Anybody know what happened to any of the following?

[Peter]

Maybe they should make youtubers start at the back?

[Sergeant Pluck]

I believe Adam quit very early as he was ill.

I saw Steve at the finish. He rode with his delivroo bag😅

And rode to the start logged in to Deliveroo in case there were handy deliveries to do 

[T42]

+1.  As ACP never cease to emphasize, it's not a race.  They go on publishing the times, though.

Except that the start banners were carrying publicity for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the starter in his disblurge before starting the 4h50 specials on monday morning described it as a "course" in french and a "race" in english. Getting across the message of exactly what a randonnée is when it's like PBP is difficult when you are dealing with the collectivities and, given that in France money and political clout go hand in hand with "sporting achievement", I am not sure how keen FFVélo are to clear the misinformation away. If some front runners are also keen to treat it as a race or challenge to be first back what hope does truth get of being heard, regardless of what the ACP says or does?

When will PBP be sold to ASO to become a cycling Paris-Dakar, amateurs at the back and pros at the front? I don't think that this is such a far-fetched nightmare as it should be!

And the wretched tracker sorted the folk you were tracking by time once the thing was over.  WRT the starter, they probably got in a professional animateur as they did in previous years and those guys are professional assholes.  In any case, real randonneurs know that it's not real unless you're carrying all your own kit.  In previous years PBP didn't even have bag drops.

I like the rules for diagonales: no outside technical help, no accompanying vehicles and carry all your own kit.  A few years back there was even a move to ban GPS units because the satellites counted as outside tech help.  I wouldn't go that far, though - some folk would say the same of magnetic compasses.

[FifeingEejit]

The "Dakar" is still based in South America isn't it?

Seems to me there's demand for a reinstatement of a race version in some form and can see why that wouldn't help ACP.

[GStewart]

Have just watched a Youtube video of Matt Page's ride which he packed on saying he "wasnt enjoying the ride anymore".

I watched that video last night, while still trying to process my own PBP (first time 88 hours).
I thought his criticism of the ride was fairly scathing in parts, but was mostly aimed at how it didn't suit him as a race.

Anyone not knowing about PBP and watching it would get the impression it's a badly organised race event.
Whereas given the scale of it,and the amount of volunteers it relies on, my experience was that they do an incredible job.
Yes there are long waits at times and some industrial smelling toilets, but overall I was very impressed.
But then I'm looking it thru the lens of a "if I finish, what an achievement, if I make it in the time limit, even better"
Which until now I thought was the point of PBP

It did make laugh also, when he said the route was just too flat. 😂
Tell that to my legs Matt! 
I guess that highlights the difference between us mere mortals and riders the A group!

[pumpkin]

i watched that. it semed a bit our grapes. Couldnt stay with the group and some of them had support so could just keep going. his bag drop didnt happen or he wasnt able to find it. i got the impression if he couldnt do it in a fast time it wasnt worth doing.  So the time/money and effort was wasted. i know people who've done it numerous times and just getting round is the achievement (imo). if you can better your previous efforts chapeau but going with the idea of getting eg sub-45 hours then finding you cant so you'll dnf seems a bit sad. Are there no shops en-route? i'll get that some hamlet at 1am will be closed but no service stations? So basically you are in A group and fail/dnf. If you come in at 88 hours you've still done better than that A group rider.

[L CC]

Some TT-ers will DNF a 10 if their time is going to be rubbish. I don't think it's unreasonable to stop if you're not going to achieve what you set out to achieve.
A lot of people carry on riding if they're going to be out of time. I'm not convinced I would.

[pumpkin]

Maybe they should make youtubers start at the back?

no publicity in that!

[pumpkin]

Some TT-ers will DNF a 10 if their time is going to be rubbish. I don't think it's unreasonable to stop if you're not going to achieve what you set out to achieve.
A lot of people carry on riding if they're going to be out of time. I'm not convinced I would.

i get that. but you 've spent the money, done the qualifying and are there. Illness and injury I'll understand but how about just easing back and accepting you'll be back later.

[L CC]

I'm not riding to pootle across France for 5 days. I've entered to get a homologated brevet.
If I just want to ride 1200km in France I'd do a different route.

For me it's quite binary- you've either got back in the time limit and here's your medal (in the post months later) or you've failed to achieve what you set out to achieve. I appreciate other people may have a different view.

[αdαmsκι]

Some of the complaints seem to be due to a lack of research.

No major hills. A topo map of France would give you that info

Bit of a dull route: that isn't a secret. PBP magic is the journey. A map shows lots of straight D roads

No energy gels at the controls: I recall in 2015, 2019 & 2023 seeing them being sold at lots, if not all, controls.

You have to pay for stuff at controls: eh, yeah. That isn't a secret. There's a reason LEL is a lot more expensive to enter.

Loudéc busy on the return: well of course you'll find the 90 hour bulge at some point when returning

The lack of drop bags - it's PBP 🤷‍♂️ 8000 riders = 8000 bags = nightmare

And the claim you cannot do this fast without support is one that zigzag (three sub 50 hr PBPs) & veloboy (fastest Brit) prove isn't the case.

