Brevet Cymru 2022

[ransos]

I also finished at 5.15, but I was quite happy with that as there was plenty of time in hand. Bryan Chapman next!

[Wycombewheeler]

I also finished at 5.15, but I was quite happy with that as there was plenty of time in hand. Bryan Chapman next!

slightly under 4 hours. so no worries about being out of time, but still my slowest 400 where I didn't have a good sleep on the way.
I think I had 3 hours in hand at llandovery, and at tregaron and at newquay. 3.75 at Llandovery (2) 3 at Llangatock (listed as 341km, but actually 356km, so it should have been 4) and 3.75 again at the finish.

[markcjagar]

I was back at 0500, my faff time was terrible - over 4 hours off the bike.

I'm not used to Audax's with so many nice controls, usually it's Coop, Coop, petrol station.

[ransos]

I also finished at 5.15, but I was quite happy with that as there was plenty of time in hand. Bryan Chapman next!

slightly under 4 hours. so no worries about being out of time, but still my slowest 400 where I didn't have a good sleep on the way.
I think I had 3 hours in hand at llandovery, and at tregaron and at newquay. 3.75 at Llandovery (2) 3 at Llangatock (listed as 341km, but actually 356km, so it should have been 4) and 3.75 again at the finish.

My slowest 400 too, but as it was my second, I won't read too much into it. I lost about an hour to mechanical problems as well.

[Wycombewheeler]

I was back at 0500, my faff time was terrible - over 4 hours off the bike.

I'm not used to Audax's with so many nice controls, usually it's Coop, Coop, petrol station.

I won't judge you for that, on PBP according to my GPX track I had 24 hours of not moving, only 10 of those were sleep hours. And I can't blame queues at controls because there weren't really any. I did stop at least 5 times on top of controls

On easter arrow nearly 5 hours at controls (tour de McDs), but then you need to drag it out to 24 hours
asparagus and strawberries a whopping 10 hours not moving, but included a big sleep
LWL 3hrs 40
both times on brevet cymru 4 hours
back to the smoke, only 2hrs 20  (petrol station, tesco express, petrol station, (non control) chip shop, petrol station, petrol station

[thing1]

Recycling this thread for the 2023 edition 🙂
Really looking forward to this one. Got some unfinished business with it ever since 2011 (royal wedding weekend).

I'm driving over from Herts and have a spare seat in the car so if anyone in the Londonish area would like to carpool HMU! Leaving Fri after lunch, return Sunday middayish.
(I also have a spare seat on the tandem, but if you want to bikepool on this ride you'll really have to HMU 🤣)

[Wycombewheeler]

Not for me this year, on the porkers instead and the Brevet/Porkers combo is probably too much for me.

Hope you get the same weather I have had on both my Brevet Cymru rides and sun cream is required more than rain jackets.

[ransos]

I've entered, but I'm doing the Paddington Express this weekend so I will see how well I recover.

[Ian H]

I shall be there.  Back in the day it was my fastest 400, and on fixed.  It won't be like that this year.

[Bianchi Boy]

Anybody been sent mail on the event yet?

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[TomAplomb]

Anybody been sent mail on the event yet?

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I haven't received anything yet

[Hot Flatus]

I'm entered. And in a completion mindset at the moment.

I anticipate being down the ugly end of the field though.

[vorsprung]

Anybody been sent mail on the event yet?

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I haven't received anything yet

Mark said this weekend, probably.  So don't be anxious

[vorsprung]

Anybody been sent mail on the event yet?

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I haven't received anything yet

I see an email from Mark today at 9:03am

[Ian H]

Anybody been sent mail on the event yet?

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I haven't received anything yet

I see an email from Mark today at 9:03am

Amazing coincidence - so do I.

[mattc]

Somewhat reduced facilities, I see.     Silver lining is a castle for the start 

Noting the mandatory route; anyone know where the route avoiders have sinned in the past?

[Bikeabilityman]

Guessing I can enjoy a Wetherspoons brekky from 8am for my finish receipt. I’’m not gonna cycle over 110 miles from Milton Keynes to Chepstow though (I’m not Teethgrinder), so I’ll be looking to park somewhere safe/free.

