Author Topic: Dutch brevets in 2019  (Read 31075 times)

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #150 on: 14 August, 2019, 09:35:55 pm »

Just looking at the GPX files, there appears to be 2 routes from Bagband until Logabirum.

What is the difference between the two routes?

J

The main route takes a bicycle path and a bit of gravel through woodlands before taking country lanes to Logabirum. The alternative is for people who don't like gravel (or if you're short on time) and takes the main road to Logabirum (but with a good quality bicycle path alongside).

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #151 on: 14 August, 2019, 09:39:37 pm »
The main route takes a bicycle path and a bit of gravel through woodlands before taking country lanes to Logabirum. The alternative is for people who don't like gravel (or if you're short on time) and takes the main road to Logabirum (but with a good quality bicycle path alongside).

Gotcha.

Have made up a custom GPX using the detour, and going all the way to the late close location. Given the wind, I'm likely to be very full value on this ride. Looks like wind isn't going to be cooperating and it's also likely to be damp :( But I have a RrtY to keep going...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #152 on: 14 August, 2019, 10:08:05 pm »
The first 170k is the most exposed part, where the wind will be mostly in your back. My advice would be to push yourself a bit to catch (at least) the 10am ferry. That will give you some time in hand for the ride back.

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #153 on: 14 August, 2019, 10:28:10 pm »
The first 170k is the most exposed part, where the wind will be mostly in your back. My advice would be to push yourself a bit to catch (at least) the 10am ferry. That will give you some time in hand for the ride back.

Yeah, If I can sustain ≥20kph to the ferry, I should be ok. Is there much shelter on the later half of the ride?

Epic ride weather suggests it's gonna be windy, ad then get wet...



J
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Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #154 on: 15 August, 2019, 06:45:18 am »
[...]

Is there much shelter on the later half of the ride?

[...]

Compared to the first half (cf. http://tiny.cc/na37az)? Further from the sea, more houses, more trees, and more villages and towns. But still a fairly open landscape.


quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #155 on: 15 August, 2019, 11:37:15 am »

So that'll be me spending 20 hours on the aero bars...

J
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Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #156 on: 18 August, 2019, 10:34:27 am »


Well that was an experience!

Ended up helping 3 newbies round, 2 had never done an Audax. Before, and one was doing his first 300. Between the 4 of us we had 2 working navigation devices. One on my handlebars, and one in my saddle bag. We worked well in the winds, forming a very effective pace line to get the 4 of us through the headwind at a surprisingly nippy 23kph.

Slugbait lived up to his name, and delivered a plague of slugs upon the route. Which feels kinda unnecessary. It's like the plague of frogs we got on the 300 last October...

Now on a train home

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #157 on: 18 August, 2019, 07:34:15 pm »


Well that was an experience!

Ended up helping 3 newbies round, 2 had never done an Audax. Before, and one was doing his first 300. Between the 4 of us we had 2 working navigation devices. One on my handlebars, and one in my saddle bag. We worked well in the winds, forming a very effective pace line to get the 4 of us through the headwind at a surprisingly nippy 23kph.

Slugbait lived up to his name, and delivered a plague of slugs upon the route. Which feels kinda unnecessary. It's like the plague of frogs we got on the 300 last October...

Now on a train home

J

Thanks for showing the newbies the ropes. First time as an organizer that everybody who started also finished.

I was surprised to hear that the roads were perceived as busy (which definitely was not the case during the recon rides). The next time this ride is on the calendar I'll have to investigate quieter alternatives (and maybe skip the touristic hot spot Greetsiel).

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #158 on: 05 September, 2019, 09:54:51 pm »

Who's going on Saturday?

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #159 on: 05 September, 2019, 09:58:23 pm »

Who's going on Saturday?

J

I'll be going, at least to the start.
I'll be riding my tourer since my shoulder hasn't completely recovered from PBP yet.

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #160 on: 05 September, 2019, 09:59:44 pm »

I'll be going, at least to the start.
I'll be riding my tourer since my shoulder hasn't completely recovered from PBP yet.

Public transport isn't great, so I'm driving down. Kinda means I have to return to the finish, the scratch options aren't exactly numerous on this one.

See you at the start!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #161 on: 05 September, 2019, 10:37:23 pm »

I'll be going, at least to the start.
I'll be riding my tourer since my shoulder hasn't completely recovered from PBP yet.

