Author Topic: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?  (Read 22576 times)

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #25 on: 15 May, 2018, 07:36:07 am »
It may be cheaper and possibly easier if you joined the FFCT or a french touring club (why not the ACP?) if you live in Paris....The schedules published in France are more time constricted - that is that there are less events over a shorter calendar period than AUK imho...

You could ride some BRM events this year to enable to pre qualify - that is able to register for entry earlier in the year which may relieve some stress and jitters!

The advice from ACP to the delegates at the 2018 presentation was that you should aim to complete the longest possible BRM in 2018 in order to be sure of being able to pre-register.  (The pre-registration dates are at http://www.aukweb.net/events/pbp/).   They commented that since 2015 there has been a massive growth in randonneuring (what we call audax) around the world, and their back-of-the-fag-packet calculation was that:
a) if you do not ride any BRMs this season - and therefore are unable to pre-register, you are unlikely to get a place.
b) the available places are unlikely to sell out on the first two pre-registration slots, they think that 400km ought to be sufficient - but no guarantees.     

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #26 on: 15 May, 2018, 08:06:31 am »
The advice from ACP to the delegates at the 2018 presentation was that you should aim to complete the longest possible BRM in 2018 in order to be sure of being able to pre-register. 

I'd not heard this before. I'm probably ok as I have a few longer distance rides on my calendar for this year, including the ACME Grand. For anybody who doesn't yet have longer rides planned and wants to ride PBP, the most cost effective ride to get there must surely be the ACME Grand at £5 (or £4 if you don't use Paypal).

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

T42

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Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #27 on: 15 May, 2018, 08:13:14 am »
I am known as ‘Mr Scrooge’ in my house. PBP is reasonable value for money. My advice is to do it. Most of the positives, money just can’t buy.

This, in spades.  The people of Normandy & Brittany treat PBP as "their" event: great reception, stalls with free (or very cheap) food at the roadside, general atmosphere of celebration.

Go!
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #28 on: 15 May, 2018, 09:01:11 am »
The advice from ACP to the delegates at the 2018 presentation was that you should aim to complete the longest possible BRM in 2018 in order to be sure of being able to pre-register. 

I'd not heard this before.

It's been the standard advice for the last few PBPs. With PBP's quota system the UK has never had a problem - everyone from the UK who wanted to ride PBP who qualified got a place.

I'm not sure that's true for all other countries (including France) and so pre-qualification is probably more important to them (and the OP).

It's also unsurprising that ACP are recommending people ride Audaxes.

I'm probably ok as I have a few longer distance rides on my calendar for this year, including the ACME Grand. For anybody who doesn't yet have longer rides planned and wants to ride PBP, the most cost effective ride to get there must surely be the ACME Grand at £5 (or £4 if you don't use Paypal).

Cost effective by just entry fee alone sure, but the ACME Grand will end up costing you considerably more than a fully catered local 400 that should be enough for pre-qualification.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

whosatthewheel

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #29 on: 15 May, 2018, 09:25:20 am »
The entry fee was €115 euros in 2015. The cost of the jersey was €30 euros.  The pre ride meal was €13 euros. If you remember your userid and password you can still log in to see these details.

That makes more sense. 200 Euros for nothing did sound a bit of an-anti Audax

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #30 on: 15 May, 2018, 09:29:47 am »
The entry fee was €115 euros in 2015. The cost of the jersey was €30 euros.  The pre ride meal was €13 euros. If you remember your userid and password you can still log in to see these details.

That makes more sense. 200 Euros for nothing did sound a bit of an-anti Audax

Even if it was 200 Euros, it's a an awful lot of logistics, organisation, facilities, route-marking. A little more than 'nothing.'

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #31 on: 15 May, 2018, 10:54:06 am »
pre-ride meal (€13), jersey (€30)

The pre-ride meal was a bit of a waste of money though, given that they had run out of food by about 3pm  ::-)

FWIW, I think PBP is extremely good value in itself but some of the controls are a bit hit and miss.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #32 on: 15 May, 2018, 11:00:16 am »

The advice from ACP to the delegates at the 2018 presentation was that you should aim to complete the longest possible BRM in 2018 in order to be sure of being able to pre-register.  (The pre-registration dates are at http://www.aukweb.net/events/pbp/).   They commented that since 2015 there has been a massive growth in randonneuring (what we call audax) around the world,

The components of that growth were in place before 2015, and were apparent at LEL 2013. The trend towards a global intake might mean problems with numbers of volunteers.

When PBP was a majority French affair, there was a natural progression into supporting the event. When I first rode, there was more informal support, as at Gorron. It will be interesting to see if PBP follows the trend at LEL, in tapping into a broader volunteer base.

