Author Topic: Bike inspection times  (Read 3016 times)

Bike inspection times
« on: 09 May, 2019, 12:14:29 am »
For the 90 hours I understand the bike inspection must take place on the Saturday 17th along with picking up the registration package.  Do we know what hours on Saturday this must happen?
Unless you are lucky enough to be staying nearby it seems a bit inconvenient to come to Rambouillet on the Saturday and then return again on Sunday ready for an evening start. Why couldn't they also inspect on the Sunday morning? It seems like a lot of hanging around waiting for the start.

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #1 on: 09 May, 2019, 06:04:06 am »
I think they are conducting bike inspections and signing on for the 84hr group on Sunday morning/early PM.

rob

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #2 on: 09 May, 2019, 07:08:48 am »
It’s not a matter of what is convenient for the riders.

They need enough time to process getting on for 5,000 people.

The window has previously been something like 10:00-18:00 and you choose a slot when you fully enter.

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #3 on: 09 May, 2019, 10:11:15 am »
I know it is no small task to inspect 5000+ bikes. If you fail the inspection do you get a chance to put it right for the start? What happens if you miss your slot for some reason out of your control?

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #4 on: 09 May, 2019, 10:16:20 am »
I know it is no small task to inspect 5000+ bikes. If you fail the inspection do you get a chance to put it right for the start? What happens if you miss your slot for some reason out of your control?

You're in France, so they won't be too strict on it, if you don't overdo it.
Same if you're too early, when they have time, they'll do the bike cheack ahead of time without a fuss.

The bike check is not only about having your bike check. It's great to hang around with many other PBP riders. Expect the bike check itself to last only a few minutes but you'll spend quite a few hours chatting with other riders.

Redlight

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Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #5 on: 09 May, 2019, 10:30:45 am »
Coming to the start on the Saturday is a key part of the PBP experience, IMO. Apart from the bike check and picking up your brevet card, jersey, etc., it's great to meet other riders from all over the world.  Think of it as the United Nations of Lycra.  There's usually lots going on in the velodrome itself and the surrounding town is full of cyclists. 

If you're not staying too far away, you'll probably find there are other people riding over to the check-in so you can get a little peloton together. In any case, getting out for a short-ish steady ride the day before is a good chance to give the bike a shakedown and loosen your muscles ahead of the event itself.

It's also worth checking out the first few kilometres of the route and familiarising yourself with the assorted bit of street furniture, traffic calming and roadside drains, which are easily missed (and then not missed!) in the excitement of starting the ride in a huge fast-moving bunch.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #6 on: 09 May, 2019, 10:36:45 am »
Thanks for the insight into the Saturday and Sunday before the start, it does sound like a valuable time to spend preparing and getting into the vibe.

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #7 on: 09 May, 2019, 11:19:42 am »
You'll get to choose your bike inspection time when you register. So you get it done when you pick up your documents and card.

The arrangements have evolved over the years. At one time there was a prologue, initially into Paris, and compulsory in 1992. The start time has varied a bit, it was on Monday/Tuesday until 2011. Long time participants can fill the empty hours in the pre-ride schedule with the ghosts of past PBPs. The prologue and time spent cruising around the campsite used to occupy some of the time.

Phil W

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #8 on: 09 May, 2019, 05:42:39 pm »
Yep, Saturday is very much about socialising and meeting with participants of different countries. There seems to be a street (not far from the Sheepfold) in Rambouillet where there are a lot of bars / restaurants. So I'd imagine a few will be down there Sat lunchtime and evening.  I'd say it's the main thing you will miss if staying further away.

LMT

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #9 on: 10 May, 2019, 08:17:13 pm »
You'll get to choose your bike inspection time when you register. So you get it done when you pick up your documents and card.

The arrangements have evolved over the years. At one time there was a prologue, initially into Paris, and compulsory in 1992. The start time has varied a bit, it was on Monday/Tuesday until 2011. Long time participants can fill the empty hours in the pre-ride schedule with the ghosts of past PBPs. The prologue and time spent cruising around the campsite used to occupy some of the time.

This

Salvatore

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Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #10 on: 12 May, 2019, 10:17:04 am »
At one time there was a prologue, initially into Paris, and compulsory in 1992.

It was sort-of compulsory (and it was 1991). You had to find your own way to the Hôtel de Ville on Monday lunchtime. (My method was to follow signs for Paris and make for the Eifel Tower when it came into view - the HdV is nearby.) The message was that if you didn't get your card stamped there you'd be given a two-hour penalty. The organisers didn't want the embarrassment of two men and a dog in an empty square listening to Jacques Chirac and seeing him present a medal to Oppy. In the end there was a good turnout (look for Oppy in the white hat), and the roads were closed for the first part or the ride back to SQY.

But it was a very hot day. Some riders took the train (no-one minded how you got there as long as you were there), and others just decided to take the penalty and relax in SQY, including a British trikie on the 84-hour start who would normally have got round with plenty of hours in hand. Unfortunately said rider suffered 'digestive issues' and scraped home in about 83 hours, fully expecting the time penalty to make him HD. However, as it was the PBP du Centenaire, the organisers decided to celebrate by declaring an amnesty on all penalties and his 83-hour time stood.

Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Re: Bike inspection times
« Reply #11 on: 13 May, 2019, 01:01:08 pm »
In 2015, my time check was 09:15 on the Saturday morning and I was not in the first time slot, a lot of others may have been through before me and they may have started as early as 08:00. The check was over in seconds, once the officials had worked out how to turn on my 2 AA battery front light on to my amusement and also my rear, checked my brakes, bounced the bike up and down to see if anything fell off it was all over. Once that was out of the way, it was bike back in the car, rest of the day was mine and as others have said, just take in the scenes around the start.