yacf riders

[Redlight]

Wasn't that clear imho which was the actual chip reading mat at arrivee. There were a few it could have been. You know that "victory lap" round the cobbled courtyard, well I now think it was at the middle of that.
Quite easily done to just go straight to the bike park and into the control if the marshal was distracted.

As opposed to the speedhump to slow people down before the cobbles? It would certainly make more sense if the finish arch and finish mat where in the same place.
[/quote]

There seem to have been many criticisms of the finish, from the confusing arrival point to the poor surfaces and the glut of camper vans on the run-in.  Similarly, I've seen plenty of grumbles about the approach to the Brest control, although none about the control itself this time.  As I wrote after 2015 (https://robmcivor.wordpress.com/2018/02/05/4th-time-around-looking-back-at-paris-brest-paris-2015/), there is a sense that the P and the B are something of a let down, even though almost everything in-between is great.

[Martin]

If jsabine's description of the transponders built into the frame badges (ie. disposable passive RFID tags) applies, then the reading device was probably a set of horizontally mounted aerials, aimed across the path at bike height, rather than a mat of the type used with active transponders.

that fits more with the one I used; it was just some bits of copper fixed in a star-ish pattern behind the number plaque; before that there was a proper piece of electrickery that you had to detach and return to get your €10 back

[Wobbly]

...there is a sense that the P and the B are something of a let down, even though almost everything in-between is great.

Well put.

[jsabine]

If jsabine's description of the transponders built into the frame badges (ie. disposable passive RFID tags) applies, then the reading device was probably a set of horizontally mounted aerials, aimed across the path at bike height, rather than a mat of the type used with active transponders.

Yes, white aerial on each side, about the size of a dinner tray, round about top tube height.

On the surface, the transponder is just a strip of overprinted white plastic, 4in x 1in (ok, ok, 101.8mm x 25.4mm - I really have just put verniers on it) and about 0.6mm thick. I haven't peeled it off to look behind.

As for declared DNFs, I wonder if it's planned behaviour to not record (or at least not publish) intermediate scan times, but to still publish the Rambouillet time. I rode from Quedillac most of the way to Villaines with an older French guy who hadn't removed his plaque - like me, he's credited with a time at Rambouillet but not from any other control on his way back.

[Kim]

If jsabine's description of the transponders built into the frame badges (ie. disposable passive RFID tags) applies, then the reading device was probably a set of horizontally mounted aerials, aimed across the path at bike height, rather than a mat of the type used with active transponders.

Yes, white aerial on each side, about the size of a dinner tray, round about top tube height.

On the surface, the transponder is just a strip of overprinted white plastic, 4in x 1in (ok, ok, 101.8mm x 25.4mm - I really have just put verniers on it) and about 0.6mm thick. I haven't peeled it off to look behind.

Yeah, close relative of the stuff we use for timing BHPC races.  There's not a lot to see: The functional part of the tag consists of some foil in a pretty pattern that forms a resonant aerial at the appropriate radio frequency, with a teeny tiny dot of an integrated circuit somewhere in the middle.  That's sandwiched between a couple of layers of sellotape for protection and easy attachment to flat surfaces.  Bought in bulk, these things are insanely cheap: Their day job is asset tracking in warehouses etc, where you can read the tags on widgets from a distance as they roll past on a conveyor, or simultaneously read all the tags on a trolley full of stuff^[1] simply by wheeling it through the door.

The advantages over an active tag system is that there's no battery in the tag, and they're cheap enough that you don't have to go to the effort of rounding them up again after the race.  The BHPC have found that unless the tag is damaged or attached at a weird angle or to something conductive, they're extremely reliable.  (And because they're so cheap, you can use more than one tag for redundancy.)  Most of the problems we seem to have are with the reader equipment (dicky cables, obtaining a power supply, random acts of Windows, etc), or tags coming repeatedly unstuck from helmets^[2] that don't have a flat enough surface.



