This was my first Ryedale Rumble and foolishly perhaps I went straight in at the longest ride one. I promptly fell off on the first hill when I ground to halt and didn't unclip in time. The first time I've ever fallen off my road bike. I suffered no injury other than hurt pride and soldiered on to another first : Blakely bank when my chain came off near the top while the photographer was taking my photo. I then had two more "firsts" when I had to simply push up the Glaisdale & Rosedale banks .

I've already decided I'm coming again next year with better gears! I'm very pleased with my time of 8 hours 11 minutes and hope to be able to improve next time!

A brilliant challenging ride; this was my first rumble and second sportive, opted for shortest route of 49 miles. Even though it was the shortest distance it still had a variety of climbs from 4 category 5s (some short and steep, others just long). In the middle of the route was the mammoth of all climbs I've done"Blakey Bank" got up it with a mixture of riding and pushing. The weather conditions also added another degree, every direction you went in you seemed to be going into the wind. Was hoping for silver but was 40 minutes too slow so ended up with bronze, but still happy as I completed it and have learnt lots.
Brilliant organisation with breakfast, on route snacks and a pasta meal when competed; massage at end was very nice and a brilliant t shirt for taking part.
Will be back next year fitter, change of gears, better focus and aiming for gold.

What a day! For me the long route was the toughest day in saddle ever - lots of challenging climbs, fast descents, wonderful scenery and no rain. Add to that superb organisation - friendly smiling event officials, well stocked feed stations and great event HQ facilities. Looking forward to next time.

Another great Rumble, but they don't get any easier with familiarity. This was my third year on Rumble 3 (49 miles) but it was definitely the hardest, mostly due to the strong winds on the return leg. Two messages above refer to gears; least year I fitted a Shimano 10 speed mountain bike cassette and rear mech (11/32) and it made a real difference on the climbs. My record as an M58 in three Rumbles is Silver, Gold, Gold and I believe gear choice was a key factor.

The Rumble is blessed with fantastic organisation and enthusiastic volunteers. Everything goes like clockwork. For a rider seeking a challenging sportive in great countryside, I cannot think of better.

Well done to Bob & Co! And well done to all who supported Help for Heroes.

This was my first ever event (route 3) & I really enjoyed it. I'm 57 & new-ish to the sport of cycling. I found it very tough at times but the day was totally rewarding. The organisation was friendly & professional, the routes were very well signed. We were on quiet roads for the vast amount of the event & I'm very pleased with my over weight, lycra clad, old little self cos I got a silver finish time. I will be back next year hopefully for a gold - give it a go it's great.....if a tad mountainous!

Great event - my third time and third year of improvement. The wind was also slightly inconvenient. I cycle with a triple and get strange looks from 'proper' cyclists - but don't care as it adds to my enjoyment and I can just sit in the saddle and gradually climb up hills without losing my legs in the process for the rest of the ride.
As always, the event was fantastically well organised, the scenery a joy, good refreshments, etc. I will be back in 2012 (please) or 2013.

How nervous was I on Sunday morning? This being my first proper sportive, I've been poring over every article and blog detailing just how dreadful Blakey Bank is! They weren't far wrong! However, I took it in bite size pieces and made it to the top on the bike and not pushing it (just to pose for the photographer you understand) - first objective achieved! The food stop was so well stocked it would have been easy to over indulge, but common sense prevailed and I set off again fully refreshed. The wind was a bit energy sapping over the high exposed ground. The climbs out of Nunnington and Hovingham were tough on already tired legs but I was counting down the miles so morale was high. The sign for race HQ at Gilling put a smile on my face and I seemed to relax, perhaps a bit too much, not realising the slog onwards and upwards to the finish. What a fabulous event. I feel like a proper cyclist now!! The t-shirt is my most prized posession. Thank you to everyone on route and back at HQ for a fabulously organised, welcoming, friendly event. Please, please, please, if at all possible, hold the event next year. I'll be back!!

what a great event. this is my second rumble and enjoyed just as much as the first. as a relatively new road cyclist 2 1/2 years this is a tough event for me. not enough training and suffering from a cold the week before meant i posted a time about the same as last year. better try harder next year!
many thanks to bob and his team who put on a great friendly event. lets hope they can manage another for next year. thanks

First Sportive, first Rumble. Great ride, well organised and signposted. Feed stations positoned perfectly and unbelievebly well stocked, from sausage rolls to home made cakes and energy drinks. Great post race meal. Excellent value for money and a big thanks to all involved, a very friendly and supportive production team. Well done. Role on the next one. Ps I thought Boltby bank was tougher than Blakey, just me??

