly 4x the climbing that you did in 40 miles of the Northern Rail Trail – it’s not the mileage that’ll test you, it’s the elevation gain per mile.
I’d probably recommend that you start with a shorter distance given how new you are to cycling and more challenging gravel riding.
Dang, this looks fun!
Need to look into logistics to see if I can get there flying.
I rode the 100k route back in 2018. It was both fun and challenging. We spent about an hour riding through pouring rain, which made some of the descents pretty sketchy, especially since I was on a road bike with 25c tires. A 1:1 gearing ratio is a must. Ideally, run 35c gravel tires to make the ride more enjoyable and confidence-inspiring. The post ride party was excellent and I have a vivid memory of having tasty peaches at one of the rest stops.
I do the 180 every year. It’s my favorite ride. Saying it’s difficult is putting it lightly. As ridden it’s about 110 miles… and last year I clocked 15,320 feet of elevation gain. That sounds like a lot and it is. But keep in mind almost 40% of the ride is downhill or flat. So the climbs are steeeeep. I live in the area and ride here all the time, so this is basically stringing together all my weekend rides.
Don’t train for the distance, train for the elevation. Also I’d say unless you enjoy suffering for sport, the 100k is the perfect distance. This is my favorite event of the year. Road or gravel. It’s such a good time with awesome people.
Edit. I will add that nothing is overly technical. I know people that do the ride (180k) on a road bike. Which is insane, but doable. There’s a couple sketchy descents but they are well marked and manageable if you know they are coming. For the most part this is the champagne gravel people always rave about. The price you pay is 20%+ grades. One after another, after another, after another.