_{[1] The necessarily high throughput makes them practical for sports event timing.
[2] Has the advantage of tracking the rider rather than the bike, and is often the easiest way to avoid carbon fibre.}

[madcow]

When I did my first PBP, some sage on here said JFDI.
 It's still good advice.
Prepare well, do the miles and learn from multiple 400s and 600s.
If you are a fussy eater, don't like cycling in the dark, don't like French people or you can't look after yourself and your bike, it isn't the ride for you.
Try Ride London instead.
I've done three now. I'm 59,work full time and have half a life beyond cycling.
This edition of PBP was no harder than I expected. We have been blessed with pretty good weather in the last 3 outings.
The headwind was hard work but not terminal IMHO, the heat nearly caught me out (dehydrated at Mamers), but I dealt with it. PBP is a great ride and I would encourage anyone to have a go BUT it's not the only thing in life.

Thanks to all who organised events that enabled me to qualify, to the PBP  and ACP volunteers and especially to all of the ordinary families who turn out to feed and water riders on the road.
Someone once said that these people own the route, we just borrow it for a few days. They make PBP special.

[Wobbly]

What Madcow said.

 

[simonp]

If jsabine's description of the transponders built into the frame badges (ie. disposable passive RFID tags) applies, then the reading device was probably a set of horizontally mounted aerials, aimed across the path at bike height, rather than a mat of the type used with active transponders.

Yep. Each was a pair of posts about 1 metre tall either side. Most controls had them on entry and exit.

[FifeingEejit]

72:34 here.
Happy with that, as I took a couple of decent sleep stops.

It was consistent with my plan, which was Make It Up As You Go Along.

600k to Brest, 4 hrs sleep, 300k to Fougeres, 5 hrs sleep, 300k home.

Surprisingly cold in the wee small hours, but my Audax Ecosse training came into its own and the Spare Jersey was deployed.

Spare Jersey? I had my vented hi vis as well as the pbp one, I found putting the pbp one over the vented gave the perfect amount of insulation in that "cold"
Fingers weren't feeling the chill though so it can't have been That cold.

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

[FifeingEejit]

If jsabine's description of the transponders built into the frame badges (ie. disposable passive RFID tags) applies, then the reading device was probably a set of horizontally mounted aerials, aimed across the path at bike height, rather than a mat of the type used with active transponders.

Yep. Each was a pair of posts about 1 metre tall either side. Most controls had them on entry and exit.

Yes that system has been in use by a number of different organizers for a good few years now.
Mtb organizers usually put the stickers on one side of the riders helmet, much better than the dibber/dobber system. But is limited by sidedness.

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

[Kim]

If jsabine's description of the transponders built into the frame badges (ie. disposable passive RFID tags) applies, then the reading device was probably a set of horizontally mounted aerials, aimed across the path at bike height, rather than a mat of the type used with active transponders.

Yep. Each was a pair of posts about 1 metre tall either side. Most controls had them on entry and exit.

Yes that system has been in use by a number of different organizers for a good few years now.
Mtb organizers usually put the stickers on one side of the riders helmet, much better than the dibber/dobber system. But is limited by sidedness.

We solve that by writing the same EPC to two tags, and sticking one on each side of the helmet.  Simples.

(Does mean an extra step for the organisers, though, if you're otherwise set up to use the tags' factory EPCs.)

[Dai P]

Overall a great experience, not my fastest PBP but great fun.  But one thing that really upset me was the finish, I thought it was poor in the extreme,  once I had finished I took bike back to car and slept on grass for a couple of hours before going back up to finish to welcome riders home.  This was not a nice experience, camper vans and cars and people were all over the place and riders who had trained and suffered to finish were ignored at best.  There was little respect for the ethos of audax.

I don’t know how you make people respect others but IMHO it failed for many ‘later’ finishers.  Can we influence ACP to do this better?

There are riders who want to be part of PBP because of what it is, there are people who support riders on PBP and there are riders who want to do PBP for themselves, and all these are totally acceptable, I don’t have a problem with peoples reasons.

But for the latter two above then they should park outside the main site.  The main site should be for the duration of PBP, until the last time rider has finished and all vehicle movements should be restricted until the ‘end’of the event.  That way riders who have suffered to finish will finish in the same style as all the rest.

There were plenty of places for mobile homes and cars to park outside the grounds, which if people wanted to do a PB PBP then fine, they can do that then leave.  But for the audax riders who celebrate the ethos of audax in then the later finishers deserve more respect and this would give that....
 ..... rant over.

[redfalo]

Olaf (redfalo) is onto the last stretch, having left Mortagne with 118km to do and about 14 hours in hand. He felt he was close to a DNF, but feeling better after a kip and some food.

