Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Audax => Topic started by: telstarbox on 06 December, 2018, 09:41:19 pm

Title: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: telstarbox on 06 December, 2018, 09:41:19 pm
After the enjoyable Oasts & Coasts last year this looks tempting:

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-286/

A question for more experienced AUKs: on a 400 starting in the morning, would you generally ride through the night, rather than stopping for a formal sleep at say 250km (which would be an early bedtime)?
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: ianrobo on 06 December, 2018, 09:43:15 pm
400 ?? Do it in one go ?
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 06 December, 2018, 10:09:57 pm
Almost everybody does 400s without sleeping.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: whosatthewheel on 07 December, 2018, 07:51:25 am
I think a sleep stop at 250 km is too early, most people wouldn't have enough time in their hands at that point to get more than an hour or two sleep and make it to the next control in time. If you use the AUK site tool, you can work out the openning and closing times of the controls and work out whether (and where) it makes sense to have a control with sleeping facilities
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: rob on 07 December, 2018, 08:56:11 am
On that event I would ride through and get home for breakfast.   It's quite close to a route that I used to organise 10+ yrs ago and there's enough scenery to keep you interested.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: citoyen on 07 December, 2018, 02:44:06 pm
Ideally on a 400 I would ride through without a sleep stop but it largely depends on fitness level and ride difficulty. First time I did the Severn Across/LWL, I was fit enough to complete it inside 21 hours so went through without a sleep stop, but the second time I was slower and much less fit and needed a proper rest break at Malmesbury before I could carry on (but only an hour or so).

The problem with sleep stops on a 400 is that unless you're very fast, you won't have time for a proper sleep. And if you're very fast, you won't need one.

I'm keen to do the Invicta Phoenix 400 and hope to be fit enough to ride it without a sleep stop.

The old Invicta 400 (presumably the same one rob is referring to) had a noon start, which never really suited me and both times I did it, I had to stop for a (brief) sleep stop at Sittingbourne.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: hillbilly on 07 December, 2018, 02:49:28 pm
It's good to see a Kent (or more generally south east) based 400.  It would be good if one could be established as an annual fixture (and perchance a National ride). 

I did the old Invikta 400s when they ran out of Chiddingstone.  The main things I remember are eating a ropy Chinese take away in Sittingbourne, getting lost at the end to the extent that I almost came in out of time, and a certain long-standing member mumping because his trike didn't fit through a motorway service station entrance (he had to ride up a dirt track from memory, as the A road had been reclassified into a motorway, and it got increasingly narrow at the top - his own fault for riding a childs bike  ;) ).  And, I think, belting along the A2 in the middle of the night.  If this gives the impression of Type 2 fun, it was.

Anyway, this one is on my list of possibles for 2019.  Time has moved on so I suspect it will be a much polished route from Tom.  I'm hoping to do it if I'm in the area, can wangle a weekend pass and have a decent build up to it over the spring.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: rob on 07 December, 2018, 03:41:12 pm
The old Invicta 400 used to go out to Sussex and then along the South Coast to Chichester, up to Winchester and then back through Surrey.   I then changed it to figure-of-eight as it meant less driving and could be run with less helpers, returning to the big loop when it was turned into the National 400 for a year.

This route looks closer to the old big loop but I suspect Tom has tweaked it here and there.   I'm not sure I'll be there as, if all goes to plan, I'll be recovering from something a bit longer.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: mattc on 09 December, 2018, 03:10:29 pm
Almost everybody does 400s without sleeping.

I've seen a LOT of dozing bodies in halls at recent 400s I've ridden. I would say something more like:

The majority do 400s without sleeping.

And perhaps:
Almost everybody does 400s where there is no sleep-stop without sleeping.

In fact, my last 400 had no sleep-stop arranged, and almost everyone slept!

This was the BP TINAT ride ;)
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: Slimline Saxon on 09 December, 2018, 03:44:28 pm
Taking A&S as an example, most bus shelters between Newmarket and Saffron Walden are occupied in the hours just before dawn, the glass fronted with bench at Balsham being most sought after. Slower riders catch an hour in the doorways of Saffron Walden Town Hall, typical completion in 24 hours.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 10 December, 2018, 12:07:40 pm
I don't think an hour is a sleep (just a nap) YMMV
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: mattc on 10 December, 2018, 12:18:53 pm
I don't think an hour is a sleep (just a nap) YMMV

You can make any statistics true if you tweak the definitions far enough.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: citoyen on 29 April, 2019, 04:32:03 pm
Less than two weeks to go to this one so I've started looking at the route a bit more closely...

The old Invicta 400 used to go out to Sussex and then along the South Coast to Chichester, up to Winchester and then back through Surrey. ... This route looks closer to the old big loop but I suspect Tom has tweaked it here and there.

Main tweak seems to be that it's going in the opposite direction - out through Surrey to Winchester then back over the South Downs through Lewes to Rye, then turning north to the finish.

Hmmm. I wonder if Birling Hill is any more fun after 390km than it is after 190km (I've only ever done it at the end of Tom's old Hop Garden 200 route).
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: tomj on 29 April, 2019, 04:53:00 pm
Planning to route check Saturday, early start, any takers, Birling Hill (and the not so often mentioned Whitehill Road) are always Type 2 fun.......
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: Martin on 29 April, 2019, 11:07:01 pm
a bit lot like my first 400 back in 2002 (aka the parcel shelf ride; ask rob!)

will be returning from the high seas so I'm out sadly
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: alotronic on 30 April, 2019, 09:45:05 am
To get back to original Q.... I very much middle of the pack rider, for a 400 I would take a light weight down jacket just in case but not plan on sleeping. I would plan on a slow down around 2/3/4am though, sometimes just ticking over and waiting for dawn and then some warmth. Once or twice I have taken a nap when it warmed up again - say 7am ish. I don't plan to sleep, I prepare to nap.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: tomj on 30 April, 2019, 10:20:47 am
Bring along your bag to the Cyclopark and we will take it down to Rye.

