1000K (Belgaum), 1200K (Kolhapur) and PBP Elevation profile

[Opendro]

For those who want to do a rough guesstimate of the elevation profiles of our 1000K, 1200K and PBP:
1000K (MG Road to Belgaum) using google earth (attached) : total elevation gain in to-and-fro : 4733m

1240K (Banashankari to Kolhapur) using google earth: total elevation gain to-and-fro : 6202m

Here is an elevation profile from one rider of PBP: total elevation gain : about 10,000m.
http://www.formaggilandia2.com/pbp2007/img/pbp%20percorso.pdf

Planned 1278K brevet in October 2014 : Total elevation gain : 15,000m (I will update the actual next Monday after recce using GPS device).

So, for those who think that we don't have routes that can be as challenging as the PBP should first try to finish our Belgaum 1000K or Kolhapur 1240K in June/July, or even better 1278K on 8th October 2014. Only those who have done both (Bangalore and PBP) can only give a fair comment. I don't think anyone has done both.

[Shyam Sundar S Iyer]

Its obvious that the PBP would be easier as its done at :

 

1. Almost 150 AMSL which 600m lesser than our local routes

2. Better Road quality....important factor as the vibrations fatigue the rider

3. Road and traffic sense-simply better than iNDIA

4. Less Dustn and Pollution from vehcicles

5. No animals/people and 2 wheelers crossing higways

 

 

 

 

[Opendro]

It cannot be generalized that easily I think. PBP roads might indeed be worse than our Belgaum highway (at least from some reading in my distance past).
Night temperature might be lower than what we are used to, but then our weather in June/July is also equally terrible. So, that might just even out.
Navigation can be tricky as they will have more turns than ours (except IISc routes :-P)
But what I heard is that people there (general population) are very supportive of the event.

I agree with the pollution part - we may not get that much black soot on our faces.

But overall, I think it would be comparable (again... only a rider who had done both can give a fair comment). We are trying to make the October one a tough one with climbs as steep as 18% gradient. Fingers crossed.

[Opendro]

Let me also throw in another spin to the comparison at the risk of getting flogged here (but most people know me as armchair analyst anyway :))

RAAM does about 30,500m of elevation gain over 4800K and 12 days (http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/raam2.php?N_webcat_id=22#numbers)

[Ramanan RV]

 PBP roads might indeed be worse than our Belgaum highway (at least from some reading in my distance past).

     The roads are very good. They could be termed as bit rough in certain patches especially when crossing the villages, but surely not a pain. No pothole and bumps whatsoever.

Night temperature might be lower than what we are used to, but then our weather in June/July is also equally terrible. So, that might just even out.

     Only if it rains it gets chill, otherwise nothing to be concerned about. The days are infact hot and nights pleasant.

Navigation can be tricky as they will have more turns than ours (except IISc routes :-P)

     Yes quite a few turns, but really well marked with bright sign boards. 2 different color boards for the onward and return route. You just cannot miss it

No smoke, no traffic, no tension whatsoever. But they honk!! yes to appreciate your effort. In one of the narrow roads, there was a car following me for 5 to 6 kms patiently without honking. I allowed him enough space (a truck could pass through in India), but he refused to overtake!

The above mentioned is from doing the one way distance of 618kms from Paris to Brest.

[Karthick Gururaj]

On Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 12:44 PM, Ramanan RV <raman...@gmail.com> wrote:
> PBP roads might indeed be worse than our Belgaum highway (at least from
> some reading in my distance past).
>
> The roads are very good. They could be termed as bit rough in certain
> patches especially when crossing the villages, but surely not a pain. No
> pothole and bumps whatsoever.

Aren't cobble-stoned roads part of PBP? Or is it some other race..?

>
> Night temperature might be lower than what we are used to, but then our
> weather in June/July is also equally terrible. So, that might just even out.
> Only if it rains it gets chill, otherwise nothing to be concerned
> about. The days are infact hot and nights pleasant.
>
> Navigation can be tricky as they will have more turns than ours (except IISc
> routes :-P)
> Yes quite a few turns, but really well marked with bright sign boards.
> 2 different color boards for the onward and return route. You just cannot
> miss it
>
>
> No smoke, no traffic, no tension whatsoever. But they honk!! yes to
> appreciate your effort. In one of the narrow roads, there was a car
> following me for 5 to 6 kms patiently without honking. I allowed him enough
> space (a truck could pass through in India), but he refused to overtake!
>
> The above mentioned is from doing the one way distance of 618kms from Paris
> to Brest.
>

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[Venkatesh N]

That's Paris-Roubaix. It is a one day classic road race.

--
Cheers,
Venky
govenkygo.com

[R. Venkatachalam]

The proposed brevet in October looks damn good, and very challenging....

On Tuesday, June 24, 2014 10:50:51 AM UTC+5:30, Opendro wrote:

[Ramanan RV]

Yup Venky!! I remember that quite well. Time flies really fast with the next PBP, already around the corner!

[Shyam Sundar S Iyer]

Thanks to the Venk....the Venkat R for proving my comments...with real data.....

 

As always for Opendro ...everything is India is the best...including our roads and traffic and weather......heehheeeha

[Chidambaran Subramanian]

From that doc that  you shared (or i shared) its actually 8965m (PBP elevation gain). The Kolhapur last year was 6202m. Add to that the headwinds in the north karnataka plains. I think that was a decent equivalent effort to PBP if not better.

Regards

Chiddu

Regards
Chiddu
http://vaccinerisks.wordpress.com

http://chiddu2k.wordpress.com