Where to Start on a Permanent 200?

[LEE]

I want a Perm 200 (as an emergency RRTY option) and I want one that starts as close to my house as possible.

The Denmead 200 (a registered Perm) passes within 20km of my house and I was wondering whether it would be possible to start/finish a perm anywhere along the route.

Obviously, being a loop, the distance and terrain are the same, just done in a slightly different sequence.

Alternatively the Kennet Valley 200 would be good for me if I could start/finish at Hungerford.

Anyone know about this?

[border-rider]

I want a Perm 200 (as an emergency RRTY option) and I want one that starts as close to my house as possible.

The Denmead 200 (a registered Perm) passes within 20km of my house and I was wondering whether it would be possible to start/finish a perm anywhere along the route.

Obviously, being a loop, the distance and terrain are the same, just done in a slightly different sequence.

Alternatively the Kennet Valley 200 would be good for me if I could start/finish at Hungerford.

Anyone know about this?

You can start/finish anywhere on the route, or even off it if it's between controls - that just makes it over-distance.  As long as you visit all the controls in the correct order it's fine - just insert an extra start/finish control wherever suits.

I often used to use Lambourn  a start for rides that went near Membury or Ramsbury

[mattc]

Does EVERY perm allow this? For some reason I assumed it was down to individual orgs ...

[Greenbank]

There may be reasons why starting at certain places on a perm (or going in the reverse direction) it's not feasible, such as the opening hours of some of the controls. There may also be detours round one-way systems, etc.

[LEE]

Excellent !

Thanks MV.  I may get a drawer full of Denmead 200 cards and start as near to Mottisfont/Romsey as I can

[Martin]

the El S Buckbarn - Sutton Scotney is also a stonking ride; nearest control to you would be Liss though

[LEE]

the El S Buckbarn - Sutton Scotney is also a stonking ride; nearest control to you would be Liss though

Sutton Sctoney is very convenient for me (and usually an El Supremo control).  I assume the garage in SS is a control?

Liss is not convenient at all, I'm in Andover and my parents live a couple of miles from Sutton Scotney.  That's why the Midhurst 600 was so tough for me, I had to cycle 10km from my house then 4 km from my parent's house during the 500-600km leg

[border-rider]

Does EVERY perm allow this? For some reason I assumed it was down to individual orgs ...

Well, I've always made it clear on the entry form what I was doing, and sometimes (with an org I didn't know) checked beforehand, but I've never had a problem.  I bent the Denmead 600 perm to start and finish in Lambourn and that was OK so I'm sure the 200 should be fine also.

I've ridden from home:

Cheddar Gorge 300 (3 times)
Dean 300 (3 times)
Wilts Cycleway 300 (4 times)
Denmead 600 (3 starts, 1 completion)
Taste of the Test
Marlborough Connection
Poor Student

and a couple of Steve Poulton's perms too.

[Martin]

the El S Buckbarn - Sutton Scotney is also a stonking ride; nearest control to you would be Liss though

Sutton Sctoney is very convenient for me (and usually an El Supremo control).  I assume the garage in SS is a control?

yes it's the Texaco one by the old railway bridge (or the A34 services if you are feeling flush); starting from SS gets the dark skoggy lanes to Wisborough Green out of the way early

[Weirdy Biker]

Are you given additional time to finish the rides over and above that implied by the distance on the brevet card?  Or do you have to haggle with JW if that happens?

[border-rider]

Are you given additional time to finish the rides over and above that implied by the distance on the brevet card?  Or do you have to haggle with JW if that happens?

Not if you enter it as the standard perm - it's the standard distance.

[Martin]

Are you given additional time to finish the rides over and above that implied by the distance on the brevet card?  Or do you have to haggle with JW if that happens?

Not if you enter it as the standard perm - it's the standard distance.

do you mean standard perm distance as in whatever is on the brevet card or a flat 200km?

not sure about this myself as many perms (and of course calendars) can actually be cut down to exactly 200 if you ignore the route sheet. The card just says min speed 14.3

[3peaker]

The whole objective of any route is that you complete the distance. Calendars need to have a fixed start/finish, for the issue of Brevet Cards, if for no other reason.  Not needed if the Brevet is posted to you, so if you live on or close to the route, just find a good ATM/Garage to prove your locations/times and you are off.  When in Eire last May, I took a photo of my saddle with my watch/HRM on top with a road sign in the picky; on return I repeated the picky (24hr clock mode).  Pics are also good for info Controls (I use them for my own Perms (‘cos I know the answer) and when I needed to prove I was on Trike).

Note that on my Thames and Avon 200 Hungerford would make a ideal Start/Finish as the route links Fairford, Hungerford and Corsham with Cheltenham.  It is a good winter route with good road alternatives too avoid some lanes.

