Paris Roubaix Challenge

[Mark83]

Looking to sign up. Has anyone done it? We've started our seasons with a Spring Classic for the past couple of years; Flanders in 2018 and Liege Bastogne Liege in 2019.

Logistically, looking at the 145km route. Drive out Good Friday, late afternoon. Stay overnight nearby. Collect numbers Saturday morning and set off. Baby wipe shower before driving home Saturday night. Enjoy rest of Easter weekend with the family.

I'd like to stay on to Sunday to watch the pros arrive but having spectated from the Arenburg Trench, it's a lot of standing around and watching the action on big screens with French commentary.

Do I take the good bike (Parlee, Zipp carbon wheels, eTap and some 28c tyres) or the winter bike (Focus, cheap wheels, mech Ultegra and some 28c tyres)?

[MarcelM6]

Did it (145km route) in 2014 and doing it again this year. Don't know how full the race is, but accommodation and channel crossings are getting scarcer already - just booked mine last night.

Used a Specialized Roubaix with 28mm touring tyres last time - no issues with punctures. Cobbles are brutal, stayed out of the gutter until the last section when my hands couldn't take it anymore.

Will be using a Look Aero with 28mm tyres this time - will double tape the handlebars.

Its a bit bonkers, but I enjoyed it last time, unlike the Etape in 2016 which I absolutely hated all the way around

[Mark83]

That's good to hear. I've ridden a small section of Roubaix's cobbles when we cycled out to watch from where we parked. We had ridden Flanders the previous day and my hands were ripped to shreds as I didn't wear gloves/mitts. I'll be wearing them for this!

I was on that etape too. I really suffered on the Joux Plane in the heat.