Was checking this out today and wondering if anyone has ever done this ride in GA? Seems pretty brutal and a challenge for sure. What plan would make sense for this as it is on Sept 29 which is just a little less than 12 weeks away.
The 100 miler is probably more than I can handle currently as it is 11K of climbing. They have a 50 mile option as well which is probably more attainable.
Yes, this is a great event. This will be my 6th year to do 6 Gap and it is challenging. I am going to start the Sustained Power Build Phase next week and then probably do several weeks of the Century specialty phase.
Nice. Probably the 50 for me because it looks fun as well. I am only a little over a hour away so that helps. Was thinking of starting sustained power as well.
I did the 50 three times before I attempted all 6. Iām also only about an hour away in Suwanee. My wife, a friend and myself were just up there on the 4th of July. I really like being up in the gaps.
Iāve never done the event but ridden the route quite a few times (I have family in Dahlonega).
Itās a tough ride and if youāre uncertain, the 50 should be plenty challenging.
Definitely worth doing though. Might be my all time favorite area Iāve ever ridden. And thatās having lived on both coasts and CO too.
Great and the 50 will be fun. I can always try the 100 later this year when I am in better climbing shape as it is close drive wise.
I did it several years ago and really enjoyed it. Great event to challenge yourself if youāve never done it before. Iād bet you could do the full ride if you have a PM and are able to limit yourself on the climbs and aim to just finish. Go for it!
Last year was my first time and I had a blast. I did the Criterium on Saturday and completed the 6 Gaps in 5:36 on Sunday. Iām hoping this year to go sub 5:30.
I plan to go up on Friday and do a medium ride (50-70 miles) to get acclimated to climbing again (Floridian) and maybe use the crit on Saturday as a rest day before Sunday!
Guaranteed good time. I am riding the Mountain Mama century up here in Virginia next month myself which is a similar ride.
Great Ride, well run, Its a huge field so pretty crowded over the first few climbs. Sign up for the 100, you can always turn off at the 50 turn, I know several that have. Hogpen which is the steepest climb is only on the 100. We will be up there again this year! Its a fun ride not much of a view while your climbing thoughā¦
You might as well add Brasstown Bald while you are there. It is right along your path but it seems everyone has forgotten about it since the demise of the Tour of Georgia. It is very much a challenging climb.
I did Brasstown Bald 4th of July for the first time. It was brutalā¦but Iāll do it again.
This event is on my list. I am a few hours away in NC and have heard great things about it. Look at sustained power build if you have been through SSB2. And then century plan. Iāll be there 2020. Looking forward to seeing stuff from 2019. Keep us posted here.
I will. Going to sign up for the 100 and see how it goes. Just started MV sustained power and on the second week now.
Done it the past two years. It is very well run, great roads, not a lot of traffic and a ton of climbing. Definitely worth it. I will likely be going again this year.
Looking for a good āwarm upā route for Saturday if anyone has any suggestions?
Iād really like to check out Brasstown Bald while weāre in the area but looks like it may be pretty tough. Thought about parking at Vogel and riding up Jacks then Brasstown and back. 26mi and 3500ā should be a good opener, right?
Staying at the Dahlonega Mountain Inn.
Iāve done parts of the route while staying in Dahlonega and Helen - Iād agree that itās one of the best places to ride in the USā¦never done the organized ride, but living in NC Iād like to make it down there at some point.
Thatās certainly a liberal interpretation of warm upā¦ If youāre in Dahlonega, the ride over Woody Gap to Suches is a nice long, but gentler climb and you could add Wolf Pen too. Plenty of parking on 19 near 60 where Woody begins.
Brasstown is a brutal climb if your gearing isnāt sufficiently low and thereās no such thing as riding it āeasyā. Not sure itās a good warm up climb. But maybe worth it just to have the experience.
Yea Iām kinda wanting to do Brasstown just so I can say I did it and see how mean it is, not because I think itās a good pre-century ride lol. I just put my CX bikes 11-32 on my Caad 10, I ran a 11-28 the only time I did 6gap back in 2016 and I had to grind more than I liked. 50/34 up front then and now.
You should be fine. I made the mistake of hitting Brasstown at the end of a long day with a 39x26ā¦ Everything on 6 Gap will be a cakewalk in comparison to Brasstown.
Enjoy the ride. Lots of great gravel and dirt options near the gaps of you ever make it back.