Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Cyclosportives and commercial or charity rides => Topic started by: vorsprung on 22 February, 2017, 08:37:16 pm
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(http://www.bikepack.cc/uploads/1/0/9/1/10912585/editor/sheep-jerseys-full.jpg?1487346165]) (http://www.bikepack.cc/)
Could be fun, but I need to figure out if I can actually get enough leave from work to do it
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Anyone ?
http://www.bikepack.cc/
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I saw that the other day. It would be a tough ride, both physically and mentally.
If I was going to do a ride of that length, I'd rather go a bit further afield, like ride to Central Asia or East Africa!
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I'd ride past my front door before heading out round the South - prob a bit over half way. Not sure I'd go back out, though.
Can't really spare 2 weeks leave at the moment. Maybe in a few years.
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I like the name of the shorter southern one.
Respect to anyone who completes it. Not sure they needed the South Downs Way bit to make it hard! :)
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I don't think that the organisers understand the Cycle Racing on the Highways law, which would mean any " competitor" would be breaking the law - and likely be uninsured. Looking at the website it seems that British Cycling have positioned themselves well away from this.
Why should that concern me/us - because every breach of the law is a nail in the coffin of real racing - road or time trial. There are plenty out there who will seize on evidence that the laws are being flouted in a quest to stop racing on the roads all together.
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Though it does say "against the clock", which the organisers presumably believe covers their collective arse.
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Though it does say "against the clock", which the organisers presumably believe covers their collective arse.
I'd enjoy reading the police notification forms for this "time trial" - that also states that " we all set off together"
There are some good, well covered and responsible sportive organisers who do things right ( and I say that as someone who in general doesn't ride them), but there are others.
It's a bit like a fairly local triathlon club, who meet in the same village as a CTT registered cycling club. Cycling club runs properly notified evening time trials. Triathlon club runs ad hoc timed races on nearby roads. Guess what happens when locals complain about the triathletes racing on the country lanes - you've got it, the only " event" notified is the cycling club one. There is an excellent, but slightly strained relationship with the police already, which with some senior officers goes along the lines of " if I could find a good reason to stop this racing...." The triathletes " easier to ask forgiveness than permission" ( their words) really isn't helping. NB this specifically refers to one triathlon club, not all triathletes.
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I don't think that the organisers understand the Cycle Racing on the Highways law, which would mean any " competitor" would be breaking the law - and likely be uninsured. Looking at the website it seems that British Cycling have positioned themselves well away from this.
Why should that concern me/us - because every breach of the law is a nail in the coffin of real racing - road or time trial. There are plenty out there who will seize on evidence that the laws are being flouted in a quest to stop racing on the roads all together.
I'm glad to read this!
When I read their comments about BC, I thought either _I_ was misunderstanding their position, or THEY were misunderstanding the law!
It probably won't be a big enough event to create much bad PR, but it's still a bit depressing ...
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???
Such negatives , why?? Read the website and look at the world class riders, already entered. The distance, climbs and route are epic. The organiser, is bringing an awesome event together, hopefully it will motivate more people to cycle and bring positive publicity, to true endurance athletes & it's in the UK. Think I'm in, as a DIY :thumbsup:
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???
Such negatives , why??
Pointing out probable law-breaking, that's all.
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http://road.cc/content/news/217860-great-britain-gets-its-own-5000-km-plus-ultracycling-race-called-baa-baa
Race against the clock - 1 Stage - The Longest Unsupported Bikepack Event in Europe.
No prizes, just honour.
June 29th 2018
3329 miles(5340 km)
197965ft climbing (60,340m)
70 of Great Britains 200 hardest climbs in one event
3 Countries
3 Capital Cities
12 National Parks
Where you sleep is up to you.
It is a small island? Yeah right, try riding round it on a bike...Now is your chance.
snip:
Race starts in Chester in June 2018 and will take in 70 of Britain's hardest climbs
reat Britain will next year get its own ultracycling race for unsupported riders – and clocking in at more than 5,000 kilometres and with more than 60 kilometres of climbing the unsupported event, called the Baa Baa Bikepack race, could be a cracker.