I appreciate what one sees on a video may not be quite accurate but the throwing of the brevet card at the controller in Brest looks pretty shoddy behaviour.

Anyway I had a fab time on my audax.

[Frank9755]

Contrast with, say, Gethin Butler: going for a record time, but missed the front group so rode solo for two days and still set an AUK best time.
I expect he was disappointed but not heard him complain. The ability to cope with setbacks and adapt accordingly, not moan and throw in the towel, is a vital part of being a great rider. 

[LateStarter]

Have just watched a Youtube video of Matt Page's ride

Strangely there is no control timing data at all for him, no start, none of the controls he presumably passed through, nothing other than the basic tracker record?

[Kim]

I believe Adam quit very early as he was ill.

I saw Steve at the finish. He rode with his delivroo bag😅

I saw him with his bag, but didn't realise who he was! Bonkers.

 

Was it full of food?  At the start, I mean.  Obviously it wouldn't have been by the end...

[Peter]

I've just watched Matt Page's video, too.  I know I made a joke about you tubers starting at the back but I was actually impressed by his honesty; honesty about what he didn't like and honesty about how his views might make him look to other people.  Yes, he'd gone there to race and that's a bit infra-dig for Audax, though I think anyone who thinks the people who get back first on almost all our British Audaxes aren't racing is probably wrong.  His plans went wrong but at least some of that was because people he had paid for a service hadn't actually delivered it in a sensible way (not the organisers).

I had my reservations when he whizzed through the sekrit kontrol on LEL but I admire Anco de Jong so why not Matt?  I didn't think the brevet card business was as blatant as it might at first have seemed.  There is someone who has been gripping handlebars for 20 hours and maybe his grip was a bit clumsy but the controller seemed very cheerful about the encounter.  And Matt thanked him in French, too.

I think he is disappointed and I suspect that, even though he didn't like the course (and there's nothing wrong with saying that, it's a personal opinion), he may have another go sometime.

I'm more concerned about his health.  Any of the docs. on here think he may have a hiatus hernia?  Riding a bike aero is not too friendly with that complaint, I would have thought.  Though I am not a doctor - and hardly a cyclist anymore!

I think he's ok.

[teethgrinder]

The Deliveroo bag was sort of part of the "ride each PBP on a different machine" thing.
I've ridden a mountain bike, road bike and single speed with straight bars, so a hybrid seemed like a bit of a cop out. But my Carrera hybrid from Halfords is the bike I use to earn my living, mostly doing Deliveroo and I thought it would be funny to do PBP with my Deliveroo kit. It got a few laughs but slowed me down quite a lot...
But out of my 8 PBPs, I reckon the worst I can say about this one was it was my 3rd favourite of them all so far. The triplet was hard to beat for fun but it was a lot of fun riding it on fixed when I was fit. I could quite easily argue that this year was more fun than the fixie in 99.
Now in Brighton and setting up to do some Deliveroo deliveries before I ride back to Milton Keynes for Wednesday so I can get paid to ride the electric bike that tows a Carla trailer to collect surplus food. Probably buy a tent for £7.50 from ASDA and wild camp out of the city and keep my panniers and tent in a locker while I work (and bum around having fun as well)

[teethgrinder]

Just watched Matt Page you tube.
I agree, should have done his homework.
I think the real atmosphere is from the spectators and the number of riders. I guess he was too far ahead of the main feild to get the best experience. Route isn't fantastic but I don't think it's as bad as he thinks. Maybe he was just a bit down in the dumps and not sure exactly what to do now that his big plan had suddenly vanished?
Don't know why he didn't finish though. 300km or so isn't much when you're fit and strong like he is. 🤷‍♂️

[Von Broad]

Von Broad can tell you a recumbent tricycle is not a good match for PBP, he turned around at Tinteniac.

I made it worse for myself though Zed43 [good to put a face to a name btw].
The tailbox I made was a mistake, it just added weight and that slowed me down.
Although great to ride, that particular trike wasn't the best I could have ridden - but I knew that, and it was very much a decision made very close to the event. I'd ridden a 600, but it was a flat 600, not PBP! I always knew it would be touch and go, but thought I might get further before hitting the time buffer.
Not sure how I'm going to fit a Milan in my small flat though!! 

Most folk need the fastest recumbent trike options to enjoy PBP. I spoke with Philippe who finished about an hour ahead of Steve’s/ my upright tandem. He rides a VTX, is strong and got second at last weekend’s recumbent world championships. He wasn’t aiming for a fast ride here and most trikies were on VTXs at the RWC.

Hey Dave, I met up with Philippe after I saw you and had a long chat with him. Decent bloke, very approachable and I think he's inspired me to [maybe] have another go. I had a go on his VTX and although I'm not saying I would have definitely got round, the difference between the transfer of power to movement was very noticeable when comparing the two bikes.
It's all about getting over the lumps, and at 14+ stone, compared to a rider like Philippe, who like you say is very strong, and weighs less than me, the whole power to weight ratio becomes a huge factor in cycling. I remember listening to Bradley Wiggins after he won the TDF and was looking to return to the track saying 'I'm just about to put on a whole lot of weight'.]
I had a great tour back from Tinteniac though.