[Ajax Bay]

Somewhat reduced facilities, I see.     Silver lining is a castle for the start 
Noting the mandatory route; anyone know where the route avoiders have sinned in the past?

Mark's route is optimum and his phrase is "compulsory" btw - is this just visit all the controls in order and use the cafes designated?. Routesheet 'mandates' riders to ride via Michaelchurch Escley after Monmouth.
I know lots of people "avoid" this road by riding via Eywas Harold and the Golden Valley via Vowchurch. Good to see Mark is forcing the shorter and more scenic Black Mountains route and that great hairpin drop down into Hay.
Great location for a secret control noted on the routesheet and easier for Mark (or another) to get to than that windy bus stop in Hay:
"RIGHT at T, then 1st LEFT before Old Pandy Inn"
As for other 'avoidance' options, they will all add effort to a rider's burden: not sure what the issue is, if they want to ride further.

[GPS]

The gpx shows the route going via the Golden Valley and Vowchurch etc - not via Michaelchurch Escley. The route sheet goes via the latter route though.

Intriguing !

[Ian H]

The gpx shows the route going via the Golden Valley and Vowchurch etc - not via Michaelchurch Escley. The route sheet goes via the latter route though.

Intriguing !

Mark's emailed blurb reinforces the gps route.  The routesheet seems to have been imperfectly adapted from an older one.

[jackt]

Update from Mark on his FB page:

BREVET CYMRU 2023
Route anomaly.
My unreserved apologies, I saved the route on two different devices, and picked the wrong one to distribute.
There is a conflict between route sheet and the .gpx file on stage 1, it's between Newcastle and Hay-on-Wye. At first that might sound disastrous. But in fact required route is extremely easy to follow, as you only have to navigate along two roads - rather than several lane changes.
Once you've passed through Rockfield and turned right for Newcastle, you follow the B4347 to Vowchurch, where you turn left on to the B4348, and follow all the way to Hay-on-Wye, you will have then migrated back onto the prescribed route before you reach Hay-on-Wye.
I will be reissuing the route sheet tomorrow.
Once again my unreserved apologies for any inconvenience caused.

I agree with others that the Michaelchurch Escley routing is preferable as a rider. I also prefer the Tirabad detour between Garth and Cynghordy and the Siloh road west of Llandovery. I'm not a fan of mandatory routes. If I want to ride a mandatory route I'll ride a DIY where at least it's me that's doing the mandating of me. 

[PAC]

Somewhat reduced facilities, I see.     Silver lining is a castle for the start 

Noting the mandatory route; anyone know where the route avoiders have sinned in the past?

Forgive me, for I sinned once I inadvertently took a wrong turn, purely an innocent mistake, honest and was forced against my will by my bicycle to go via Abergavenny and Talgarth to Hay-on-Wye a few years ago

[teethgrinder]

Reading this thread reminds me that I remember following the GPX track up an unfamiliar road, which made me think, "I don't remember going this way before. We must have a new route. Interesting..."
The road became a Forestry Commission track, which might have been fun if I was better practiced at off road, I wasn't using road tyres and I had my luggage set up for better handling.
IIRC, that was last year.
The wiser riders just stayed on the A466 to Monmouth, which the Forestry Commission track rejoined after a bit of a "fun detour"
So, just a little heads up.

No BC for me this year  :'(
Just aiming for PBP and maybe get some of these Cycling UK bikepacking tours in. The Cymru/Porkers double was tempting but I doubt I have the fitness to pull that one off this year so good luck to anyone doing the double. (or even just one of them for that matter!)

[Bianchi Boy]

Somewhat reduced facilities, I see.     Silver lining is a castle for the start 

Noting the mandatory route; anyone know where the route avoiders have sinned in the past?

Forgive me, for I sinned once I inadvertently took a wrong turn, purely an innocent mistake, honest and was forced against my will by my bicycle to go via Abergavenny and Talgarth to Hay-on-Wye a few years ago

We do not know where the organiser or his crack team of spys will be hiding. No deviation this year.

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[thing1]

He's the weather bagel for Saturday (based on a 17H ride time, ish)
https://mywindsock.com/rwgps/route/42663296/#