Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => PBP => Topic started by: LucasShmucas on 07 September, 2018, 09:15:25 am
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There was an interesting article in Cycling Weekly a little while ago about creating your own performance profile based on what you want to achieve. This performance profile is supposed to help you understand what abilities you need to achieve your goal and where your current level of performance is in relation to their relative importance, so that you can better decide where you need to spend your time and money.
One of the examples given in CW was as follows: A rider who can race a 25m TT in 56.69...
Has an aerodynamic position on the bike
Follows a structured training plan
Spends enough time training and recovering
Is able to push through the pain barrier
etc, etc.
Each ability was given a level of importance out of 10.
I'm planning to enter PBP next year but as I've never ridden more than a 200 I'd like to know what abilities you think are necessary to successfully finish PBP and enjoy it.
Please give each ability a rating out of 10. I've got some ideas of my own but I'm really interesting in learning from people who've actually done it. Thanks.
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There was an interesting article in Cycling Weekly a little while ago about creating your own performance profile based on what you want to achieve. This performance profile is supposed to help you understand what abilities you need to achieve your goal and where your current level of performance is in relation to their relative importance, so that you can better decide where you need to spend your time and money.
One of the examples given in CW was as follows: A rider who can race a 25m TT in 56.69...
Has an aerodynamic position on the bike
Follows a structured training plan
Spends enough time training and recovering
Is able to push through the pain barrier
etc, etc.
Each ability was given a level of importance out of 10.
I'm planning to enter PBP next year but as I've never ridden more than a 200 I'd like to know what abilities you think are necessary to successfully finish PBP and enjoy it.
Please give each ability a rating out of 10. I've got some ideas of my own but I'm really interesting in learning from people who've actually done it. Thanks.
Although I haven't done PBP (yet), I've done my own small share of long distance rides and have my own view on whats required.
At the end of the day long distance riding is a very personal thing you will never know fully until you go out and do it for yourself; any results you get here will be full of vagueness and you'll be asking more questions of yourself and others and never truly get a definitive answer.
As all your abilities are "physical based" I think you will find Mental ability has its own place in all of this too; prominently so most would agree.
Nevertheless, these are my feelings:
Aero: 6/10
Structured Training: 7/10
Time on the Saddle and Recovery: 9/10
Physical Pain: 9/10
Mental strength: 9/10
There you go, I skew my stats towards... The More you Do, The Better you Get. "Do" being the absolute keyword with a big dose of mental strength.
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Mental abilities are absolutely in scope, as is support resources, tactics, logistics, mindset, nutrition, and equipment.
What do you mean by 'physical pain'? Presumably the ability to cope with it?
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You need the grit and determination to keep riding when everything hurts and youre not having fun anymore. Every audax over 200k in length tends to have at least one bad patch like that.
I did PBP when not very fit at all by most peoples standards. But I was determined to do it so just did what it took ... no scientific analysis was necessary. Ride your bike lots and find out what works for you.
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Experience: 1 PBP and 1 LEL plus probably only 20 audaxes over 200km.
Aero: 2/10 (sure it'll make it easier but if you rely on being aero to get around audaxes in time then there's something wrong, plus aerobars are banned on PBP)
Structured Training: 2/10 (there was no structure to my training, I commuted and did other audaxes, again, it'll certainly make it easier but it's far from necessary)
Time on the Saddle and Recovery: 9/10
Physical Pain: 2/10 (if you're in proper pain then something isn't right, but expect plenty of discomfort)
Mental strength: 9/10 (giving up is easy, as you'll possibly find out as you do rides > 200km, pushing through is harder)
I'll add:-
Self-sufficiency: 7/10 (being able to fix things out in the sticks, including being inventive [I recently fixed a lost mudguard screw with some long grass from the roadside as nothing else would fit]. Being happy with this gives me confidence and stops me wasting time worrying about what could go wrong.)
