Author Topic: PBP 2019 - Notes to self  (Read 30786 times)

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #25 on: 23 August, 2019, 07:34:13 pm »
Advice
Take it with a pinch of salt. What works so invaluably to one person, is a time wasting process for another.

That.

With knobs on. And some gold spangly paint. And a fanfare.
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Edd

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #26 on: 23 August, 2019, 08:14:28 pm »
Sleep
Getting to st nic was a good plan, got a good sleep there. Generally, sleeping on route was fine, no problems and can get going quickly but cut out the short stops for more infrequent long ones

Food
Take enough with you as montaigne is chaos when you first arrive comfortably in the bulge and controls are confusing for a first timer
Hot meals are good but there is generally little queue for a baguette and soup which will speed your time through control

Controls
Find out what you were doing at the Brest control and don't, it didn't take long to have a shower and it didn't take long to get food, what was I doing for the rest of the time?

As mentioned up thread, check your shorts on long rides, those new dhb ones are great for those 200 rides but hurt when wearing them for long periods

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #27 on: 23 August, 2019, 11:06:11 pm »
Perhaps


Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #28 on: 24 August, 2019, 09:08:59 am »
Worked Well
- Staying in the car camping in the (small) van, made the Sunday relativity low stress, lie in, read and napped until the start
- Taking a musette for control faff minimizing, bottles and bit in it, carry it round and avoided losing bits
- Ibuprofen gel, massive help when Achilles flared up and several other riders used it too
- Eating before sleeping, and on waking up
- Taking a small tube of sudocreme and baby wipes for cleaning groin a few times

Worked Less Well
- Replacing cleats a few days before and clearly not getting them lined up properly, resetting them at the first control was a faff
- The sizing of the PBP kit, maybe read the reviews more next time (L jersey = race fit, L gillet = baggy)

Take next time
- Lip salve, they're in bits now and sudocreme didnt really work
- Toe covers
- Leg warmers not knee warmers, or atleast different knee warmers as the merino ones chaffed after a day or so and slipped down outside the shorts

Thoughts
- for me endurance (24hour plus) really is an eanting challenege, keep putting calories in
- I ate ~15 sandwiches ~19 pastries ~50 bottles of water -2 pasta meals and still lost a couple of kg
- Think about using the overstims energy drinks to get more calories in while riding

Think About for Next Time
? Can I ride all the way though in one hit?
? How can I work out how to ride in groups more? - probably leave controls in groups

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #29 on: 24 August, 2019, 10:35:18 am »
- tall Dutch riders don't appear to do high speed twisty descents, liability to you even though they are good for the tow on the flat and slight climbs

There are a couple of Dutch Randonneurs that descend really fast (Ivo OTP is one of them), but I find I often over take on any down hill, then get left behind on any up hill...

But they punch a massive hole in the wind, and on the flat are a dream to ride behind, if you can hang on, which I often can't...

Worked Well
- Taking a musette for control faff minimizing, bottles and bit in it, carry it round and avoided losing bits

I learned this one from a AUK member on the first RatN, and have carried a musette ever since. Fantastic investment. Massively reduces control faff on all events. On ultra races I can go into the supermarket, throw everything in the musette, get on the bike, and start stashing it as I ride.

Would be great if we could get some AUK branded musettes printed up.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

simonp

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #30 on: 24 August, 2019, 11:20:23 am »
Test your spare tubeless sealant's ability to survive being on the bike before the ride.

It had mostly solidified inside the pouch when I needed to refill the rear. Also stick to one brand so you don't worry about compatibility. Probably take a spare tyre. I punctured the day before (start location was a mud and gravel fest) and the repair only held until about 700km before I needed to add sealant.

Di2 won't last the full ride. Take a charger (I did).

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #31 on: 24 August, 2019, 12:03:48 pm »
I finished with the Di2 battery showing 50% left. And I shifted a lot. (as a contingency I did pack the charger in my drop bag at Loudéac, but didn't use it).

Didn't use the musette either; at the controls I brought the provided pouch (hanging around my neck) for the brevet card and cash, phone in rear pocket and one or two bottles to fill. Either eating inside the control or just getting water and a stamp. For "regular" events it does come in handy.

simonp

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #32 on: 24 August, 2019, 12:11:39 pm »
It may be that the use of synchro shift or the wireless module reduced its battery life. I got the low battery warning before Dreux and stopped and plugged the charger in and pushed on. It was showing 25% at the time so may have just made it.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #33 on: 24 August, 2019, 12:23:56 pm »
I had no idea that di2 battery life was so poor. I presumed it would be charge and forget for a month, wow. And you can't charge it from a usb power bank?? Looks like I'll be swerving electric gears for a few years yet, for me the entire selling point is that they'd be reliable and long lasting.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Alex B

  • Headwind specialist
    • Where is there an end of it?
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #34 on: 24 August, 2019, 12:25:12 pm »
It may be that the use of synchro shift or the wireless module reduced its battery life.

I have the wireless module but don't use syncro shift. I still had 50% charge at the end (I shift a lot too). I didn't take a charger on the ride as I trust my di2 setup for 2,500km.

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #35 on: 24 August, 2019, 12:54:41 pm »
You can charge from a power bank, but need a gizmo that translates from USB to Di2. It packs small. This is for the internal battery btw, there's also the option to fit (a different kind of) battery on your frame in which case you can just bring a spare battery if you're paranoid / doing a really big trip.

