Author Topic: Diy controls  (Read 3047 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Diy controls
« on: 26 May, 2018, 06:58:41 pm »

Having now done my first Diy Audax, to test the process, I'm now pondering the next ride. The thing I'm slightly unsure about is controls. How do people choose suitable controls if they are riding a route they haven't ridden before?

Thanks

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

whosatthewheel

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #1 on: 26 May, 2018, 07:05:42 pm »
A control point is typically placed on a route as point "B" if there is a shorter alternative route to go from A to C. If you use GPX for validation, then you can forget about controls and just write down some towns or villages you will cycle through. However, bear in mind that controls are mandatory, so whatever you write down, then you have to cycle through for validation purposes.

One every 50-80 km is about right

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #2 on: 26 May, 2018, 08:18:50 pm »
Generally my 100km control will be the place I want to go, (like the seaside) then I will look for a town at around 50km and 150km for refreshments

Eddington  127miles, 170km

alfapete

  • Oh dear
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #3 on: 26 May, 2018, 08:39:02 pm »
You can simply have a town or village name as the control and choose your proof of purchase when you get there - Google Streetview will tell you whether there is anywhere suitable but it's always worth checking opening times. It's rarely a problem in all but very small villages. Even a timestamped selfie in front of a signpost may suffice (at the discretion of your local organiser) and I've used this in the past.
alfapete - that's the Pete that drives the Alfa

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #4 on: 27 May, 2018, 05:38:11 pm »
Disclaimer: I mostly do my route planning from google maps, as this makes it real easy to research as you go...

As noted above, first thing is to decide where you want to go (who knew!?!?!) looking for a set of main controls (defacto, rest/feed points which generally means one for every 50-80km) you want to use, then pin the route out to use your preferred roads.

If your DIY Perm has an Advisory Route (where the distance is defined by the 'shortest distance between controls') , you may need to add additional controls to make up the distance (devising a route that goes where you want with a mininmum of controls is all part of the fun!).

if your DIY Perm has a Mandatory Route (defined by the GPS track submitted with your entry), additional controls will not be required, as the route/distance is detailed in the route GPS track. 

If you're planning to VALIDATE using a GPS track you need not stop at any of the controls, however, its still good practice to list the controls/major waypoints on your DIY Perm entry. Besides being an AUK requirement, this information is useful for documentation purposes.

Note for South East region riders: when repeating a route previously registered with me, either by you or another rider, use the 'Advisory DIY' entry form and enter the previously registered *DIYSE Brevet Number* as your start and finish control, and I'll pick up the relevant routing info from my records.

Edited to tidy up some POP (Points of Pedantry. :)

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #5 on: 27 May, 2018, 11:32:10 pm »
This is a useful site for finding ATM controls:  https://www.link.co.uk/consumers/locator/

It can be useful to look at it using Google Maps with the Street View image to check that the ATM is available even if the location is closed

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #6 on: 27 May, 2018, 11:34:01 pm »
This is a useful site for finding ATM controls:  https://www.link.co.uk/consumers/locator/

It can be useful to look at it using Google Maps with the Street View image to check that the ATM is available even if the location is closed

Street view only works in countries where Streetview is legal...

That cashpoint page is useful, tho it seems to think Germany has only 23 cash points...

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

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #7 on: 28 May, 2018, 12:26:11 am »
Who Knew?


quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #8 on: 28 May, 2018, 08:12:32 am »
Who Knew?



Exactly. The lack of street view in Germany caught out a number of riders on the TCR last year who discovered their planned route was gravel or cobbles or single track or no cycling...

Even tho I was only in .nl and .be on this weekends DIY, when I switched my phone out of airplane mode at the turn around control, I got a welcome to Germany text...

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

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #9 on: 28 May, 2018, 09:10:45 am »
This is a useful site for finding ATM controls:  https://www.link.co.uk/consumers/locator/

It can be useful to look at it using Google Maps with the Street View image to check that the ATM is available even if the location is closed

Street view only works in countries where Streetview is legal...

That cashpoint page is useful, tho it seems to think Germany has only 23 cash points...

J
Well you are asking members of a UK club on a UK web forum, and didn't specify what country you're riding to!
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #10 on: 28 May, 2018, 12:33:13 pm »
If you're using mandatory route, it doesn't really matter where you put the controls. You can just put them at intervals of 50-80km along your route and it's irrelevant whether you actually stop there.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #11 on: 28 May, 2018, 03:11:05 pm »
Thanks Cudzo, very clearly put, and well worth noting.