Experience in different conditions: 8/10 (it's not all sunshine and daylight as it may be on 200kms, finishing one day at 2am drenched and getting a few hours sleep in a cot bed in a sports hall with 300 other snoring/farting riders, getting up and setting off again in the pouring rain, etc)
Suitable kit: 5/10 (far less important than physical fitness but having adaptable clothing [i.e. layers, etc] helps greatly)
The more time on the bike you have in the run up to the event (i.e. what you could call training) the better prepared you'll be, both physically and mentally. You'll suffer less discomfort (hopefully) and have more experience of night riding, riding solo for long periods, how your body reacts to heat/cold/wet/tiredness/fatigue/etc, how to feed yourself (what works and what your body really doesn't want at 2am).
One last thing, I gave up about 180km into a 600km ride, found a B&B and then got the train home the next day. Looking back it was probably the correct thing to do, but only because the weather the next day was horrendous and I probably wasn't experienced enough for it. But giving up that once means I *NEVER* want to give up again on a ride unless I absolutely have to. The shit patch(es) will pass, if you feel like giving up then get to the next control, eat something and then reassess. 99% of the time you'll feel fine to carry on.
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I rode and completed the Marmotte twice and was in the shape of my life. However, on both
occasions I was afflicted by something that spoilt the ride. In 2009 it was my ashtma (took
Ibuprofen for back problems together with my puffer). The result was that whenever my heart
rate went above 135 bpm, it felt like a heavy person was sat on my chest.
In 2011 it was cramp. I sweat a lot (even from doing the smallest amount of exercise) but
ensured I was adequately hydrated; but on the descent of the first major climb cramp set in
on both legs (towards groin area). I couldn't ride at my normal cadence and virtually had to
soft-pedal around the route.
On both occasions I missed the podium by several hours :-D but managed to finish the route.
I'm glad I had the mental fortitude to carry on and finish, but did not enjoy them.
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Here’s my thoughts after completing 2 PBP, one in 2015 , and the other 2007. I have added my thoughts using similar structure but tailored to the requirements of PBP
1/ Position – Key to make sure your bike is comfortable – it doesn’t need to be anything special ( you should see the variery of bikes that finish PBP ) , but it will help enormously if your bike fits you and your position is comfortable 10/10
2/ Structure – I have always found that the qualifiers themselves are the basis of my structure for the year – as you progress through each qualifier your body and mind gets used to the longer distance / time – just ensure there is an even gap between each qualifier to allow you to recover 8/10
3/ Training – If you wish you can supplement with additional training – I found that a basic strength / flexibility session each week would help – PBP prompted me to take up yoga – happy to offer more detail on my sessions if you would like . If you want to add any speed work , then the use of rollers , or spirited shorter 50k rides each week will help in building in plenty of buffer for your longer qualifying rides 5/10
4/ Pain barrier – Definitely re-phrase this to mental strength and preparedness . The main objective is always to finish PBP , no matter what happens. I love the phrase used by the organisers that the main reason why people don’t finish – ill prepared ! . In 2007 I was lucky – I had an extra soft shell layer I took with me as a last minute decision just in case – it rained for a large proportion of the ride and I wore it nearly all the time ! . Also assume things will happen that you have to adapt to - In 2015 I had food poisoning for the first 200k couple and also my handlebar bag broke , so I had to ride with a newly purchased back pack and a very much slower pace interspersed with more regular stops ! . Be prepared to have to dig deep mentally, but with correct preparation you should aim for as little pain as possible ! , and an amazing experience 9/10
Stay healthy over the winter and good luck
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The other aspect to focus on in your build-up and qualifying rides is food and nutrition. Work out what works best for you and make sure that you have some emergency supplies of whatever you find gets you through the dips. I carry a selection of nuts, dried fruit and jelly babies in a bag on the top tube for on-the-move boosts.
