Author Topic: Start Time/Group  (Read 25936 times)

rob

Start Time/Group
« on: 21 June, 2018, 03:03:32 pm »
It's a year away so might as well start the debate early.

Last time I chanced across a strategy that went well.   I targeted a 72hr ride but set off with the touristes so, if it went a bit pear shaped, I had some padding.   I ended up between the fastest groups and the slower riders by bouncing early controls meaning I had a bed at Carhaix on the way out and Fougeres on the way back.   I had to push fairly hard back from Dreux but made it in 71:56.   It was quite social as I chatted to loads of people but didn't have the time to take any decent day-time breaks.

I'm a bit fitter than I was last time round so have come up with 3 potential approaches :-

1 - Go with the vedettes and see what I can really do.
2 - Go for a full value ride, stop and talk to people, drink plenty of coffees.
3 - Do what I did last time and use any speed improvement to sleep a bit more.

Discuss.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #1 on: 21 June, 2018, 03:31:45 pm »
The 84hr starters seem to be less excitable and form sensible pelotons from the off.  Both 90 and 80hrs tend to be road-races at the start, the difference being that in the 80hr it stays like that.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #2 on: 21 June, 2018, 03:38:41 pm »
Indeed the 80hour group is one long road race, 80hour for me! No need to discuss  :hand:

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #3 on: 21 June, 2018, 03:48:51 pm »
Indeed the 80hour group is one long road race, 80hour for me! No need to discuss  :hand:

You youngsters!

rob

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #4 on: 21 June, 2018, 03:52:22 pm »
Indeed the 80hour group is one long road race, 80hour for me! No need to discuss  :hand:

You youngsters!

I love the way you still call us young.   We are both in our 40s with families now.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #5 on: 21 June, 2018, 04:17:55 pm »

I love the way you still call us young.   We are both in our 40s with families now.

Lightly rusted irony.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #6 on: 21 June, 2018, 05:05:39 pm »
Went with the vedettes last time - leaving them to their road race at the 300km mark yet still finished in front of many at 68 hours.

This time I'm hoping to go as a vélos spéciaux riding a Raleigh Twenty / towards the front end of the 90 hour group as last time I missed most things in chasing the time limit.


Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #7 on: 21 June, 2018, 05:35:28 pm »
Dc , i am loving that bike :thumbsup:

Rob we may now be in our 40s , but unlike lan we dont have to sneak out of the carehome to go cycling :demon:

LMT

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #8 on: 21 June, 2018, 10:10:44 pm »
First time in 2015 and can recommend the 84 hour group.

I) Little to no queueing for food or to get stamped.
II) only time I had to queue was for about 15 minutes at Loudeac Brest bound.
II) If you are quickish then you can treat the ride as three long day rides with the the left over hours on the fourth day as time in hand.

Next year I might give it some juice and get around quicker and see what's what. Although I still would go with the 84hr group. Does not appeal starting the afternoon and some of the queues at the controls :o for the 90 hr group. And as I'm riding a recumbent 80hr is off limits.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #9 on: 21 June, 2018, 10:13:16 pm »
Dc , i am loving that bike :thumbsup:

Rob we may now be in our 40s , but unlike lan we dont have to sneak out of the carehome to go cycling :demon:

That's you off my Christmas list (again).

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #10 on: 22 June, 2018, 10:47:55 am »
90 hour special start for me, if I make it.

Any average to decent paced recumbmentalist and other special people needn’t worry too much about queues in the 90 hour start.  You end up in a nice hole between the vedettes and the normal (for PBP) folk behind you.  It’ll only be the fast ones that overtake.

I’m at the slow end of average (87.5 hours) and in 2015 only queued for food briefly at Carhaix, after I woke up, and Mortagne.  My only delay was waiting for someone to figure out how to use the till at Loudeac.

Carhaix beds were only a third full and on the return there were only 3 people asleep at Quedillac, so I stopped there instead of pushing on to Tinteniac and woke up to a full dorm and car-free roads.

FWIW when I did it on my road bike in 2011, I quite enjoyed being in the bulge and the busy controls.  Two very different experiences, both good.

As for the 84 hour.  I could probably cut enough faff to be quick enough but starting a ride in the early hours is not for me.  I don’t sleep well before these rides, so I may as well be pedaling.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #11 on: 22 June, 2018, 01:02:50 pm »
Heather interviewed Dave Atkinson on the finish line in 2015. he did 67 hours, and he's ridden the Pendle 600.
http://shprung.com/pbp/?mode=info&frame=Z083


Interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTZ2RsPuOPg

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #12 on: 22 June, 2018, 01:37:08 pm »
The compromise would be to go with the 84 hour group.