It begins in Chester on 29 June 2018 and follows a clockwise route up to the north of Scotland, back down through the east of England and along the south coast into Devon and Cornwall, then into Wales and, via the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia, back to the start.
Along the way it will visit three capital cities – Edinburgh, London and Cardiff – and riders will also have to tackle 70 of Great Britain’s 200 toughest climbs, listed here (link is external)together with more details of the route.
Ascents tackled include the Hardknott Pass, Honister Pass, Glen Coe, Bealach Na Ba, the Buttertubs Pass, Ditchling Beacon, Zig Zag Hill, Gold Hill, Haytor Vale, Cheddar Gorge, Caerphilly Mountain, The Tumble, Gospel Pass and The Devil's Staircase.
According to organisers, “We expect the winner to finish the course in about 12-13 days, sleeping wherever and whenever they can.”
There’s a bit of a twist when it comes to the route, however, which takes in 12 National Parks.
“The course also has 100 miles off road across the South Downs Trail which adds an extra element to the ride as bike selection will not favour a TT or fast road setup,” they say.
Already, 30 riders have signed up since the event was announced last week, including entrants from the United States, South Africa and Turkey, and organisers say that “a lot of the initial interest [is] coming from Transcontinental Race and Trans America Race competitors.”
There is also a shorter event, named The Shandy Drinkers, on a 3,200 kilometre course that misses out Scotland for those who may be pushed for time.
As well as individuals, both events are also open to people riding as a pair, who will be allowed to draft one another.
Find out more here: www.bikepack.cc
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:o
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Wtf have they mentioned Ditchling beacon along with those monsters!! Lol but it's a bit too extreme for me ;)
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Time limit?
Sent from my SM-J510FN using Tapatalk
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The web site lacks quite a bit of fairly important info.
I'm possibly being made redundant at the end of the year to lead a life of sloth and idleness, so I might actually be up for this in 2018.
Then again, maybe it's just the cider talking ;D
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12-13 days to do 5000 hilly Km? Maybe a bit optimistic... I mean, yes, a bunch of people will be able to do that, but not 70.
I see the point in including some of the best climbs in the country... but 70 seems a bit excessive
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At Audax speeds for a ride of that length (200km/day) you're talking 26 days! 8)
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There's usually a huge spread of times on these events. Looking at the results (http://trackleaders.com/transatlantic17) of the recent 2500 km Transatlantic Way, the first rider finished after 6 days and the last after 16 days, with most in the 8-10 day range. So expect maybe double that for this event.
(given it's completely unsupported, there's not much need for an official minimum speed, although you may not have anyone welcoming you to the finish if you're the last rider)
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Oh dear - now I have read about this ride, thinking of entering. One thing about doing a lot of coast, plenty of B&Bs so not too much bivvying.
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Looks like a lot of horrible main roads.
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Quite a list of riders already. Who are the organisers , seem a little coy with that info. Also note they say clients at bottom of pages, so sounds like a commercial operation.
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Read the website and look at the world class riders, already entered
I cannot lie, that's why I'm thinking of signing up. Me being a world class rider and all.
Thin of the kudos when I cross the finish line sometimes in 2019...
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According to the website this event has apparently been cancelled!
http://www.bikepack.cc/
Andy Corless
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I'm not at all surprised. For a while now Ive felt very uneasy with the whole nature of the longest long distance events. You have people boasting about their levels of sleep deprivation on PBP, hallucinating etc, and yet they are on public roads. If there was a car driving event with drivers so exhausted they were seeing snakes in the road we would all be outraged. In a race, amongst the top riders it will be the one who sleeps the least who wins.
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I confess I didn't think their statements about cycle racing, as noted above, inspired confidence.
The implication of their cancellation piece - that they hadn't realised insurance would be a good ideanecessary, and couldn't be arsed dealing with it (or perhaps couldn't find an appropriate policy easily) - doesn't exactly change my mind.