Making it to the start line at all was a particular privilege that I could not take for granted after smashing my patella badly in May 2018, luckily a couple of days after having ridden LWL as a 400 pre-qualifier.

due to a comedy of errors, I was in a late start group (7:30pm). Strategy of bouncing the controls and avoiding to stop in between by all means did work out - I had worked myself through the bulge after Brest.

Really had the ride of my life - even  dreaming of a sub-80-hour finish - until after Villaines on the way back, where things went pear-shaped. After a blow out puncture on the rear wheel I realised my rim tape was disintegrating. Fixed it temporarily with gaffer tape but was concerned the issue may return. Then I rode myself into the ground by doing a lot of work at the front in a fantastic French-lead group on the A-roads before Mortagne, probably also not drinking and eating enough.

Hit a wall on the last 20km into Mortagne which I found utterly brutal. At the control, I dopped bike at mechanics who put in new rim tape within 10 min.

For the first time ever I had the dreaded "cannot get food down" issue. I had to force half a bowl of pasta in me, but could not really eat. I had two normal beers, one alcohol free one, a coke, and went to sleep for 2.5 hours. Afterwards I was feeling better leg-wise but still failed to eat even a pain au chocolate. I was a bit out of my mind, and did not even intuitively know in which country I was in. Luckily Yoghurt and fruit salad worked, plus anther alcohol-free beer and a coke.

Was feeling relatively jolly afterwards but the cold on the last 40km into Dreux was relentless.... Met John L on the upright trike there, and was happy to ride  the last 44km in great company. Finished in 84 hours and 21 seconds, three hours less than four years ago.

I found this one harder than in 2015 although I wonder why as I would say the conditions were near perfect. The knee worked perfectly - no issues at all (I was riding with an active support bandage).

Not a single drop of rain,  not a lot of heat during the day (Wednesday afternoon being a slight exception maybe), and I found the headwinds on Monday totally bearable. I think to some degrees a lack of fitness after my injury, plus the fact that I am 10kg heavier than four years ago  :facepalm:are the key reasons.
 

[scarlet]

I was another finisher in the wee small hours of Weds night/Thurs morning. Its my first year of Audax, and boy has the learning curve been steep. I rode pretty close to plan, in spite of that plan being a bit of a guess (given lack of experience and all that). I wasn't quite prepared for how hard I would find it, or how many times I would feel like stopping - but the support along the way from the French, and the camaraderie amongst the riders well exceeded my expectations; I felt really privileged to be there, being cheered on from all sides (not to mention the folks at home).
Many thanks to the Devon beer club who put me up (and put up with me) at Huttopia.

[Von Broad]

but at the finish, upon entering the Bergerie I struggled to get to the check-in due to vehicles and pedestrians spread out across the full width of the road.

Shame to read yet another account about the chaotic nature of the finish for the later riders - I'd have struggled to hold it together at that point.

Was it ever announced why the start was moved from St Quentin? It appeared to be fairly late in the day, so I guess some aspects of the operation just got over looked with so much to organize.

[The French Tandem]

I found this one harder than in 2015 although I wonder why as I would say the conditions were near perfect. The knee worked perfectly - no issues at all (I was riding with an active support bandage).

I'm afraid you might be 4 years older than you were in 2015  From reading all the recent posts, it seems to be the same for most yacf riders.

A

[madcow]

Aye well, I can add this one to my ever extending palmares de DNF. Ho hum.

Some time ago ,you were happy to call me a very rude word in another place.
My PBP 2019 time- 84:13.
 #karma

[jsabine]

Aye well, I can add this one to my ever extending palmares de DNF. Ho hum.

Some time ago ,you were happy to call me a very rude word in another place.
My PBP 2019 time- 84:13.
 #karma

Karma has fuck all to do with it. Lack of fitness and insufficient riding on my part has plenty.

I called you a rude word in another thread because of the views you'd expressed in it. If I ever meet you, I'll be happy to explain why, and if you repeat those views, I'll be happy to repeat my opinion of what they make you.

Given that this is *not* that thread, and not that discussion, congratulations on your finish.

[madcow]

Thank you.

