Cycling UK Forum

On the famous TT Mountain road that is!



Its been a funny fortnight..... Got a brief phone call recently from Duncan. Duncan was a pal of Chas and I when we were both at school. (I met my dearest Chas in the Art Class doing our O'Levels... ah...)

Anyway, now Duncan is paying us a flying visit for 2 weeks on Wednesday! So much for getting in as much cycling as possible. Last weekend I was fund raising the entire time, this weekend I was cleaning and scrubbing my hands bear! Some decent notice would of been nice.


Top it all, its been a dashed fine weekend!


So, to keep to the miles, I have decided to cycle the entire route to work. Normally I drive to Baldrine, leave the car there, then cycle the last 4 miles into work.


So it means mounting the Mountain! Its a long long way when for most of the 8 miles I have to embrace are on a 14% or so hill! It gets easier after the 4 mile mark, but still up hill for a further 2 miles. Then relax for the last 2.


As the Mountain road is a bit scary on the way home as about 7,000 cars travel along it from 5-6pm, Im going the coast road home. It makes the journey longer by 6 miles, but I need the distance to be honest.


Wish me luck. Ive not ridden the Mountain at all before. (ALways been a bit scared of it). I shall set off at 7am, so nice and quiet I hope.



Mary

Sounds like a very nice commute to work.
I sometimes wish my commute was longer than 3.5 miles. I just get warmed up, then I arrive at work :-/

Sounds like yours is quite a scenic route.

Good luck with the mountain - I think you'll have a quartering tailwind from Ramsey to Douglas so should be ok once you get past guthries and onto the mountain mile.

I know that stretch fairly well (although not on a bicycle) as I used to Marshall up at East Snaefell Gate (Mountain Box) for MGP & TT.

I envy the fun you're gonna have on the descent from "Kate's Cottage" down to Brandish.

I'd love to do the circuit on a cycle - I think there may be many lovely views that I've missed on previous visits, owing to concentrating too hard on the road, and travelling a wee bit quickly

Are you using protection?

Cunobelin, YES! I wore a helmet! ROFL....

Phil, I hasten to add, I wasnt cycling the entire mountain. I live in Sulby village, so cycled up the Tholt-y-will road. Its a megga climb I can assure you. I had only cycled 3.2 miles and averaged 4 mph at this point when I joined the Mountain at Snaefel. By the tram stop.

Do you still Marshall? THey are very short of Marshalls these days. Both for TT and Grand Prix.


Well, folks.... you can just call me King of the Mountain! I did it!

Its not 8 miles to work but 10.7. Its funny the things you dont notice when your driving a car up there. Such as the red cats eyes on the road side. For those of you not familiar to the TT course, there are no cats eyes along the centre as they are a hazard for the motor bikes during racing.

So instead they put red cats eyes along the road side edge. They make a huge difference in fog. (for cars that is)

I found today they are not very yeilding to a cyclist hitting them! Did it once and learnt. SOme of the cats eyes have been altered but the hole they used to sit in remains and they are about 2-3 inches deep.

THey seemed to sit exactly where I wanted to put my bike so I was snug going round left corners (cars were snug as well!).


It also goes to show that the early bird gets his worm.... I set off at 6.45am. Got MEGGA hot going up the hill. HAd to wear shorts in the end. As I wanted to keep my yellow jacket on. (added protection Cunobelin lol)

There were cars, but it was bearable. Once I had climbed the last hill, which I shall add, I zoomed up as it was no where near as bad as the Tholt-y-will road had been - I had walked most of that.


I then free wheeled for about5 miles. It was fab. A tad windy to let the brakes go completely, but wonderful.


Gonna do this again for sure.


Tonight going home, I am doing the coast road home. I can beat the cars in the mornings as I can get up earlier than they want to. Cant beat the time we all go home at though. Its safer on the coast road and longer too. Might get done 20 miles or so today.


Mary Feeling very smug!

Hmm remember doing the coast road in preference to the mountain when riding out of Douglas to one of the IOM time trials, afterwards I reckoned the mountain would have been easier, too much up and down and no steady rythm on the coast.

Manx Cat wrote:Mary Feeling very smug!

Mary ... the smug ex-virgin Queen!



It sounds wonderfully exhilarating!

Manx Cat wrote:Cunobelin, YES! I wore a helmet! ROFL....

Phil, I hasten to add, I wasnt cycling the entire mountain. I live in Sulby village, so cycled up the Tholt-y-will road. Its a megga climb I can assure you. I had only cycled 3.2 miles and averaged 4 mph at this point when I joined the Mountain at Snaefel. By the tram stop.

Do you still Marshall? THey are very short of Marshalls these days. Both for TT and Grand Prix.

I haven't been able to afford to get over there for several years (young family) but I'd love to make a return - I wonder if my green wellies are still in the marshal's hut at Mountain Box?

Now I'm cycling, It's possible I may be able to do it more inexpensively, and get some cycling in at the same time.
Worth considering at any rate.

I'll probably need to put some work into climbing, as the opportunities are somewhat limited around Cambridge area - certainly well short of what I'd need for around there.

Congratulations on the ride over the top.

Manx Cat wrote:On the famous TT Mountain road that is!

What kind of thread have I stumbled into?

Is this now a dogging forum?

>;o)

Gazza

I remember descending the mountain road into the outskirts of Douglas back in the IOM cycling week. 4 of us were at full speed and clocked up in excess of 60mph. Great times them - no fears or commitments.

Well do tell, how was it for you??????

WOW Pigman, thats super fast! Too quick for me Im afraid. As I now service my own bike, I would be way too scared to cycle that fast, incase some thing important wasnt tightened up enough!



Well, got home at 6.30pm.


I must admit, Im not sure if I can use this as a regular commute or not.

It was 10.7 miles to work this morning over said Mountain, but this route is way too dangerous to cope with at evening rush hour, so I opted for the coastal road.

I reckoned the coastal road was about 14 miles back to my home.


Well, add another 7 to that. The total distance I did today was 31.8 miles!

Bit too far for every day, but certainly one I can do on good sunny days perhaps. It was a great route for Audax training (hope to do some of this next summer).

My legs have had a proper workout today!


The coastal route home was lovely. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, the insects were getting stuck in my eyes! (3 times!) Now I wont forget my sunglasses next time.


Tomorrow is Tesco shop day, to having to go back to my normal 4 miles there and 4 back commute, so I can take the car to the supermarket. Duncan arrives Wednesday. Not sure what he will make of my empty fridge.



Mary

I once cycled the coast road when riding from Douglas to Ramsey, thinking it would be easier than going over the mountain. It seems to buck and switch all over the place and there's quite a climb out of Laxey, so I'm not sure it's any easier. I've also ridden up Tholt-y-Will and agree that that's a hell of a climb. Have you ever tried the one a bit further along - the B10 up to Sarah's Cottage? That's a real legbreaker!