2017 Rapha Festive 500

[dbnm]

Anyone else doing the Festive 500 this year?
https://pages.rapha.cc/feature/festive-500

[KonaSS]

Planning on doing it, but really depends on the weather. Don't mind the cold, but if it is snowy or wet and I can't get out, it makes it hard to do.

[R3awak3n]

I wanna do it, every year I say I will do it but just never have time since wife has so manu plans for me :/

[joosttx]

I am.

[velofinds]

Signed up, so here goes. Between work, family, and out-of-town guests, it should be something. About double my normal ride volume, too.

[ltwtsculler91]

I'm going to try for it, but with how the calendar falls it could be tough since I'll likely be in the office 3 days that week.. Also weather is a huge factor here in NJ

[FastforaSlowGuy]

I always say I am going to do this, but the end of the year is just so bonkers at work that I never find the time. Or the weather just sucks. Or I'm traveling.
Or all of the above. Maybe this is the year....

[RonW87]

In. Heading down to Florida so it's always easy to get the mileage.

[dbnm]

Yeah, family plans always jack up my cycling plans. But that's a good thing.

I'm going to make a real effort to do it this year.

[fiamme red]

If you do it, be sure to get the $50 Festive 500 t-shirt.

https://www.rapha.cc/us/en_US/shop/festive-500-t-shirt/product/FFT01XX

"Featuring a colourful print inspired by festive stamps and in a regular fit, the t-shirt will look just as good at the Christmas dinner table as it will delivering presents on the bike to your loved ones."

https://dyzmn8020x6cd.cloudfront.net/sys-master/products/h18/hd1/9187549806622/FFT01XXMUL-product-h217-001_SMALL

[makoti]

If you do it, be sure to get the $50 Festive 500 t-shirt.

https://www.rapha.cc/us/en_US/shop/festive-500-t-shirt/product/FFT01XX

Give away those & I'll make more of an effort

[R3awak3n]

I will give rapha this, they finally stoped designing the ugly jersey that apparently no one buys and they discount.

yes, that tshirt is ridiculously overpriced but its a nice design. Same with the hat, socks, ec

[MattTuck]

There should be a bonus conversion for each degree below 50. 30 degrees should equal double the mileage of 50 degrees.

[SlowPokePete]

... the t-shirt will look just as good at the Christmas dinner table as it will ...


Sorry, I don't really like it.

Plus its really gonna look bad when you spill stuff on it at the table...

SPP

[adub]

I plan on doing the Festivus 5000.

Eating 5000 calories a day for a week. Haha!

[R3awak3n]

I plan on doing the Festivus 5000.

Eating 5000 calories a day for a week. Haha!

there is no rule that says you can't do both :) actually, is there any reason to ride 500km unless you get to eat 5000 guilt free calories?

[jlwdm]

I will give rapha this, they finally stoped designing the ugly jersey that apparently no one buys and they discount.

yes, that tshirt is ridiculously overpriced but its a nice design. Same with the hat, socks, ec

I liked last year's jersey and wear it a lot.

Jeff

[rustychisel]

Oh good. Another thread with Rapha in the title.

Why aren't they friggin' sponsors of our forum?

[velofinds]

^^^ Why would they pay for publicity when they already get it for free?

[chiasticon]

Give away those & I'll make more of an effortwell, they do give away a patch ("roundel") at least...

I'm hoping to do it. I've completed the last six years; some easy, some pretty insane. this time around, I fractured a bone in my hand and won't get my cast off until next week. I've been on the trainer so fitness should be there for the riding, it's just a question of if I get an OK from the doc. we'll see...

[cow]

I've done it every year I've been riding & I'm not sure I'll get to do this year's, which makes me sad. It's really less for the roundrel (who cares) & more for the motivation to ride. I'm hoping I get time to get out that week.

[velofinds]

The roundel is pretty silly. Where does one affix it? Old HS varsity jacket?

[cow]

The roundel is pretty silly. Where does one affix it? Old HS varsity jacket?

Backpack? I have a collection of patches I'll never do anything with that the Rapha ones add to. It's free to me to get the patch from Rapha, so hey, why not?