[onemoresolo]

Just watched Matt Page you tube.
I agree, should have done his homework.
I think the real atmosphere is from the spectators and the number of riders. I guess he was too far ahead of the main feild to get the best experience. Route isn't fantastic but I don't think it's as bad as he thinks. Maybe he was just a bit down in the dumps and not sure exactly what to do now that his big plan had suddenly vanished?
Don't know why he didn't finish though. 300km or so isn't much when you're fit and strong like he is. 🤷‍♂️

I passed you not far from Mortagne au Perche and our group was joking about you delivering a pizza from Brest to Paris. If I’d known it was you then it doesn’t seem so farfetched with hindsight!

I have a lot of respect for Matt’s abilities as a rider but opting to scratch when you have loads of time in hand just came across as petty and a bit childish to me. This isn’t like a TT where the primary goal is a time. I imagine he was pretty down in the dumps but frankly sitting up and enjoying the final 300km purely for the sake of doing it might have done him some good.

[Kim]

The tailbox I made was a mistake, it just added weight and that slowed me down.

That's a shame.

I've come to the conclusion that the (fairly heavy, fibreglass) tailbox I have on the Baron is only a benefit when racing on the faster tracks, where I can spend enough time going fast enough (mid-20s mph) for it to make a real difference to the aerodynamics.  On the twisty or lumpier tracks, it's just extra weight (and as a formerly heavy rider, I'm still getting used to the idea of the bike's weight making a noticeable difference to performance), and it doesn't help to be scared of corners.  That said, a couple of more experienced riders have pointed out that they found rear fairings made little difference to their speed, but have the strategic advantage of making things significantly harder work for whoever was trying to draft them.

I haven't ridden with it much on the road, as last time I hit a pothole and the supporting struts collapsed into the rear wheel.  I've beefed it up a bit since then, but it's too easy to just grab the Streetmachine and not have to worry about such things.

For normal riding I think smaller tailboxes have merit as luggage carriers that happen to be extremely aerodynamic.

[Cudzoziemiec]

As so many people have been talking about this Matt Page, I watched the video too. Well, some people ride TCR as a tour, so others treat PBP as a race.

[Peter]

Which is what it was until 1952 (I think)

[Von Broad]

The tailbox I made was a mistake, it just added weight and that slowed me down.

That's a shame.


I've come to the conclusion that the (fairly heavy, fibreglass) tailbox I have on the Baron is only a benefit when racing on the faster tracks, where I can spend enough time going fast enough (mid-20s mph) for it to make a real difference to the aerodynamics.  On the twisty or lumpier tracks, it's just extra weight (and as a formerly heavy rider, I'm still getting used to the idea of the bike's weight making a noticeable difference to performance)

Right.

I was disappointed, but very happy with the decision to turn round because I knew it was the right one. And I'm never one to pack on a whim.
To ride my mate's trike was always a late decision and the tailbox was even later!!   
Point is, you're always chancing your arm if you looking to try out a new 'system' on the ride itself. So I have no complaints. Still did 700km on a bike I really like riding.

What freaked me out first of all though was the cornering. The route passes through a few villages to begin with with plenty of roundabouts where you're still travelling a fair speed, and I thought I was going to tip the thing over at first. Goodness me, that was close!!! Ah....I see, centre of gravity is now higher, with this [loaded] tailbox...It just meant I had to virtually learn to the extent of rubbing my nose on the tarmac going round corners. Had to laugh. Ok, I get the picture. Cornering on these things is a blast. The actual tailbox itself held up no problem,  so I was pleased with that.

I'm tempted to build a carbon trike now.
I think I'm going to be asking a lot of questions about SS hubs soon 

[Von Broad]

As so many people have been talking about this Matt Page, I watched the video too.

Same here.

Lots of disappointment in his tone of voice.
I think one thing that really leaped from the page for me was when he said, "It's not what I was expecting it to be."

A simple enough comment that we could all make, but packed full of meaning really. Expectations are so powerful, and sometimes we don't always know we carry them, but when we do and things turn out differently it can be a real downer. Sounds like he was a bit put out, jealous even, by those riders that had support all worked out. For those treating it as a race, then having support is essential. And there was almost a kind of helpless feeling in his description as he watched all these riders execute the the details of their very careful plan.

Support makes a difference. If I had support it would make a huge difference - probably the difference between coming in at 90hrs or say 89hrs

[Kim]

As so many people have been talking about this Matt Page, I watched the video too. Well, some people ride TCR as a tour, so others treat PBP as a race.

Just watched it.  Seems like a nice enough chap with a bad case of unrealistic expectations.  (Though, having paid a third party to provide a drop box, it's hardly unreasonable to expect them to actually do so.)