Public transport isn't great, so I'm driving down. Kinda means I have to return to the finish, the scratch options aren't exactly numerous on this one.

See you at the start!

J

The start is only a few km from Venray station. If you can reach that in time from Amsterdam, that's another question.
There are a number of scratch options, some might involve riding from a German railwaystation across the border to Venray/Merselo.

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #162 on: 05 September, 2019, 11:00:21 pm »

The start is only a few km from Venray station. If you can reach that in time from Amsterdam, that's another question.
There are a number of scratch options, some might involve riding from a German railwaystation across the border to Venray/Merselo.

It's the getting there in time to start that is the problem. First train just doesn't quite work. And then there's getting back...

My hope is that I don't need to scratch. Fingers crossed!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #163 on: 05 September, 2019, 11:15:22 pm »

I got curious and had a play with the homologation data.

Out of a total of 1374 completed rides, 68 are by women (4.9%).

34 individual women completed a Dutch BRM so far this Audax year.

8 of those are Randonneurs NL members.

1 is apparently a member of the YACF club (ACP 160590).

1 is both a Randonneurs NL member, and also a member of Randonneurs Argentina (ACP 985000). Or had an issue with the sign up form...

3 completed an SR series (and only an SR series)

The rider who's done the most individual events is me with 6 (5x200, 1x300).

5 events had only 1 woman homologate.

If we applied AUK points, 3 riders are on 15 points (the 3 that completed an SR series). 4th place is me with 13 points (really 15 if you count the Belgian ride I did too).

Of the 3 that completed an SR series. 2 completed PBP. (putting them on 27 points).

What does all this mean?

I have no idea... Probably that I have too much time on my hands...

Working out the same stats for the men is left as an exercise for someone else, there's way too much data for my work flow (I mostly did it by hand, as it's a small data set).

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #164 on: 05 September, 2019, 11:26:34 pm »

Oh, last year the percentage of homologated rides done by women as 6.4%.

I'll process the rest of the data later.

Oh, big caveat, this assumes everyone signing up spotted the gender symbol can be changed. There may be more women, but they have the wrong gender listed...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #165 on: 06 September, 2019, 07:04:37 am »


Oh, big caveat, this assumes everyone signing up spotted the gender symbol can be changed. There may be more women, but they have the wrong gender listed...



Sorting the list by first name and checking whether the female-looking names are listed as women reveals only two (Anne and Marijke) who got it wrong. I know that "Anne" is potentially a male name in the (Northern) Netherlands, but I've seen her in person.

But maybe next year we should set the default to "female" and see what happens ;)

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #166 on: 06 September, 2019, 09:20:51 am »

1 is apparently a member of the YACF club (ACP 160590).
That would be me.

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #167 on: 07 September, 2019, 11:50:03 pm »

That was a GOOD ride! My fastest ever BRM! I don't know how, but I seem to have found some speed today.

Completed in 10:26.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #168 on: 08 September, 2019, 09:50:47 am »
You were really riding good today.
Your towgroup arrived in Lochem after I arrived
I had to pack in Doetinchem due to my shoulder, kind of expected this to happen.

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #169 on: 08 September, 2019, 10:10:12 am »
You were really riding good today.
Your towgroup arrived in Lochem after I arrived
I had to pack in Doetinchem due to my shoulder, kind of expected this to happen.

The Pelaton of speed (Barbara, Alex, Peter), were brilliant. They dropped me on anything approaching an incline (i.e. bridges), but I usually over took everyone descending the other side.

It was so refreshing to ride with other people, I'm so used to doing these events essentially solo.

'Tis a lovely route too!

My AUK RrtY is now on it's 4th month, and my RNL is on it's 3rd. I'd been debating not trying to do a 2nd this year, but I kinda seem to be doing so. Wish RNL would run 2 events in December tho...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #170 on: 08 September, 2019, 10:59:22 am »
You were really riding good today.
Your towgroup arrived in Lochem after I arrived
I had to pack in Doetinchem due to my shoulder, kind of expected this to happen.

The Pelaton of speed (Barbara, Alex, Peter), were brilliant. They dropped me on anything approaching an incline (i.e. bridges), but I usually over took everyone descending the other side.

It was so refreshing to ride with other people, I'm so used to doing these events essentially solo.

