Author Topic: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link  (Read 16517 times)

Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #75 on: 25 November, 2014, 03:25:09 am »
I have always found this a well informed board.  One question.  What in the hell is this thread doing  here?  See you gents in Paris.  I'll be the Southerner in the Dolly Parton outfit.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #76 on: 25 November, 2014, 06:34:10 am »
I have always found this a well informed board.  One question.  What in the hell is this thread doing  here?  See you gents in Paris.  I'll be the Southerner in the Dolly Parton outfit.

Worry not. We Will Always Love You too  ;)
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Cycling Daddy

  • "We shall have an adventure by and by," said Don Q
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #77 on: 25 November, 2014, 10:07:41 am »
There is a choice Florida ride coming up I think.  Key West to Fort Meyers (sunshine, considerate drivers, plenty of 24 hour food great support...what is not to like??)
L

Considerate drivers?  Florida?

(Boggles on both pistons)
That was (much to my surprise) my experience, Florida Keys October 2014.  Do you live there??  Supported by legislation (Taxis and buses must have cycle racks, if turning right you  yield to cyclists supported by pretty much ever present and zero tolerance policing.  But it is just one person's experience s who is used to Surrey and central London.
L
Too much sanity may be madness. And maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #78 on: 25 November, 2014, 10:53:31 am »
To be fair to Florida much of my information about their drivers is second-hand and possibly out of date, but my personal experience of the place has left close to the bottom of the list of US states to revisit.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #79 on: 02 December, 2014, 03:38:13 pm »
You might want to keep an eye on the website a date change looks possible (+1 day see http://www.audax.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=395.0)

For those that can't read this it says a final decision will be known in about 10 days.

That was on Nov 22nd so I guess we should be hearing soon...
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #80 on: 02 December, 2014, 04:43:17 pm »

Of the two PBP's I've done, by far the most satisfying memory I hold of of both rides [apart from actually just getting round] is interacting with all different types of overseas riders - some you understand, others you don't, some you like, some you don't. But nevertheless, the International aspect of the event is really fantastic. I really liked that side of the whole thing.

I spent several hours chatting with a Japanese rider in about 10 words of shared English.

I spent the best part of a day and night riding with a Canadian rider (including some impromptu dancing in the street at St Martin du Pre).

It's great, idle chat to pass the miles.  Otherwise it's just so much boring tarmac to look at.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Cycling Daddy

  • "We shall have an adventure by and by," said Don Q
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #81 on: 02 December, 2014, 04:49:19 pm »
From what I can gather for the forum http://parisbrestparis2007.actifforum.com/t4432-lancer-changement-de-date  this is to do with traffic and the local Prefecture unhappy with a Sunday departure...but then they do not like Monday day time either.  I think there is consideration being given to setting off smaller but much more frequent groups, this would not then need official sanction.  An alternative suggestion seems to be to ban the cars, they can all go and join  the traffic jams on the motorway and leave the road for bikes. Personally I would have guessed the rentree to be a week or two later.
L
Too much sanity may be madness. And maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #82 on: 02 December, 2014, 10:05:14 pm »
Given that the event has been taking place for a number of years, presumably this is a new Prefecture.

I have to say, even in the first 100km or so I've not noticed a great deal of traffic around and once you are past the second control the ride is already sufficiently spread out for it not to be an issue, IMO.

All sounds odd.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #83 on: 07 December, 2014, 12:40:35 am »
I wonder what they'd have made of the endless discussions about the EU regulations regarding hi-viz jackets on here four years ago...

Mind you, it did remind me of an American rider who just couldn't handle the toilets at Villaines. I saw him open the door of one portaloo, look at the hole, shake his head and move onto the next one, which was exactly the same. He was still standing and staring when I scarpered, having filled my water bottle.

Having a badly battle damaged undercarriage & a duff back i was of the the same opinion and left town cursing the ***** ****** ******** . I never even found the food hall. In retrospect i suffered badly the whole trip because of the said problems but i survived and would thoroughly recommend the experience to anyone not right in the head Enjoy ;D
When you're too tired to continue you fall off                            

200(7) 300(4) 400(4) 600(3) 1200(1) 1400(1)

Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #84 on: 01 February, 2019, 05:23:44 pm »
I think those responses might relate to (massive generalisation) the typical USA newbie PBPer's tendency to overplan everything, combined with a lack of adaptability when things don't go according to plan.

I had the enduring gratitude from an American in 2011 on the turn out of Brest. Brest control had basically closed down and no food was available.(I was on the 84) . I met him later at a secret control with his riding pals. ' hey! This guy saved my life! ' handshakes etc..
All I did was order a sandwich and an apple pattiserie for him at Boulangerie at Brest..In his defence I'd note that it's not just language skills but noticeing the unfamiliar bakery signs and logos is important.

Bianchi Boy

  • Cycling is my doctor
  • Is it possible for a ride to be too long?
    • Reading Cycling Club
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #85 on: 02 February, 2019, 08:36:29 am »
 
i'm also pondering gears vs ss. the times on my previous audaxes are pretty much identical on both bikes, and the terrain on pbp is very suitable for riding single gear (no steep hills). the disadvantage of ss bike is that i'd need to tension the chain 3-4 times due to wear/stretch, wasting at least 5min!!! :o
:hand:
Remember men on bikes = race
Set a fire for a man and he will be warm for a day, set a man on fire and he is warm for the rest of his life.

Bianchi Boy

  • Cycling is my doctor
  • Is it possible for a ride to be too long?
    • Reading Cycling Club
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #86 on: 02 February, 2019, 08:42:29 am »
I work for a German company. Uncertainty is not tolerated. Every meeting of any significance has to be preceded by a sting to pre-alignment meetings so you are certain of everything that will be said. When reporting on progress everything must be good.

They wonder why they have problems developing software?

 ::-)
Set a fire for a man and he will be warm for a day, set a man on fire and he is warm for the rest of his life.

Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #87 on: 03 February, 2019, 12:01:58 pm »
I work for a German company. Uncertainty is not tolerated.
Do they tolerate the resurrection of issues after 5 years?
Having said that, I thought ESL's 'Uncertainty Avoidance Index' post very interesting (Page 2) when i read through this thread last year.

Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #88 on: 03 February, 2019, 02:06:13 pm »
I work for a German company. Uncertainty is not tolerated.
Do they tolerate the resurrection of issues after 5 years?
Having said that, I thought ESL's 'Uncertainty Avoidance Index' post very interesting (Page 2) when i read through this thread last year.


That's on page 1.

I wrote a piece for the PBP 2015 Plaquette about my overall impressions of the event, after 4 completions and a filming exercise in 2015. The title is in French, and translates as 'Sharing the Inheritance'.

My idea was that PBP is a manifestation of the peripheral France that's been getting publicity with the 'Gilets Jaunes'. That's what makes it so attractive to people from around the world, as that's essentially nostalgic. St Quentin represents the modern world, which we escape from and return to.

I'd be interested to see how the change of start/finish changes that view, as the Bergerie National represents the pre-revolutionary France of the 18th Century.

Everyone is going to have their own view of PBP. Mine is partly conditioned by working in the countryside, so landscape is important, Heather ran a control on LEL five times, so the volunteers catch her eye.

What I wrote was based on the scenes we recorded, so the short article grew out of the video, and became the commentary.

One in English.
https://youtu.be/14cV1fi64MA

One in French.
https://youtu.be/NUdSpkgQvHY

Quote
Partageons le Patrimoine.

2015 marked my fifth participation in Paris Brest Paris. And it was the first time I’d not ridden it on my bicycle .   That was due to an eye operation, I was told not to ride, so I only did the first 140 km to Mortgagne. I was making my fourth film, and the rest of the journey was on a motorbike, with my cameraman David Robinson. He filmed from the bike and I did interviews at the stops.

L'année 2015 a marqué ma cinquième participation à Paris Brest Paris. Et pour la première fois, je n'était pas sur mon vélo.   Cela est dû à une opération de l'oeil, on m'a recommandé de ne pas rouler, alors j'ai fait seulement les 140 premiers kilomètres jusqu'à Mortagne. Je faisais mon quatrième film, et le reste du parcours a été fait sur une moto, avec mon caméraman David Robinson. Il a filmé de la moto et j'ai réalisé des interviews aux arrêts.

Each successive PBP has been different from the last, the bikes change, riders use GPS, they have digital cameras, smartphones and all sorts of ‘devices’ that need charging, sometimes even their derailleurs. There are always new types of machine, this time Elliptigos, in previous editions Rowbikes and Velomobiles.

Chaque PBP successif a été différent du précédent, les vélos changent, les coureurs utilisent le GPS, ils ont des appareils photo numériques, smartphones et toutes sortes d'appareils qui ont besoin d'être rechargés, parfois même leurs dérailleurs. Il y a toujours de nouveaux types de machines, cette fois des Elliptigos, dans les éditions précédentes des Rowbikes et Velomobiles.


The big difference for me this time was in not following the route. To film a variety of riders we needed to ‘jump’ sections of the course. The riders don’t know how well the route is chosen to preserve the ambience of the last century. The more modern the surrounding world becomes, the more the route reflects the past. Whenever we needed to buy fuel for the motorbike, we had to divert into a 21st Century that could be anywhere in the world. The riders do encounter some of the present, at the Depart/ Arrivee and in the big towns, but for much of the time they could be in the 19th Century, give or take the road surfaces.

La grande différence pour moi cette fois-ci a été de ne pas suivre la route. Pour filmer une variété des coureurs, il nous fallait « sauter » des sections du parcours. Les coureurs ne réalisent pas à quel point l'itinéraire est choisi de manièreà préserver l'ambiance du siècle dernier. Plus moderne est le monde qui nous entoure, plus la route reflète le passé. Chaque fois que nous avions besoin de faire le plein de carburant pour la moto, nous avons dû nous détourner vers un 21e siècle qui pourrait être n'importe où dans le monde. Les coureurs rencontrent certains éléments du présent, au départ et à l'arrivee, et dans les grandes villes, mais pour l'essentiel du parcours, ils pourraient être au XIXe siècle, à la qualité de la chaussée près.


London Edinburgh London takes a quiet route too, but the joy of the PBP is in the people along the way. The ride is their inheritance, and it’s often Grandparents and Grandchildren operating the little stalls at the roadside. The parents are leading busy lives in the cities, but every four years there’s a chance for their kids to reconnect with their home turf. Some of the stalls are in the same place every time, but others spring up wherever the children are of an age to relish the magic of the world coming to their little village. It looks like a rite of passage to be allowed to stay up all night, or to help out at a control. It’s charming when the reply to ‘merci’ is ‘c’est ne rien’, which means ‘It’s nothing’, but to us it’s everything.

Londres Edimbourg Londres emprunte aussi une route calme, mais tout le plaisir de PBP est dans la foule le long du chemin. Cette randonnée est leur héritage, et l'on voit souvent des grands-parents et leurs petits-enfants opérant les petits étals au bord de la route. Les parents mènent une vie bien remplie dans les villes, mais tous les quatre ans, leurs enfants ont l'occasion de renouer avec leur terroir. Certains des étals sont au même endroit à chaque fois, mais d'autres surgissent partout où les enfants sont en âge de savourer la magie du monde entier qui vient vers leur petit village. Cela ressemble à un rite de passage pour être autorisés à rester debout toute la nuit, ou pour aider à un contrôle. Il est charmant quand la réponse à « merci » est « ce n'est rien », mais pour nous, c'est tout.

It’s only when you’ve been beyond its immediate environs that you see what an achievement PBP is. It’s a living theatre, where all the world has come to the stage, and it’s unclear who are the performers and who are the audience. I can think of no other event where the boundaries of participation are so blurred, there were around 6,000 official ‘participants’, I think that’s only a starting point in counting the PBP family.

C'est seulement lorsque vous êtes allé au-delà de ses environs immédiats que vous voyez à quel point PBP est une grande réalisation. C'est un théâtre vivant, où le monde entier vient sur scène, et où on ne sait ni qui sont les interprètes, ni qui est le public. Je ne vois aucun autre événement où les limites de la participation sont à ce point floues, on comptait environ 6 000  participants « officiels », je pense que c'est seulement un point de départ lors du comptage de la famille PBP.

http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pbp/plaquettes/2015/052.html


Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #90 on: 07 February, 2019, 12:09:40 pm »
http://susanotcenas.blogspot.com/2014/11/pbp-tips-for-first-timer.html
This is a 2015 thread, Phil, sharing and assessing USA advice for last time.
See the 2019  https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=109669.25
where I linked to Susan's blog/advice a little while ago.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #91 on: 09 February, 2019, 02:05:16 pm »
Those subject to Shermer's Neck may be interested in this:

https://le-velo-urbain.com/pedi-scope-mike-lane-velo-urbain/

I could have used one on our 2014 diagonale.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #92 on: 09 February, 2019, 03:28:20 pm »
Those subject to Shermer's Neck may be interested in this:

https://le-velo-urbain.com/pedi-scope-mike-lane-velo-urbain/

I could have used one on our 2014 diagonale.

If you already have a phone on your handlebars:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/voyeuristic-videotaping-external-corner-mirror-periscope-lens-for-Mobile-phone-camera-general-Samsung-Sony-millet-Meizu/32365337837.html

(Don't blame me if you end up on some sort of watch list)

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Tips for PBP - Not the usual! -- a link
« Reply #93 on: 09 February, 2019, 05:19:30 pm »
Thinking Shermer again: I got a new bike and had a good fit before PBP 2015, and ended up with a bike 3 cm shorter, measuring from where I sat on the saddle to the top of the bars. No Shermer's Neck on that ride.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight