# Anyone ever biked the Kanc?



## Marc (Jun 4, 2007)

40 miles... I was thinking of doing that sometime this summer.  Or maybe an out and back, that'd be real nice and brutal!


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## ctenidae (Jun 4, 2007)

Make sure your brake pads are in good shape.


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## cbcbd (Jun 4, 2007)

I haven't but have drived the kanc many times and have a friend who's done it a couple times.  Something about a 10 minute descent... 
Sounds like fun, I'd like to do it.


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## Goblin84 (Jun 4, 2007)

I would be up for it!


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## mlctvt (Jun 4, 2007)

Goblin84 said:


> I would be up for it!



Me too, and my wife is always wanting to do the climbs also. This would be good practice for the annual Mt Washington climb.


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## Marc (Jun 4, 2007)

Yeah, I climb a lot even though I suck at it.  Kinda funny that way.  I'm pretty sure I'd have to get some mountain bike type gearing on my road bike if I wanted to make the climb up Washington.

And then train basically all summer long for it.


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## cbcbd (Jun 4, 2007)

I too suck at climbs - I can do them fine with my torquey legs, but I'm not fast at all


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## Goblin84 (Jun 5, 2007)

yeah i can climb...i also suck at it.  Im still new into cycling.  

oh and read "i can climb" as "i have a granny gear"


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## cbcbd (Jun 5, 2007)

I have a compact double... it's ok


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## Marc (Jun 5, 2007)

I'm considering a compact double... I have a 12-27 cassette, so I'd be able to hopefully climb up damn near anything (theoretically) with a compact.


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## mlctvt (Jun 5, 2007)

Marc said:


> I'm considering a compact double... I have a 12-27 cassette, so I'd be able to hopefully climb up damn near anything (theoretically) with a compact.



I think a compact crankset is a great option. They weren't really available 7 years ago when I converted my Trek 5200 from a double crank to a triple but if they were available that's what I would have used. Many of my friends I cycle with have compacts and they are all very happy with them. The only thing you miss is the smaller increment gearing  that a triple has. My triple uses a 12-23 cassette and a 52/42/30 crank. The bike originally came with a 53/39 crank . I really like having the 42 up front now and the granny gear is really necessary for New England hills.


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## Marc (Jun 5, 2007)

Yeah, I have a love hate relationship with my 53-39.  I think in a lot of ways it has made me a stronger rider.  I would probably look for a 11-25 for riding around here if I were to go compact and then hang on to the 12-27 for doing stuff like the Kanc.


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## David Metsky (Jun 5, 2007)

I biked it several years ago on my regular road bike, it actually wasn't that bad.  I went up from Lincoln, I suspect the ride up from Bear Notch would be more difficult.


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## Goblin84 (Jun 5, 2007)

AZ Cycling meet up what?


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## David Metsky (Jun 5, 2007)

What you want is the 4 Notches tour - Kancamaugus Pass, Bear Notch Road, Crawford Notch, and Franconia Notch.  Lots of fun to be had there.

 -dave-


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## mlctvt (Jun 5, 2007)

Maybe we could do a weekend in the area sometime this summer?


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## Marc (Jun 5, 2007)

I'd be up for a weekend like that.  It'd be a weekend of hurt, but why not.


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## Goblin84 (Jun 6, 2007)

yeah, want to give me some time to get in shape for it!  ive only been on the bike a couple weeks!

Here are a few versions of that ride:
78 milers
Century
24miler
50miler

some are loops, others are not


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## Marc (Jun 6, 2007)

Cool Goblin.

Yeah, I'm training pretty steady for the PMC right up til the first weekend in August, and second weekend in August is typically my big Kmart MTB weekend.

So tentatively end of August or maybe even beginning of September for some foliage and cooler weather.

Anyone else have any input?


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## mlctvt (Jun 6, 2007)

Late August may work for me and my wife too. We're doing a week long tour in Lancaster County PA in July and a couple of century rides in September  We'd better be in good shape by then! I'm still nowhere near the shape I was in 10-20 years ago but my wife is. She's just more disciplined than me in eating right.and getting her workouts in  :???:


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## Goblin84 (Jun 8, 2007)

i would be game for that time.  Pending if I have shoulder surgery in July or not


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## Goblin84 (Jun 16, 2007)

ok...so I am kinda getting excited about this idea, anyone want to set a date or should we wait until a couple weeks out before we set a date?  I only ask cause I know some local riders who would also join us.


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## mlctvt (Jun 17, 2007)

uphillklimber said:


> The Kanc is a nice place, great scenery. Unfortunately, I don't think I'd enjoy biking there. The road is nice and long and all, but it is not very wide. Not much for shoulders or bike lanes.
> 
> I hate having two cars meet in opposite directions right where I am biking. There's not much room on the Kanc. I don't care if I have the right of way or the legal right to be there. A moments inattention and all that just won't matter when a bumper connects with my knees. Franconia notch has a nice trail that is off the road, two lanes. That is where I feel safe enough to bike.
> 
> Just some ramblings....



I don't know how you could get any road riding in at all if you can't handle two cars meeting as you ride. I live in what I consider a very rural area but there are still plenty of cars. I just rode almost 100 miles in the last 2-days and most people were very considerate. I must have seen about 20-30 other cyclists on my 50 mile ride today. I think the more of us that are out there the better the drivers get. When I started riding 25-30 years ago there weren't many road riders out there, it's much more popular today (thanks Lance!) The only time I see drivers upset is when I'm riding in a group larger that about 6-10 riders. If the group's too large the drivers can't pass easily. We usually try to leave some space if the groups get large so passing is easier on the cars. Does New hampshire have a 3-foot or 5-foot pass law?


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## cbcbd (Jun 17, 2007)

I've seen plenty of cyclists on the Kanc and other roads around the area - the Kanc is a pretty popular tour. That's actually a place I'd be fairly at ease biking since cars will see more cyclists on it and learn to expect them.


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## Marc (Jun 17, 2007)

Goblin84 said:


> ok...so I am kinda getting excited about this idea, anyone want to set a date or should we wait until a couple weeks out before we set a date?  I only ask cause I know some local riders who would also join us.



I'm still up in the air as far as time goes... I'd almost prefer after Labor Day.... July is too early, I have the PMC the first weekend of August, my annual Kmart trip second weekend in August and the third weekend in August is, if like any other year, going to be insanely hot and humid (and I might be canoe/kayak-camping the Saco).

Can anyone else make the weekend after Labor Day weekend?


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## mlctvt (Jun 18, 2007)

Marc said:


> I'm still up in the air as far as time goes... I'd almost prefer after Labor Day.... July is too early, I have the PMC the first weekend of August, my annual Kmart trip second weekend in August and the third weekend in August is, if like any other year, going to be insanely hot and humid (and I might be canoe/kayak-camping the Saco).
> 
> Can anyone else make the weekend after Labor Day weekend?



Most of September is not good for me and my wife. We're doing the "Flatest Centruy in the East" in RI and Mass on September 9th, a Tour of Vermont  Sept 16th-21st, and the Seacoast Century in Hampton Beach NH on Sept 22-23. But I do agree about August it can be really hot. Don't worry about scheduling around us, If September is good for everyone else that's fine  after all September is the best month for cycling, that's why we've scheeduled all of these rides. 

Mark


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## Goblin84 (Jun 18, 2007)

My club runs the Seacoast Century so I should probably be there for it  

That is really my only conflict of know of at this point....meaning I really need to get a life


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## Marc (Jun 19, 2007)

Maybe I'll start a thread about this in the Trips and Events forums with a poll for dates.  I'll link it up to here when I do that...


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