VTV Gran Fondo

[jopamora]

Lots of talk lately about Gran Fondos. Here is a local one
http://vtvgranfondo.com/about.html

[consularrider]

Pretty late entry being on the same day as the Seagull Century and the Tour of Richmond Gran Fondo.

[83b]

@consularrider 61068 wrote:

Pretty late entry being on the same day as the Seagull Century and the Tour of Richmond Gran Fondo.

And the Culpeper Century.

[TwoWheelsDC]

And the Arlington Fun Ride.

[JimF22003]

I recommend the Culpeper Century.

[83b]

I got “persuaded” by some folks in the office to sign up for Culpeper and am still trying to decide between the metric and english routes. What’s the pace like on the full? I’ve been getting out in the mornings and putting in 20-30 miles before work averaging ~15-18 mph (including lights) by myself. I’m hoping to be strong enough by October to find a group that I’d reasonably fit into.

[JimF22003]

The Culpeper C. is pretty much a go-at-your-own pace kind of ride. Not the same vibe as a “Grand Fondo” I guess. There’s no timing or anything kept. You might well find groups to ride with, but the terrain is pretty roller-y (with only a couple of steep hills) so I find that groups tend to break up and reform. As long as I can see somebody ahead of me and somebody behind me, I consider that a “group”

[83b]

Thanks!

[mikoglaces]

I did the Culpeper Century last year, and it was great. It was a mass start event. We went off at 8:30. The first half hour we rode in a large group, as pretty much no one wanted to ride past Ted King (http://www.iamtedking.com/) who was there with a local racing club. The pace though was moderate, maybe 17 mph (I didn’t keep track). Ted and co. pulled off at the 1/2 hour mark or so, and then the pace picked up and the big group broke down into smaller groups riding at various paces. Anyway, even without Ted King and that dynamic, since it’s a mass start event if you ride your pace you’ll end up riding with other folks.

Culpeper is rolling hills. The Seagull is flat flat flat. Me, I’d rather do hills, but if 100 mis. is a long ride for you then Seagull might be better. But Seagull has thousands of riders, whereas Culpeper is small. Another reason I prefer Culpeper. (But I’ve never done Seagull.)

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