Include, mat, eye shields & earplugs if planning to sleep as there is unlikely to be a quiet area.

Help at the finish early doors would be very welcomed.
 
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: JonBuoy on 01 May, 2019, 06:19:57 pm
I have stuck an entry in for this having wussed out of doing battle with Hannah last Saturday on the Moors & Wolds.  My excuse was that I was recovering from a cold and didn't think that spending 12 hours being hosed down and battered before the better weather arrived was 'sensible'.  I am now wondering whether riding 400k is ever sensible  ::-)

Anyway - having looked over the route I am rather looking forward to this (apart from that hill at the end) as it is a part of the country that is new to me.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: alotronic on 05 May, 2019, 05:27:31 pm
Quick question for Tom - will there be somewhere to 'hang out' (by which I mean drape myself over a seat and nap) on Sunday morning? First train back to Smoke is 7:30 but fitness willing I might have an hour or two to kill before that...
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: jsabine on 05 May, 2019, 06:41:14 pm
Early finishers have the delights of the local 24hr Subway, while I believe the Cyclopark opens at 0730ish it's cafe kicks off from 0800.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: alotronic on 05 May, 2019, 06:49:29 pm
Hmm, might aim to arrive after 7:30 then ;-)
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: Snotty Gilbert on 12 May, 2019, 06:57:29 pm
 A great route supplied and managed by Tom and his band of volunteers.  Not an easy one, with constant climbing and descending throughout, especially at night, and a sting in the tail.  A truly audacious ride.

A special thank-you to the team at the Ryde control.  A warm building, welcoming faces, food cooked to order and delivered within minutes (and I arrived in the busy time) tables laid out for social eating and discussions, a choice of coffees, and placed to get you head down.  Chapeau guys! You have really set the bar for others. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Regards

Jan
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: stefan on 12 May, 2019, 08:40:27 pm
A great route supplied and managed by Tom and his band of volunteers.  Not an easy one, with constant climbing and descending throughout, especially at night, and a sting in the tail.  A truly audacious ride.

A special thank-you to the team at the Ryde control.  A warm building, welcoming faces, food cooked to order and delivered within minutes (and I arrived in the busy time) tables laid out for social eating and discussions, a choice of coffees, and placed to get you head down.  Chapeau guys! You have really set the bar for others. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Regards

Jan

Seconded. Great route, organisation and volunteers. The Rye control was superb; the climbs at night and at the end were really tough; and the company and conversation with fellow riders (and for this flatlander, their encouragement) was greatly appreciated.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: CJ on 12 May, 2019, 08:44:46 pm
I'd like to add my thanks to Tom and the crew. I met some great people along the way and had some good laughs. It was a beautiful route and a worthy challenge. A great first 400.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: citoyen on 12 May, 2019, 10:21:12 pm
Had a bad case of life getting in the way of cycling this week so I was a DNS. Really disappointed to miss this one. Glad you all enjoyed it.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: alotronic on 13 May, 2019, 08:58:38 am
Yes, a great event. On the testing edge of lumpy - I was using my second bike with bar-end levers and a 34x28 bottom gear which was *just* ok for Burling at the end. Lots of gear changing.... this is not the flatlands, which is a good thing.

Rye control was *awesome*. Wasn't expecting it and had kind of forgotten it was there, so stepping into the warmth to be offered food and hot drink was great. Had a 90 minute reset nap and then into the beautiful morning, the brief deluges of 24 hours previous forgotten.

My favourite bit of the ride was dusk, coming down the Meon valley. My least favourite was the aptly named Steep Hill at 2:30am just before Rye < that was a deliberate joke wasn't it?!



Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: JonBuoy on 13 May, 2019, 06:01:49 pm
I was feeling a bit off colour for the first half of the ride for some reason but the lovely route held my interest and helped me ignore any negative thoughts - even during the early downpour.  I perked up after Winchester and particularly liked the bit through the Meons.  After it got dark there were some spooky patches of fog with interesting lighting effects.  I was testing out a new top and was disappointed at how cold I felt considering the forecast had shown a minimum of 4degC.  Looking at people's Strava data it was actually down to somewhere around freezing so not so bad after all.

The control in Rye and the people running it were fantastic.  I was tempted to have a snooze but decided to press on and let the dawn chorus keep me awake.  It was deafening at times!  It was still cold - particularly in the mist patches but it was a lovely run home with 'that hill' to look forward to.  After a steady ascent I thought that it was just a gentle roll back to the finish but was then presented with another, smaller ridge line.  I may have said rude words.  After this it really was all downhill back to the Cyclopark.

Thanks to Tom and his helpers for putting on a great event.
Title: Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
Post by: alotronic on 21 May, 2019, 08:32:47 am
Finally finished my write up of this great route - recommended, hope they do it again!

https://www.allenoleary.co.uk/2019/05/20/invicta-phoenix-400/ (https://www.allenoleary.co.uk/2019/05/20/invicta-phoenix-400/)