Bear? Bear already? Did I miss the registration already?

As of Monday morning March 9th, still over 200 places left. You're not too late yet!

Rick / OCRR

How much weekly training mileage
 

A question to the Bear riders, how much mileage should I put in for training weekly? Right now I do 120 -200 per week. I live in Silverlake, so all my rides involves some climbing. Heck, just to get home I have to go up Effie which is a short 16% grade on one side and I think 18% on the other. My problem is distance. Only flat rides near me would be la river --only 4.5 miles *yawn* or Valley and downtown with a lot of traffic.:(

Well grrlyrida,

That milage per week sounds fine. What you need are long, sustained climbs for practice. Either Glendora Mountain Road / Glendora Ridge Road to Mt. Baldy Village, or Angeles Crest (CA Hwy 2) from La Canada / Flintridge until it ends (i.e. is blocked off) . . . or anywhere else you can climb for an hour plus.

On The Bear, it's a long, sustained climb once you cross the Highway all the way to the first checkpoint (about 15 mi.). After that, sustained with one descent to the 2nd checkpoint. Up and down to the lake, up and down around the Lake to the third checkpoint (lunch).

Leaving lunch it's more around the Lake, then up and down to the last sustained climb, i.e. 9 miles to Onyx Summit. And you don't need "steep" practice, since the vast majority of The Bear is no more than 5 and 6%.

You do have to be "comfortable" climbing for more than an hour at a time. Then you'll be fine on The Bear.

Rick / OCRR

Thanks Rick,

I guess I need to do AC to Mt Wilson some more. That's a 67 mile loop from my door and back. Better join Mayor Beanz for some more GMR rides too.:p

Just an FYI. After doing this ride for the past 4 years I finally managed to figure out the pacing to the top that maximizes my potential. The biggest mistake I see riders make is not holding back enough for the final climb up to Onyx. Things are wonderful early on with the cool morning and the energy of the start. Finally you reach the lunch stop then hit the rollers around the lake. Then suddenly WHAM the road turns upward, it is hot, there is no shade and you spend your mental energy chasing false summits around every bend. Holding something back for that climb not only helps you get up it but as you pass others you gain confidence. FYI my splits between rest stops last year went about 2:05, 1:05, :40, 1:10 then about 1:30 to the finish. My total time was 6:27.

Wow, 6:27. That's impressive. You must be fast and in great shape. I'm figuring 10 hrs for myself. Hopefully I won't get swept up by the sag wagon. Mayor Beanz gave me the same advice. He said go slower or hold back in the beginning that way I won't blow up near the end.:)

If anyone wants to ride GMR and Mt Baldy this coming week, drop me a line. I am off for Easter vacation and want the miles.

Thanks for posting about Around the Bear. I hear it calling!

Well, I did get fooled again and signed up. :o Don't know how prepared I'll be, but I'll give it a shot. Mr. Beanz, now is your chance to kick my arse. :cry:

I had so much fun (pain?) on my first real climbing ride, Breathless Agony, I signed up for the Bear too. See you all there!

Jim

BA vs. The Bear
 

Doesn't BA and The Bear share some of the same roads? What's the difference between the two. Which one is more challenging? This is a question for Rick, Beanz and the others who do both.

BA goes tower Beaumont then over Oak Glenn before starting the long climb up Hwy 38. The last 8 miles to the top is painful.

Bear cruises 10 miles to bottom of Hwy 330. You then climb to the lake, circle around it, then start the 8 miles of torture.

Both come down from Hwy 38. BA has more elevation, although on BA, the clock stops at Onyx. The Bear tend to be a bit warmer. Either way you'll suffer going to the summit.

Personally I don't like Hwy 330 because of all the trucks with trailers. For that reason, I didn't sign up for the Bear last year. Since so many Rebels signed up, maybe I should too...

I am doing the King of the Mountain Series to get into shape for the Bear. The last race in the KOM series is next weekend May 23, it's the HeartBreak 100. I did the Bear last year in 6 hours flat. It's the best century on the schedule. See Ya Out there

Hey John, it looks like we are going to The Ride Around the Bear after all, we had some commitments on that weekend but we really wanted to do the RAB and were able to change them so we are registered and ready! Is going to be fun. :thumb:

Ps. it was good to see you at Heartbreak.

The Bear
 

Hey Alex and Deya
You Guys looked so good at Heartbreak, I tried to grab your wheel on the backside of the first climb, my riding buddy couldn't accelerate that fast so I had to back off and wait for him. It's a shame they didn't have the timing people set up at the end of the ride,and Deya should of won the overall for the Womans class, I know you had the quickest time of the event. Keep your chin up, you are the fastest tandem Iv'e seen in years. See you at the Bear..John

So the ride is just a couple weeks away. I've been racing most weekends (crits). My climbing is fine (Newport Coast is a breeze for me), but I'm going to have to make do with a 39x25 as my easiest gear. Riding grades like Saddleback (8-10%) is no problem for me; I can manage 11-13 MPH for sustained periods. But this is basically a 40 mile climb to almost 9,000 feet, correct? So that's gonna get interesting!

What's the average gradient of the road, and what's the steepest section get to?

M'eh! You'll be fine. I am borderline obese weekend warrior at 230 lbs and I do the ride on a 39-25. Onyx Summit is 8400 feet, at mile 62. Then downhill from there. No real tough grades, just long and constant.

Hi grrlyrida,

Looks like Chuck already answered most of your questions, and I agree (pretty much) with his response/answers. Regarding which is most difficult, for me it's BA, because:

1. The off-road bit on Jack Rabbit Trail is just such an awful surface
2. Oak Glenn has some very steep bits, and it's quite the slog for me
2. Onyx is (or seems to be, anyway) steeper from the BA side then from the RAtB side

Regarding Hwy 330 on The Bear, Chuck is correct in that there is quite a bit of traffic, but in my experience the drivers have been considerate of the cyclists and haven't caused any problems.

Rick / OCRR

Check this link, it's got all the details.

Hey Beanz, do me a favor and shave your legs. I don't want to have my arse kicked by a "borderline obese weekend warrior at 230 lbs" with hairy legs. ;) :D

Shave my legs? Dude, I'm lucky to have hair under my arms!:p.......Use a wooden paddle when you spank me on the Bear! I think I'm too old for this stuff now. I'm one step closer to fifty, thinking of using the triple instead of the double on the ride, and find myself reading the fifty and over forum!:roflmao2:

Now who's the sandbagger. :lol:Beanz is right about the grades, but he forgot to mention he's like 6'5, and look at those SART pics, with bulging bi's and tri's. He zips up and down GMR. Beanz is fast.

Now if I gonna try it, you as a cat 3, will be fine. Check out the OC Rebels boys previous posts. They describe the grades and what type of training you need too.:)

SHHHHHHH! WHATTAYA CRAZY?:eek:...Don't say that here! More than likely Jimmy, Rick and all their racing buddies are going to kick my arse on the Bear!:twitchy:

6'5??:roflmao2: