Six Hundred Super Saturday (BCM/Brimstone/Beast ft East/Flatlands)

[red marley]

Looks like we have our own Super Saturday on the 23rd May. The Bryan Chapman, the Brimstone, the Beast from the East and the Flatlands all setting off at 6am for 600km of fun. And a bank holiday Monday for recovery too. There's a choice of no hills, some hills, some more hills or some even more hills.

So who's doing which one?

I would have liked to have done three from that list, but have gone for Beast from the East as I can ride to the start from home, it only magically appears once every four years and is a cracking ride with great food^* and TLC from the team.


^*The huevos rancheros served at Middle Wallop in 2011 was one of my all time bestest meals evva, closely followed by at the all-you-can-eat puddin' buffet at the arrivee.

[marcusjb]

Don't know yet.

I'd got the Flatlands on the radar if the tandem attempt is still going, but it's a bit too early for that.

I suspect I will be involved in the Beast From The East as it's a WCC ride (and I owe Assassin a big favour for his help on the ESCA 24 this year).

Brimstone is a very, very fine 600 and is the perfect end to a Wessex SR.  Partly because you're usually much fitter by the time 600s come around, I found it less challenging than the earlier rides in the Wessex SR. 

BCM - well, it's the BCM. 

[Cycling Daddy]

I am walking doing the three peaks challenge that weekend.

[vorsprung]

Looks like we have our own Super Saturday on the 23rd May. The Bryan Chapman, the Brimstone, the Beast from the East and the Flatlands all setting off at 6am for 600km of fun. And a bank holiday Monday for recovery too. There's a choice of no hills, some hills, some more hills or some even more hills.

So who's doing which one?

The Brimstone is a Wessex SR thing - so that's a no
I assume the Flatlands goes around the hill less waste lands of Eastern England - probably not for me
The Beast from the East route has some good bits but it starts from Waltham Abbey and spends rather too much time in the SE

So it's the BCM

[teethgrinder]

When I read the thread title I thought you was thinking of joining all the rides up for a mega-perm.

Beast from the East would probably be my choice, just because it's only on every PBP year.

[Henry]

Monsieur with these choice of rides you're really spoiling us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P-nZZkQqTc

BCM for me, as I need to minimise time away from home with the SR rides this season, and can ride to and from the start.

[Frank9755]

I'm touring in France that weekend so will miss the lot.  It's a bit of a shame that they are not a bit more spread out - but there are other weekends I can make.

[Tomsk]

When I pencilled the Flatlands in the planner, I was puzzled as to why other organisers were choosing other dates: with the Bank Hol Monday to recover, its the prime slot for a 600.....so some re-jigging has gone on since then!

I was going to schedule mine as a last-chance ride, but ACP changed the qualifying period and the last weekend for qualifying in June clashed with other stuff.

[Veloman]

Well, there is a 600 available over 5 weekends commencing 23 May giving a total of 16 to choose from.

As it is a holiday weekend, I'm tempted to see what is available overseas.  Plenty in the UK after 23 May.

(Although 13 June looks like one to miss!)

[rob]

Flatlands. Starts an hour from home and can kip at my Mum's place at 2/3rds. Bank Holiday Monday means I don't use any annual leave and qualifying is out the way meaning I can switch to riding TTs for June and July.

[Ray 6701]

Quite fancy the beast (usual travel logistics permitting)
It's a new area to me & if it's only run every 4 years I better have a go at it while I can.

The start is 14 miles from London euston so I'm in 

[LMT]

Having already done it this year it will be the Flatlands again. Easy to get to and the ride is superb on good roads with good commercial controls.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

none of the above.  Feel like its time I visited Kernow again.

[Pete Mas]

Whilst I have ridden both the BC and Brimstone several times each, including finishing the latter with about 5 mins to spare in bad weather this year, the Beast from the East is a ride I've unfinished business with - in 2007 my first SR year I was out of time after about 500k.

So I think I will choose the Beast. Maybe 2016  for the Flatlands?

