BIGGEST GRAN FONDO IN NORTH AMERICA? Okanagan Gran Fondo - Worst Retirement Ever

[@mitchamer]

Phil! You put me in your video like you promised! (13:35)

[@worstretirementever]

hell yeah I did!

[@guybrushthreepwood8103]

Phil's a super awesome guy. Wife and I were walking on the sidewalk during the kids ride. Right in front of us a kids chain came off and Phil beat me to it, he immediately jumped into action to get it fixed and helped the kid on his way. Kudos to you Phil!

[@chrisernst8755]

Getting mentioned in a Phil Gaimon video was not on my bingo card for 2024. BTW paced the effort on vam, helped a lot with the mental side of the effort

[@worstretirementever]

Nice one dude damn

[@CameronFraserACHF]

Thanks for the shout-out to Svein Tuft. Twice Canadian road race champion and 11 times TT champion (11!), legendary 200 km ride at the front of the peloton jn stage 2 of the 2012 Tirreno-Adriatico, plus all those Lachlan-like things. Legendary. He deserves to be better known.

[@hobmarg]

and TTT stage wins, one each, at TdF and Giro.

[@davidduttchen2036]

Awesome to have you up for the ride! Thanks again for be cool!

[@scotthorns5576]

Steve King is a legend! Raced there several times for Ironman Canada! Such an amazing area!

[@blueman5924]

It’s a shame that Ironman has given notice to cease operations here. Thankfully, the Gran Fondo remains an awesome event for enthusiasts.

[@nimblybimbly4002]

I'm going to put it on the "maybe" list for next year.

[@Juicetra]

Front and center in the thumbnail looking like we stole some cookies and got caught 🤣

[@reviewworthy2365]

I love it, man! I just rode Apex from Penticton for the first time. How were the horse flies? I was going slow enough, so I got attacked 😂. When you return to Penticton to tackle Apex, come to Banff, man! There’s lots of great riding. There's a short KOM Levi Leipheimer once had back in 2017. Simon Carr now has it. (Norquay) We've got room at the house!

[@hobmarg]

Whistler fondo is 5,000+, would be cool if they brought you up to ride it, especially the Forte event (152km + 3150m vert)

[@michaelpolakowski7301]

Penticton? That's the site of Ironman Canada, of course! Not surprised to see other events on the calendar, though--it's a nice area.

[@blueman5924]

Ironman is leaving though….done with Penticton. :(

[@blubaughmr]

I've heard of Penticton. I camped there in the late '80's. It was a car driving trip, but it was a great trip!

[@blueman5924]

the nightclubs were roaring back then too. DownUnder, Nightmoves, Tiffany’s…. babes…😂

[@Moonplant432]

This is so cool Phil. What a wonderful vid.😊

[@mwinfield1969]

Your videos make me happy. I am ill at the moment and knew watching your content would help. Thanks

[@worstretirementever]

feel better

[@lifelong5425]

Welcome back..to the heat ...Always fun Phil

[@jamesbancroft2418]

STP Seattle to Portland is annually 6000+ riders

[@lindagoff3232]

Great video 🎉

[@DerekDeemter]

My kids still talk about Cookie Monster biker and our Bike club "Build Cycling" out of Calgary loved the group picture!

[@stephenblair4464]

Security team 007😂 Nice!

[@andyturchan3100]

Not even close first whistler Gran Fondo ha almost 8000 people

[@hepcatliz]

Tour of Alberta! pretty sure I was marshalling one of the years you were there. Lethbridge? no one remembers Lethbridge 😅😂❤

[@rachaelmurray8051]

I want to go to there.

[@bengt_axle]

"Your bike, Sir? We didn't see any bike. Did you check it or was it in the cabin?" "It's the Invisible Frame bike. You can't miss it!!" "Well if its invisible, how are we supposed to see it? That'll be $150 to a supplementary search for it, please."

[@chelsealynn9866]

I love me a half-assed Wikipedia section. Kudos. 😉

[@mikeburton8426]

I don’t even enjoy going up to Apex in a car!

[@hobmarg]

I did that climb the week before the fondo, luckily at 6am when it was still cool out. It sucked, steep ass ramps!

[@blueman5924]

@@hobmargway better on an E bike. 🤣

[@HamRadio200]

Hotter n hell in Texas is one of the biggest road events in North America. Usually 10000 plus riders.

[@thegolfwalker]

That was my thought, he's never seen Hotter then Hell!

[@larrywhite8590]

I was going to mention that as well, it is a big ride. Many city blocks worth of start groups.

[@joerenner8334]

But not as beautiful as Penticton. No way

[@HamRadio200]

@@joerenner8334 certainly not. Definitely don’t have to worry about ice on the road tho. lol

[@joerenner8334]

@@HamRadio200 Nor in Penticton. Which can get as hot or hotter than a lot of Texas in the summer.

[@farrier53]

Phil, of course we know Penticton BC...! 😂

[@lincolnlu9869]

That Kom you got up Carmi is named after Lost Moose Lodge up at the top

[@adamweb]

Good editing and music on this one... everyone in Canada is nice AND fit 😂That KOM sounds brutal in the heat!

[@bobfoster687]

Hotter n Hell Hundred? Bigger longer!!!