One-way systems can upset the flow of a ride, if your hit the ‘wrong’ way.  This is why an issued routesheet, based on an Organiser recce can help.  I find Stroud can be awkward E-W as the natural flow is W-E.  N-S or S-N is not a problem, though you have to divert if you need a Control.

Only an unforeseen diversion (flooding/road closure) can be used to claim extra distance, so you forfeit extra kms if you join from off route.  You will be timed on the distance declared by the Organiser, which will normally not be exactly 200km; so a 214km perm will gain an extra 1hr above a 200km but if it takes you 230km you lose 16km (which means you lose an hour, so you need to you can afford that loss.

SteveP

[Ivo]

One-way systems can upset the flow of a ride, if your hit the ‘wrong’ way.  This is why an issued routesheet, based on an Organiser recce can help.  I find Stroud can be awkward E-W as the natural flow is W-E.  N-S or S-N is not a problem, though you have to divert if you need a Control.

Same with climbs and descents. Sometimes an organiser chooses a lane to climb and a slightly larger road to descend. Doing it the other way round will cost you time.

[Hummers]

Funnily enough, we are at Sutton Scotney on Sunday for a 200.

H

[border-rider]

do you mean standard perm distance as in whatever is on the brevet card

yes.  If you enter a 213 k perm that's the distance you get the time for, as 3peaker said.

not sure about this myself as many perms (and of course calendars) can actually be cut down to exactly 200 if you ignore the route sheet. The card just says min speed 14.3

That's a different question, and it's a much wider issue than just perms-from-home

Hence I suppose why BRMs use the nominal distance for the time-calculation not the actual, I suppose.

[LEE]

Funnily enough, we are at Sutton Scotney on Sunday for a 200.

H

Hmm, Postie's DIY 200?

Denmead - Waterlooville-exton-easton-sutton scotney-hurstbourne tarrant-combe-hungerford-lambourn-wantage-
chieveley-thatcham-kingsclere-overton-newalresford-denmead

That gives me a few convenient start points.

Where are the (receipt) controls on that one?  I'm assuming:

Denmead cash-point
Sutton Scotney Texaco
Hungerford Tutti Pole

[Phixie]

the El S Buckbarn - Sutton Scotney is also a stonking ride; nearest control to you would be Liss though

Sutton Sctoney is very convenient for me (and usually an El Supremo control).  I assume the garage in SS is a control?

yes it's the Texaco one by the old railway bridge (or the A34 services if you are feeling flush); starting from SS gets the dark skoggy lanes to Wisborough Green out of the way early

It also features as a control on the Reading Pulborough, if you want some variety.  Every time I've ridden that one I've started it from Guildford.  Some orgs, like El S are relaxed about that; some rather more pedantic.  Only experience lets you know which is which.

[Cyklisten]

The Sutton Scotney Texaco also has an ATM on the forecourt. Failing that, the services (24hr) on the A34 are just around the corner and accessible via a service road to the Travelodge. see here: Google Maps


edit .... hmmm, that didn't work to well ... anyway enter Sutton Scotney and all will be revealed 

[Hummers]

Where are the (receipt) controls on that one?  I'm assuming:

Denmead cash-point
Sutton Scotney Texaco
Hungerford Tutti Pole

Yes with a few extra ones thrown in including Lambourn. We are starting from the Shell garage in Waterlooville (at the roundabout north of Purbrook) and finishing in Denmead at either the Fox and Hounds or the curry house, depending on what the weather is like etc.

H

[LEE]

Where are the (receipt) controls on that one?  I'm assuming:

Denmead cash-point
Sutton Scotney Texaco
Hungerford Tutti Pole

Yes with a few extra ones thrown in including Lambourn. We are starting from the Shell garage in Waterlooville (at the roundabout north of Purbrook) and finishing in Denmead at either the Fox and Hounds or the curry house, depending on what the weather is like etc.

H

Sounds good.

Can you try to make a mental note of as much of the route as possible as you ride?

I'd like to plot it out and use it myself.

Looks like it will be chilly/cool but ice-free (especially nice to avoid ice around Combe) and the wind on your backs for the 2nd 80-100km back home.

[scampi]

One of my favourite winter rides is Bulbarrow Hill and back - out via Salisbury, the Ebble/Chalke Valley to Shaftesbury, up to Bulbarrow via Child Okeford/Okeford Fitzpaine, and back via Winterbourne Stickland, Blandford, Witchampton, Wimborne St. Giles, Cranborne, Fordingbridge, and Bramshaw.

It works out as 100 miles for me so I imagine you could quite easily "DIY200" it from Andover environs if you don't mind a DIY type thingy.  It's a nice ride as any hills get done in the middle and the ride home is not too hard, and there are plenty of stops/shops en route.  The view from Bulbarrow is terrific.