The controls on PBP are evenly spaced but the quality and variety of food varies so you may find yourself seeking out cafes or shops along or just off the route. When you are very tired, low blood sugar may mean that it is helpful to eat your meal in reverse, i.e. start with something sugary to raise the blood sugar which then makes it easier to digest the more complex carbs that will fuel your legs. Works for me anyway!
Also, a fair number of riders suffer from stomach problems of one sort or another along the way. Again, try to learn how your digestive system copes on the longer rides and, if you have any problems, what helps. Personally, I always carry a packet of Rennie and a few pots of Actimel, which seem to settle most problems.
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One thing that is helpful for a sub-57min 25miler, AND finishing PBP without too much effort/trauma:
The right parents!
(or in other words, good genetics)
n.b. internet peoples; I did NOT say its the most important thing, or the only thing.
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I rode PBP last time, I won't do it again for various reasons, but none of those is because I thought it was difficult. I found it easy, but dull.
I had the benefit of several +1000k rides beforehand and rode 1700km 3 weeks before PBP to deliver my bike to London, so that I could ride down to Paris with friends.
I also had the benefit of doing a lot of miles and some hard rides like The Pendle, The 6A and HBKH.
My PBP was structured and I knew where I was going to sleep each night, I made sure my personal hygiene was good, ate proper food and had a shower each night before sleeping. I also did my laundry each night and had a clean set of clothes every day of the ride.
Preparation and discipline will get you round, buggering yourself and pissing time away at controls won't.
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8/10: Not over-thinking it.
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Know the course, know the controls and know where usually the extra refreshment stops are 7/10
Experience with night time descending 7/10
Experience with nightriding (for 90 hour starters) 8/10
preparing your bike for *your* ideal setup 9/10
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9/10 Training - being able to ride swiftly enough to have time off the bike to sleep properly and not worry about time limits. My weakness in the years before my first PBP were riding consistently on the flat, so I entered and raced a couple of 100 mile time trials between qualifying and the event.
8/10 Mental - getting through the tough bits. All my qualifying rides in 2007 were wet and windy and so when it was wet and windy in the real thing I got through it.
7/10 Building alliances on the road. In the rain I formed alliances with a group of Danes, a large Italian group, and on the way back a group of local French riders, simply from being a good group rider, taking long steady turns on the front, and that gave me the company that helped pass the kilometres.
6/10 Night Riding - not the descending or the bike handling so much as the mental bit of getting used to the fact that I ride 5 kph (3mph) slower between 11pm and 4am. On events up to 600km I usually avoid riding at this time if I can. On PBP you have to ride these hours on the first night at least.
7/10 Feeding. Not knowing where your food stops are as much as knowing what your stomach will take when you are knackered and don't feel like eating.
The one time I didn't enjoy PBP was when I had a target time (in 2011). It became fun as soon as I abandoned my target time and started riding.
PS - the other bit that helped was doing weights during the winter for leg-back connective strength and core strength.
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being able to survive on sandwiches that all have ham in them or stale bagettes 9/10
small talk in french about tyre compounds 2/10
knowing when to sleep 5/10
doing qualifiers in the awlful weather in blighty 9/10
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Understands what they enjoy the most about long distance riding, brevet style; makes adaptations to ensure the things they enjoy happen often enough to offset any negatives that arise.
When negatives arise works out the cause, works out how to mitigate, and learns to recognise the symptoms earlier. Tackling issues early often keeps the ride fun.
Is open to the people and situations they find themselves in.
Knows when they need to ride, when they need to rest, when they need to eat.
Manages their time well when off the bike and keeps a buffer ahead of the time limit that they are comfortable with.
Knows their dozy periods (mine is between 4am to 6am apart from first nights when I am usually fine) when it is better to sleep.
Knows what their minimum sleep cycle is per 24 hours.
Takes in all that PBP is, including dancing with locals in the most surreal of curcumstances.
Does not put undue external or internal pressures on themselves.
Develops sufficient fitness and speed that lack of either is rarely the cause of issues during a 4 day ride.