[@bobfoster687]

12,000

[@stevocanuck]

8:30 when you go through something like this how do you motivate yourself to get back up? Every time i get defeated like this i start to self doubt and say im not fit enough and end up putting the bike away. Any advice to keep going? Ik its likely just a bad day but its so demotivating.

[@Real28]

Hey, I always hear that "hot is fast". Is 95f too hot? 🤣

[@Accounting4Cycling]

Love the phone background! 🐶

[@401SNelson]

Not the biggest. For example the Seattle to Portland Ride (STP) has around 8000 riders annually.

[@secretagent86]

Fun video. Long time subscriber. Invite Pog on a KOM after he retires..let him be #2 in “worst retirement ever”

[@PeacefulRallyCar-pw3cs]

The Cypress Hill climb near Vancouver had 680 riders. I think that indoor apps, zwift roovy etc, are bringing more ppl to outdoor events.

[@silas_wong]

welcome to canada!

[@Yurkevich22]

Try STP. 200+ miles, nearly 10K people. Pretty flat though.

[@memyselfundeye]

Is 6,000’ total elevation gained over 210 miles really considered “pretty flat”? There were a few 7-8% inclines that lasted a quarter mile or more. But yeah, its def not like Colorado or even like this one in Canada.

[@Yurkevich22]

@@memyselfundeye yeah I think everyone agrees that stp is relatively flat. Key word relatively. Yes there were a couple notable climbs. But over 210 miles, 5-6K gain is not much at all. Especially for someone like this guy who clearly is a climber

[@memyselfundeye]

@@Yurkevich22 true. He’d probably go up the Puyallup climb in his large front chainring.

[@stuarthenshilwood5008]

Phil you should try and come and do the Cape Town Cycle tour... 20000 + riders on the most scenic route in the world!!

[@lindajesse8250]

Where’s my serenity? Who in hell would want to ride in a crowd? I’ll take a peaceful solo ramble thanks.😮

[@FaiscaaaH]

You should try Le etape du tour, last time I did it it was plus 15000 riders 💪💪

[@officialmcdeath]

In the spirit of the Finnish national anthem, was thinking the Canadian one would be Deadmau5 \m/

[@worstretirementever]

hahaha

[@ciaran128]

Wait Canadians also do the weird national-anthem-to-start-event thing ?

[@wspmjw]

Morning is your friend for a KOM or any other epic climb. Think much less than 93 degrees F.

[@offthefront7537]

It’s not a Canadian goose it’s a Canada goose.

[@dalenesbitt]

Just a heads up that you probably shouldn't approach wild deer in the future. Even though they're vegetarians, that doesn't mean they won't duck you up if they're in a bad mood.

[@Frostbiker]

Aren't they also notorious for carrying ticks, thus spreading Lyme disease?

[@rg807]

Lyme disease in the East, definitely ticks though. ​@Frostbiker

[@eric106071]

Yes, stay clear

[@Real28]

Especially in rut

[@blueman5924]

the does can be trouble if they are with their fawns or you have a small dog with you,, but I regularly bike/walk within 10 ft of them as they are now “city deer” and quite used to us. Penticton is a haven for them it appears, especially up at the yard waste section of the dump.😂

[@goukenslay7555]

i be shitting bricks if my bike was lost somewhere in departure or god knows where and seeing how they handle baggage on flight i dont think i pack it for fight make it a carry on

[@seanstephens5299]

The WHISTLER GranFondo is the biggest in North America

[@rg807]

@lawsoncraddock just announced his retirement. You guys need to team up!

[@ambrosethomas5339]

Come to Whistler Fondo 7000 riders

[@rbahati]

Maybe....

[@SpicyTrifongo]

Bradley Bickley may be nominally "King of the Mountain" but the video is plain to see, "Phil of the Hill" is one with all the power.

[@SpicyTrifongo]

seriously though, lame way to get a KOM on a climb. Might as well moto pace if you want it that bad. Sure some KOMs are only achievable with drafting and team dynamics but Phil showed this isn't one of them... yet.

[@thebradbickley]

@@SpicyTrifongo Hey boss. Appreciate the shout out. Rest assured, I went faster solo 2 years prior. But no, I wasn't going to pull through when I was already doing 550 watts :). As you are probably aware, Phil is a legend, and it was super cool to ride with him.

[@thebradbickley]

And yes, I beat an already tired Phil. On his best day, that guy could rag doll me.

[@dustinquigley1700]

@@SpicyTrifongoseriously though, Brad took the KOM solo 2 years ago and still holds it from 2 years ago. Yea Phil went for it and got beaten by Brad on the day, but they were slower than he’s done it in the past. Phil was super cool about it on the day, great guy to ride with.

[@worstretirementever]

Nothing lame about it! That's how I rode it. Plus, I'm the guy who dedicated my retirement to KOMs...it's mine to lose

[@char391]

Pretty sure this isn't the biggest gran fondo in north america, bit misleading advertising / clickbait being used here. Whistler gran fondo is at least double this size and there's large US events.

[@derrickrogers263]

Not even close to the biggest, check out Ragbrai 20-30k riders on any given day

[@barrytantlinger1033]

Isn't Ragbrai the biggest road event (probably in the world)? This year they had 18000+ registered riders, which means with bandits, some days were probably well over 20,000.

[@markg7834]

Maybe it isn’t still true but the Hotter Than Hell Hundred used to draw between 7,000 and 10,000 riders. Rode than insanity five times in the mid-90s.