Has anyone ridden this race that begins in Lenoir, NC? Share your thoughts?
I have done it. It is a very difficult day. In my opinion, much harder than a half ironman. The last mile is the steepest climb you can imagine and it occurs after climbing for several straight hours.
What would you like to know?
Hi Bob. Thanks for responding. I’m guessing it has lots of rollers and gather that the real climb doesn’t begin until about mile 80 or so? I have not been there before to see it and an elevation profile cannot be found to this point. A race report I read on line said the last 2.5 miles was a 9%+ grade? True? How were the feed stations? Did you take the bus back with your rig in the Ryder truck or did you have someone pick you up? Curious about that part as 4 of us are planning on riding it and taking the bus back. Any major problems or pacing advice?
Andy
The first 55 miles or so are rollers in the foothills, you then turn on hwy 181 which is 11 miles of climbing with grades between 6 and 10% with a couple small breaks. It is a very hard climb! You then ride the Parkway which has some difficult climbs in the 8% range. Hwy 221 is 10 miles long and has some sections in the 8+% grade. The road up Grandfather is much much steeper than 9%. I believe it is closer to 19% for the last mile. If you have not had the chance, go ride 181, the parkway, and 221. You can not ride grandfather, but take a car and see the grade. It is scary coming down in a car.
I did not stop at the rest areas, I had someone hand me bottles, but they looked well stocked. My family watched the finish and gave me a ride back to Lenoir.
I have done it twice. First 50-55 miles are not bad, was able to avg. 23 mph. The work then starts, 11 miles up with no break, then rolling, it seems the climb onto the Parkway is about a mile. From 75 miles to the entrance of Grandfather Mtn. is not too bad, lots of rolling, but not tough. Then Grandfather Mtn. and it is very difficult, the last 100 yards is probably 22-23% grade. The aid stations are good, the only problem is at the end there is nothing to eat. When I have been I have gone with 4 other people. We take a car up the night before and leave it, if not you have to pay $45 for a ride down. We were able to get a hotel in Lenoir and ride our bikes to the start. All in all it is a good ride, but to travel 6 hours to get there can get expensive, with entry, hotel, food, etc. I would like to do it again maybe in a couple of years. You may have signed up already, but I know in the past it generally fills up by the first week of Aug. or sooner.
Exactly as described by previous posters. Be sure to plan on a rough last 5 minutes. It’s really rather a nice climb in the conquest sort of way, and the views are awesome. Once you enter the Grandfather Mountain parkway, or whatever you call it, it’s all uphill. Just when you think you are getting used to the grade at the Nature Center, it gets steeper, and then you see the top, which is four or five steep switchbacks away, straight up, and it’s fun! The last two miles are inside the park.
Yeah, we are signed up. There are 4 of us and we are driving from MI to get there. We are staying in Hickory since all the hotels are sold out in Lenoir. Eeek on the grades! It sounds fun!
I did it five times in the 90’s i am 215lbs so the last climb into the park is hard,and the only day you can ride a bike in the park,very well staffed,at the finish your bike is numbered and taken down to a holding aera,you will also be driven to this place and feed. The first fifty mile are not to hilly,you hit one short climb that breaks it up some,then you turn onto this road and climb for about 16 miles very little desending,the parkway is not to steep,but that last climb as you enter the park,i drove my wife up it years later,seeing it in a car gave me a new look at it,its steep. My first year my gearing was39x26 the next38x26 the next 38x28,just getting that last compo allowed me to cut 45 minutes off my finish time. then you can get a nice long bus trip back to where you started,with your bike stored under the buss,if you take the buss they wrap your bike and stack it on or under others so some paint chips will happen,i always waited to get mine on top of the stack.Enjoy.
Where in Michigan are you from? I moved to Hickory from Michigan a year ago. Send me a pm if you want the inside scoop.
I also believe there will be some route changes this year. I believe they have tried to add some more climbing to the begining of the ride to try to break up the large groups of riders. Total climbing should be around 13000 +/-. Ride also starts at 9:00 this year so you will be hitting 181 around noon so the heat could be factor for the majority of the ride.
There are mile makers from a marathon that starts on top of 181 so you get a mile countdown to the top of 181 (Can be good or quite depressive at times). I believe that the climb starts around mile 13.
It is a hard ride, but fun ride. Dont kill yourself on 181 beacause there is still a fair amount climbing / rolling hills on the Parkway and 221 prior to the final climb.
I would also be prepared for all types of weather. A few years ago it was a pretty cold ride, but I would bet on it being hot rather than cold.
I am also living in Hickory so if anybody needs any local info let me know.
Mike Magnuson wrote a cover story on the ride for Bicycling Magazine in July 2003 which was one of the funniest things to read if you did the ride in 2002 (the remnants of a hurricane passed through during the ride and it rained about 8 inches during the day). He has published a great book called Heft on Wheels about the experience which i have recommended to several friends about how the Bridge to Bridge Ride is what turned his life around and really saved him from death (he lost an amazing amount of weight). Its a great experience - enjoy the ride!
I rode 181 a few weeks ago - from what I remember, it averages between 6% and 8% for a majority of the climb…
I did Blood, Sweat and Gears back in June - felt really good, so I signed up for the Brutal Blue Ridge 100 next weekend and am also signed up for Bridge to Bridge - should be a fun day!
Last time I did Bridge to Bridge was in the mid 90’s - managed not to have to walk any on Grandfather - hope to repeat that!
I have been the last two years. I love this race and it is the highlight of my riding year.
181 can get between your ears.
Grandfather mountain is more like 12-15% with some short stretches that are steeper.
Alan