[R3awak3n]

The roundel is pretty silly. Where does one affix it? Old HS varsity jacket?

randonneur bag of course :)

[muz]

randonneur bag of course :)

Or to cover the moth holes in your wool jersey :)

[tv_vt]

There should be a bonus conversion for each degree below 50. 30 degrees should equal double the mileage of 50 degrees.

That would help, wouldn't it, Matt? We're at a serious disadvantage up here in the North Country.

Still waiting to get in my first ride of the month. Weather is headed in the wrong direction, though.

[SlowPokePete]

I think about this every year, and tend not to sign up for stuff that I don't think I will be able to complete.

But I signed up anyway :)

SPP

[dbnm]

Looks like Albuquerque will be sunny and 50 for most of this.

[R3awak3n]

I have to work next week now so I may be out.

[pasadena]

working but it's fun to try... still have a couple days to decide:p

[cgolvin]

Agree that those in colder climes should get bonus credit. Here in SoCal it really just means "get out and ride a few more times than usual", though it also provides a good opportunity to choose a route less ridden. Last year I chalked up the bulk of the miles by riding to Santa Barbara and back; was hoping to do it again but the fires and air quality may take that option off the table.

I have some nice Patagonia items given to me by a former employer, affixed with the company brand. Since I now work for a competitor, those roundels have come in handy for covering up the old firm's logo so I can wear them and not be concerned about offending management.

[dbnm]

So how's it going?

I rode 68km on 12/24 and 70km on 12/26.

That leaves about 360km or 72km for the remaining 5 days.

[charliedid]

I bailed on it.

This seems to be the new normal the entire week. :-(

[dbnm]

A little different here in NM.

[silentlight0]

193 km so far. Dreading the last few days. Might have to slay myself with a really long ride to buy a rest day


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[R3awak3n]

0 km so far here, will do all 500 the last day. jk. it snowed and its way too cold for my mediterranean blood.

[marsh]

Wind chill -7. Only left the house to walk the dog, he headed back
for home after 5 minutes.
It's too cold to even ride the trainer in the garage.

[AngryScientist]

we're in a real cold snap here in ny. i wouldnt even consider riding outdoors now, my knees would revolt.

[PaMtbRider]

I considered signing up this year and I am glad I didn't. Too cold here for that much mileage. I rode 24 miles today and I never saw temps above 24 on the Garmin. That was more than enough for me. Kudos to anyone in the cold weather that gets 500 km.

[velofinds]

Too cold here -- w.t.f. 240km under my belt so far, though it hasn't been easy.

https://i.imgur.com/QtOJbdth.png

[beeatnik]

Better to ride with someone doing the F500 than to let Strava monetize your data by doing it yourself.

[Heisenberg]

Better to ride with someone doing the F500 than to let Strava monetize your data by doing it yourself.

Strava's problem is that they can't monetize data worth a ****.

[dbnm]

Just got in from my third ride.

Now 218/500 complete.

Tomorrow is a big ride.

[beeatnik]

Strava's problem is that they can't monetize data worth a ****.


True, but all that user data is attractive to some investors. Either way, I'm not into it. And, actually, not for the privacy reasons but for the Eating 30 Hot Dogs to Say You Ate 30 Hot Dogs reason.

[b3pkay]

Had grand ideas of completing...

First ride attempt I did the old neighborhood loop from my parents house on Christmas in 15 degree temps, salty roads, and slushy muck. Finished one 8 mile lap and computer shut off from beginning with a low battery/cold.

Yesterday, did a lap, felt good and thought I'd stop at the house and warm my feet a little in the entrance way (it's chilly there and figured I wouldn't have to delayer/overheat). Headed back out to do some climbing on the backroads and when I was a far away as I was heading, I got nervous about how cold my toes were. A battle between wanting to descend as fast as possible and freezing headwinds ensued. Made it home and called it quits. Ave temp was 12*.

Think I'll give the treadmill a try tonight.

[huck*this]

we're in a real cold snap here in ny. i wouldnt even consider riding outdoors now, my knees would revolt.

Same here in Connecticut. The roads are too icey, narrow due to snow and dangerous. But Rapha did say that trainer/turbo miles count but I just can't do it.

