National 400 2017 (or Sleepless in Aberystwyth)

[whosatthewheel]

Now, one for the veterans out there... how much chamois cream is enough chamois cream for 400 km.... 1/4 of a jar?

I usually apply at the start and take an old 35mm film canister with some in but very rarely use it at this distance (tend to reapply post sleep on a 600km) so I'd say 1/4 would be ample (based on the size of the Assos jars) especially if you put it on at the start.

Ha... I thought there was a use for those old plastic canisters... not that I have any.

I'll go for 1/8 then... 

[Bianchi Boy]

Now, one for the veterans out there... how much chamois cream is enough chamois cream for 400 km.... 1/4 of a jar?

I usually apply at the start and take an old 35mm film canister with some in but very rarely use it at this distance (tend to reapply post sleep on a 600km) so I'd say 1/4 would be ample (based on the size of the Assos jars) especially if you put it on at the start.

Ha... I thought there was a use for those old plastic canisters... not that I have any.

I'll go for 1/8 then... 

What do you need chamois cream for. I use it so I do not get saddle sores (infected hair follicles). I am lucky and have found shorts that do not rub. I apply one great layer at the start and hope it lasts all the way around. I always carry some extra just in case an infection starts, but have never applied in the middle of a ride yet.

BB

[Blazer]

Disappointed not to be joining the fun but real life has meant the commute time is now too much to ask as well as the ride.

I'll be thinking of you all as I tackle the Denmead 400 with Hummers, riding as a permanent from much nearer home.

Ride well and looking forward to the ride reports.

Blazer

[Bobby]

I got to brokhampton with 4 mins in hand after some very significant tubeless/tube issues! but a clincher bought on route that would not sit in place... after lots of help it was made safe again & I dnf'd to slowly ride back.  Will be 225k ish and a nice (forgetting frustrations) day on the bike.

Details later but a huge thanks to the helpers getting me going again.  Tube blown twice more on way back - but I'm sill rolling and enjoying the route

[The Cambrian]

Happy to be of service! That rim tape was the devil's work 

[whosatthewheel]

Smooth sailing, rolled in Upton Magna at 01:30 AM... loved it, fantastic course. Elan Valley and the climb to Devil's bridge the highlights for me... but also the tail wind on the gentle climb and descend of the A 44/A 470 which made 55 km go in less than 2 hours

Thanks to John, his wife and everybody involved in helping out. It has been a truly fantastic event!

[Shell]

Chapeau John (and all his many helpers), the route was superb, controls outstanding and the tail-wind home from Aberystwyth was pure joy.  Thank you

[Banjo]

I had the privilege to be one of the happy team of helpers at Llanelwedd.

 Despite arriving there a bit windblown and still not quite half way round all the riders at least outwardly appeared to be in good spirits.

A bit of card stamping followed by some pot scrubbing etc and the day flew by for me and my better half.Enjoyed getting to chat with riders I would normally be 2 hours behind by then 

I hope you all made it to the arrivee.

[U.N.Dulates]

National 400 over for 2017. 145 starters, 141 finishers. Massive thanks to all the helpers. More later, for now - sleep.

[αdαmsκι]

Brilliant effort from everyone involved in putting together this ride. It was my first National 400 & I had a blast. Having all the manned controls makes for a much more enjoyable event compared to petrol station controls.

Thanks for all your efforts.

[Jon+1bike]

  Big THANKS & Huge Respect to all, making it possible for everybody, to have a enjoyable National 400.
Always amazing, to see the commitment from 'family' & friends, the organisation, happy helpers and route are a tough act to follow. Even a mug & badge to remind me I finished. 

[jsabine]

National 400 over for 2017. 145 starters, 141 finishers. Massive thanks to all the helpers. More later, for now - sleep.

Only 4 DNFs out of 145 sounds fantastic, and I'm sure it's a tribute to the organisation, controls and support all the way round - chapeau to all concerned.

[Philip Whiteman]

Many thanks to all the participants who passed through Richard's Castle yesterday. It was a pleasure having such a friendly bunch stopping over. Dan Howard who put together the arrangements done a brilliant job. To be honest I wondered if we had over catered before the control opened but 99% stopped at just 50km for a pit stop and much of the food was heartily consumed.

