Start time for a 200

[citoyen]

Mine is on a Saturday, partly because the finish is at a brewery and there's the option of camping on site after the event...

Also originally because there were more early trains on Saturday, so it was possible to get to the start by train from London, but that's no longer the case. Thanks, Southeastern, you bastards. 

[Cudzoziemiec]

I once did a weekday 200 organised by Rocco starting at 6am.
9am is indeed quite standard in the Netherlands. When we moved from 8 to 9am, the average age dropped.

That is very useful to know. I wonder if that is linked to the fact most of the younger riders don't own cars so have to rely on NS...

I think it's more of a body clock issue.

And of hangovers etc.

[grams]

If you’re running an event with an early rural start away from public transport you’re running it for older people with large cars.

[Wycombewheeler]

Time limit for a 200 is 13:30 or 14 hours.  Starting at 8 means finish closes at 21:30 or 22:00 which will be dark for most of the year.  BUT most people don't need the full time limit on a 200.
There is always a compromise between starting at a civilised time and avoiding riding after dark at the finish.

I find I don't sleep well when I set my alarm earlier than 7. So an earlier start would deter me. As someone who typically gets round a 200 in 9 to 9.5 hours is be gait with a later start,  but in aware others would not want to finish in the dark or even after the pubs close.

I've ridden a 400 that started at 12:00 which allowed for a sleep stop at 300km saving me booking two nights accommodation which would have been required with an early start. And also a 400 which started at noon and I reached the finish at 7am suitable for getting the first train home. So 12:00 for 400s seems good to me. There will always be one night of sleep list, better not to compound that with a 4am alarm before the ride starts.

But I also like the idea of starting in the evening and riding through the night while fresh,  as per the start of PBP or overnight 300s certainly feels better than reaching arrivee at 2am too late to check in to a room and too tired to drive home.

[quixoticgeek]

What's the issue with the dark? It's an audax. Apart from mid summer, you have to accept that you're likely to have some night riding involved surely?

I really want to organise a 200 that starts at sundown and the 13:30 limit is hit at sunrise.

I do sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who enjoys riding at night.

J

[grams]

As a full value rider I’d rather finish in the dark than get up earlier. Outside mid summer I’ll be finishing in the dark whatever happens.

Optimising the experience for those that finish in 9 hours seems the wrong way round.

[Ivo]

What's the issue with the dark? It's an audax. Apart from mid summer, you have to accept that you're likely to have some night riding involved surely?

I really want to organise a 200 that starts at sundown and the 13:30 limit is hit at sunrise.

I do sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who enjoys riding at night.

J

Nope, I enjoy nightriding as well.

[telstarbox]

I'm more likely to go for a Saturday 200 at whatever start time than a Sunday 200 - I don't find it relaxing getting home late with work the next day.

As a Londoner, having a train option to the start is welcome but that can still mean getting up at 0530 if it's on the 'wrong' side. For the right event I'm happy to travel on Friday evening and stay in an Airbnb near the start. 

[pumpkin]

What's the issue with the dark? It's an audax. Apart from mid summer, you have to accept that you're likely to have some night riding involved surely?

I really want to organise a 200 that starts at sundown and the 13:30 limit is hit at sunrise.

I do sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who enjoys riding at night.

J

isnt that like 'ride to the sun' that goes carlisle - Edinburgh?

[John Stonebridge]

I far prefer a Saturday to a Sunday for a 200 chiefly as it allows an extra day before a return to Mon-Fri work

On the rare occasion Ive ridden a 200 on a Sunday Ive felt that the day before has been wasted deliberately doing nothing, when in contrast on the day after a Saturday audax I can at least try and turn my hand to light duties. 

An additional factor currently in favour of Saturdays in Scotland is that we effectively have no train service at all on a Sunday.   Its been the case since March due to a work to rule and theres no end in sight.

[citoyen]

If you’re running an event with an early rural start away from public transport you’re running it for older people with large cars.

All of Kent is very poorly served for trains at weekends, not just the rural bits.

On a Saturday morning, you can get to Birmingham by train from London earlier than you can get to Canterbury. Maybe I should move my event to Birmingham.