[zigzag]

UK fastest is 48:51.  Zizag rode PBP in 49:36 last time, and checked into Mortagne-au-Perche 44:04

Looks like zigzag missed out on the UK record by 2 mins, but was 43 mins quicker than 4 years ago.
He should extremely pleased with that.
Well done to you good sir.
Magnificent effort.

thank you for the compliments - kindly received and appreciated!

i rode a stretch with a young gentleman velosophie otp who is a solihull cc and auk member, he finished two hours ahead of me, without sleep. his pbp badge was a139 - does that make him the uk record holder?

[grams]

The finish was utter shit - I had someone reverse their car in front of me, *after* looking and seeing me, then various motorcaravans to dodge as well as all the pedestrians. I hope a video exists somewhere of me screaming “get out of the f***ing way” at the various randoms gathered across the width of the finish line, then slamming on the back brake and skidding sideways over it.

Very different from LEL where the riders had a clear run in, and even with (at the times I was there) only a handful of gathered spectators outside  they still got a much warmer welcome.

[Andy Corless]

"i rode a stretch with a young gengtleman velosophie otp who is a solihull cc and auk member, he finished two hours ahead of me, without sleep. his pbp badge was a139 - does that make him the uk record holder?"

That would be Claude Binchet. He's an AUK member who was on the Pendle 600 back in June this year. Not sure whether the 'record' is done by club membership or nationality.

Andy Corless

[bhoot]

Brilliantly well done Claude (still very well done Zigzag of course) - so it looks like you are the fastest AUK finisher..... unless of course anyone knows better.

I have done a hasty update of the home page on the website to reflect this - apologies Claude for not giving you full credit at first.

Does anyone know which AUK member had the slowest time, but still less than 90 hours?

[mattc]

The finish was utter shit - I had someone reverse their car in front of me, *after* looking and seeing me, then various motorcaravans to dodge as well as all the pedestrians. I hope a video exists somewhere of me screaming “get out of the f***ing way” at the various randoms gathered across the width of the finish line, then slamming on the back brake and skidding sideways over it.

Very different from LEL where the riders had a clear run in, and even with (at the times I was there) only a handful of gathered spectators outside  they still got a much warmer welcome.

You have my sympathies, it all sounds rather shit . Apart from the endless congested traffic-lights to *get* to the last km in 2007, I've had nice finishes at all my 1000+ events.

I'd be inclined to cut the organisers a _little slack; I can imagine the (changed) finish being literally the last bit of the puzzle to sort out, and there are many more things that they do get (mostly) right:
- 1200km of route signage
- an enormous bureaucracy of qualification/registration/starts
- food for all
- some showers/beds
- ... et al ... things that contribute more to getting the riders *to* the finish

[JonB]

I finished in 86:41 which was a bit faster than last time but don’t think I got as much sleep. My aim after 2015 was to give it a go on fixed and for the last couple of years I have been riding almost exclusively on fixed. I used my usual 68” gear, there was a lot of talk about gearing up amongst our club but I knew how relentlessly hilly the route was and so stuck with it.

Things went pretty well through the first night but when the dawn broke between Villaines and Fougeres the wind got up and that was a real slog which carried on for the rest of the day. At Loudeac we were on schedule but broken and I took some time out, with a lie down on a bed (couldn’t sleep with the adjacent music playing) and set out for St Nicolas in the late evening and got there for midnight.  The following day was great up and down the Roc and then onto Carhaix, Loudeac and deep into the morning hours to Quedillac. Things went well to Fougeres but as the sun strengthened, the energy levels weakend. At Villaines we took some more time out with a lie down and we knew we weren’t going to get any substantive sleep until the end. Got to Mortagne, had another lie down and left at 12:30 and had a brief lie down on route. This is the section that I really hated last time because of the oppressive need for sleep and ended up doing it even later this time! Once we got to Dreux, we only needed a bit of a lie down, the sun came up and we knocked out the last 45km in a lovely misty sunrise.

I loved the event, I was disappointed that I was unable to get more sleep than last time but enjoyed doing it on fixed, the main problem on that front was the big groups overtaking on the downs, boxing you in and then dying on the hills where we had to work our way out of the group to maintain momentum going uphill. On some of the rolling sections this would be repeated regularly. The hills were relentless but not steep.

I’m 57 now and I’d like to think that I have one more PBP in me to make it three but we’ll see how I feel in 4 years time.