I made a film prior to PBP 2015, looking at emerging trends. Internationalisation, technology and adventure cycling were the main ones. I'd concentrate on volunteers if I made another, as that will determine how much to rely on formal provision, and how much to live off the land.

The pre-ride meal was an interesting example. The catering was through the velodrome, previous PBPs had more volunteer involvement, and there was no problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wOKnul5ylA

wilkyboy

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Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #33 on: 15 May, 2018, 11:54:30 am »
The pre-ride meal was a bit of a waste of money though, given that they had run out of food by about 3pm  ::-)

The problem with a buffet, when several thousand randonneurs are let loose on it to help themselves, is that riders take double what the caterers thought they would, based on normal people.  The group in front of us (I was with Veloman at the time) had the last of the chicken and there were just a couple of bread rolls and scraps of salad left for us and there was still a large and growing queue behind.  That was just after 2.30pm IIRC.  I lasted until Mortagne-au-Perche before being able to buy a sandwich, eight hours later ...

I would pay for the lunch again, because trying to get something off-site would've been a bit of a bun fight to get out of the holding area and then back in again, due to the large crowds, but I'd aim to be near the front of the queue.  Or I might just turn up with a picnic  :thumbsup:
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

rob

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #34 on: 15 May, 2018, 12:10:04 pm »
I'd either eat elsewhere or take some sarnies along and watch the front groups go off.

To be honest I thought there's be huge queues to get into the pens but it was run really efficiently compared to previous events where we hung around the gymnase for hours waiting to set off.

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #35 on: 15 May, 2018, 12:18:10 pm »
The Cheese and Salami I packed in my bar bag saw me through the wait and the first bit to Mortagne  :thumbsup:

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #36 on: 15 May, 2018, 12:21:56 pm »
I was there just behind you, Wilkyboy.  Fortunately, I saw the queue to get in, spoke to someone coming out and learned that the food had run out in time to go back into the town centre and get a decent lunch before heading for the pens.  The benefit of the allocated start time was that you didn't have to get there much before then, so there was just about enough time to eat and not much hanging around waiting to get moving.  Much better than previous years.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

whosatthewheel

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #37 on: 15 May, 2018, 01:47:28 pm »
pre-ride meal (€13), jersey (€30)

The pre-ride meal was a bit of a waste of money though, given that they had run out of food by about 3pm  ::-)

FWIW, I think PBP is extremely good value in itself but some of the controls are a bit hit and miss.

I find the North of France in general is a bit hit and miss. We did eat (and drink) well in the Loire valley around Saumur, otherwise it has always been a disappointment... I can recall some truly horrendous meals in Troyes, in Bethune, in Lille and in Roubaix, in St. Malo' and even in Tours...

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #38 on: 15 May, 2018, 02:05:48 pm »
The advice from ACP to the delegates at the 2018 presentation was that you should aim to complete the longest possible BRM in 2018 in order to be sure of being able to pre-register. 

I'd not heard this before.

It's been the standard advice for the last few PBPs. With PBP's quota system the UK has never had a problem - everyone from the UK who wanted to ride PBP who qualified got a place.

I don't believe there are national quotas this time round, just 'entries are open until the event is full'. Each year they have had an entry limit, they've accepted a few more than their published limit and managed to accommodate everybody who entered but I suspect they'll actually top out next year and some folk will miss out. My bet is that even completing a 200 BRM this year would be enough to get in but I've been wrong plenty of times before.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #39 on: 15 May, 2018, 02:26:24 pm »
pre-ride meal (€13), jersey (€30)

The pre-ride meal was a bit of a waste of money though, given that they had run out of food by about 3pm  ::-)

FWIW, I think PBP is extremely good value in itself but some of the controls are a bit hit and miss.

I find the North of France in general is a bit hit and miss. We did eat (and drink) well in the Loire valley around Saumur, otherwise it has always been a disappointment... I can recall some truly horrendous meals in Troyes, in Bethune, in Lille and in Roubaix, in St. Malo' and even in Tours...

Blimey, you must be fairly unlucky.

In any case, don't conflate the food in Northern France (typically bloody lovely in my own experience) with the food at the controls.  The food at controls is, understandably, "Canteen Quality" in order to deal with thousands of cyclists passing through.  Sloppy Pasta, Soup, baguettes, Rice dishes..etc.

I'm of the opinion that if the food doesn't taste that good then you haven't cycled far enough yet*

* I even eat tinned peaches in cold Rice Pudding at one specific Welsh control (Kudos for naming the control and the ride). 
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #40 on: 15 May, 2018, 02:58:30 pm »
Cost to enter will probably be about €200-250, but you'll also have to buy your own food and wine along the way.