[Wycombewheeler]

What's the issue with the dark? It's an audax. Apart from mid summer, you have to accept that you're likely to have some night riding involved surely?

I really want to organise a 200 that starts at sundown and the 13:30 limit is hit at sunrise.

I do sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who enjoys riding at night.

J

I don't have particular issues riding at night,  but when I am using someone else's route that goes to new places (for me) i'd like to be able to see them.

[Wycombewheeler]

As a full value rider I’d rather finish in the dark than get up earlier. Outside mid summer I’ll be finishing in the dark whatever happens.

Optimising the experience for those that finish in 9 hours seems the wrong way round.

Agreed.  I'd be happy to start at 9, but I am aware others who are slower might have a different view.

[inappropriate_bike]

My favourite is the 6am start for the Greenwich Mean Climb.

Means you can stop for breakfast at least twice, not including the one you've had before leaving the house.

[quixoticgeek]

I don't have particular issues riding at night,  but when I am using someone else's route that goes to new places (for me) i'd like to be able to see them.

You can see the world around you at night. It looks different. But it can also look amazing. On a 200, I crossed the holterberg at night. It was a cloudless sky. The stars were out and it was just amazing. I've done that area by day a couple of times. I'll take it at night over day any time.


J

[citoyen]

My favourite is the 6am start for the Greenwich Mean Climb.

That's a fairly normal start time for a 300 though. Much less common for a 200.

I'm far from being set on my start time yet, still mulling it over, and the contributions to this thread have given me much food for thought, so thanks all.

[Karla]

Privileging slow skylark riders with cars over non-slow riders with railcards 

[Ivo]

What's the issue with the dark? It's an audax. Apart from mid summer, you have to accept that you're likely to have some night riding involved surely?

I really want to organise a 200 that starts at sundown and the 13:30 limit is hit at sunrise.

I do sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who enjoys riding at night.

J

I don't have particular issues riding at night,  but when I am using someone else's route that goes to new places (for me) i'd like to be able to see them.

Well, if you're ever overhere I can give you a route which looks better at night than during daytime.

[ravenbait]

I suspect mine is the one starting at 2359.  Its the audax 200km that features a start on a Friday night and is a ride to the coast. - its specifically an overnight ride on the night of a full moon. 

Ooooh. That's quite tempting. Not this year -- audax bike is in pieces and my lungs are still in recovery. Maybe next year, though.

Sam

[ravenbait]

What's the issue with the dark? It's an audax. Apart from mid summer, you have to accept that you're likely to have some night riding involved surely?

I really want to organise a 200 that starts at sundown and the 13:30 limit is hit at sunrise.

I do sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who enjoys riding at night.

J

You're not. I love it.

Sam

[Karla]

My favourite is the 6am start for the Greenwich Mean Climb.

That's a fairly normal start time for a 300 though. Much less common for a 200.

I'm far from being set on my start time yet, still mulling it over, and the contributions to this thread have given me much food for thought, so thanks all.

Last time my mates Fab and Vince did the Milan 300 they were finished in 7 hours!

[quixoticgeek]

Last time my mates Fab and Vince did the Milan 300 they were finished in 7 hours!

Isn't the max speed time 7.5 hours?

J

[Lightning Phil]

Last time my mates Fab and Vince did the Milan 300 they were finished in 7 hours!

Isn't the max speed time 7.5 hours?

J

Surely it’d be 10 hours at average 30 km/h?

[quixoticgeek]

Surely it’d be 10 hours at average 30 km/h?

Yes... I had it in my head that it was a 15hr limit, not 20. I am not awake...

J

[quixoticgeek]

As a full value rider I’d rather finish in the dark than get up earlier. Outside mid summer I’ll be finishing in the dark whatever happens.

Optimising the experience for those that finish in 9 hours seems the wrong way round.

I see no argument with this.

My favourite is the 6am start for the Greenwich Mean Climb.

Means you can stop for breakfast at least twice, not including the one you've had before leaving the house.

Except if you aren't local, and so get a hotel the night before, that's gonna be too early for breakfast...

J