Bonjour

Somewhat inspired by this weeks Tour de France viewing I was wondering what it would be like to cycle up Alp D'huez. I did a quick google search and it seems that in the summer months there is somewhere near 1000 cyclists a day that give this a whirl

I turn 40 next year and I like the idea of a weekend break with a few lads and incorporate this into a boozy lads getaway. So I thought I'd start a thread and see what our experts think....

1 Fitness - Now I'm not a cyclist, in fact I don't even own a bike but I think I'm in reasonable(ish) shape for my age I wouldn't be trying to break any records just plod up the mountain as slow as I like. I would be prepared to put in a bit of effort before I go but am I being a bit naive to think I could just turn up, take my time, plod to the top and then get pissed before cycling back down?

2 Equipment - Like I say I don't own a bike and I don't intend to buy one just for this but I'm assuming there must be a place there where you could hire a bike? Does anyone know?

3 Other stuff - has anyone else done this who has any other info I should know before I log into easyjet/ryanair?

If all else fails I could just hire a car and drive up, I mean, thats basically the same thing isn't it?

Cheers

Jesus.

Too much?

I couldn't help having a laugh when I read this. I was working in the Alps this year and used to drive up to Alp d'huez at least once a week............let me say on the tv it doesn't look that bad!! all I can say is bon courage..

LMAO

My suggestion:

Go to France and hire both a car and a bike. Put the bike on the top of the car and just drive up your mountain a little. When you can resist no more, take the bike off the top of the car and cycle. A little. Then, with your bike back on top of the car, enjoy completing the stage in what will probably be a pretty good time.

Advise your mates to follow your exact itinerary.

Now if you have two mates per car, you could complete the course twice with both having a go at cycling down the mountain. But only if all members are 100% confident & competent at controling a bike's speed using the BRAKES.

Take extra caution on the descent with fog, rain snow, glare etc. etc.

Good luck



And take cameras / video cameras so you can put the images here on FISO.

Ps. Yellow jersies will just add to the expense and aren't really necessary.

edit: Did I ever mention on FISO that I have a burning desire to cycle to Spain? I believe, near Barcelona, the Pyrennees are going to have to surrender to the coastline and a "sea-level" beach (unless there's HUGE cliffs). I too turn 40 next year but am quite competent on a mountain bike.

Anyone know how the land lies, Barcelona way

Here you are Hotpot, this looks okay Day 3 might be for you, I wouldn't warm up too much, you might miss the dinner.


http://www.cyclingclassics.com/french_alps01.php?source=Google&gclid=CPCF56f_l6oCFUEa4QodmlPjyA

Now thats more like it, cheers GM.

No need for all this doom and gloom, I will conquer les alps (its just a bike ride ffs ). Just me, my raleigh BMX and 6 bottles of Kronenburg

As I've posted elsewhere, Im climbing the Galibier in a few weeks. I cycle regularly & have been following a fairly intensive training schedule since April. I know its gonna hurt like hell.

Good luck with that

An alternative one:

Get one of these?

http://www.poweredbicycles.co.uk/Giant-Escape-Hybrid-2-Step-thru-Unisex-36v-Li-on-Battery-2011-Model/878.htm

There is a lovely coast road from near Perpignan into Spain. Plenty of ups and downs and cliffs but if you are capable of cycling there from England it shouldn't be an issue. A few little resort towns at sea level too.

Back to Alpe D'Huez I have driven up/over a few known TdF climbs (inc Mont Ventoux) and watched cyclists taking up the challenge. My thought at the time was that I could have done it (slowly) without too much difficulty a few years previously when I did a lot of mountain biking and had the youth / leg muscles / lungs for it.

Would love to think I could get myself fit enough and take up the challenge but I'm realistic enough to know it won't happen.

Bonne chance avec cette.....

I'm struggling to be honest to see how this planned trip could go wrong.

In a way you would be cheating if you did any training at all.

I've been over the Alps before and had to have a little lie down after - and that was in a car.

Is it a sportive, or you just DIY'ing?

Some of my mates did La Marmotte a few weeks back. Glandon, Telegraphe, Galibier and Alpe d'Huez. Hard as hell, but loads of people do it.

Planning a trip to the Alps for next year but I've got a niggle with a hip tendon that I need to sort out over the winter first. Good luck with the Galibier.

I've just stumbled across this thread and can't stop laughing.

Suggest you google "Etape Alpe D'Huez" - a mate of mine who is a good standard club cyclist did it - he struggled - he reckoned he passed hundred of cyclists who had just collapsed on the ascent - severely broken men

How did the Galibier go Bagpuss?

It's a beast - personally I'm not great at the long grinds - prefer the short sharp climbs (hopefully off to ride part of De Ronde course next year then onto Liege for the TdF Grand Depart and to ride La Redoute and other bits of Leige Bastogne Liege).

I did Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne Galibier in 3h45. Not exactly great, but Im happy that the only time I stopped was at a supply tent at the top of the Telegraphe.

Anyone who fancies a go needs to save themselves for the increase in gradient in the last 8km & the last km of 10% (which they avoided in the Tour by going through the tunnel) is certainly a challenge after 30km of climbing.

We did Alp D'huez the day before & I actually found that tougher, although that may have had something to do with the 28°c heat!

Enjoy your trip to Belgium - I've not done any of the climbs from the Ronde, but La Redoute is sure fun

Nice one Bagpuss lads in the club keep mentioning a trip over to do some of the tour climbs, gotta get over there some time soon... We also have a few training camps in Majorca going on and Im told there are a few tasty climbs there..

Hotpot, didn't you have to get the lift to the second floor bar at Aintree last year

Time doesn't really matter on stuff like that - just as long as you don't take the walk of shame. Chapeau for fitting in L'Alpe as well. Can't imagine it was much fun in that heat though.

Will probably stop somewhere near Geraardsbergen so we can do a loop of the Kwaaremont, Paterberg, Leberg Koppenberg, Molenberg etc before finishing with a race up the Kapelmuur (or perhaps a 'who can push their bike up wet 20% cobbles' fastest competition if it rains). Move onto somewhere in riding distance of Liege to see the Grand Depart and prologue (with lashings of Belgian beer and frites), then next day ride some of LBL and try to see some of stage 1 along the way. Still working on details though, and whether we can use the St Nicholas and La Redoute depends on whether the Tour are using them that day, which looks distinctly possible. Might have to stay an extra day to avoid the caravan if we want to do that.

You planning to go to the Grand Depart? Your neck of the woods isn't it?