Paris-Roubaix 6.6.10

[revrob]

Just wondering whether any of the parishioners are planning on a trip to France at the start of June?

Paris-Roubaix Cyclo 2010 - English

My entry is in, and has been acknowledged - I'm No. 16!
I'm going 'all the way' - the 255K  - get the legs warmed up on the roads, before the agony of the pavé!

Oh, the things we do to fulfil our dreams!

[mattc]

Never again!

(But I did enjoy it. Kind of.)

[cyclone]

Quite cheap considering the prices they charge for S*****fs over here!.... Good prep for the Mille Cymru?

[ParrettPedaller]

This one is on my To Do List,  but will have to wait until 2012, assuming I'm not in the UK olympic cycling squad 

[revrob]

Well, my preparations are well underway - and with the rain we've had (washing all that salt away), it won't be long before I'm able to get the 'summer machines' onto the road!

Just wondering whether any of you who've done this ride before have any bike prep tips?
What tyres did you use - I normally use Conti GP 4 Season 28mm - never seem to have too many PF problems. Would a heavier tyre be better?  Obviously the tyre pressures will need to be lower than I would normally use.

What about the bottom bracket - mine's an italian thread (bearings outside the frame - hollowtech 2 style) - should I get it loctited to be sure it doesn't unscrew?

Would you do the same with the any of the handlebar stem bolts? (on an ahead setup - better than a quill setup on this this route, I'm assuming)

Having not ridden in France before, I'm not expecting this route to have too many inclines - but as fatigue grows, do smaller inclines suddenly became monsters?

[mattc]

Having not ridden in France before, I'm not expecting this route to have too many inclines - but as fatigue grows, do smaller inclines suddenly became monsters?

If you're wondering about what gears to take, don't worry about it. The inclines are very short and never steep. (I think I walked the steepest bit cos it was slippery and there was an ambulance in the way. gears weren't an issue).

You'll get a million opinions about kit, but my view was you may as well ride it more-or-less like the pros. As it happened, my Audax bike (with 25mm tyres) was the closest thing I had, so I just took that without buggering about with it - it was almost the heaviest bike there!

[frankly frankie]

The 2nd half was very flat, the year I rode it.  Nothing to worry about there.
Shocking poor road surface though.

[mattc]

Shocking poor road surface though.

Very few cars though

[revrob]

Just out of interest - what did you use to carry anything on P-R.
I'll be taking as little as possible, and I assume a seatpost pack - such as Carradice make is a totally bad idea!
Just a small bag hanging from the saddle, if anything at all?

[frankly frankie]

I had a rack, and I just strapped a 'roll' onto the top of that using a bungy strap.  This was a lot more solid than any top bag or saddle pack.

It failed - about 200m into the first section of pavé.  I had to stop, rethink, scrape it off the road and strap it on a lot tighter.  The severity of the pavé is unbelievable, until you encounter it.  Big back pockets or a light backpack probably work best.

[mattc]

Backpacks were all the rage in 08, so they probably work OK.

I hadn't even considered my rack-pack falling off! It was probably OK without a lot of weight in it. The forecast was chaotic that day, so I just brought all my usual Audaxy spare clothes - a seatpack would have been irritatingly small.

Things attached by brackets seemed to be the main problem (lights, computers etc). If I was leaving before dawn again, I'd take a minimal rubber-band LED.

Of course, your transport mode to/from the start/finish will affect what luggage you carry!

[revrob]

Thanks for that - I'm lucky with transport - the family are coming along to support me enjoy watching the pain!

I've got a small Cateye LED, so that will be OK.

I'm just wondering whether a carradice bag hanging off the brooks saddle will survive the pave?

Did you have any puncture problems at all when you did it?

[frankly frankie]

No punctures but I saw people holding frames in 2 parts by the roadside.  You can't plan for everything.

Also the difference between a wet P-R and a dry one is extreme.  I had a wet one.  Things that worked for me would have little relevance to anyone riding a dry one.  Either way it will be a memorable (as in, never again) experience, so enjoy it!

[Justin(e)]

I've done it a couple of times and the pain really is something to behold.  Worse than anything I've felt on a bike. (that's why I had to do it a second time)

I recommend double strapping your bars and 25mm should be fine for tyres.  Make sure you are fit, because if you end up going slow over the pave then your life will be hell.

It is quite unlike other sportives, there is a lot of respect for the event amongst the faithful.  No-one goes off fast at the start, they all know they have to preserve their energy.

If you are going to start in the dark, just take one of those 'pretend' lights. You know, the ones that have a single LED and emit the same lumens as a distant star on an overcast night.  You need it to pass the [lax] inspection, but not really to see - and it will fall off anyway.

Make sure you take a towel so that you can wash your self in the same cubicles as every winner has for the last 100 years.  The sense of accomplishment is unbelievable, but it is hard.

I'd love to do it again some day. Let us know how you go.