Clifton CC

can some one send me the link for this sounds interesting

I rode the Spring into the Dales Audax on Sunday (lovely weather - lovely scenery) and one of the guys there had done the Fred Whitton and the Dales Grimpeur before and he said the Dales Grimpeur was much harder. I've not done either so I think I've maybe let myself in for a rather taxing day . I was hoping to do it on a 34x23 or 39x25 (I think they're about the same ratio?). Am I being a bit naive?

BroomWagon - yes. Get some lower gears. You'll thank me on Park Rash.

34x25 is a bare minimum (and would be a cheap change for you if you already have a compact)

Arthur

Re: Fred Whitton v Dale Grimpeur.

The Dales Gimpeur is a harder course no doubt. What makes the Fred Whitton harder is the lack of cafe stop

Good man BroomWagon doing the Spring into the Dales
I rode that last year and enjoyed it too

Oliver Wright also put on a Spring into the Peaks last year and an event later in the year - both of which were excellent.

Not sure if they are happening again - but good events to enter if you are chasing AAA points!

I did it last year too, I can't have known you then, supposed I'd only just come back into cycling at that stage. It's a good ride isn't it and a lot of people of all abilities do it. The weather was a bit better this year. It's suprisingly tough and they've made it a bit harder for an extra 1/4 AA point - you don't cross the bridge at Bolton Abbey now but go and do an extra climb. I remember last year seeing snow on one of the three peaks (don't know which one it was) and I absolutely got stuffed on the last climb but one by a 74 year old chap and his daughter - though she did mention she'd ridden the Tour Feminine in the eighties and had been British National Champion so I didn't feel so bad after that. This year got a tremendous view of the same peak and Malham Cove.