[eddum]

Top notch event, great route and mostly good weather, friendly warm well stocked controls..... which mean I carried a billion cereal bars round for absolutely no reason 

Aiming for 20hrs, was a bit behind after early stops but the tailwind out of aber & later sections made up some time.. pretty much 4hrs faster than last year's national 400 so very pleased. All the controls seemed much quieter than last year so would be interested to see the range of finish times.

Oh yeh and blue sky & fluffy clouds through the elan valley looking out for the van of dreams was a real highlight.
Quick shuteye at the finish, a big coffee at telford services followed by a good hour passed out in the car and home in time for second breakfast (or maybe 3rd?)

Thanks & well done all runners & riders

[Peat]

Just excellent. Thanks to Undulates at all the volunteers.

[Bianchi Boy]

If Carlesberg ran an Audax ....

This was simple the best ran ride I have ever been on. The helpers were brilliant and the food as good as any. As for the Bread and Butter pudding, yes there was a significant amount of Brandy.

BB

[john jackson]

Fantastic event, great route. Big thank you to all who helped at the controls.

[Mark Walsh]

I agree that all the Controls were superb and I'm also very grateful to Richard and Jack for letting me ride along with them on the routes  to and from Aberystwyth.

[jamesld8]

I agree that all the Controls were superb and I'm also very grateful to Richard and Jack for letting me ride along with them on the routes  to and from Aberystwyth.

enjoyed being part of John`s volunteer team at Builth and glad that it went so well

[Bobby]

Well, that was an adventure...

National 400 is unfinished business, I didn't see much of it in the end, but from what I saw the helpers, controls & route were all amazing.  Well done to John & team - i will be back for more.

It started for me with a brand new tubeless tyre letting go (yes I fitted them the night before & didn't get chance for a proper test-ride)
With hindsight I'd got some sealant into the rim which must have worked its way into the rim tape & so it lost it's 'sticky', came away, let all the air out and unseated the tyre.
No problem I thought - convert to clincher & I'll be on my way...
Getting new Schwlabe one tyres off my Pacenti rim is a challenge & the now lose tape got creased as I struggled & snapped one of my 2 tyre leavers
Dropping in a tube I couldn't get the tyre seated with just a hand pump - not a surprise given how tight they are
I rode on carefully, it's unsettling to see your front tyre not hooked onto the clincher & I could feel it moving...
POP - looking at the tubet later it had a huge hole on the inside so had ruptured over a (now poorly covered) spoke hole
in went the next tube & onwards carefully
Pingu OTP helped me find a bike shop, and over an hour later I conceded to taking whatever they had - new rim tape, new clincher, new tyre leavers & some spare tubes.  They only had 23mm gator skins, so were tight and skinny for my large rims.
POP - the rim tape had moved & the tube went bang over a spoke hole, patched & back in the rim tape now prevented the tyre seating properly so I gingerly pressed on
POP - same again
I limped into Brokhampton with 4 mins in hand

I decided that bailing was going to be a more sensible plan than risking a high speed blowout in the dark and/or just running out of tubes

The Cambrian OTP identified the new skinny & thick rim tape as preventing the tyre seating, but after some careful work got it seated with the help of 115PSI & a track pump.
Setting off again I threaded the nut on my skewer - lucky he had a spare (will be in the post tomorrow!)
Surely my luck would hold now?
Pop - moved rim tape again.  Patched & back running, I counted my remaining patches & didn't have enough to patch all teh spoke holes, but did have enough to keep going & avoid the train
Pop - a passing car stopped & out came a track pump 120PSI & the tyre seated again, I got my head down & rolled along the A458 to get back just after 10pm with only 220k done and over 3hours stationary with tyre 'fun'

After some toast & coffee I had a 20 min nap, and felt good to drive home.  An hour later I pulled over for a good few hours sleep before finishing the journey

It was a slow ride so my legs feel fine today - the sorest part is my fingers & thumbs from all the type manipulation!

Thanks again for the help to keep going.  I managed to avoid throwing the bike in a hedge, and found peace enough to simply enjoy the views and sunshine 

See you next time for less tyre - related fun!

[longflaps]

Superb event in all aspects: route, controls, helpers, weather... Hats off to all involved in the planning and execution - we were spoilt rotten in every respect. Was great to meet so many around the route and share stories and experiences while sharing wheels. Am now really looking forward to LEL. Feeling buoyed.

