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Paris-Roubaix Challenge – cobbled roads in the UK?

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  • November 28, 2011 at 9:32 am #14544
    David Else

    Last week I accidentally entered the Paris-Roubaix Challenge – a mere 90 miles of mud and cobbles next April.

    So now I’m looking for cobbled roads in the UK to do a bit of training on – and to get a feel for the bumps. Anyone got any suggestions? I’m based in the Southwest, looking in the region roughly bordered by Bristol, Gloucester, Swindon, Salisbury, Shaftsbury, Radstock.

    I know about some of the cobbled hills in central Bristol, the Cobble Wobble hill in Frome, Gold Hill in Shaftsbury, but ideally I’m looking for longish flattish sections of cobbles. (And I know British cobbles aren’t the same as French pave', but you’ve got to start somewhere…)

    Any suggestions for cobbled roads, or maybe just rutted roads that replicate pave', much appreciated. Thanks.

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  • February 27, 2012 at 2:23 pm #658077
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    Yorkshie Whippet

    The April one
    The April one (www.parisroubaixchallenge.com/us/homepage.html)is 140-150K from San Quentin to Roubaix. It does the Arenberg Forest and the boards at Roubaix. It’s described as a race!

    I’m attempting April’s to see if I can “hack” a longer distance in June. Really do want a cobble stone, why I don’t know but I want one. The Compeed idea seems to be popular. Hmm may dig out the old flexistem from a while back.

    February 27, 2012 at 12:33 pm #658075
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    Bez

    I’m doing the P-R Cyclo in
    I’m doing the P-R Cyclo in June… is the April one the proper competitive one then?

    David Else wrote:
    Glasses or not? Sure, they keep the mud out yer eyes, but are they likely to get so splattered it’ll be like riding blindfold? Any thoughts and advice most welcome.

    I always ride with glasses myself – on the rare occasions they turn out to be more trouble than they’re worth they just go in a jersey pocket (generally I’d rather ride with a compromised view than end up in a big stack by getting suddenly blinded by some lump of airborne stuff).

    I’d also suggest Compeed patches for the bits where your hoods are going to rub your gloves against your hands (probably worth establishing where this is in advance). Or, at least, that’s what I’m going with to prevent the stigmata – I have a lump on my foot where I need to use them for anything more than a couple of miles’ walking, and they work really well. I suspect anything to prevent the friction of glove on hand will be of use. I may also load up my gloves with Vaseline or minty arse lard, but this may be a personal affectation.

    February 27, 2012 at 10:39 am #658073
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    Yorkshie Whippet

    David,
    I’ll see you at the
    David,

    I’ll see you at the start. Looking forward to the “stigmata” at the end.:-D

    January 12, 2012 at 2:56 pm #658071
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    joemmo

    not very long (and a bit out
    not very long (and a bit out of your way) but these 2 in Newcastle are bloody cobbly… and uphill. Close together so they could be built into a circuit!
    http://g.co/maps/w7x4n
    http://g.co/maps/sqre5

    January 12, 2012 at 4:33 am #658069
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    rbx

    Hi Simon, could you share
    Hi Simon, could you share where exactly in Rotherhithe are these cobbles? Any other areas in/around London with cobbles are also welcome.

    Thanks!

    January 9, 2012 at 4:51 pm #658067
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    David Else

    Thanks Rob. Yes, as you say,
    Thanks Rob. Yes, as you say, not flat, but we have got a plan to include it in a training ride soon, just for fun. Likewise the famous Gold (aka ‘Hovis’) Hill in Shaftsbury. Any other suggestions for close-to-cobbles rough-as-hell roads in the Westcountry all much appreciated.

    Meanwhile, here’s another question for anyone who might have done this ride, or similar jaunts. Glasses or not?
    Sure, they keep the mud out yer eyes, but are they likely to get so splattered it’ll be like riding blindfold? Any thoughts and advice most welcome.

    January 9, 2012 at 3:59 pm #658065
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    Rob Simmonds

    There’s a cobbled street in
    There’s a cobbled street in Frome – Big Dave did the Cobble Wobble last year as I recall. It’s a steep hill though, not flat like P-R.

    EDIT – Just ignore me. Forgot you’d already mentioned it in your OP.

    January 9, 2012 at 3:11 pm #658063
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    David Else

    @ Fringe – thanks for the
    @ Fringe – thanks for the interest. A few people have emailed me to ask the same question. Training is going well. Several long steady rides over the past month, some in Flanders-like conditions, interspersed with turbo sessions. The nearest we’ve got to pave’ has been several furious laps round the cobbled quadrangle of Queens Sq in Bristol (much to the bemusement of passing Christmas shoppers) and a couple of rides taking in the miltary roads over Salisbury Plain (normally closed to the public, but open end-Dec early-Jan). Still nothing that comes close to the infamous boulders we’ll encounter on the Paris-Roubaix, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.

    January 7, 2012 at 11:44 pm #658061
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    notfastenough

    There’s apparently quite a
    There’s apparently quite a bit of cobbles round the Blackburn area; they’re used for a sportive that’s likened to Belgian classics in terms of surface etc.

    January 7, 2012 at 1:14 pm #658059
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    Fringe

    @David Else – hows the
    @David Else – hows the ‘cobbled’ road training going? found any good bits of bad road.. just curious.

    November 30, 2011 at 4:07 pm #658057
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    Martin Thomas

    “accidentally entered” like
    “accidentally entered” like it 🙂

    November 30, 2011 at 2:53 pm #658055
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    giff77

    Just a bit hope the training
    Just a bit 😉 hope the training goes well and the P-R a success.

    November 29, 2011 at 7:04 pm #658053
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    David Else

    @giff77 – ahhh, that’s a bit
    @giff77 – ahhh, that’s a bit too far north for me, especially on a Sunday training ride from West Wiltshire.

    Looks like I’ll be heading to Salisbury Plain this weekend to check out Mat’s suggestions.

    November 29, 2011 at 4:09 pm #658051
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    giff77

    I’m in Paisley, Scotland. The
    I’m in Paisley, Scotland. The Campsies, Trossachs are within an hour cycle of me. Some of my local routes going into Ayrshire and Inverclyde are pretty much beat up once you get off the A and B roads. The various councils are pretty reluctant to repair 👿

    November 29, 2011 at 10:23 am #658049
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    Rob Simmonds

    David Else wrote:Failing

    David Else wrote:
    Failing everything, then I’m off down the tool hire shop to get a pneumatic drill to sit on, as recommended by shollin. If it doesn’t help for Paris-Roubaix, at least I can send the video to Jackass.

    Don’t forget to line your gloves and shorts with coarse grit sandpaper.

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