So far the only thing I loath about Di2 is that Shimano does not give you complete control about the settings (it prevents using the two smallest cogs when on the small chainring for example). These make sense as default settings to prevent people from shooting themselves in the foot, but prevent getting the most out of odd setups.

Alex B

  • Headwind specialist
    • Where is there an end of it?
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #36 on: 24 August, 2019, 12:57:10 pm »
So far the only thing I loath about Di2 is that Shimano does not give you complete control about the settings (it prevents using the two smallest cogs when on the small chainring for example). These make sense as default settings to prevent people from shooting themselves in the foot, but prevent getting the most out of odd setups.

I can do that. Maybe this is a feature of later firmware than I have (in which case I won't be upgrading). Is it something you can set with the e-tube software?

simonp

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #37 on: 24 August, 2019, 01:07:59 pm »
I had no idea that di2 battery life was so poor. I presumed it would be charge and forget for a month, wow. And you can't charge it from a usb power bank?? Looks like I'll be swerving electric gears for a few years yet, for me the entire selling point is that they'd be reliable and long lasting.

Where do you get the idea you can’t charge it from a power bank - that’s what I did on PBP *while riding *

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #38 on: 24 August, 2019, 01:59:32 pm »
Oh that's not so bad then someone told me a while ago it could only be charged using a Shimano product from a wall.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

simonp

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #39 on: 24 August, 2019, 02:21:17 pm »
Oh that's not so bad then someone told me a while ago it could only be charged using a Shimano product from a wall.

The charger has a micro USB port one end and di2 charger cable on the other. It’s small enough to be worth taking just in case imo. I’d run my batteries flat topping up phone and garmin so the previous night had charged one of them while in a cafe open at 4am, as you do on PBP.

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #40 on: 24 August, 2019, 02:34:04 pm »
My Di2 (Synchro with SC-MT800 display that lights up on every shift. Also has wireless but wasn’t used) lasted about 1000 km. It only took a few minutes with a power bank to charge enough to finish. And it still shifts while charging.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #41 on: 24 August, 2019, 03:04:41 pm »
I'm still surprised that it doesn't last longer - is there a range of batteries e.g. 'touring' Vs 'criterium speed demon' or is it one size fits all? I appreciate that it is 'always on' and moving derailleurs around does take a but of work and cold will drain it faster...
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #42 on: 24 August, 2019, 03:09:16 pm »
(Tim) - for lippy, I used Uvisport Lipscreen UV 50 stick on a lanyard.  https://images.app.goo.gl/psXMMuPpq9V3gY7H7

Phil W

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #43 on: 24 August, 2019, 03:22:33 pm »
This time once you'd had your brevet card stamped at the table, there was no waiting in front of the start arch before the group was set off.  So don't hang around at the back nattering with a few stragglers on the way up to the arch, else you will miss the massive peloton at the start, like you did this time round.  A group of 5 with 2 puncturing within 5km is not the start you want.

Signage was poor, in many parts of the large sheepfold.  So take the time to work out where things are whilst there on the Saturday.  You shouldn't need to be wandering round on the Sun trying to find the start, it should be obvious without needing to carry a map of the sheepfold around.

The supermarket 1 litre smoothies were great, and cheap.  Get some of those on the way to the Sheepfold, so you have something to drink (other than water) during the inevitable waiting around.



quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #44 on: 24 August, 2019, 05:39:34 pm »
Oh that's not so bad then someone told me a while ago it could only be charged using a Shimano product from a wall.

It needs to be charged from a power pack that can output at least 1amp, else it doesn't charge. That may be the origin of the can't be charged from a power bank thing.

I've done over 1000km since I last charged, i have a display that lights up on every shift, and is usefully showing 3/5 bars of battery charge still. I have the wireless enabled, and it's logging all the info to my wahoo too.

Carrying the charger unit is easy enough, and charging it every 1000km or so is pretty simple. The main thing is the default road head units (junction a) don't give you much useful info on battery charge, unlike the MTB display.

Upgrading to Di2 has been game changing, the low effort of shifting, coupled with the multiple positions is just brilliant, when I have the money, I'll add climbing shifters too.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #45 on: 25 August, 2019, 06:44:10 pm »
Don't put the Steve backshall book back on the shelf at the hotel. Was gone when I got back after the ride. Next time I'll hide it somewhere so I'll have something to read while recovering.

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #46 on: 25 August, 2019, 07:05:50 pm »
About 40% di2 remaining at end, synchro shift and wireless. One thing I did do was disabled the BLE transmission so it only sends the sensor data via ANT which seems to have made a big difference to consumption. I did have to charge on the return of LEL.
Regards,

Joergen

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #47 on: 25 August, 2019, 07:08:01 pm »
Last time I did PBP my friction shifters were still 100% charged at the end...

8)
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

rob

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #48 on: 25 August, 2019, 07:10:27 pm »
My total lack of shifters made my ride very simple but, then again, my pedal fell off.

Re: PBP 2019 - Notes to self
« Reply #49 on: 26 August, 2019, 08:03:32 am »
I wonder if those guys on fat bikes with 4" knobby tyres finished (in time)?

I encountered one on my return to Loudeac who was asking which way to Brest!

I’d got 45hrs on the clock and started 1hr 15mins later so he was about 200km behind time.

He was quite determined to carry on despite official advice so may have finished hors delai?