Assorted Tips for Randonneurs

[Karla]

Clean your bike a week before the event not 48h before.

Don't ask how I've found this out!

How did you find that out ?

I think he's referring to when he discovered his frame was cracked, just before LEL.

[Panoramix]

Clean your bike a week before the event not 48h before.

Don't ask how I've found this out!

How did you find that out ?

I think he's referring to when he discovered his frame was cracked, just before LEL.

Thank you for replying correctly to the question that was not to be asked. 

For the tip, seriously I mean it, for all 400+ rides I now wash my bike a week berfore.

[MattH]

One I was told a while back - make sure you do your pee stop at the bottom of a climb rather than the top. It's more comfortable that way, and you're not lugging that unnecessary weight up the top

[Greenbank]

Clean your bike a week before the event not 48h before.

Don't ask how I've found this out!

How did you find that out ?

I think he's referring to when he discovered his frame was cracked, just before LEL.

Thank you for replying correctly to the question that was not to be asked. 

For the tip, seriously I mean it, for all 400+ rides I now wash my bike a week berfore.

If I ever wash my bike I wash it after the event.

[hellymedic]

One I was told a while back - make sure you do your pee stop at the bottom of a climb rather than the top. It's more comfortable that way, and you're not lugging that unnecessary weight up the top

If you think you need a pee, have one ASAP.
A full bladder can cloud clear thought processes¹, as well as adding unnecessary weight.

1.  A full bladder is a well-known cause of confusion in the elderly.

[hellymedic]

Make a mental list of everything you wish to do at a control and set about doing it without wasting time in queues if possible. List may contain:

Stamp card
Eat
Visit loo
Refill bidons
Obtain food for next leg
Refold route sheet
Change/adjust clothing
Sleep
Sort ot map/gps

Try not to leave a control with any basic need unmet.

Controls eat up time. Control your controls!

[Alouicious]

One I was told a while back - make sure you do your pee stop at the bottom of a climb rather than the top. It's more comfortable that way, and you're not lugging that unnecessary weight up the top

When you pee, look at its colour. If it looks like lager, your starting to get dehydrated. If its the colour of Bitter, you ARE dehydrated. If it looks like Vimto, phone a Paramedic.

[hellymedic]

One I was told a while back - make sure you do your pee stop at the bottom of a climb rather than the top. It's more comfortable that way, and you're not lugging that unnecessary weight up the top

When you pee, look at its colour. If it looks like lager, your starting to get dehydrated. If its the colour of Bitter, you ARE dehydrated. If it looks like Vimto, phone a Paramedic.

If you are peeing in the open, especially if you are a squatting gurl, you may not be able to see your effluent to follow this sage advice.

[Nuncio]

If needing to stop for a between-control nap, leave your bike pointing in the direction you want to travel when you wake up.  If you need to know why this is a good idea, ask Salvatore.  He will also be able to provide you with a description of the literal meaning of deja vue.

There’s another tip for similar circumstances when you want to avoid fellow well-meaning randonneurs stopping to check you’re OK, usually by waking you up.  But I can’t remember what it is.  I think it’s some sort of convention relating to lights but if so, it depends on everyone knowing the convention.  It may be safer to carry a ‘Do not disturb’ sign in the saddle bag and to deploy it when necessary.

[Alouicious]

One I was told a while back - make sure you do your pee stop at the bottom of a climb rather than the top. It's more comfortable that way, and you're not lugging that unnecessary weight up the top

When you pee, look at its colour. If it looks like lager, your starting to get dehydrated. If its the colour of Bitter, you ARE dehydrated. If it looks like Vimto, phone a Paramedic.

If you are peeing in the open, especially if you are a squatting gurl, you may not be able to see your effluent to follow this sage advice.

This is where white tissues come good.

[Alouicious]

If needing to stop for a between-control nap, leave your bike pointing in the direction you want to travel when you wake up.  If you need to know why this is a good idea, ask Salvatore.  He will also be able to provide you with a description of the literal meaning of deja vue.

There’s another tip for similar circumstances when you want to avoid fellow well-meaning randonneurs stopping to check you’re OK, usually by waking you up.  But I can’t remember what it is.  I think it’s some sort of convention relating to lights but if so, it depends on everyone knowing the convention.  It may be safer to carry a ‘Do not disturb’ sign in the saddle bag and to deploy it when necessary.

Take your racecape pack out of your back pocket and use it as a pillow. That tells passers by you are taking a nap.
In warm dry weather, lie the bike down and rest the racecape pack on one of the wheels to prop your head up.
In wet weather, find a shelter and tie the bike with string or fishing line to a part of your body. If anyone moves your bike, you'll know about it.

[Euan Uzami]

If needing to stop for a between-control nap, leave your bike pointing in the direction you want to travel when you wake up.  If you need to know why this is a good idea, ask Salvatore.  He will also be able to provide you with a description of the literal meaning of deja vue.

There’s another tip for similar circumstances when you want to avoid fellow well-meaning randonneurs stopping to check you’re OK, usually by waking you up.  But I can’t remember what it is.  I think it’s some sort of convention relating to lights but if so, it depends on everyone knowing the convention.  It may be safer to carry a ‘Do not disturb’ sign in the saddle bag and to deploy it when necessary.

Maybe to turn your lights off, because if you'd fell off, your light s would still be on.
It wouldn't be good if you did crash and the do not disturb sign fell out

[Hot Flatus]

To avoid any confusion whatsoever, change into a comfortable pair of pyjamas before attempting a roadside nap.

Let this be the new convention.

[TOBY]

To avoid any confusion whatsoever, change into a comfortable pair of pyjamas before attempting a roadside nap.

Let this be the new convention.

if you do this remember DO NOT ENTER TESCO - even just for a packet of fags and even if they're your tidy pair.

[Hot Flatus]

Well you wouldn't go in scruffy pyjamas would you?  

People gets offensive, like.

[jogler]

Don't ride past a lunatic asylum at 0400 in the morning on a 400 when its 0 C outside.

They'll send someone out to get you.

 

[TOBY]

Well you wouldn't go in scruffy pyjamas would you?  

Poeple gets offensive, like.

<knuckles> safe </knuckles>