PBP - Group Start vs. Free Start

[marcusjb]

What are people's opinions on the advantages/disadvantages for group and free starts?  I don't have to decide quite yet, but it's one of the next questions floating around my head.  I couldn't see a topic for it yet - plenty on which start (i.e. 80/84/90).

I'm definitely riding the 90h start - and accept the downsides of that.

So, what are the plus points of the two different starts?

Some of the tales of the groups starts I've read and heard sound like if you make it through the first 50km, you've done the hardest bit of the ride!

I'm liking the idea of starting later - being able to eat a good dinner before heading for the start etc.  It does mean I may well want to sleep at less distance than an earlier start I guess - but that shouldn't make an awful lot of difference.  I like the idea of slightly quieter roads though!

What are people's thoughts on which start to choose?

[toontra]

I'm going to try and leave as soon after 6pm as possible.  My intention is to get to Brest sometime early enough on Tuesday morning to have a proper sleep there (in a Formula1 room), so it's the group start for me.

To this end I've booked the earliest possible registration/bike check slot on Saturday morning - 8am.  Hopefully that will give me the best chance of getting the start time I want.

BTW this afternoon I was able to convert my pre-registration to what appears to be the full thing, complete with final payment (€110), and now only need to add the 600 brevet number when it's released.

EDIT: The bit about converting registration is covered in another thread which must have appeared while I was away on my 600.  Things are moving on!

[border-rider]

To this end I've booked the earliest possible registration/bike check slot on Saturday morning - 8am.  Hopefully that will give me the best chance of getting the start time I want.

I'm not sure that makes any difference.  The time you actually leave (within the start-time you chose) is mostly about how good you are at being in the correct part of the starting throng.

[Manotea]

All things being equal, I'm expecting a fairly FVM ride in which case it makes sense to take the 90hr free start and ride behind the bulge.

Has anybody produced a ready reckoner spreadsheet to predict times arriving at various controls they could share?

[marcusjb]

All things being equal, I'm expecting a fairly FVM ride in which case it makes sense to take the 90hr free start and ride behind the bulge.

Has anybody produced a ready reckoner spreadsheet to predict times arriving at various controls they could share?

http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=48341.0 - I've started to play with willy's 

[toontra]

To this end I've booked the earliest possible registration/bike check slot on Saturday morning - 8am.  Hopefully that will give me the best chance of getting the start time I want.

I'm not sure that makes any difference.  The time you actually leave (within the start-time you chose) is mostly about how good you are at being in the correct part of the starting throng.

From what I gather the procedure changes slightly with each event.  Who knows what will actually happen this time!  Early registration is the only way I can think of getting a better chance of my chosen start time - as well as turning up early on Sunday and jostling for position.

[Marcello]

For many riders, starting early in the 90 hour Group Start means getting to Carhaix (525 Km) to sleep on Monday evening. That is a long way to go without a long stop. The later Free Start makes Loudeac (440 Km)  a more natural stop point. It also makes it possible to stop for the night in Loudeac on the way back, and if you have a hotel room it may be easier to book it for two nights in a row.

One the other hand, starting in a small group and perhaps having to stop for traffic (no motorcycle escort for the free starters, I heard), may slow you down. And if it doesn't, you will catch the tail end of the group start riders, and be delayed at the controles anyway. You also miss riding in daylight for the first 2 or 3 hours.

My suggestion is to pick the group start, and if you decide to start late, then start with the last wave, which may leave shortly before the Free Start. In general, unless you have a good reason to choose the free start, I would not recommend it.

[Pip]

For the 9 p.m start, the tried and tested formula of 450kms outward ride to Loudeac, 320km ride to Brest/back to Loudeac, 310km ride to Mortagne, and finally a 140km ride to Paris, seems to work best for the average rider.

It allows two decent breaks at the big L ( if needed), and a stop at the big M.

Because the times have been brought forward a touch, a 5 a.m departure from Loudeac on the homeward leg may be necessary to reach Mortagne by midnight/ish and a similar 5 a.m depart from there gives 10 hours for the final 140kms..

The earlier start is  very interesting for us steadier riders, as Loudeac would come a bit too soon, and riding to Carhaix is a big ask for most of us without sleep. Even the interim stop at St. Nicholas could pose a problem, because you could arrive at Loudeac on the return leg having ridden  a good 285kms needing a sleep, but having to sacrifice the 3 hour start.

The alternative is to push on from Loudeac and ride the extra 90 kms to Tintineac which makes a ride of 375kms from St. Nick. A tough proposition on the second day!

If you are a quick rider, please ignore all these musings!!

[AndyH]

What are people's opinions on the advantages/disadvantages for group and free starts?

I thought about the free start 90Hr, but decided I'd end up catching the slower 90hr riders and having the worst of both worlds - no groups to ride with then being at the end of a long queue in the controls. I've never done PBP, so pinch of salt required, but I reckon either 90 hr group, or if you feel confident then 84 or even 80hr.

[Redlight]

If you're in the group start the worst part of PBP, apart from the food at Tintneiac  is the hanging around at the start, so I'm planning on an early dinner and getting myself into the throng for the earliest start possible. I accept that as a plodder, I will be overtaken for the subsequent six hours or more, but that's still got to be better than standing in the field for three hours getting cold.

[roddo]

i am just about to pull the trigger on the 84 hour start...

just did my first 600 at seething - 36.55 - all solo riding, a fistful of punctures a couple of wrong turns and lots of faffing.  i reckon 34 including 3 hours kip is acheivable, esp with some group work.

i just dont see how the night riding of the 90 hours is going to be of benefit.  for me, night riding is at least 25% slower, esp in the dead hours before dawn, so i think i can take 2 - 5 off the bike each night....

apparantly the 84hr mob have to get to brest in 37.5?

i plan to use graham baxter...

any sage words of experience???

[EdinburghFixed]

The main reason I wanted to do the 90 hour start was for the ambience! I agree that in terms of ride difficulty, starting at dawn and having shorter queues at the controls is probably easier, but I didn't decide to do PBP because I wanted to do something easy, at the end of the day.

If most people did the 84 (or 80) hour starts, that's the one I would have chosen.

[GrahamG]

I've just gone for the 90 hour free start - it's my first PBP, I don't ride to a schedule and have no problem with a late evening start.

[Andrew]

I'm not looking forward to the group start even though it's what I've opted for.

I don't like crowds or queues or riding in big groups.... hopefully, I'll be free of the worst of that quickly and be able to enjoy the rest of the ride. If not, it'll hopefully be just a small price to pay for an overall worthwhile experience.If not, it'll at least be an experience!

[mattc]

i am just about to pull the trigger on the 84 hour start...

...<snip>...

any sage words of experience???

read this thread - it's all in there!
PBP finishing time group - sub 90h vs sub 84h

[vorsprung]

I am going to follow the same plan as Toontra, try and get in an "early" 90 hour start group and attempt to make it to Brest before I turn into a pumpkin. I've not booked an F1 room

If I end up in a later group then I guess it's Carhaix for me.  I'll be carrying a sleeping bag liner

[roddo]

read this thread - it's all in there!
PBP finishing time group - sub 90h vs sub 84h

MattC - many thanks - most useful.  I reckon 84hrs is the way to go for me.

to me its all about enjoying the experience and if i do 2 stops art loudeac and get 4 -5 hours sleep at each one I should be golden.