Maintains their own bike and has confidence it will not be the bike that lets them down. Knows how to fix the usual suspects and doesn't worry about it.
Focuses on the here and now and does not worry about what they cannot control or places hundreds of km away.
As for rating out of 10. Well this is personal to you.
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the requirements would be very different for different people. the word "enjoy" can also mean many things. pbp isn't a hard ride (all roads are paved, no steep hills, no extreme weather), just need to decide what you want out of it.
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n.b. internet peoples; I did NOT say its the most important thing, or the only thing.
But you are right, it is. VO2 max, which is by far the most important physiological parameter in endurance cycling (anything over a minute or two is endurance cycling) is largely down to genetics.
You can be born with a 40 ml/min kg , train like a mad man all your life and end up with 55 at best, but if someone is born with 70...
For the OP... just ride your bike without too much stress. To do PBP you need to qualify and the qualifiers will tell you if you can do it or not and whether you are going to enjoy it or hate it.
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It will be interesting to see how different PBP is from last time. An interesting feature has always been that the P bits and the B bits are very different from the rest of it, other than some of the heavily-trafficked areas around Fougeres.
I always liked the roll-out from St Quentin, but that's only fun for the first 25 or so in each group. Around Brest is a bit of a nightmare at the wrong parts of the day. It was worst in 2011, as the control approaches were through the docks, then a busy part of town.
The return into St Quentin was bearable between dawn and 7.30am, but busy otherwise. The velodrome finish was quiet, but an anti-climax.
So I don't think that it's possible to finish PBP enjoyably. What happens on the way is the important bit, although treating it as a TT might give rise to some pleasure at the finish, in a banging your head against a brick wall way.
For a rouleur, there are some very nice interludes, where you'll be team-time-trialling with riders of similar ability for long stretches. Climbers seem to find less of interest, but they can practice their wheel-sucking.
The demographic has changed rapidly over the last two editions, with many more younger riders from Asia. They can be a bit freaked-out by the temperature and the headwinds, so you can make a lot of friends by being the one who can bang into a rainstorm for mile after mile, which is where Brits excel. I emphasised the core skill of catching trains for LEL, and I was thanked for the advice by a number of finishers.
The film uses a lot of PBP footage.
https://vimeo.com/205787486
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Thanks for all the comments. There's some really good advice here. I'm definitely going to make sure I do some night riding so that I become more comfortable with it. I've already started learning some French using an app, although strangely tyre compounds aren't listed as a topic! Lastly, I'll make sure I do a deep dive into how not to over-think things. I'm not sure I understand this well enough. ;)
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Thanks for all the comments. There's some really good advice here. I'm definitely going to make sure I do some night riding so that I become more comfortable with it. I've already started learning some French using an app, although strangely tyre compounds aren't listed as a topic! Lastly, I'll make sure I do a deep dive into how not to over-think things. I'm not sure I understand this well enough. ;)
Shallow dive, you don't want to be overthinking the overthinking....
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...uses lights that actually enable him to see where he's going.
The battery lights I used in 2007 were so narrow of beam that when I looked to the side I started wobbling all over. My current dynamo lights throw a good spread: much safer.
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Exit Stage Left makes a good point about temperatures. Brittany is only 100 miles south of Cornwall and has about the same weather. Last time, it was definitely in single figure temperatures on one of the nights on the way back, and in 2007 after the first night the temperature clawed its way to the heady heights of 13C. That doesn't mean it won't be warm and sunny for parts of the ride, but being prepared for cold and wet is essential. I've always carried bib tights, a base layer, and a good rain jacket and I've used them each time.
Not getting utterly cold is a recipe for improved spirits. Of course, it is possible that I'm a bit of a rain god, and as I'm not riding PBP this time it will be a heatwave.
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...uses lights that actually enable him to see where he's going.
The battery lights I used in 2007 were so narrow of beam that when I looked to the side I started wobbling all over. My current dynamo lights throw a good spread: much safer.
