Small Update Oct 2015 - found some more photos
I rode the Rawlinson Bracket again this weekend. I have ridden it in both 2013 and 2014 and was going to give it a miss this year as the route is no longer particularly new. However I had a change of heart and paid for a place. The reason I was going to give it a miss is because its a challenging route (almost 60 miles and around 4000ft of ascent - some of the climbs like Edge Hill and Sunrising Hill are fairly hard), but mainly because being in February the weather can be unreliable.
The first year (2013) it was bitterly cold with the roads only just ice free and the temperature hovering just below 0Deg C - (brief write up here). I got quite cold and the ride was fairly miserable for the last 20 miles.
The 2nd year (write up here) was warmer but with a very strong wind - great when a tailwind but strong enough when a headwind to force me onto the 34 front ring on the flat.
This year was not off to a great start for the event with the weather forecast predicting winter storms by about midday. Before that I was not aiming for an early bird 8am start and thought I'd rock up for a start 30 minutes or so later and leave towards the back of the pack. The weather forecast changed my mind and I was up to start as soon after 8am as possible to make sure I made it back to the event HQ before the weather turned.
The next challenge was to defrost my car and since we'd had a snow/sleet shower followed by rain the night before my car was very thoroughly iced up, and even with the heated screens needed some forceful scraping. The temperature was a bracing -1Deg C.
With our road being very icy underfoot I was even wondering if the event would be cancelled. luckily by the time I was further south down the M40 the temperature had risen to a balmy +1 Deg C.
This year the even HQ had moved from the Heritage Motor Museum to the Agricultural College at Moreton Morrell. I arrived a little before 8 and parked up and went and signed on. The organisers had delayed the start by 30 minutes to 8.30 because of some ice around Chesterton Windmill so I didn't rush to sign on. Once I had signed on then got ready back at the car.
I had decided, based on how miserable I'd felt in 2013, to be well prepared this year so I ended up with my thermal bib longs, base layer top, 3 full zip jerseys and gilet, 2 pairs of socks, overshoes, two pairs of gloves and a base layer skull cap. I rolled over to the start at just after 8.35 and with a minimal delay set off.
It was not too bad at first - I was still warm from the car and the weather was OK. However the cold meant that it took ages to feel comfortable cycling at any pace as I was not really warmed up.
There was some frozen run off in Lighthorne Village and the road towards Chesterton Windmill over the M40 was still icy although thawing and I took it cautiously. All of the route from the start up to the first climb which was Burton Dassett were new roads to me . The Burton Dassett climb turned out to be a different approach to the previous years and was a little longer but significantly easier. From this point the route was familiar and a series of flat stretches to each of the climbs. Climb #2 - Shotteswell - was easier than I recalled and was followed by the long drag along the Banbury Road back towards Gaydon. Its always disconcerting to pass the sign for Edge Hill as you know the route will take you several miles north only to turn back at the the Army base and ride back almost the way you have come so that you can ride up Edge Hill.
Knowing the route is a boon and a challenge as you never know how hard to try and when to save something for later, and Edge Hill is one of the climbs that you can get it very wrong on.
Edge Hill (Climb #3) was as hard as ever. The first part of the climb before the road swings right is hard, then after the right it levels briefly before climbing to the top with the gradient increasing from ~8% to ~16% at the top, meaning it gets harder the further you get. I passed a number of people (and was not passed) on the climb, and hung on in 2nd gear (34-26) for as long as possible, but dropped to the 34-28 to save my legs for later. Two or three years ago I set most of my fastest times on this climb and don't seem to be able to get anywhere near those times now - despite being much more bike fit and on a "better" bike. Edge Hill is #136 (I think) in Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs and is rated a 1/10 - its much harder than that in my view.
The route then takes you along the Edge Hill escarpment and then swings off towards Tysoe where a loop takes you up Climb #4 - Lady Elizabeth Hill. This is not that steep and more of a drag and its about finding a comfortable rhythm and keeping at it. Again I passed a few more people and was not passed and felt OK. It's at this point that I saw the fastest riders heading back towards me - they left at the front and have a cracking pace so its mildly disheartening!
The route meanders westwards to Upper Brailles where there was a refreshment stop at the village hall. I stopped for a energy bar and gel, but didn't get a coffee. It was cold enough that after a few minutes the cold started to bite. Even after only a few minutes of being stopped it took another 5 minutes after starting riding again to shake of the chill.
The route meanders to Climb #5 - Compton Winyates which is not a climb as such but a set of undulations with a general overall upwards height gain. Its not tough but can be sapping and in 2014 there was a headwind which made it difficult. Once that's over its a general descent towards Sunrising.
Sunrising is a very hard climb - last year it was even harder as the surface had been stripped for resurfacing. You turn right onto the main road about 100m from the start of the climb. Its straight up to around 10% which flattens to around 5% as the road swings left. It then kicks up past the house to 10-12% before swinging back to the right and then a slog at ~15% to the top. Its hard and there's no rest at all - I was in the 34-28 before the left hander and ground up the rest of the climb in that gear. However I pulled past a number of people again on the climb and no-one passed me again. The surface was much better this year as well. Once at the top it takes a while to recover but you know you have a flat run back to descend Edge Hill. As hard as it is to climb Edge Hill its great to descend - although the bend halfway down needs care at speed.
From the bottom of Edge Hill is a drag past the Army base to Kineton. If the wind is in the wrong direction this can be very hard and in 2013 I was glad to be with Noel and get shelter as I was fairly done in by then. The wind was better this year fortunately. In Kineton the route was new to me as we worked our way back to Moreton Morrell via Wellesbourne. There was a nasty little climb a mile or so from the finish that sapped the speed again and then we were back at the college.
My wife had driven down and saw me arrive - although she was a bit cold waiting. We went to the event HQ and had a drink and warmed up a bit and then left - it was too cold to hang around unfortunately, even though a gazebo had been laid on outside. About 5 minutes after setting back for home the heavens absolutely opened as forecast - I was extremely grateful to have made it back before the rain as it would have been horrible.
My Garmin said 3:28 ride time and the timing for the event said 3:32 which included the stop at Brailles. I was more pleased that I expected with this time - it equated to 16.2mph and I was assuming 16mph.
Here's the route and profile:
Here's a link to my Strava ride: Link
So - what did I think? The route was good - its tough with the climbing but a worthwhile challenge. The weather was what can be expected for February and adds to the sense of achievement. This year was neither as cold as 2013 or windy as 2014 - so should take that as a positive. My average speed was over my aspiration - so another plus.
And where did I come - well its not a race but.. - looks like about 60th of 380 - so pretty good \i thought
Will I do it again next year - too early to say. Will I do it in the Summer - I really ought to as good weather will transform the ride.
Here's some photos I cam across in Oct 2015:
