A new route from a new start and finish did not detract from a great event. As well run as ever, with feisty climbs, well-signed turns and marshalls a plenty where they were needed. Lovely mobile coffee made the start and finish even better, hard to beat as a Sportive in Surrey - in my opinion the toughest and best local cycle event of the year.
I have ridden the Surrey Legs of Steel six times. If the weather is fair, it is a great autumn morning out.
I was very fond of the original course which included nearly all the classic hills in the Dorking area and was a beautifully constructed route. The new route is good but in losing Ranmore Hill at the start and Box Hill at the end, two iconic climbs in the area have been lost. With the addition of only Staple Lane two hills have been traded for one.
In 2018, why not put the hill count back up to eight. It cannot be beyond the organisation's wit to add another hill. How about down Critten Lane and then straight back up High Barn and/or Hogden Lane as a final climb? Alternatively, albeit at the risk of creating a slightly longer ride, a descent of Ranmore and climb of Box Hill followed by a descent of Pebble Down and return to Dorking on the A25 could be considered. Food for thought for 2018.
In any event keep up the good work. The Surrey Legs of Steel remains a very enjoyable ride for an excellent cause.
I was a little worried about the new route: would it be as challenging, would it be comparable to previous years? Apart from being 1.5 miles shorter, it was very good. Climbing about the same, so effectively marginally steeper. Box Hill start/finish naturally more iconic, but at least we missed the flint-strewn Ranmore which has nearly killed me with high-speed punctures in the past. Overall, very good. Perhaps biased as it was my best year!