Riding with a friend: she was using a B&M halogen light of the kind that was cutting-edge in 99, I had an Edelux II. The difference was astonishing.
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Having finished PBP twice (once was hors delai) and 6 other 1000k+ rides I would say the most important factor is the ability to ride through the low points when you are tired and in pain and can't remember why this whole thing sounded like a good idea. I have never done structured training and I'm not particularly aero on the bike but I have finished and enjoyed rides where many faster riders have quit. It's not really mental toughness as much as the ability to focus on things other than the reasons you want to quit.
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Exit Stage Left makes a good point about temperatures. Brittany is only 100 miles south of Cornwall and has about the same weather.
We live in a bit of a frost hollow, near a river that has its source in hills that rise to 1400 feet. That makes us liable to 'katabatic flow'. https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wxfacts/Katabatic-winds.htm
So the temperature is usually 2 to 3 degrees cooler than the nearby town under those conditions.
During an inversion https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wxfacts/Inversions.htm that effect is magnified. The result on PBP is that temperatures at 6am in frost hollows between Loudeac and Sizun can be around 5 degrees, but 30 degrees during the day, as inversions occur during anti-cyclones, which means hot weather.
Doing the qualifiers will UK acquaint riders with such conditions, and they should evolve systems to cope, carrying spare clothes mainly.
I didn't do much research for my first PBP in 1999, as resources were limited. It's now possible to access a staggering amount of material. The BC Randonneurs PBP site is the largest single portal. http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pbp/main.html
Chrisheg's 2011 account was very good on the geology of the Armorican Massif, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armorican_Massif but the link to that article is broken.
I also get insight into rider's experience from my partner Heather Swift's interviews. She rode in 1999 (DNF) and finished in 2003, she filmed in 2007, 2011 and 2015. She's even managed to get footage on the start podium, as here when she films the Taiwanese Ambassador, and her assistant, then an interview with a Taiwanese rider at St Martin des Pres, in the Armorican Massif. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQekVifTKUc
Another short film illustrates why the announcements in English from the podium evolve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78wr8UAJmpE
I've done quite a bit of training in practical skills, and it's difficult to acquire practical skills through reading, you have to perform the activity. So it's interesting to see how people cope with the experience, and sometimes deliberately blind themselves to available detail, even in retrospect. As in this special YACF edition of 'Tales from Randonesia'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md4w1Li1zRY&t=9s
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Chrisheg's 2011 account was very good on the geology of the Armorican Massif, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armorican_Massif but the link to that article is broken.
Sorry, it is available here:
http://www.chrisheg.net (http://www.chrisheg.net)
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Chrisheg's 2011 account was very good on the geology of the Armorican Massif, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armorican_Massif but the link to that article is broken.
Sorry, it is available here:
http://www.chrisheg.net (http://www.chrisheg.net)
All I get is 'can't find server'. Which is a pity, as it's a good example of research into the area.
I tend to the view that it's easy to get overwhelmed by culture-shock, and that some knowledge of what you're passing through lessens the onset of 'penguinitis', when everything starts to look the same.
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try these:
- Cascade 1200k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/c1200/C1200.html)
- Paris-Brest-Paris 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/pbp2011/pbp.html)
- 3 Volcanoes 300k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/3volcano/3_volcanoes.html)
- Wenatchee 600k 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/w600_2011/w600_2011.html)
- Colorado High Country 1200k 2012 (http://www.chrisheg.net/chc1200/chc1200.html)
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try these:
- Cascade 1200k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/c1200/C1200.html)
- Paris-Brest-Paris 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/pbp2011/pbp.html)
- 3 Volcanoes 300k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/3volcano/3_volcanoes.html)
- Wenatchee 600k 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/w600_2011/w600_2011.html)
- Colorado High Country 1200k 2012 (http://www.chrisheg.net/chc1200/chc1200.html)
Adding more specific paths to the URL won't help a DNS problem. ESL probably needs to apply the drain rods to his intertubes or something.
(I've tried and the server doesn't like being accessed by IP address, unfortunately.)
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Worked for me off Zed's link.
It is a very informative and inspirational read.
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try these:
- Cascade 1200k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/c1200/C1200.html)
- Paris-Brest-Paris 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/pbp2011/pbp.html)
- 3 Volcanoes 300k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/3volcano/3_volcanoes.html)
- Wenatchee 600k 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/w600_2011/w600_2011.html)
- Colorado High Country 1200k 2012 (http://www.chrisheg.net/chc1200/chc1200.html)
Those work for me, I was using Safari, but I'm no computer expert. Nice to see some detail about the route again. The historical stuff reminded that the lack of tolls on Breton roads is supposed to be a legacy of Anne of Brittany the 15th century Queen Consort of France. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Brittany
That's not true unfortunately, the lack of tolls is a regional economic policy dating from the 1960s. That decision has influenced the development of the Breton road system, the Route National roads have been upgraded to expressways. That means that they haven't been bypassed, and are completely unsuitable for cycling. It does mean that supporting riders by car or motor-home is pretty easy from Fougeres onwards.
There's a rock opera about Anne of Brittany. The original cast featured members of Barclay James Harvest and Fairport Convention. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_de_Bretagne_(rock_opera)
It's a pity that she's had no lasting influence on Breton transport policy as that would have made an interesting diversion.
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regarding feeling cold - my best advice would be to keep consistent calorie intake. lots of calories are used up to propel the bike and not enough left to keep the body warm. this is especially noticeable from day two onwards. first night was the coldest in 2015, 10-11deg, but i didn't get too cold as i was munching energy bars whilst riding. second night was warmer, but i was getting colder than on the first one as i've run out of food, and my appetite wasn't that great to eat enough at controls.
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It is a very informative and inspirational read.
I wonder if the American rider has read it - the one who got chatting too in Brest and encouraged him to keep going.
Nice.
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try these:
- Cascade 1200k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/c1200/C1200.html)
- Paris-Brest-Paris 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/pbp2011/pbp.html)
- 3 Volcanoes 300k 2010 (http://www.chrisheg.net/3volcano/3_volcanoes.html)
- Wenatchee 600k 2011 (http://www.chrisheg.net/w600_2011/w600_2011.html)
- Colorado High Country 1200k 2012 (http://www.chrisheg.net/chc1200/chc1200.html)
Those work for me, I was using Safari, but I'm no computer expert. Nice to see some detail about the route again. The historical stuff reminded that the lack of tolls on Breton roads is supposed to be a legacy of Anne of Brittany the 15th century Queen Consort of France. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Brittany
That's not true unfortunately, the lack of tolls is a regional economic policy dating from the 1960s. That decision has influenced the development of the Breton road system, the Route National roads have been upgraded to expressways. That means that they haven't been bypassed, and are completely unsuitable for cycling. It does mean that supporting riders by car or motor-home is pretty easy from Fougeres onwards.
There's a rock opera about Anne of Brittany. The original cast featured members of Barclay James Harvest and Fairport Convention. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_de_Bretagne_(rock_opera)
It's a pity that she's had no lasting influence on Breton transport policy as that would have made an interesting diversion.
The lack of péages (and thus autoroutes) was I believe the legacy of Pompidou. It is something that came to a head recently with the battles over the ecotax on hgvs who historically did not pay tolls on the principal routes in Bretagne (sorry, brittany, just thinking in french again :facepalm:). The local transorters fought the ecotax proposals tooth and nail.
It is not completely true that there are no parallel routes to the express ways. While I have never had to look at the parallels for the central and north brittany routes the southern one now has the old Nationale in parallel to the expressway at least from Lorient to Vannes. Very nostalgic it was too, taking it to escape the traffic on the expressway coming home from a family holiday, the expressway was only just being built when I was there as a teenager. there are a lot of places in France where old Nationales have been replaced by autoroutes or expressways and a little bit of looking reveals the old roads still in existance, bypassed by the new.
I have not done PBP and probably never will. The principal reason is something that hasn't been mentioned: get your family and friends with you in the project; it'll boost your preparation no end. In my case my wife is totally against my riding at night (which I actually enjoy) so no PBP or no family. In my case the choice is easy!
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My wife is OK with me riding at night so long as I am with others. On PBP that is not a problem.
It is almost impossible to do PBP if you don't have that support so you need to get the agreement fairly soon.
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I couple of years ago I had a new girlfriend. She felt uneasy with me riding full nights on my bike. One evening when we returned from a restaurant in a forested area I simply switched on all my bikelights. After seeing that amount of light she didn't feal uneasy about me riding at night anymore.
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I couple of years ago I had a new girlfriend. She felt uneasy with me riding full nights on my bike. One evening when we returned from a restaurant in a forested area I simply switched on all my bikelights. After seeing that amount of light she didn't feal uneasy about me riding at night anymore.
Front lights, or back lights?
My bike still has all the gubbins on it that RatN mandated, meaning that from behind, in the dark, you'd look like a total moron if you tried to claim in court you didn't see me... Given how many audax rides I'm the lantern rouge for, my trio of red rear lights is just reinforcing my reputation...
J
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I couple of years ago I had a new girlfriend. She felt uneasy with me riding full nights on my bike. One evening when we returned from a restaurant in a forested area I simply switched on all my bikelights. After seeing that amount of light she didn't feal uneasy about me riding at night anymore.
Front lights, or back lights?
Front lights
Son Edelux 2
BuMm Ixon 40 lux
Bumm dynamo light 60 lux.
All three toghether in a forest ;)
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Did leaves start smouldering?
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All I get is 'can't find server'. Which is a pity, as it's a good example of research into the area.
What ISP are you connecting from? I will try to sort it with my domain host.
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chrisheg.org is not listed in the DNS (anymore?) and from your chrisheg.net page you're linking to pages on the .org domain. Changing the links to point to chrisheg.net as I did in my previous post (or even better: remove the hostnames altogether and make the urls relative) should fix things.
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The fashion for really bright front lights baffles me. You don't need 1,000 lumen lights. I run my front on the 250 lumen setting and it is more than enough for dark lanes.
It really caused me a problem on the last 2 PBPs when I went over the ROC in the dark. The vedettes were coming back but with the misty conditions I couldn't see a damn thing as I was getting dazzled by their lights.
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bright front lights can be an issue when you are on the receiving side (i hope 2000lm will be enough to counter the most antisocial ones). otoh, i was pleasantly surprised that riders in the group i rode with from the start with had their rear lights gently glowing - nothing too bright or annoying/distracting.
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Yeah but what about the fast ones coming back with no lights, scary.
Newbies, should remember, you will need good reliable lights in the mornings too.
Edelux II + SON makes sense
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chrisheg.org is not listed in the DNS (anymore?) and from your chrisheg.net page you're linking to pages on the .org domain. Changing the links to point to chrisheg.net as I did in my previous post (or even better: remove the hostnames altogether and make the urls relative) should fix things.
Fixed, thank you.
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The fashion for really bright front lights baffles me. You don't need 1,000 lumen lights. I run my front on the 250 lumen setting and it is more than enough for dark lanes.
It really caused me a problem on the last 2 PBPs when I went over the ROC in the dark. The vedettes were coming back but with the misty conditions I couldn't see a damn thing as I was getting dazzled by their lights.
I used to run double 300lm front lights when commuting too/from college in Kent. Riding down hill on unlit country lanes at 55+kph, you needed all the light.
Downside was going round a corner, finding a parked up construction van with all the retro reflective paint on the back, and getting most of those 600lm thrown back at me.
Riding round with both lights on full was the only way that motorists would dip their main beams. Unfortunately most of them would then get closer, realise I'm a cyclist, and whack them back up to full just in time to blind me.
Grrr...
J