You can still do a fast ride off this, last time I finished with a rider from this group who did a 62h ride. You don't catch up with the 90h riders until they are nicely strung out, so you don't get caught up in the bulge and have the enormous queues. On the other hand, you get to meet up with everyone if you want to. So you can really make your mind up on the road as to what you want to do. And 84h is certainly going to give you enough padding for emergencies.

I've ridden all three start times now and definitely prefer the 84h one. Though you need to spend the previous night close to the start: you really don't want to get up any earlier than necessary.

Pedal Castro

  • so talented I can run with scissors - ouch!
    • Two beers or not two beers...
Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #13 on: 22 June, 2018, 04:30:41 pm »
84h again for me, just so I don’t started tired😁

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #14 on: 22 June, 2018, 06:00:42 pm »
The 84hr starters seem to be less excitable and form sensible pelotons from the off.  Both 90 and 80hrs tend to be road-races at the start, the difference being that in the 80hr it stays like that.

With the current pre-qualification system the first groups of the 90-hours start mainly consist of very experienced riders who immediately forma  sensible peloton. The later groups of the 90-hrs start will indeed have more newbies so with faster starts.
I'll opt for another 90-hours start as I'm a full value rider anyway.

Phil W

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #15 on: 22 June, 2018, 06:25:51 pm »
84h again for me, just so I don’t started tired😁

A 5am start would see me starting tired.  Just shows different strokes for different folks.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #16 on: 22 June, 2018, 06:39:28 pm »
84h again for me, just so I don’t started tired😁

A 5am start would see me starting tired.  Just shows different strokes for different folks.

Same for me here.
Everyone has an ideal sleeping bracket. For me that's between 4 and 6 am. So I plan accordingly, sleeping each night rather late. Which is interesting for PBP as most people tend to prefer an early night of sleep so by the time I arrive at a control for sleeping there's usually space again while those who prefer to sleep between 1 and 3am have to battle for the cots.

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #17 on: 22 June, 2018, 07:07:47 pm »
80h time again, with the aim to finish in two days

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #18 on: 25 June, 2018, 09:45:28 pm »
It'll probably be my second 90hr special bike (for special riders) start, as I'll most likely be on a tandem bike again. We'll be aiming to roll at a reasonable pace (except on the steeper bits) and stop long and sleep fairly well.

It might be fun to do the 80hr start in 2023 though.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #19 on: 26 June, 2018, 08:39:40 am »
IF I ride again (big if), I'll go for one of the earlier 90hr starts, catnap at Villaines and then ride through to Brest for a longer sleep. Worked well enough last time and I had the  pleasure of cresting the Roc just as dawn was breaking. 

The return leg I'll play by ear but will try to be back in Carhaix in time to eat in the town rather than risk the control running out of food again, sleep at Fougeres and catnap at Mortagne and Dreux.

IF...
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #20 on: 26 June, 2018, 12:12:28 pm »
With the current pre-qualification system the first groups of the 90-hours start mainly consist of very experienced riders who immediately forma  sensible peloton.
So the time when you register (based on re-qualification) actually determines your start time (roughly) when riding the 90h? That changes things for me, the main reason for preferring the 84h is that riding in the middle or rear of the bulge is something I'd very much like to avoid.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #21 on: 26 June, 2018, 12:14:52 pm »
No, it's just that it's first come first served. So more 'desirable' slots will go first.

rob

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #22 on: 26 June, 2018, 12:53:36 pm »
I suspect that I'll go with my 3rd option.   A brisk ride but with breaks.   Provided I get round the 1000 this weekend I should be able to bag a spot in the front Touriste group.

I have the feeling that I've been beating myself up so much the last few years that I've forgotten to look around me every now and again.

Phil W

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #23 on: 26 June, 2018, 12:59:51 pm »
Went with the vedettes last time - leaving them to their road race at the 300km mark yet still finished in front of many at 68 hours.

This time I'm hoping to go as a vélos spéciaux riding a Raleigh Twenty / towards the front end of the 90 hour group as last time I missed most things in chasing the time limit.



Fantastic. Basket on the back or a rack bag? Flowers optional.

Re: Start Time/Group
« Reply #24 on: 26 June, 2018, 06:58:24 pm »
No, it's just that it's first come first served. So more 'desirable' slots will go first.

Indeed, in 2015 the first 4 slots of the 90 hour start were the desirable slots being filled with riders who did a 1000 or a 1200 in 2014.