(And, as has already been pointed out, you don't need to give a precise location, because your intended track already shows the actual detail; eg just the name of a big town/city is ok.)

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #12 on: 28 May, 2018, 06:30:19 pm »
It is still a good idea to plan a route that goes though a town (or at least somewhere with shops) every 50-80 km rather than endlessly noodling through the countryside. Being stuck on a mandatory route that takes you away from shops while in need of food/water/etc sucks. Learnt that the hard way.

(while you are allowed to diverge, that burns time, so best to plan it in)

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

  • Miles eaten don't satisfy hunger
  • Chartered accountant in 5 different decades
    • CET Ride Reports and Blogs
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #13 on: 30 May, 2018, 07:28:52 pm »
I planned a route where all the controls had the same name.  But I haven't ridden it yet.  Cunning plan is to use it as a substitute for PBP which Mrs CET has forbidden next year as it clashes with CET Junior exam results x2.
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #14 on: 30 May, 2018, 07:29:57 pm »
I planned a route where all the controls had the same name.  But I haven't ridden it yet.  Cunning plan is to use it as a substitute for PBP which Mrs CET has forbidden next year as it clashes with CET Junior exam results x2.

Essen to Essen via Essen and Essen?

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

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Diy controls
« Reply #15 on: 24 June, 2019, 03:29:20 pm »


'Scuse the thread necromancy.

When listing a number of towns/villages as controls for DIY by GPS (Advisory route). How close to the town do you need to go? Is riding round the bypass close enough?

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

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #16 on: 24 June, 2019, 04:06:04 pm »


'Scuse the thread necromancy.

When listing a number of towns/villages as controls for DIY by GPS (Advisory route). How close to the town do you need to go? Is riding round the bypass close enough?

J

If not going through the centre of a town/village, I would be specific about a point that you will pass through. For instance, a road junction, or a shop / church / whatever that you go past.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Martin

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #17 on: 24 June, 2019, 04:19:04 pm »
wot psyclist said; probably best to plot it on google maps set to walking and send that link to the org, as that's how they will check it for distance. You can drag the controls away from the town centre to wherever you need to suit the route and GM will include those extra locations.

You do have to specify at least one remote town from the start but that's about it

S2L

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #18 on: 24 June, 2019, 04:29:51 pm »


'Scuse the thread necromancy.

When listing a number of towns/villages as controls for DIY by GPS (Advisory route). How close to the town do you need to go? Is riding round the bypass close enough?

J

DIY by GPS: choose the mandatory route and you don't have to bother with controls. The validator will only check that your tracklog matches the route you submitted. Even if it doesn't, most of the times you will get validated, as long as you have covered the said distance.
Basically they are there to make sure you did the distance, whether you went through the village you said you were going through is of no interest to anybody.

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #19 on: 24 June, 2019, 05:00:04 pm »
DIY by GPS: choose the mandatory route and you don't have to bother with controls

This isn't quite correct. You still always need to list controls on your Entry Form. But, for a Mandatory Route (whole route already specified), you don't need to be precise with your control locations - names of some towns you go through or near would be enough.

This requirement can seem superfluous for a Mandatory Route, but does have the advantage that the general idea of a route can be clear from a glance at the entry form; the main reason for it can be seen in FAQs 5 and 10 at http://www.aukweb.net/diy/diyfaaq/

(Perhaps we need to adjust the last line of the answer to FAQ 10, now that a "Control" can be at an arbitrary remote location.)

Martin

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #20 on: 24 June, 2019, 05:19:07 pm »
but QG wants to use an Advisory route (which hasn't been replaced by Mandatory). He could eg put in the control towns / villages if he goes through the middle, but where he wants to skirt round (perfectly OK for a DIY) he would need to put eg "junction of the Bxxxx and Axx" (or even a minor road without a number) as a control.

It's all about making the route not too overdistance and also saving time for the DIY organiser, which is where Google Maps link scores IMO  :)

Re: Diy controls
« Reply #21 on: 24 June, 2019, 06:25:02 pm »

Sorry QG, that's the second time I've not attended to a point of yours!

Thanks Martin, all agreed of course.