Author Topic: Transcontinental 2016  (Read 61878 times)

simonp

Transcontinental 2016
« on: 09 October, 2015, 03:22:02 pm »
Entry information and control details for 2016 will be announced this month. http://reportage.transcontinental.cc/?page_id=108

I've taken the enormous step of signing up to the mailing list.

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #1 on: 09 October, 2015, 04:38:14 pm »
So have I but I don't have the required balls of steel to race hours upon hours for 10 days to the end! Props to people that enter for real.

simonp

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #2 on: 09 October, 2015, 04:45:55 pm »
So have I but I don't have the required balls of steel to race hours upon hours for 10 days to the end! Props to people that enter for real.

10 days for 4239km? Well to be fair it's only 20 miles a day more than I did for PBP.

I'd expect to be looking at 15 days or more.


Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #3 on: 09 October, 2015, 05:29:51 pm »
Belgium to Istanbul again? I'd be almost irresistably tempted to make a Leigh-Fermor special and take almost as long as he did (that was something like 18 months, on foot).
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

simonp

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #4 on: 09 October, 2015, 05:39:41 pm »
Nothing about the route has been published yet. I understand the intention is to find ways to make it more extreme so that aerobars are no longer used.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #5 on: 09 October, 2015, 06:24:12 pm »
I don't think they can make it that extreme. The race across the middle of Oz back in the day and about 30% dirt roads had the racers using aerobars on MTBs. The weight penalty is less nowadays.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #6 on: 09 October, 2015, 06:44:14 pm »
I think the org made a joke about this last year. My reading was that he doesnt truly care about aero-bars, but he wanted riders to have to think about their setup
i.e. not use an off-the-peg TT bike or tourer.

He could very easily just ban the things if it's a style issue :P
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #7 on: 09 October, 2015, 08:16:30 pm »
It's a fine line to tread, tri-bars aren't legal in France, so the organiser has to point out to the entrants that they are fully responsible for knowing the law, likewise racing in Switzerland. The riders are completely self-sufficient, but they have to sign over their media rights, and there's sponsorship.


Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #8 on: 09 October, 2015, 09:38:45 pm »
I thought aerobars were OK in France as long as you weren't in a mass-start event...?

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #9 on: 11 October, 2015, 07:07:41 pm »
I thought aerobars were OK in France as long as you weren't in a mass-start event...?
Yeah, that's what I thought - and I think the race doesnt go thru Switzerland (at least not in 2015).

ESL: do you have some sort of axe to grind here?  :-\
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #10 on: 22 October, 2015, 01:12:07 pm »
I think the org made a joke about this last year. My reading was that he doesnt truly care about aero-bars, but he wanted riders to have to think about their setup
i.e. not use an off-the-peg TT bike or tourer.


If true, that's rather disappointing to be honest; for what had always come across as a very inclusive event, with riders of all abilities getting recognition through their Twitter feed and other publicity, it would be a shame if it forced people into having to make investments in specific bike set ups and turning it into and almost elitist event. I'd like to think it's something I'd enter one day in its current guise, but would be less keen if it just turns into something that tries to maximise people's chances of failure. Perhaps I'm reading too much between the lines!

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #11 on: 22 October, 2015, 03:36:13 pm »
My PERSONAL (possiblybly wrong) reading is that a range of bikes would work quite well, but if you WERE entering to win, and buying a bike specially for the event, you wouldn't be best served by anything off-the-peg.

So its still quite inclusive, but not well suited to the cheque-book racer (if that mnakes sense!).

[The unfortunate side-effect has been that almost everyone seems to use the same luggage ! ]
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

simonp

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #12 on: 22 October, 2015, 03:49:05 pm »
The biggest issue I've been aware of is the tyre shredding that occurred on the Assietta. I'm not sure what a workable solution for this is. The bike I'd likely use can only handle 25mm tyres at best with mudguards. I could probably use 28mm tyres without, but I might regret that. At least as it's a no-draughting race, no-one is going to be bothered by that except the rider.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #13 on: 22 October, 2015, 03:59:10 pm »
As you say,  guards arent all that essential on this event (Did I actually write that? Pass the soap!!! )

But there are plenty of tough tyres available in 25mm (e.g. M+). Or you carry a spare tyre. The riders have to weigh up all these options.

(You could even walk that section after using up your penultimate spare tube/tyre and still get round OK.)
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #14 on: 22 October, 2015, 04:05:41 pm »
I may have just put myself on the email list..........

I have some serious reading and pondering to be doing.

The biggest issue I've been aware of is the tyre shredding that occurred on the Assietta.

Can you clarify the issues a little here?  What was the surfacing?  I'm on a 25 mm only bike - although I have ridden on a fair amount of off-road gravel tracks now. 
Does not play well with others

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #15 on: 22 October, 2015, 04:10:27 pm »
It's a dirt road section through the mountains in Northern Italy.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #16 on: 22 October, 2015, 04:10:36 pm »
its something like 15km of gravel. Quite a lot of stuff on the web,  e.g.

http://www.cycling-challenge.com/strada-dellassietta-strada-militare-colle-delle-finestre/

Looks fecking awesome to me! (but it may not be in the 2016 route)

/notsimon
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

simonp

Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #17 on: 22 October, 2015, 04:23:44 pm »
https://twitter.com/gareth_baines/status/626022474887602182

Gareth is OTP and finished 7th according to the leaderboard on the transcontinental website.

A pic from Gareth on the Assietta.

https://instagram.com/p/5q8OR9jymh/

I think calling it 'gravel' doesn't do it justice.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #18 on: 22 October, 2015, 05:26:38 pm »
To say it's "a very inclusive event, with riders of all abilities getting recognition through their Twitter feed and other publicity," is only true for a extremely limited sense of "all abilities". You already have to be amongst the, so to speak, elite of the amateur, to contemplate such a race.

[The unfortunate side-effect has been that almost everyone seems to use the same luggage ! ]
Isn't that to do with Apidura being one of the sponsors?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #19 on: 22 October, 2015, 06:14:54 pm »
To say it's "a very inclusive event, with riders of all abilities getting recognition through their Twitter feed and other publicity," is only true for a extremely limited sense of "all abilities". You already have to be amongst the, so to speak, elite of the amateur, to contemplate such a race.
Lets hear your proposals for a 2200km unsupported event.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #20 on: 22 October, 2015, 07:00:47 pm »
Why should I have any? And if I did, they'd probably be similar to the Transcontinental; it's in the very nature of such an event that it will only be suitable for a small number of very fit and adventurous people – that's my point.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #21 on: 22 October, 2015, 07:37:00 pm »
Define "very fit".

Then define what level "inclusive" starts at.

I'd say its suitable for a very large number of people if they prepare for it. It has no barriers of race, class or gender. They've made it as cheap as possible. (Compare with something like RAAM or L'Etape.)

How EXACTLY would you like it to be MORE inclusive? There are other events for those who train less, or who are less "adventurous".
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #22 on: 22 October, 2015, 07:50:09 pm »
I wouldn't like it to be more inclusive. As I said up there, I don't think it would be practical to make it less demanding in terms of fitness and adventurousness (except perhaps by introducing a separate category for electric bikes, but that would probably run into other problems). Providing support vehicles or prebooked accommodation, for instance, would fundamentally change the nature of the event (and possibly make it even more demanding in terms of fitness by shifting the emphasis from self-sufficient riding to long-distance unpaced racing).

"Inclusive for an endurance sporting event" is not the same as "inclusive".
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #23 on: 22 October, 2015, 07:55:53 pm »

"Inclusive for an endurance sporting event" is not the same as "inclusive".
So what did you bloody expect??

It IS an endurance event!!! I thought that was pretty much a given in this thread ...  ::-)

After all, "inclusive" will always be a relative thing. Go on, argue your way out of that one; I'll give you 10 internet debating points ...
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Transcontinental 2016
« Reply #24 on: 22 October, 2015, 09:07:24 pm »
I really don't think there's anything to argue out of or into, matt. Nor am I quite sure why you're getting so worked up about this one word (when it wasn't even yours in the first place). Of course it's an endurance race. Of course it therefore is limited in who can take part. If it's pedantic of me to point this out, your pedantry is arguing over what counts as "fit" and "inclusive" has exc eeded even mine!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.