First 600

[Divingrob]

I'm thinking about plans for 2016, I have my 100,200,300,400 rides sorted but maybe I'd like to have a go at a 600. Any recommendations for a first ever 600. I'm based in Derby.

Thanks

[LMT]

There's a 600 that runs out of Alfreton which is good for first timers.

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-914/

Link to the event which ran back in May.

[Aunt Maud]

The Bryan Chapman of course.

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/16-195/

[L CC]

Wait and see how you get on with the other rides.
Not being a PBP year there should be less panic entering. 4-6 weeks beforehand is time enough, and the summer calendar isn't complete.

[Hummers]

Where are you based and what is your mobility?

H

[hillbilly]

An almost complete list of 600s and the dates they will run will be published in the next edition of Arrivee.  I think this is due to be published in November.

I'd suggest waiting for that, as part of the consideration for a new SR is the recovery time between the 400 and 600 - normally I'd suggest leaving at least 3-4 weeks between them. This may, or may not, rule out some events (the Bryan Chapman, for example, is usually run quite early in the AUK season where others, such as the 3 Coasts, can be a bit later).

[marcusjb]

Solid advice from others on waiting and seeing how things go with the build up. 

The calendar is far from decided yet and towards the back end of the year, things should all be published. 

A post-PBP year tends to be a calmer year for many whilst they make up for not being around in the PBP year and tackle all those jobs around the house they put off etc.!

Don't rush into things - as Billy says, rides like the BCM are very early in the season whereas there are rides that run well into summer (Buzzard etc.) and even rides in September (tomsk has run his Flatlands 600 then).

Derby is pretty central, so you should be able to reach many great events as you get ready.

Bon courage!

[Aunt Maud]

There are loads of people who do The Bryan Chapman as their first 600 and there's plenty of TLC available, The Buzzard and The flatlands, on the other hand, are X rated and thats not a good thing for a first 600.

[fussballclub]

BCM but what now that I bumped into Andy Corless at 4.00am on a Wednesday morning for breakfast at Quédillac?

[Wobbly]

And don't forget Perms.

http://www.aukweb.net/perms/?Dist_min=600&Dist_max=&Aaa=&Region=midlands

[alfapete]

I'm thinking about plans for 2016, I have my 100,200,300,400 rides sorted but maybe I'd like to have a go at a 600. Any recommendations for a first ever 600. I'm based in Derby.

I'm hoping to do an SR for the first time too - be interested to know what you've chosen for the 300 and 400 - my plan was to do these before getting too far with thinking about the 600. Thought I might do a 300 in October (ECE a 200?) before the days get too short - hoping to make the task for next year less intimidating this way.

[caerau]

I'm not sure I see why X-rated events get such a warning - personally I like them as it makes it very easily and flexible to control quickly and efficiently as you just find a shop or cashpoint to get PoP and move on.  The Buzzard has a very easy and on-route Travelodge at 350 km (Tiverton) which I think is ideal to stop for sleep at on a 600k.  Was my first 600 and I'd recommend it - it's a lovely varied ride.


That said, I agree that there's no hurry and there's plenty of time to see what's out there.

[mattc]

Surely a manned control is as quick as a cash-point, but with the added benefit of optional food?

(and most villagey hally controls will feed you quicker than a shop.)

Not that I'm doing down X-events -have ridden plenty, and will continue - but they certainly have their disadvantages.

[Whitedown Man]

I'm not sure I see why X-rated events get such a warning - personally I like them as it makes it very easily and flexible to control quickly and efficiently as you just find a shop or cashpoint to get PoP and move on.  The Buzzard has a very easy and on-route Travelodge at 350 km (Tiverton) which I think is ideal to stop for sleep at on a 600k.  Was my first 600 and I'd recommend it - it's a lovely varied ride.

Seconded ... the flexibility to do things your own way makes x-rated an excellent choice for your first 600 (but YMMV) and The Buzzard is a great blend of really interesting riding, controls in towns big enough to have lots of good options but small enough not to be unpleasant to ride through, and hilly enough to be interesting but not leg-breaking.

[caerau]

Surely a manned control is as quick as a cash-point, but with the added benefit of optional food?

(and most villagey hally controls will feed you quicker than a shop.)

Not that I'm doing down X-events -have ridden plenty, and will continue - but they certainly have their disadvantages.

Depends on the control - the BCM has some very slow controls in my experience (Tre'r ddol 2014 being a prime example).  Some compulsory cafe stops on others can be very off-putting too - being in a queue at a cafe where 20 riders in front all want a full english doesn't generally inspire me to stay and eat. It varies basically, the only thing that I think may be a disadvantage on x-rated events in my opinion is the potential for being alone when not-wanted but then since I generally am alone being a yo-yo companion at best most of the time I suppose my experience is not typical.

[fussballclub]

Nothing against the controls at the BCM please. They are epic. Like me this year on day two you spend all your time on the bike.

[Feanor]

FWIW, I travelled from the North of Scotlandland to ride the BCM as my first 600.
I would do the same again, if I went back in time.
Highly recommended.

The issues regarding slow controls are a bit of a non-issue IMHO on a typical 600.
Only the first control will have a bulge of riders; and even then I didn't have any delay at Bronley's. <sp!>
Beyond that, it's spread out, and the controls are not so busy.
It's not PBP, after all.

I've done a few more now, mostly X-rated.

The main difference it makes is organising a sleep-stop yourself.
That might be a hotel, your own house in the case of a DIY, or a ditch / bus shelter according to preference.
Personally, I like a wee bit of comfort and have always arranged for a proper sleep stop, even if it's only for 5 hours sleep.

I don't aim to finish a 600 in a fast time; I aim to use the available time to maximise my sleep-time whilst still finishing with a reasonable margin for mechanicals etc.

[caerau]

Nothing against the controls at the BCM please. They are epic. Like me this year on day two you spend all your time on the bike.

You didn't ride in 2014 then.  Noone was impressed with Tre'r ddol inlcuding Ritchie seeing as I've discussed it with him.  It was muchly better this year  although an alternative was arranged in case it was a hold up again.


To be fair though, my stance softened this year when I noticed the notice in the cafe stating that it was purely volunteer run and noone was being paid.  Can't really complain about the beyond-the-call of duty service, just maybe that a quick co-op stop would have worked better.


Put it this way, would you appreciate turning up to a cafe control to be confronted with a 20 minute queue, to find most food had run out and then after you'd ordered, the discovery that you *then* had to queue again (for a while) to pay/get your receipt?  It was not good at all that year.

[Aunt Maud]

Alright, one control was a bit crowded on The BCM if you were unfortunate enough to be with the bunch, but it really wasn't that bad.

Otherwise its got a lot going for it as a 600; the controls are really nice, the views are stunning, it feels like an epic ride, it's not too hilly, there's stunning detours if you feel the need to see the sights, the navigation is really easy and you get to go over Pen-y-Pass at sunset.

[caerau]

Yes indeed - wasn't really my point  - just that X-rated controls are potentially quicker with no queues at all.


Does depend there too of course, have been frustrated before by a local shopkeeper having a long chat with a single customer buying newspaper in front of me before now too 

[Whitedown Man]

Two BCM questions. "Not too hilly?" The event website says 8300m and the AUK website says 7500m. Either way, on the face of it that seems pretty hilly to me (compare The Buzzard at 5600m).

Second, how early does the entry decision need to be made? In an ideal world I'd prefer to wait until the full set of 600km+ events are in the calendar before deciding which ones to ride, as real life only allows me one weekend per month away from family commitments.

[caerau]

The BCM has big steady climbs so isn't as hard as it may look - lots of fun downhills too and much recovery time between climbs.  Other 600s with similar climbing figures such as the Kernow and Southwest are much harder by all accounts.


I found the climbing on the Buzzard just as tough personally.  It's not flat at all when you get to the West Country. My GPS reports have the Buzzard as the ride I've done with the most climbing having also done the BCM so go figure - I don't really believe that though.

[caerau]

The BCM is popular so may sell out fairly well in advance through paypal online entries.  I doubt very much that the Buzzard will sell out at all, it's not the signature legend event that the BCM is.

[marcusjb]

Two BCM questions. "Not too hilly?" The event website says 8300m and the AUK website says 7500m. Either way, on the face of it that seems pretty hilly to me (compare The Buzzard at 5600m).

Second, how early does the entry decision need to be made? In an ideal world I'd prefer to wait until the full set of 600km+ events are in the calendar before deciding which ones to ride, as real life only allows me one weekend per month away from family commitments.

BCM obviously has a lot of climbing, however, much of that climbing is of the long and gradual type and very little of it cuts across the grain of the terrain. Whilst you will need your climbing legs, there are plenty of rides out there with similar, or lower, climbing figures that are absolute brutes of rides with all the climbing being short and sharp stuff that saps your energy as you are up and down like a yo yo all day.

The calendar should be about there by November, though some of the later 600s might not be in there. There should be less pressure on committing to a 600 next year as many riders will be on a slightly fallow year post PBP. BCM does usually sell out, but the fact it is postal entry in my opinion works in it's favour as it stops people just clicking a button and entering. Whether that does contribute to a better DNS figure, I don't know - but that is my perception.

But, overall, don't stress about it - I certainly won't be booking rides until next year as I need to know how business is etc.  I already have various 'save the date' cards for weddings etc., so have some weekends blocked out (including the BCM weekend, which is a bit of a pain as the climbing type would be great preparation for my summer plans, so I was planning to return to the BCM. Oh well, can't ride them all and that should be a very fun wedding).

[Whitedown Man]

Thx Caerau & Marcusjb ... I might plump for a 1 x 600k per month strategy in 2016 and ditch 400s altogether - as a full value rider a 400 costs me a whole weekend anyway by the time I've returned home and caught up on sleep.

And as this thread is about 1sts, I'm targeting my first 1000k ride in 2016 - what 1000k ride does the YACF hive mind recommend?