My 3rd Rumble in 4 years. First try was in 2008 when it was 32C and must have drunk 10 litres of fluids on Rumble 1. Got a pretty abysmal time of over 9 hrs, due to punctures and having to rest at feed stops. Did Rumble 2 in 2009 and got a Gold. Did the Kilotogo White Peak last month and got a very good time and thought I'd give Rumble 1 another try, hoping to get a Gold. Missed it by 16 minutes. I'm pleased I got up Blakey bank without walking but had to walk up Caper Hill and The Chimney ( far far fewer people walking up the Chimney that than 3 years ago though!) I made my usual mistake maybe of going to fast during the first half, as my times at the second feed station were as good as some guys getting final times over an hour faster than mine. I really don't know what the answer is to this-- it took loods of gels, but to be honest after a while they just make me feel sick and there is nowhere in Leicestershire like the North Yorkshire Moors in which to train properly for an event like this. This is my favoutite Sportive and I do really hope that Bob and Co don't give it a rest for 2012. Signage excellent, really friendly helpers, may be provide GPX files in future? I plotted mine manually off the map on the web site a nd got a few turns wrong.

BTW I agree Boltby is more dificult than Blakey..shorter maybe but steeper gradient that had me off the bike for about 50 yards or so.

So now I am a "Real Cyclist" having yesterday completed my first Sportive, the Rydale Rumble 3. I was up at 5am to get to the event centre (Ampleforth College) on time. The event organisation was spot on. I signed on & was given my timing chip & number to attach to the bike and then breakfast was provided after which it was time to walk back to the car, get the bike & kit organised & make my way to the starting gate.

In total there were 371 riders and I started in a group of about 20 & very soon I was almost at the back as it wasn't long before we hit the first hill of the day which I took very gently as I knew there were many more to come. After the torrential rain on Saturday I wasn't too hopeful but it stayed dry if somewhat cold, windy & grey. There were riders of all ages & abilities, the youngest I saw was a lad of 10 all decked out in his HTC kit, he was with his Dad & I guess they were probably club riders. Everyone was really friendly with lots of encouragement from the good riders when we were on the hills. My route included 1200 metres of climbing & the really big climb, Blakey Bank (404 metres), came at just before the half way point. This really sorted the men from the boys & I wasn't the only one wallking. From here there was a long, frightening descent to the feed station at Hutton Le Hole. The descent was truly nerve wracking, long & fast with an horrendous cross wind to contend with along with fast moving traffic & free roaming skittish sheep. I was truly relieved to reach the bottom in one piece.

After lunch the hills continued all the way back to Ampleforth, I knew I would never be able to climb Blakey Bank but my aim was to get up all the other hills which I achieved which I was really pleased about especially as there were 2 long hills towards the end on which I passed several men walking up pushing their bikes. By the end of the day I was truly shattered & then came the sting in the tail - the Rumble's finish is at the top of a hill! With sheer grit I got up that last hill past the finish line and found a post to lean on before I fell off the bike! My time was 5 hours 2 minutes so my aim is to do it faster next year.
It was a truly great day out which finished up with a bowl of spaghetti bolognese in the sports hall at Ampleforth College chatting to other riders, one girl said 'never again' as she had found the descents too scary so that made me feel good as I did them all, albeit a little slowly.

Not bad for a 60 year old female novice. I can't wait to do it again! Bronze medal standard this year - silver next !!!!!!

Can anyone advise on where you can get copies of the photographs that were taken at the top of Blakey Bank? I'm a local rider so all the hills and lanes are on my training patch but the ride itself was awesome. I did the 111miles circuit and thorouoghly enjoyed it. Well done to all the organisers! I have done the 'Fred Whitton' challenge in Cumbria. That is mental hard core sportive territory. Give it a go but train train train. Great to see Yorkshire has a Sportive which approaches 'The Fred' in difficulty and technicality. The Rumble is up there but still doesn't match 'The Fred'. Once again well done everyone a grand day out.

Many thanks 'Golden Chance' for the photo link. 8.5 hours for a first time on an event like this is a fantastic achievement. Good effort!