Doesn't seem particularly good value if 200 quid don't get you any food. 6000 cyclists time 200 means over a million pound budget... one should be able to buy a few baguette with that kind of money...  ::-)

To put this in perspective in french club terms some members of my FFCT affiliated club will be spending about 400€ to do a cyclo-montagnard with minibus hire, accomodation for 3 nights, fuel and entries. I am not one because I can't afford that sort of outlay (and also because every time I try one there's a heatwave which is not my thing). PBP doesn't seem a bad deal for people used to that level of spending for their hobby.

whosatthewheel

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #41 on: 15 May, 2018, 02:59:44 pm »


* I even eat tinned peaches in cold Rice Pudding at one specific Welsh control (Kudos for naming the control and the ride).

I thought they were a must at all controls... I always find them :-)

Audax pasta is typically dire, everything else is generally fine with me

The fact that France is great for food is a bit of a myth... if you are talking about fine dining, then maybe, but the average 20-30 quid per head restaurant in the north of france is squallid, with poor hygiene standards and very mediocre food.
There are exceptions, not many...

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #42 on: 15 May, 2018, 04:32:47 pm »
The advice from ACP to the delegates at the 2018 presentation was that you should aim to complete the longest possible BRM in 2018 in order to be sure of being able to pre-register. 

I'd not heard this before.

It's been the standard advice for the last few PBPs. With PBP's quota system the UK has never had a problem - everyone from the UK who wanted to ride PBP who qualified got a place.

I don't believe there are national quotas this time round, just 'entries are open until the event is full'.

AFAIK there were no national quotas in 2015, and there has been absolutely no mention of them for 2019, either in the January 2018 presentation in Paris, or in the published documentation.
As LWaB says 'entries are open until the event is full'.

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #43 on: 15 May, 2018, 05:04:28 pm »
Last time I got in without a qualifier in 2014, mainly because I didn't know there was a BRM list  :-\ . Now I do.

Total cost for me was about £750, mainly because I drove across and stayed in a Chambre d'hote I use each year near Neufchatel and then a hotel near the start. I carried snacks and bought meals only at the controls, mainly due to being a vedette and having a tighter time limit.

I'm aiming for 2019 but this time will aim to ride on a vintage road bike or Raleigh Twenty, probably a Twenty which I'm picking up tomorrow.

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #44 on: 15 May, 2018, 05:53:01 pm »
* I even eat tinned peaches in cold Rice Pudding at one specific Welsh control (Kudos for naming the control and the ride).
Memories of this on the National 400 a couple of years ago, but that was Upton Magna I think.

LMT

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #45 on: 15 May, 2018, 08:06:25 pm »
The advice from ACP to the delegates at the 2018 presentation was that you should aim to complete the longest possible BRM in 2018 in order to be sure of being able to pre-register. 

I'd not heard this before. I'm probably ok as I have a few longer distance rides on my calendar for this year, including the ACME Grand. For anybody who doesn't yet have longer rides planned and wants to ride PBP, the most cost effective ride to get there must surely be the ACME Grand at £5 (or £4 if you don't use Paypal).

I'd go with the Flatlands, at £8 and an 'easy' 600. Worked for me back in 2014.

wilkyboy

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Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #46 on: 15 May, 2018, 08:26:08 pm »
* I even eat tinned peaches in cold Rice Pudding at one specific Welsh control (Kudos for naming the control and the ride).

BCM, Kings Youth Hostel, obviously  ::-) ;)
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Tomsk

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Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #47 on: 15 May, 2018, 08:49:25 pm »
* I even eat tinned peaches in cold Rice Pudding at one specific Welsh control (Kudos for naming the control and the ride).

'Goldfish Inna Cup', as we call it in Essex...the Audax Food of Champions  :thumbsup:

Phil W

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #48 on: 15 May, 2018, 09:37:39 pm »
* I even eat tinned peaches in cold Rice Pudding at one specific Welsh control (Kudos for naming the control and the ride).

BCM, Kings Youth Hostel, obviously  ::-) ;)

Tinned peaches and rice pudding were available at Llanwrtyd Wells on Mille Cymru in 2014

Phil W

Re: Paris–Brest–Paris in 2019 – what steps to get there?
« Reply #49 on: 15 May, 2018, 09:39:28 pm »
I got bugger all at the pre ride meal so went over the bridge and had pizza. That saw me to  Montagne where a bar on the hill gave me free frites and a beer. That then saw me to Villaines.