BB 200 - training or winging it?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Just wondering whether anyone's following a training programme for the BB 200 of any description or whether you're just going to wing it and hope for the best?

[Ian]

Winging it*

better get my entry in first though...

[barney]

Not ridden a bike in almost 3 months and not bivi'd for a month or two before that !

Starting to think BB200 might come a couple of weeks too early for me

[johnnystorm]

Not training so much as doing some riding..... have managed SDW in a day, done a 10hr solo and 24hr solo race. Can't wait! :)

[evilgoat]

not training, but have got some good riding sorted. Did a 220k road ride through the night in July. Planning to do an 80 mile pennine bridleway/sustrans route in sep with kit to test everythings working ok. plus if stuff works out a road 100 miler.

otherwise the usual ride to work and occasional evening local rides.

:)

[tommid]

Had been riding some longer rides (not so much training), but haven't for 3 weeks. Back on the bike Friday night for a bivi.
Will up my miles in the coming weeks, but Norfolk is not really a suitable training ground for Wales.

[adjustablewench]

I rode to paris the other day and had a few cocktails in a nice hotel - I guess the only similarity is the fact I was on a bike, did a few miles though :)

[ianfitz]

Been riding to work 3 times a week, one or two evening rides and a longer one with bivy in alternative weekends. Really not that many miles though.

So really will be winging it!

Also need to decide what bike to ride. I'm having a reshuffle so could ride 26er full suss or a 29er hard tail, have rigid and bouncy forks. What would people chose out of that selection?

[johnnystorm]

Also need to decide what bike to ride. I'm having a reshuffle so could ride 26er full suss or a 29er hard tail, have rigid and bouncy forks. What would people chose out of that selection?

69er Softail

In a similar quandary, I've got my trusty Fargo which all my Welsh bikepacking adventures have been on (and its got bikepack.eu luggage) or should I use my Spearfish as its probably lighter & faster but I'm a bit more "precious" about it.....

[composite]

I want to start doing endurance racing next season so I have been training a lot with that goal in mind. I'm in the Manx End to End at the start of Sept. so I have been training for that as I'm looking for a decent time. Got 3-4 100milers planned for between that and the bearbones so I guess you would say I have been training. :)

[FLV]

Winging it.
I was going to train but an achillies injury left over from the HTR is still plaguing me and needs more couch time than I'd like.
I'll get through it, on a wing...

[darbeze]

No structured training. Just keep riding, adding more rides and miles as the BB gets closer. Hoping that will do the trick. I will be pleased to complete the route. Certainly won't be breaking any records...

Si

[Ian]

Anyone thinking of doing it on a cx bike?

[jpw247]

I'd start working on some big mileage with weight.
Some friends and I had a shot at it the other week and managed 120k with equipment. We camped over two nights with a total cycle time of 16 hours. We weren't banging out the miles at speed(first day was dreadful weather resulting in dreadful sleep) as some of the hills and terrain wouldn't allow it.

[Ben98]

Anyone thinking of doing it on a cx bike?

*Puts hand up timidly* ”Erm, me sir, i have no other options sir”
Would i be being really stupid??

[Ian]

Anyone thinking of doing it on a cx bike?

*Puts hand up timidly* ”Erm, me sir, i have no other options sir”
Would i be being really stupid??

I thought I'd have a go at the southern end of the route this weekend, so I'll let you know...

[Ian]

OK, the upshot of today's BB200 test ride on a CX bike is this:

It's faster, harder and higher risk than a normal bike (c.f.: my 29er SS)

Carnau was mostly rideable, but I noticed the lower BB height when navigating the narrow tussock-edges singletrack bits. Though I gained in tarmac and fireroad climbing speed, I lost some in being slower on the descents. My gearing was a bit stiff too - 36:18, so (shock-horror), gears might be a good choice.

By the end of my route (~90km, 1900m ascent), I felt I'd had a right kicking compared to my other bike, though the Panaracer Cinder X tyres were generally better than my old tyres in taking out some trail buzz. Though, to be fair, I've not been out on the bike for ages, so pulling 90km out of the bag on a over-geared CX bike over challenging Welsh hills was something of a success in itself.

However, critically, I probably won't use my CX bike for the BB200 as on the Claerwen track I slit the rear tyre (one ride old :( ) on a piece of slate. A normal MTB tyre would no doubt have passed unscathed, but skinny tyres required so much more concentration on line choice, risk of slitting a tyre was always on my mind even before it happened.

So, Ben98, good luck

[MM-on-POINT]

I am not in it this year but I have a training plan I am putting together to better my riding and increase long distance endurance.
Part of this plan will be back to basic weight shifting on the bike, in and out the saddle hill challenges as well as long distance riding cadence & energy focused.
So I will be in next years bb200 and wrt to test and challenge my progress.

If any one is interested how this all started and has any advice it came about when I a did bit of guideing for my fiancé's cousin and on another occasion a couple of her colleagues at work, they are even talking about a multi day ride for there charity event next year so I though I would get up to spec for it all, I am seriously also thinking of doing a MBLA tcl course.
Work and play in the hills... Sounds good on paper

[Bearbonesnorm]

Work and play in the hills... Sounds good on paper

and in summer or when it's not tipping down or when you haven't got someone in a group who suddenly 'can't go on' 20 miles from home or when someone borrows some kit and doesn't knacker it / break it or when you're ill and still have to keep pace with Sport Billy for 40 miles when you should really be in bed

[MM-on-POINT]

lol. I get most if not all those issue usally when I go away wih a certain friend of mine.
last trip he shook his gas canister and said there is plenty left... No there wernt as he later found.
The same guy on another multiday trip turned up late with No food! so we reshuffled ours to lone some then half way in to a 35mile ride he confessed he hadn't gone to bed the night before and wanted to stop and make camp to go a sleep...
On the same trip he put a big boot mark on my new exped mat and spilt his soup over my sleeping bag used all my other freinds soya milk,
then to finalise it all on the return trip home I had to slow the pace down as i was not feeling so bright from a bit of dehydration, my other friends back also started up from all the trail chatter and our friend who had turned up late with out food suddey found the energy to race on a head until out of sight Multiple times...
but out of all that the best bit was when we got back to the start point to go our own ways he said "this was a great trip" and that he and my other friend should meet up to do more once i( matt) moves to wales!...

[slowupslowdown-under]

the bestest micro-adventure recently means my mental training is a good way on from last year!
:D

I'd say 50/50 training / winging it though in reality!