LowCel 

I just wanted to check and see if anyone here is planning on riding the Cheat Mountain Challenge this year. The ride is at Snowshoe Mountain in WV. It is a 105 mile ride with 10,000 feet of climbing.

I am hoping to do it this year and just wanted to see if anyone from here will be joining me.

Here is a link to it since for some reason I can't get it to insert into the thread. https://www.wvcf.org/cmc/

Kuma

I'm planning on doing it. I'm a little nervous about all that climbing, though. I've done one century already this year, and have been working on hilly training routes, but nothing approaching 10,000 feet yet. Have you done the CMC before?

LowCel 

Nope, I haven't done it before. I ride quite a few hills but the most climbing I have done in one ride so far this year has been 5,200 feet in 57 miles. I have only done three centuries so far this year. I have no doubt this ride is going to hurt!

I didn't even have any intentions on doing it until PolishPostal mentioned it a few days ago to me and then some of the guys I rode a century with yesterday mentioned that they will be doing it.

Kuma

That sounds about like me. We should meet up and at least try to ride together for awhile (at least until you drop me like a bad habit! ) I could use the moral support...

merlinextraligh

I've ridden the course a number of times, but never as the organized ride. (although back in the day I did do the Snowshoe Cycling Challenge, which was 3 centuries in 3 days, the last day being close to the same course as the Cheat Mountain Challenge.)

The Highland Scenic Highway is a fantastic place to ride. I'd highly recomend it.

songfta

Cheat Mountain is a "maybe" for me, given that it's on a Sunday and I have no option but to be at work the next day. The drive to and from WV isn't trivial, so it's up in the air.

I am, however, going to do the Mountain Mama Road Bike Challenge on August 4th. That's a great ride, too.

truckin

I did Cheat the first year they ran it. It was well-run and we had a lot of fun. Now that they've moved it up a month, you'll likely have better weather too. I didn't get to do it last year, but am thinking about it for this year. It's a long way from Chapel Hill, though.

FatguyRacer

+1. I'm doing the Blue Ridge Extreme on the 26th of Aug and this would be a nice tune up. Actually it looks harder!!!. But the BRE start is closer to Annapolis than CM start. 2 hotel weekends with wife would add up. I like that the club promoting CM posted up cue sheets. I can do this ride anytime i feel like it, although unsupported.

Are there a number of convienence stores along the route?

LowCel 

I just commited and did the online registration. No getting out of it now.

Kuma, keep an eye out for me. I'll be on my white Fuji w/ zipps. I'll be the slow, fat guy getting dropped on the first climb.

merlinextraligh

Not too many. There's a store in Huntersville, about 33 miles. There's the Visitor's center at the start of the Highland Scenic Highway (water available, but no food IIRC) at 62 miles. Then on 219 there's a store around Slatyfork.

And there are stores at the base of Snowshoe Mountain, but then you're almost done.

If you fill bottles in Huntersville and the Visitor's center you should be fine, but I'd definitely carry food.


Also, if you're going to do this loop yourself, IMHO, turning down Back Mountain road toward Marlinton, instead of going to Huntersville is prettier, less traffic, and more climbing. (and gets you to stores in Marlinton) I think the organized ride doesn't do it that way because it takes you over a very narrow twisty road which could be a concern with a large number of bikes.

If you want directions for that alteration PM me.

LowCel 

Just a friendly bump to see if anyone else has signed up.

PolishPostal

No. I still haven't registered yet.

LowCel 

You're lucky I don't know your bikereg password!

wvxc

I am off that weekend. I am seriously considering this ride.

derath

It was on my shortlist this year. But alas life has conspired to crush my dreams. Definitely next year.

-D

LowCel 

Hope to see you there wvxc. Derath, I know exactly what you mean. After this month I won't be doing anything but working for a while. I only get two days off of work in September and two days off in October. That is going to be a long two months.

Kuma

I'll be right there with you, on my Red and Ti-colored Spectrum, off the back. I'm trying to lose a few lbs before the event, and hoping I can haul my ass up all the hills. I've never ridden an event this hilly before, so I'm not really sure what to expect. My goal is to finish in 8 hours, but by the end of the day I may be hoping just to finish...

What gearing will you all be using, by the way? Right now I'm running a 53/39 with a 12/27, but have toyed with the idea of switching to a compact crank. Anyone have thoughts/experiences with this for this event?

LowCel 

I've never done this much climbing in a single ride either, should be quite an experience / test. I will be using a 53/39 with a 13/26 cassette. I'll be on a white fuji team issue with zipps, give me a shout if / when you see me.

TrekDen

Hey, you people go ahead, and have fun climbing all them hills. It would probably take me 3 days to climb that many feet I'll be thinking of you while I'm out in Lancaster riding along those rolling 2% grades, looking at Amish buggies, and Mennonite Grandmothers on 35 pound single speeds passing me up on their way to church.

Have fun,

Denny

Caliente

Not to hijack thread but, I'm fairly new to cycling and stay fairly fit and would consider doing a century like this one. Currently i have a 11-23 cassette and wondered going up to a 27- how much of a difference would this make. Anyone make this type of change- any type of input would be great. thanks

This century sounds great, maybe next year!

TJHOO

I'm in.
Did Mtn Mama yesterday w/ 13.7k ft climb in 100 miles.

LowCel 

After doing todays race I'm not sure if I'm even worthy of signing up for this ride. I sucked, got dropped on three out of eight climbs. I managed to fight my way back to the group each time but it still sucked.

aballas

thinking about it.....taking the MCAT a few days before that though so I'm still undecided...even though I like climbing I'm still not sure I can handle 10000 feet of it...

I'd need to get my hands on a decent climbing cassette.....12-28 or something....b/c I run a 53-39 double crank...

LowCel 

Same crankset I'm running aballas, I'll be using a 13-26 cassette for this one.

aballas

hmm...I was just looking at the elevation profile for the century...I could probably swing it with a 26t....my main problem is that I'm running a conversion cassette....