Hey Euro STer’s. I will be in Europe for 2 weeks at the end of Sep. Right now, I have no sales guys taking me to meetings on Sep 21 (Friday). I can take the TGV and be in Grenoble (via Lyon) on Friday by noon and early afternoon in Bourg D’Oisans.
I would have Friday PM to ride Alpe d’Huez and les Deux Alpes. Saturday if weather cooperates perhaps try to do the Mamotte loop (Croix de Fer-Telegraphe-Galibier-Lauteret-Alpe d’Huez…8-9 hours) all day Saturday and then pehaps Ornon and Les deux Alpes on Sunday morning before lugging my ass back to Geneva and flying to London where I have to be for Sunday nite.
It is an ambitious plan, but what the heck…how many times do you get 2.5 days to sit around Europe twiddling your thumbs between customer visits.
So the thing that would make this rather insane plan work (aside from good weather) is if anyone can suggest a place in either Bourg d’Oisans or Grenoble where I can rent a 51-53 cm road bike…ideally with a compact or triple…or if some STer magically showed up for a weekend of silly hillclimbing with an extra bike with the above specs, I would be perpetually grateful (not that counts for much…). I know there is a bike store in the village of Bourg d’Oisans, but can’t remember its name.
Dev
PS (I’ll pack my pedals, shoes, helmet and clothing…)…also if I get booked to be somewhere on Friday Sep 21, to meet with a customer then this plan breaks down and I’ll instead spend my weekend, sitting in cafe putting away espressos.
http://www.cyclesetsports.com/chapitre17_en_1.html
Have you every ridden any of these climbs? Under 9 hours for the Marmotte loop is a good time
Yeah, I have ridden all these climbs before and did the Marmotte Loop less Alpe d’huez on a single day. At the time I did not realize that it was the Marmotte loop…I just designed this loop to incorporate Bourg d’Oisans-Croix de Fer-Telegraphe-Galibier-Bourg D’Oisans as I wanted to see the TdF crest Glandon (sister Col on same mtn as Croix de Fer) and continue on and do Galibier and then make my way back to Bourg D’Oisans. I always wanted to do Galibier from the North side (just like they did in 2005 and this year), so I just designed this rather logical loop by fluke. Only after I completed was I told that Alpe d’Huez is done at the end of this killer ride…so now I have to go back and do it once in my life and this is as good a chance as any. I figure the career of the poser sport cyclist is incomplete unless they have ridden this loop on a single day! Certainly worth the price of admission 
IF the Cyclesport shop in Bourg d’Oissans is out of bikes, be sure to head up to the top of Alpe d’Huez where there’s another bike shop that rents Scotts, I believe, at a reasonable price. (I was there about 3 years ago and can’t remember the name of it). I almost freaked out when the cyclesport shop was out of bikes when I got there, thinking I wouldn’t be able to ride the mountain. Thankfully we drove to the top and found another place that rents bikes. I’d also bring your own pedals and a wrench if it’s not too big a pain…
Bump for the Euro crowd. Anywere in Bour d’Oisans or Grenoble where I can guarantee a RESERVED BIKE. The above link is first come first serve.
thanks
Dev
YOU ARE NOT! you’re checking out the ski course at Autran-2009 world champs!
Hey, my frame size would be 51-53 range for a road bike…likely prefer 52-53, with a 110-120 mm stem so that I have “lots of bike in front of my body” for the technical descent down Croix de Fer!
Dev