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Spot on. Anco de Jong had 2 hours on LEL. I suppose it could be argued that he knows his capabilities and is very experienced but it's interesting to wonder how he gained that experience! I'm really uneasy about sleep deprivation being spoken about in ride reports as if it was something we should get used to. I suffer from sleep deprivation in normal life, never mind on events -but hallucinations? No, that's just too much silliness. I'd really like to have done LEL so I suppose I should be grateful that fate has thus far prevented this.
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The blurb on that ride was concerning - 100 miles of off-road? If the riders were supposed to have bikes that could deal with that then they are going to struggle with getting round 5,000km so fast.
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If an organiser wants to put on a race of this kind and if riders want to ride it, then it seems there ought to be no impediment to it. Clearly it isn't for everyone, but there are those who like to challenge themselves for whatever their own special interests are, whether climbing mountains, diving deep into the oceans, sailing or whatever floats their boats. If you are a cyclist looking for a challenge, the usual TT's etc don't fit the bill. Is it dangerous, does the event give other riders on public roads a bad name, is it lawful? All good questions, but living is dangerous with a 100% mortality rate and yet still humans go on doing it over and over again.
As long as the risks are known, I see no problem. Thousands are killed on the roads by cars and lorries every year, but driving goes on and no one is suggesting stopping it.
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Yes.
...but, unfortunately, a lot of people would probably be eager to suggest stopping road cycling.
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Yes.
...but, unfortunately, a lot of people would probably be eager to suggest stopping road cycling.
And running an illegal ( cycle racing on the highway legislation),uninsured event with no risk assessment will give those who want to ban alll events on the highways every evidence they need.
To repeat myself, many have worked very hard to get to where we are now - from a situation where ALL events were illegal. We really don’t need maverick “ events” taking us back in time!
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Why do you say it is 'illegal' and why do you call it maverick? Do you actually understand the event?
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Why do you say it is 'illegal' and why do you call it maverick? Do you actually understand the event?
Here's a starter: http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/road-racing-in-england.html?m=1
I reckon GP understands it pretty well. There's a reason the TCR doesn't include the UK.
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Just looked. Event cancelled over legal and insurance issues.
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Why do you say it is 'illegal' and why do you call it maverick? Do you actually understand the event?
Here's a starter: http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/road-racing-in-england.html?m=1
I reckon GP understands it pretty well. There's a reason the TCR doesn't include the UK.
You could summarise rather than taking the route of requiring the reader to scroll and scroll. Just saying. Sorry, didn't take the time to read all the posts on that thread to find out your meaning.
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Fair enough. Your loss.
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The link is a blogpost, not a thread, that explains the legal situation regarding cycle road racing in the UK quite well.
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Why do you say it is 'illegal' and why do you call it maverick? Do you actually understand the event?
Why do you say it is 'illegal' and why do you call it maverick? Do you actually understand the event?
Here's a starter: http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/road-racing-in-england.html?m=1
I reckon GP understands it pretty well. There's a reason the TCR doesn't include the UK.
You could summarise rather than taking the route of requiring the reader to scroll and scroll. Just saying. Sorry, didn't take the time to read all the posts on that thread to find out your meaning.
Master, may I respectfully suggest that you read most, if not all posts on a thread before replying to it.
Furthermore asking a poster to summarise something else just for you is not excellent behaviour. Please read the forum rules (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=232.0), you may not have seen them yet.
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"Master, may I respectfully suggest that you read most, if not all posts on a thread before replying to it."
Rude you are you obsolete piece of tin. Remember, you can be dismantled and sold for scrap, you ridiculous droid.
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And with a few key presses you can cease to have ever existed...
;)
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Just looked. Event cancelled over legal and insurance issues.
Shame :(
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Just looked. Event cancelled over legal and insurance issues.
Shame :(
Indeed, and it raises - if somewhat hypothetical given the legal constraints in the UK - a reasonable point that if anyone wants to take the risk - any risk , should they be 'allowed' to do so?
There are a number of cycling racing events (as an example of risky sports) on the global calendar requiring a rider to ride well into the night on less than optimum sleep over busy traffic roads for an extended number of hours. 24 Hour races come into that category as do RAAM, The Transcontinental - one death in 2017, Trans Am, Indian Pacific - one death in 2017, LEL and the inaugural Texas Overland Wheel Race this year.
Clearly, insurance and legal considerations or barriers cannot be overcome, but what if there were no such restrictions, should a person undertaking any kind of risky endeavour fully aware of the risks to life and limb in participating be allowed to do so, or should other social considerations or constraints be allowed to be paramount?
There is much discussion going on at this time concerning alpine sports - particularly in the Olympics - and the increasing number of fatalities associated with that with one side contending that athletes recognise the risks and in the search for faster times or longer jumps or whatever it is and do not want any restrictions saying that the risks define the sport and on the other, there are those who say the risk is too great even if the individual accepts and indeed welcomes the risk.
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Just looked. Event cancelled over legal and insurance issues.
Shame :(
Indeed, and it raises - if somewhat hypothetical given the legal constraints in the UK - a reasonable point that if anyone wants to take the risk - any risk , should they be 'allowed' to do so?
They manage to do so in other countries ;)
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I'm not entirely convinced it wasn't possible. The wording put on the website basically suggested the organiser couldn't be bothered to deal with insurance companies. Perhaps he called a few and was told no. Perhaps he wasn't talking to the right person or the right insurance company.
The first one or two TCRs started in London. I don't know what Mike Hall's reasons for moving to the continent were, perhaps the ferries made for too much of a lottery, perhaps starting at a famous cycling location in Europe added more razzmatazz to the race, or possibly it was too difficult to organise through legal and insurance channels. He did organise that event in Wales the other year (I forget it's name) that was a smaller version of an ultracycling event. We all know Audaxes are an ultracycling event but the moment you add the word 'race' to something those who don't wish to understand more get jumpy.
There was a lot of 'perhaps' in those two paragraphs, I've never tried to run a bike race but I compete and organise in rallying, a dangerous sport in which we have to deal with insurance companies and abide by the laws of the road and this country. Insurance companies usually don't say no, they usually say how much. It's not always a case of them not being prepared to take the risk it's often more likely the cost to the organiser and therefore the competitors entry fee makes it untenable.
With the right backing, support from the right people most things are possible but it can take an awful lot of personal investment, time and money.
Mike Hall was fortunate in that the TCR was strong enough he could make it full time but he'd worked bloody hard to get to that point along with riding round the world and holding down a job.
To do something similar I'd have to give up my job and my mortgage company wouldn't be too pleased.
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IPWR
Riders, dot-watchers, friends and fans. Apologies if you have received this message more than once; we are trying hard to get the word out to our community.
As you’re probably aware, the matter of Mike Hall’s death is before the A.C.T. Coroner’s Court with an inquest likely to be held later in the year.
Given this situation, and as more information about the potential outcomes of this process have become clear only very recently, it is with an extremely heavy heart that we cancel the 2018 Indian Pacific Wheel Race (IPWR) with immediate effect. That is, Dragon Face Pty Ltd will not be facilitating the riding of the IPWR in any way.
The fact that this race has taken on a life of its own, strengthened the ultra-endurance cycling community and created an unparalleled interest in what is largely a very solitary pursuit is something of great pride. It’s for this same reason that this decision is not taken lightly, knowing how many people this will upset and even anger.
All monies paid during the application process for the 2018 race will be refunded.
Any person deciding to ride the IPWR course as their own endurance or bike touring challenge chooses to do so individually. No information to assist or facilitate such pursuits will be provided. Dragon Face Pty Ltd has no association with GPS tracking companies that riders may use while bike touring.
Mike Hall was a source of inspiration to so many. The phrase ‘be more Mike’ is something many of us have clung to in the weeks and months following his untimely death. Revisit that and please channel any of the negative energy associated with the cancellation of the IPWR into something that Mike would be proud of. Live because you can.
Jesse Carlsson
Director
Dragon Face Pty Ltd ABN 75 615 024 112