'Tis a lovely route too!

My AUK RrtY is now on it's 4th month, and my RNL is on it's 3rd. I'd been debating not trying to do a 2nd this year, but I kinda seem to be doing so. Wish RNL would run 2 events in December tho...

J

I believe we coordinate the rides in December and January with Randonneurs Belgium. Early december there should be an audax somewhere in Flanders. Although I woulnd't mind a second event in the winter months either. Flanders is an awfully long train ride from where I live (and more expensive than taking a train to a Dutch city).

About the Frank Simons Memorial: Nice route, perfect weather. Riders who finished around the 8hr mark were only hit by one short downpour: otherwise no rain, almost no wind, pleasant temperatures. Also a fast ride for me, but it's unlikely that I will ever beat my personal best on this distance (currently standing at 7h13 with a 31.2km/h moving average). The control at Lochem almost felt like an Audax UK-control with homemade sandwiches and friendly volunteers. I hope that Mrs. Simons also enjoyed the afternoon.

quixoticgeek

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Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #171 on: 08 September, 2019, 11:09:11 am »
I believe we coordinate the rides in December and January with Randonneurs Belgium. Early december there should be an audax somewhere in Flanders. Although I woulnd't mind a second event in the winter months either. Flanders is an awfully long train ride from where I live (and more expensive than taking a train to a Dutch city).

Even from Amsterdam it's not quick, and it's far from cheap. Would be good to have something around the Veluwe that is in the woods out of the wind as much as possible.

Quote

About the Frank Simons Memorial: Nice route, perfect weather. Riders who finished around the 8hr mark were only hit by one short downpour: otherwise no rain, almost no wind, pleasant temperatures. Also a fast ride for me, but it's unlikely that I will ever beat my personal best on this distance (currently standing at 7h13 with a 31.2km/h moving average). The control at Lochem almost felt like an Audax UK-control with homemade sandwiches and friendly volunteers. I hope that Mrs. Simons also enjoyed the afternoon.

Sitting eating a sandwich at CP2 I did think "Is this what an AUK control feels like?"

I had a total moving time of 8:43. And a total time of 10:26. My fastest for a 200, was when I did Groningen to Amsterdam as a DIY, with a force 4 tailwind. That I did in 10:03, with just 8:33 moving.

We were just slow enough to get some wind issues on the way back, there were bits where the route turns west just for a km or two, then turns south again, and that put us enough into a cross wind to split the group a bit. We bunched up again when we turned south.

About 10km before CP2 the rain started. I stopped and put on a jacket, then continued. I passed a group about 3km before the control sheltering under the front of a shop. I waved at them as I went past. We discussed them at CP2, and they got nick named the pelaton of sugar (IIRC there's a Dutch phrase about riding in the rain and being made of sugar...).

I expected to get soaked again on between CP2 and CP3, but didn't. Lovely sunshine infact.

Please can you order the same weather for 2 weeks time. Light winds and sunshine!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #172 on: 08 September, 2019, 07:34:50 pm »

About 10km before CP2 the rain started. I stopped and put on a jacket, then continued. I passed a group about 3km before the control sheltering under the front of a shop. I waved at them as I went past. We discussed them at CP2, and they got nick named the pelaton of sugar (IIRC there's a Dutch phrase about riding in the rain and being made of sugar...).


When I was a kid and didn't want to play outside because of the rain, my mom had a habit of threwing me out of the house saying "you're not made of sugar, are you?" (actually she said "ie benn'n toch nie van suker" and she wasn't being cruel, it's just that sometimes you don't want a kid running around the house when you're cleaning the floors or something). So, yeah: definitely the peloton of sugar.


Please can you order the same weather for 2 weeks time. Light winds and sunshine!


No guarantees, but I'll try to order less slugs ;)

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #173 on: 08 September, 2019, 07:46:55 pm »
Well I must be made of sugar then  :)

After getting to CP1 in the fast group I decided to spend an hour in Lochem waiting for the worst rain to stop otherwise I would have been close to a 9 hour finish.
It was a good route except for the B67 bit, also pleasantly surprised how nice it is around Lochem, Nice roads and great cycle paths.
Regards,

Alan

Re: Dutch brevets in 2019
« Reply #174 on: 08 September, 2019, 07:52:16 pm »