i rode PBP unsupported, and it was fine

[mattc]

Did anyone manage this heroic feat?!?

_{(I felt that the epic tales in the  Support for 2015 thread deserved more recognition)}

[Hummers]

Yes.

But I don't like to go on about it.

H

[LEE]

I'm not sure who is "tougher", me with no option but to keep pushing on from various "war-zone" controls or the people tucked up in the warm luxury of a Motorhome with their family for the evening.  I think there were times when I'd have had a hard time leaving one of those motorhomes.  I definitely got back to the finish because I couldn't think of a better way to get back to my car than MTFU and pedal a couple more days.

[border-rider]

+1

Soaking wet after 17 hours of monsoon, tired & with a sore knee at Loudeac on the way out, I'd quite happily have climbed into a motorhome & called it a day.  The sheer logistics of getting back were the best incentive to keep rolling -  and of course next day it was all lovely again.

[MSeries]

Not me but I could have done had I wanted to.


after all I did ride from New York to Los Angeles unsupported, carrying a tent and hunting for my food armed with nothing but a spear.


what is this ? a pissing contest.

[MSeries]

   oops forgot the smiley 

[Salvatore]

Yes.

Although I would have appreciated a "Bravo Uncle John" banner at Corlay.

[veloboy]

Yes indeed!

At first, it seemed this would be a compromise to achieving a faster time than in '07 (when I had a bag drop with some Danes in Loudeac). However, on reflection, considering the number of participants and geographic expanse of the typical control, a LOT of time could (and does) get wasted walking from controlling, to toilets, to food, to bikes, to sleep (if required) and watering.
Finding your designated support vehicle (with your simple bag drop) suddenly becomes a logistical nightmare and before you know it, it can be easily over 45 minutes + at the control [or more]!
If I had a designated support team that supported only ME (maybe one other), then I could see than improving he overall time.
Otherwise it seems more efficient (and easier) to ride self-sufficient [and for some reason more attractive] on PBP I really would not change a thing [unless you are willing to be my personal Soigner!!!]

Spares carried within a Vaude Seat post bag:
- spare bibshorts
- spare mitts
- spare socks

Had a micro-toiletry kit comprising toothbrush, toothpaste, A3 size microfibre-towel, piece of soap and err, vile of cologne (just to keep up with the Italians!  ). Loudeac on the way back was the first (and only) shower and change, with 5 minutes kip in total (well,that was hard, but kept me focused during the ride).

[Greenbank]

Yes, I didn't do an organised thing because I needed to minimise the time away from home (including being back at home by 9am on Friday) and none of the organised trips fitted my schedule.

I was a bit anxious trying to sort it all out myself, but in the end I didn't find it a problem. I read plenty of stuff on here, booked an F1 hotel close enough (12km away in Plaisir wasn't a problem, there were a good number of PBPers there too). Found a way to get my bike safely over to France (thanks filthy), otherwise it would have come with me on the 'plane. Booked flights there and back (including excess baggage to bring my bike back on the flight).

On the ride I had to carry a bit more stuff (2 changes of clothes weighed no more than 1.5kg). I'm not one for energy powders or gels or too many home comforts so I was happy to eat what I could buy on the way round. Left luggage at the Gymnase worked for me (there were probably only 20 bags or so there).

I didn't find any of the controls a problem, I got a bed everywhere I wanted to sleep (Loudeac both times) and didn't have a problem sleeping (thanks to tiredness and earplugs) and dozed at the roadside a couple of other times. I can eat bread/ham/butter all year round and be happy.

Doing it again, with plenty of time, and I'd tour over and back by bike. Doing it again with time constraints I'd probably do the 84 hour, fly/Eurostar on Sunday and possibly even get a late flight back on the Thursday (or kip in the airport and fly back Friday morning like this time). If there was left luggage I'd stay in a local hotel/B&B, no left luggage and I'd probably camp.

[DanialW]

Nobody rides PBP unsupported.

[Ian H]

I find it far easier not to have to worry about supporting people/vehicles. So, easier option for me.

[Euan Uzami]

I rode it in a way that, before the event, the makers of overstims were keen to claim was "impossible" - that is to get all your energy from food alone. 

[DanialW]

I find it far easier not to have to worry about supporting people/vehicles. So, easier option for me.

Ian gave me the best advice I received before PBP. I switched the GPS off my phone, put the routesheet in my bag, had no odometer and followed the arrows.

Thanks Ian. 

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I find it far easier not to have to worry about supporting people/vehicles. So, easier option for me.

Ian gave me the best advice I received before PBP. I switched the GPS off my phone, put the routesheet in my bag, had no odometer and followed the arrows.

Thanks Ian. 

+1 - except have never used GPS and odometer broke before Mortagne.  Would have liked the odometer to count down the miles to Dreux but probably rode faster because I couldnt

[Andrew]

Same here. It meant I had to focus on my own ride and not get distracted/disheartened by the lighter bikes coming past me but I really enjoyed it and didn't once regret it. I was out to Brest by Tuesday 9am and able to enjoy a relaxed return (within the context!), taking sleep stops according to the closing times of the next control. I finished feeling remarkably fresh as a result having had around 12 hours sleep over the 90 hours.

All of that said, I would like to ride it supported. I think it'd be an entirely different experience.

[thesloth]

Any idea what time the first unsupported rider/s came in?
By all accounts a few of the control kitchens weren't fully up and running when the first riders came through, so they must have had quite a challenge.

[Manotea]

I find it far easier not to have to worry about supporting people/vehicles. So, easier option for me.

Ian gave me the best advice I received before PBP. I switched the GPS off my phone, put the routesheet in my bag, had no odometer and followed the arrows.

Thanks Ian. 

I'm with Ian regarding riding unsupported; I'm not fast enough for the support/hotels approach, though he certainly is.

However I'm glad I had my etrex vista on the bars for the duration of the event with Tals tracks which I converted to follow road routes. All worked perfectly.

The arrows were great but without my gps I'd have gone off track a couple of times, probably seriously.

YMMV ( mine didn't! )

[Nonsteeler]

I'm not sure who is "tougher", me with no option but to keep pushing on from various "war-zone" controls or the people tucked up in the warm luxury of a Motorhome with their family for the evening.  (...)  I definitely got back to the finish because I couldn't think of a better way to get back to my car than MTFU and pedal a couple more days.

I agree. The only time I felt let down by the 'standard version of support' was Brest. I was looking forward to a blanket  that would go perfectly with my need for sleep. But there weren't any blankets. At least I got a gym mat. Brest was gloomy, I arrived there after about 30h (90h start), around midnight and it felt surreal bordering to the nightmare-ish... I guess my problem were my high expectations of this turning point control.

[thing1]

We did sans le soutien, and it turned out fine. Like MV said, the weather helped make the one-spare-pair of shorts strategy work OK. Even without 2x2 spare shorts, the biggest challenge was still cramming 2 people's stuff for 3 days into one saddlebag. We managed it though, and glad we didn't have to resort to more substantial luggage. [Only snag was Emma's waterproof, strapped outside the bag, fell off on day 3 so we had to buy another]

Another time I'd like to have a fresh change of clothes shipped part way around, and a campervan to hide in from the sun at the start! But that's probably it.

[DanialW]

Another time I'd like to have a fresh change of clothes shipped part way around, and a campervan to hide in from the sun at the start! But that's probably it.

I posted some clean clothes on, and arranged for a collection after. Cost me £26 and worked a dream. My feeling was that if I wasn't go to 'do a time', I may as well be comfy. A pack of clean clothes and a shower (x2) made my ride so much more pleasant.

[Hummers]

I only had one spare shirt/pair of shorts but washed out the ones I started with at Brest and strapped them to the back of the bike to dry.

They were dry and cleanish for the last leg, Villaines to SQY.

H

[zigzag]

if i was going for a fast time (55-57h for me), i'd like a support person or at least a bagdrop at villaines, loudeac and brest. mainly for food provisions, so i don't need to carry 3kg of food with me from the start. i'd also like some warm food of my choice at these controls. legs baby-wiped and massaged while i'm eating..
immediately available and warm sleeping place would be nice too, but not essential.

[teethgrinder]

I only had one spare shirt/pair of shorts but washed out the ones I started with at Brest and strapped them to the back of the bike to dry.

They were dry and cleanish for the last leg, Villaines to SQY.

H

Unless you're after a super fast time and have a top class and dedicated support crew, then I think that's the best approach.
Arranging sleep stops and bag drops without any chance to change plans during the ride could mean that if things don't go to plan, which they often don't, then the original plan could be wrong. If you're more self sufficient and resourcefull then you just adapt to make it work for you. There's so much support from locals and at controls that all you really have to worry about is clean clothes, or at least wearably clean clothes.

I used a schedule this time. I also used my GPS to keep an eye on my moving and overall average speed, time spent stopped and to make sure I was on the route if I had one of those doubtfull moments. Besides, my GPS was a godsend getting me from Dieppe to the start and from my hotel to the start.
I only had a schedule to reassure myself that I could ride slowly and comfortably and still have time for sleep. I had my sleep stops planned, but if I went ahead or slept early, it didn't matter, as long as I was in the time limit at controls. I ended up with a very comfortable PBP time and sleep wise, though not a fast PBP.

[Ray 6701]

Rode unsupported carrying a change of clothes & a wash bag + the usual gubbins that you carry on a long ride & finished in 88hrs 4mins.  Will ride unsupported next time too in the 90hr group & aim for sub 84hrs.

[LEE]

My only question for PBP riders is "Did you finish in time?".  If they did then I congratulate them.

I try not to ask about how long it took or what their starting group was.  There are too many variables involved to make a quick time all that impressive (i.e. I could most likely knock 15 hours of my time if I rode a Carbon road bike, carried only a spare tube, some CO2 cartridges and had a motorhome/crew waiting for me at the controls).  Actually I could have finished at least an hour quicker but I thought an Ice Cream and a Beer seemed like a good idea on the final stage since I had some time in hand (finally). Since there was no beer left when I got back to the finish I think this was a perfectly reasonable decision.

If you finished in time then well done, if not then tough luck (but even that's not so important, the real challenge is getting to the start line in the first place).

Maybe it's because I got great value for money from my ride but I'm only interested in whether you finished or not.


I saw a man on the ride propelling himself forward by "pedalling" the front wheel of his "wheelchair" with his hands and another using his one functioning leg to pedal his bike.  It was at this point I ceased to be impressed by any fast times on PBP by people using 2 legs, never mind a motorhome and support team.