BB200 is unfinished business. Was at front with Stuart C who came first on the YorkshireDales 200 and 300. His rear wheel needed a tubeless repair and I had repair kit to fix it - worked a charm. However, on descent to chip shop at 120km, my tyre blew completely. Leaking through tyre and rim tape due to a nail pushing in repeatedly. Whole pack of tubeless repair later, I reluctantly used my (I now realise woefully undersized) spare 2.1 tube (maybe a 2.4 would have been okay, but in retrospect, I should just take a 3.0 for stuff where a puncture would mean a miserable slog). A mile later, it let go. No matter how much I cleaned out the sealant, turns out glueless patches and sealant don't play nice. Stuart C left about 40 minutes later soon after his chips and other riders arrived. Nigel and Tim showed up with failed GPS, and we agreed to use my Etrex to get us back to the start. The final tubeless patch let go about a mile later, and Tim gave me his spare tube - would have been an expensive taxi ride otherwise. We rode 50km home on road (Etrex was awesome for this in a tricky situation).
Stuart C was in great form. I'd been doing 400km a week for the last couple of months, but he was always first to any gate and and bottom any the hill. I delayed him when my mechanical went on so long. My lessons were.
1. Don't scrimp on inner tubes to save weight
2. Refresh your sealant before a big event - a stanimal the size of a mouse fell out of the front tyre, despite the sealant being <3 months old
3. Don't rely on glueless patches - the topeaks don't work when sealant has been within a light year of the tyre, no matter how many chip shop napkins you use drying the tyre and tube.
4. Get a cumulus quilt - the bag I had no intention of using bag was 800g.
5. Get carbon Jones bars - my arms are feeling it.
All that notwithstanding, I was feeling great. The bike felt awesome, and was really enjoying the route. Felt I'd made some good kit choices, although I regretted forgetting sealskin socks and waterproof shorts given I wasn't running a seatpack - was sopping wet all day - marinading my shorts in Assos overnight, plus a generous slop saved me. Reckon I could save maybe a half kilo with carbon bars and a quilt, but regain it with a heavier spare tube and an extra tube until I get over this fail.
So, lots of lessons learned, but not least that Wales is amazing and beautiful and that Stuart and Dee run an amazing event. The hikeabike through unrideable, unnavigable filth only makes it more of an adventure - and the longest walk I've ever had to do. The best 170km/5000m ride I've done. Will be back for another crack at it next year.
Was great to meet Paul D at the start, and Peter on the 22yr old Cannondale whose two LEL bottles were the give away as to why he we ripping the legs off people on more modern gear.