[whosatthewheel]

Well, that was an adventure...

National 400 is unfinished business, I didn't see much of it in the end, but from what I saw the helpers, controls & route were all amazing.  Well done to John & team - i will be back for more.

It started for me with a brand new tubeless tyre letting go (yes I fitted them the night before & didn't get chance for a proper test-ride)
With hindsight I'd got some sealant into the rim which must have worked its way into the rim tape & so it lost it's 'sticky', came away, let all the air out and unseated the tyre.
No problem I thought - convert to clincher & I'll be on my way...
Getting new Schwlabe one tyres off my Pacenti rim is a challenge & the now lose tape got creased as I struggled & snapped one of my 2 tyre leavers
Dropping in a tube I couldn't get the tyre seated with just a hand pump - not a surprise given how tight they are
I rode on carefully, it's unsettling to see your front tyre not hooked onto the clincher & I could feel it moving...
POP - looking at the tubet later it had a huge hole on the inside so had ruptured over a (now poorly covered) spoke hole
in went the next tube & onwards carefully
Pingu OTP helped me find a bike shop, and over an hour later I conceded to taking whatever they had - new rim tape, new clincher, new tyre leavers & some spare tubes.  They only had 23mm gator skins, so were tight and skinny for my large rims.
POP - the rim tape had moved & the tube went bang over a spoke hole, patched & back in the rim tape now prevented the tyre seating properly so I gingerly pressed on
POP - same again
I limped into Brokhampton with 4 mins in hand

I decided that bailing was going to be a more sensible plan than risking a high speed blowout in the dark and/or just running out of tubes

The Cambrian OTP identified the new skinny & thick rim tape as preventing the tyre seating, but after some careful work got it seated with the help of 115PSI & a track pump.
Setting off again I threaded the nut on my skewer - lucky he had a spare (will be in the post tomorrow!)
Surely my luck would hold now?
Pop - moved rim tape again.  Patched & back running, I counted my remaining patches & didn't have enough to patch all teh spoke holes, but did have enough to keep going & avoid the train
Pop - a passing car stopped & out came a track pump 120PSI & the tyre seated again, I got my head down & rolled along the A458 to get back just after 10pm with only 220k done and over 3hours stationary with tyre 'fun'

After some toast & coffee I had a 20 min nap, and felt good to drive home.  An hour later I pulled over for a good few hours sleep before finishing the journey

It was a slow ride so my legs feel fine today - the sorest part is my fingers & thumbs from all the type manipulation!

Thanks again for the help to keep going.  I managed to avoid throwing the bike in a hedge, and found peace enough to simply enjoy the views and sunshine 

See you next time for less tyre - related fun!

Sounds like a nightmare.

Tubeless can be temperamental and the advantages are often dwarfed by the faff involved. That said, I have used tubeless on the road for the past three years and never had a puncture to fix, but yes, there is a lot of planning on when it is the best time to fit a new tyre and if you do a lot of Audaxes it can be tricky to find the the right day.

I played with various tapes from Tesa to save money, but ultimately Stan's is the stickiest (and made by Tesa!!!). The older Pacenti SL 23 are notoriously too tight.

Best luck next year, for sure!

[basset]

Superb,
Thanks to john and all the helpers from Kath and me

[Ben T]

Sounds like a nightmare.

Tubeless can be temperamental and the advantages are often dwarfed by the faff involved. That said, I have used tubeless on the road for the past three years and never had a puncture to fix, but yes, there is a lot of planning on when it is the best time to fit a new tyre and if you do a lot of Audaxes it can be tricky to find the the right day.

I played with various tapes from Tesa to save money, but ultimately Stan's is the stickiest (and made by Tesa!!!). The older Pacenti SL 23 are notoriously too tight.

Best luck next year, for sure!

Best bet IME is to get a bike shop with vast tubeless experience to do the whole wheel build, including rim tape. e.g. justridingalong in sheffield. Never had any problems with mine from there. Don't build your own, don't fit your own rim tape, don't retrofit, don't hack it together, and you'll be fine.

[Shugg McGraw]

Thanks To John and all the volunteers. Found it very tough - first 400k - but very pleased to finish. Where is the yacf thread on trapped wind?