With the requisite apology if this has been covered in another thread (I searched, couldn't find it), does anyone know if the Santa Cruz 70.3 bike course has been modified to remove that hilly, inland section on crappy pavement? I just checked the web site, and it looks like the bike course is back to the old Big Kahuna/just along Highway 1 route. The elevation gain is also showing as being about 1,000 feet or so lower than it did the last time I checked the web site, when that inland section was still included. Did the bike course change?
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Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Eileen]
[ In reply to ]
Not sure, but I'm interested to find out as well.
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Eileen]
[ In reply to ]
It appeared that way to me as well.
The current course looks like a simple out-and-back along the coast. I didn't do the race last year, but I remember it turning in inland and having some more elevation.
The current course looks like a simple out-and-back along the coast. I didn't do the race last year, but I remember it turning in inland and having some more elevation.
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Eileen]
[ In reply to ]
The map shows just out and back on Hwy 1. The written description, however, still mentions the Swanton Rd detour (the hilly bit on crappy road). Would be good to know which it is, mainly for gearing choices.
Ian
Ian
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [sneeuwaap]
[ In reply to ]
sneeuwaap wrote:
The map shows just out and back on Hwy 1. The written description, however, still mentions the Swanton Rd detour (the hilly bit on crappy road). Would be good to know which it is, mainly for gearing choices. Ian
If this hill impacts your gearing choices then I think you may be over thinking race strategy for this event. Hill was not too long and not too steep last year.
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [milkman1982]
[ In reply to ]
milkman1982 wrote:
sneeuwaap wrote:
The map shows just out and back on Hwy 1. The written description, however, still mentions the Swanton Rd detour (the hilly bit on crappy road). Would be good to know which it is, mainly for gearing choices. Ian
If this hill impacts your gearing choices then I think you may be over thinking race strategy for this event. Hill was not too long and not too steep last year.
Good to know. I've ridden Hwy 1 a lot but never gone up that road. Guess I'll give it a whirl.
Ian
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [sneeuwaap]
[ In reply to ]
I ride a 11-28 pretty standard setup, and I had no issues going up, nor did I have to coast much on the fast sections of highway 1
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [milkman1982]
[ In reply to ]
milkman1982 wrote:
I ride a 11-28 pretty standard setup, and I had no issues going up, nor did I have to coast much on the fast sections of highway 1I leave an 11-25 on my disc, which is good for most courses (not StG), but it sounds like I might want to switch it out for the 11-28 to avoid grinding. On the old Big Kahuna course, I'd just go with the 25 on back.
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [T3_Beer]
[ In reply to ]
I heard back from the IM folks. The bike course has been changed. No more Swanton Road section. More time on Highway 1. Yippee!
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Eileen]
[ In reply to ]
Eileen wrote:
I heard back from the IM folks. The bike course has been changed. No more Swanton Road section. More time on Highway 1. Yippee!Sounds like a nice ride, looking forward to it!
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Eileen]
[ In reply to ]
Eileen wrote:
I heard back from the IM folks. The bike course has been changed. No more Swanton Road section. More time on Highway 1. Yippee!Awesome!
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Eileen]
[ In reply to ]
Is the road closed? If not, how is the turnaround accomplished? Some days the PCH is busy.
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Hussman]
[ In reply to ]
There is a turnaround on the highway controlled by Police. Pretty safe there, a little dicey sometimes with pissed off motorists but there are quite few police riding the highway to keep motorists from getting to aggressive
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [griffeyfan04]
[ In reply to ]
Thanks. I ride the coast from time to time in the Half Moon Bay area, and I've not been too concerned with motorists as there is usually ample shoulder. Considering it's a single out and back I don't expect too much bike congestion.
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [Hussman]
[ In reply to ]
the problem is passing in the bike lane.....so many people ride right on or near the line you can holler on your left but sometimes you have to go into the roadway and that can annoy motorists when having to avoid cyclists swerving into the road for 18-20 miles. Fun course just a little tight sometimes
Re: Santa Cruz 70.3 Bike Course [griffeyfan04]
[ In reply to ]
The other issue is the rumble strip. The course is quite crowded for the first 20mi or so and you often have to hit the rumble strip to get around packs of slower riders.
ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Last time i was down there to ride (6 weeks ago?) there was a short bridge on Swanton rd that was almost completely washed out by the winter rain - down to one lane. I was wondering if they would be able to get that fixed in time for the race, guess we have our answer. Thanks for the update, removing Swanton takes out the steepest (but really pretty!) stuff.