PBP - Time Spent In Controls

[Hummers]

Spot on Andy.

H

[damerell]

An hour saved by not faffing about, or understanding the most efficient way to deal with the controls, means being 20km further along the road.

Jack Eason said to me - more than once - something like "It's not how fast you ride on the bike, it's how slow you are when you're not on the bike" - as he plugged around at a steady 20-or-less kph and finished nevertheless.

[Ivo]

At PBP it can really pay off to do some necessary things outside of the controls. When your bottle is empty and you spot a local in his front yard, ask him to fill your bottle. Definitely faster as at a control. 5-10km before the control just head for a convenient tree or the bushes. Saves some time queing for the toilets. You could breakfast at a small bakery but many bakers can't keep up with the demand and they're sold out shortly after they open up. So even there you're having troubles with the size of the ride. Some restaurants outside of the controls will serve fast, others don't understand your urgency.

[rob]

I didn't really have an issue with queueing at controls.   They are very much geared up to get randonneur-friendly food out quickly.   But managing your time at controls is vital.   Take your empty bottles into the controls and fill them while you're in there.   I usually bought a large bottle of water and filled the bottles while eating.   If you're going to add or take off layers do this while you're eating.   I had a small bag within my luggage that I carried in and out of controls that had toothbrush, sudocrem, wipes, ibuprofen, contact lenses, glasses, etc so I always had the things I might need to use whilst in there.   

Also, don't be afraid to leave your mates behind if they're faffing.   They will forgive you and you will see each other on the road.

[red marley]

I find you can save time with bottle filling by ensuring you do PBP during a period when it rains constantly. This worked really well for me in 2007.

[Bairn Again]

For me anyway, however much faster I rode, the buffer would just be used to sleep!

If I come in any sooner than 85 hours I'll feel my strategy has gone badly wrong...

+ 1.

thats why on the few occasions Ive looked at the 84 hr start for 2011, I keep coming back to same conclusion that the 90 hr group is my best option. 

[Hummers]

The secret in PBP controls is a weird form of multitasking - sleep while you're queueing, eat while you're on the toilet, that sort of thing....

But beware of going to the toilet when you are eating. This was an affliction a number of riders suffered in 2007.

H