[silentlight0]

does anyone know if zwift miles count? i'm halfway done but would like it if i could mix up the miles a bit.

[velofinds]

It "counts" but there should be an asterisk IMO :p

[benb]

I did a little bit of it in the last couple years.. couldn't have actually "completed it" without taking a week of vacation though.

And with our weather this year forget about it... way too cold.

Even if the weather was more mild riding in the snow & road salt and such gets pretty expensive.

The winter I really participated in the 500 I did a 65 mile ride at about 25F on the day after a snowstorm.

It was pretty much impossible to clean all that road salt out of the bike and I ended up having to replace a lot of stuff in the spring.

I suppose I could have brought the bike into the bathtub but my wife would not have appreciated that.

In the end I guess that's what I think of the 500... it's a nice thing to do if you don't have much family/friends/work expecting you to spend any time with them at this time of year, for the rest of us it's pretty badly timed.

I spent so much money on maintenance/parts from riding through the winter the last 2-3 years this winter I'm pretty much trying to completely avoid riding outside in the winter and concentrate on indoor cross training + trainer time instead.

I don't exactly have the time to spend on all that extra maintenance either, and it is totally unpleasant to do it anyway in my unheated garage in the winter. I did just get a space heater for the garage but that doesn't really help that much.

[dbnm]

Just got home...
104km
10686 meters of climbing

Now 322/500

[makoti]

It "counts" but there should be an asterisk IMO :p

*this fool just rode 300 miles in 8 days on a bike bolted to a trainer in their basement while staring at their computer. they cray cray.

[Macadamia]

bit over 200k left, old fit issues have returned with these +4 hour rides, not the week to be ordering parts to try to alleviate it!

[velofinds]

bit over 200k left, old fit issues have returned with these +4 hour rides, not the week to be ordering parts to try to alleviate it!

True, but rationalizing those purchases has never been easier :banana:

[cow]

Due to traveling, moving, working, & inclement weather, I will very likely end the Festive 500 with zero rides making it the longest I've gone without riding (eight days) in three years.

I'm jonesing to get outside.

[merckxman]

It's just been too FREAKING COLD!

[dbnm]

I have 117 left. I will be doing about 90 or so today.

Will finish tomorrow morning with a celebratory donut.

:banana:

[dbnm]

I just finished!

I rode 125km today to complete it.

A total of 508.

Quite proud of myself.

[joosttx]

I just finished!

I rode 125km today to complete it.

A total of 508.

Quite proud of myself.

Nice Job!

[velofinds]

I just rolled across the virtual finish line with 503km (sorry- 312mi because #imperialsystem) in the books. I saw some interesting things.. rode in some interesting places.. and yes, suffered a bit. Much of it was done under the cover of darkness which was unpleasant at best and crappy at worst. I'm enormously grateful for not having any mechanicals (which would have surely knocked the proverbial wind out of my sails), the weather for holding up (bitterly cold, yes, but mostly dry up until very recently), and my wife and kids for indulging me this nutty and borderline antisocial behavior.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4727/38701401124_6611edb37f_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4687/39379638252_70c3480647_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4688/38701401624_3ce4793b78_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4587/27632457249_5f483cb013_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4637/27632456499_aff9362de4_c.jpg

[dbnm]

Congrats!
My wife thought I was crazy too. As did the in-laws.

But it feels like a really nice accomplishment.

I am thinking of self-imposing another ride like this over the summer.

[R3awak3n]

I just rolled across the virtual finish line with 503km (sorry- 312mi because #imperialsystem) in the books. I saw some interesting things.. rode in some interesting places.. and yes, suffered a bit. Much of it was done under the cover of darkness which was unpleasant at best and crappy at worst. I'm enormously grateful for not having any mechanicals (which would have surely knocked the proverbial wind out of my sails), the weather for holding up (bitterly cold, yes, but mostly dry up until very recently), and my wife and kids for indulging me this nutty and borderline antisocial behavior.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4727/38701401124_6611edb37f_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4687/39379638252_70c3480647_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4688/38701401624_3ce4793b78_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4587/27632457249_5f483cb013_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4637/27632456499_aff9362de4_c.jpg

bad ass man, congrats.