[Hummers]

That weekend is no 1 son's stag weekend.

As a result, I have to opt for the K&SW.

H

[Ian H]

That weekend is no 1 son's stag weekend.

As a result, I have to opt for the K&SW.

H

Oh dear. Better buy in the disposable bed linen, then.

[Lars]

Heartbreakingly unfortunate clash. Have done Flatlands and BCM twice, and Brimstone once. And would like to do the Willesden SR since their rides tend to be very good, and haven't done the 400 or the 600.

BCM, while a great event, is out due to the postal entry, being rather far away and likely to be oversubscribed from an army of SW locals going for it. Have already entered the Flatlands and the other Essex rides since they are local, enjoyable, and I want to support them.

Would ideally like to be able to do Flatlands as a helper's ride, route checking. If that would be feasible leaves Beast vs Brimstone. Very hard choice. Doing the perm version of Brimstone (Hellfire) could be a good July adventure to keep going as an intermediate goal after the qualifiers. Strange having to face this decision when the calendar tends to not have a lot of tough clashes most of the year. 

[SR Steve]

I might be away with the family that weekend and during the following week, but can't make any plans yet as it's too early for my wife to book her leave and she has to fit in with colleagues.

If I had to choose between them, it would be the BCM. I was hoping that it would be on 16/17 May.

I have entered the K&SW and Pendle later on in the season.

[Euan Uzami]

I think only the bcm is the only one that's not too hilly or not hilly enough for my liking, but with any luck I'll still be in Halifax and I'll just pop down the road for the 3 coasts...that and the northern one which looks great, that gives one qualifier and one backup

[Veloman]

Would ideally like to be able to do Flatlands as a helper's ride, route checking. If that would be feasible leaves Beast vs Brimstone.

Are you able to effectively ride 2 events on the same day?

I realise you would not be actually riding 2 events on the same day, but it would mean homologation of 2 events that take place on the same weekend.  Never realised this was possible.

[Tomsk]

I'll be doing a Helper's Ride for my own event, probably the weekend before [16th/17th May]. I'd like to have done the BCM, so maybe the Buzzard in June, or else ride up to the York Rally that weekend [more or less the Flatlands route - again  ] and maybe the Mersey 24 on 18th July. A good long perm somewhere further afield too; I've still got a yearning to go up to Edinburgh on the sleeper and do the Twilight 600: did the Daylight in 2007 - fantastic ride, apart from the midges.....

[Tomsk]

Would ideally like to be able to do Flatlands as a helper's ride, route checking. If that would be feasible leaves Beast vs Brimstone.

Are you able to effectively ride 2 events on the same day?

I realise you would not be actually riding 2 events on the same day, but it would mean homologation of 2 events that take place on the same weekend.  Never realised this was possible.

Interesting....this would confuse ACP, instead of the other way round 

[Lars]

Would ideally like to be able to do Flatlands as a helper's ride, route checking. If that would be feasible leaves Beast vs Brimstone.

Are you able to effectively ride 2 events on the same day?

I realise you would not be actually riding 2 events on the same day, but it would mean homologation of 2 events that take place on the same weekend.  Never realised this was possible.

Didn't think of that... Maybe not worth it trying for BRMs as the ACP might not approve of the concept of
helpers' rides and refuse to homologate the two rides... Don't think the AUK validation would be any
problems since it's easy to explain what's going on.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

ACP approves of helpers' rides but might be a little less happy about being a helper on an event while riding another event.

The original intent was that a helper actually helped during the event, though AUK stretches things by counting a preride as help.

[Veloman]

Don't think the AUK validation would be any problems since it's easy to explain what's going on.

So am I correct in thinking that AUK have no problems with someone effectively claiming for 2 events on the same day/weekend?

ACP approves of helpers' rides but might be a little less happy about being a helper on an event while riding another event.

The original intent was that a helper actually helped during the event, though AUK stretches things by counting a preride as help.

That was my thoughts and I thought it would also apply to AUK.