PBP - anyone planning on entering?

[Retiredtester]

Finished my 400k at 4.30pm today and have just paid the balance for PBP. It's happening!

[redefined_cycles]

Finished my 400k at 4.30pm today and have just paid the balance for PBP. It's happening!

Congrats yourself and the others Sounds painful but exciting all at the same time.

Out of interest, and same question for the others planning on the PBP: what saddle are you lot riding (on the bike/bikes you're doing most of your qualifiers on and definitely on the big day/days of the PBP)?

[Johnallan]

Finished my 400k at 4.30pm today and have just paid the balance for PBP. It's happening!

Top job!

I'd entered the Pendle 600 as a backup incase the BCM 600 didn't go to plan. After BCM I wasn't keen on riding another 600, but time is a great healer. Pendle 600 this weekend....

[Johnallan]

Finished my 400k at 4.30pm today and have just paid the balance for PBP. It's happening!

Out of interest, and same question for the others planning on the PBP: what saddle are you lot riding (on the bike/bikes you're doing most of your qualifiers on and definitely on the big day/days of the PBP)?

I'm currently using a brooks B17

[Retiredtester]

Finished my 400k at 4.30pm today and have just paid the balance for PBP. It's happening!

Top job!

I'd entered the Pendle 600 as a backup incase the BCM 600 didn't go to plan. After BCM I wasn't keen on riding another 600, but time is a great healer. Pendle 600 this weekend....

Blimey, fair play! After that 400k, I wasn't even sure I fancied PBP, but quickly paid up before I had too much of a chance to overthink it. 'Pendle' sounds a bit northern and climby?

I found the 400 much harder than the 600k, due mainly (I think) to a 2300 start time and no sleep. I've got a Monday 0545 start time for PBP, so I'm hoping to get a good first day under my belt, carry minimal bivvy stuff and getting my head down roadside for 3 or 4hrs each night - I just can't hack how riding through the night makes me feel and the communal sleeping sounds a bit over-subscribed and grim.

Good luck at the weekend!

[Retiredtester]

Finished my 400k at 4.30pm today and have just paid the balance for PBP. It's happening!

Congrats yourself and the others Sounds painful but exciting all at the same time.

Out of interest, and same question for the others planning on the PBP: what saddle are you lot riding (on the bike/bikes you're doing most of your qualifiers on and definitely on the big day/days of the PBP)?

Cheers Shaf. I've got Fizik saddles on all my bikes - a Gobi on the one I rode yday. That particular one has one of those perineal cut-out channels, which helped while I was on the tribars (a recent and very welcome addition). My arse is fine today, but I 'm relieved my days of procreation are behind me.

[Dyffers]

Out of interest, and same question for the others planning on the PBP: what saddle are you lot riding (on the bike/bikes you're doing most of your qualifiers on and definitely on the big day/days of the PBP)?

16 years ago: Brooks.
12 Years ago: Specialized Toupe.
4 years ago: ISM Adamo which I still use now for long distance stuff.

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks you lot. I'm currently having a midlife-saddle crisis. Recently bought a B17/carbon railed off my mate Glenn for £70 (he said for the hungry/refugees) which he had offered me for free when I last visited him. Sadly (anyone thinking of tryig to buy a Spinelocl by Revelate take note) the rails on the B17 and the Spinelock adaptor thingy don't marry together at all. So had to leave it.

Very happy with my purchase but trying to decide on which bike it'll go best on. Current big ride being training (and then hopefully completion) on an MTB Everesting climb (full gnarl at 17%max and 10.2% average).

For this I've briefly put the carbon Berk - such comfy saddles but all carbon and only 90g means one has to be careful - into play but might need to go for the B17!! Also, I think I'll be pointing the nose down a bit more due to the gradient - need to sit on the nose at the worst section of the climb!

Hope you lots PBP and qualifiers keep going well

[JackT]

Did my 600 over the weekend so am all set.

Re saddle, am currently on a Brooks Cambium C17 carved, but wondering if it's a little firm as I'm a bit tender on the sit bones today. Trouble is, I don't do many 15+ hour rides which is the only real way to find out what remains comfortable with extended use.

[redefined_cycles]

Well done Jack and thanks on the saddle updates (to all). I ended up putting the XLR Selle Italia I got from Paul (Riderdown - thanks again) on the climbing/Everesting bike. It's excellent with itsshorter length and 'carved' hole

I have it pointed down so that when I'm almost at the 17% gradient it becomes parallel to the ground (as a matter of interest, first heard about this from Mike Hall about how he rides his mtb/road bikepacking races). I can also perch on the nose as I struggle (and almost feel like an idiot) away.

The Brooks Cambium (contrary to what I said in my earlier post - I'm obviously having a bit of a saddle crisis) will hopefully go on the long distance bike but I'm not holding my hopes too much. I'll take solace in the fact that at least the more I ride it, the more it'll 'carve' rather than wear down (one hopes ).

[Dyffers]

Maybe not the Cambiums, but the old adage about improving Brooks saddle comfort was to put it in the tumble dryer with a rock, then throw away the saddle and use the rock.

[redefined_cycles]

Yes, that's what my mountain biking shop mechanic taught me...

[riderdown]

XLR Selle Italia I got from Paul (Riderdown - thanks again) on the climbing/Everesting bike. It's excellent with itsshorter length and 'carved' hole

Glad you like it

[Johnallan]

Did my 600 over the weekend so am all set.

Re saddle, am currently on a Brooks Cambium C17 carved, but wondering if it's a little firm as I'm a bit tender on the sit bones today. Trouble is, I don't do many 15+ hour rides which is the only real way to find out what remains comfortable with extended use.

Nice work! I also rode a 600 this weekend and found it extremely difficult in the heat.

My experience with the C17 sounds similar to yours. It's comfortable for quite a long time, but I start feeling tender on very long rides, and on multi-day stuff it becomes an issue. The B17 seems to have fixed it for me but also seems sensitive to bib choice - it's much nicer with a thinner pad (Galibier), than with the Assos shorts I'd wear on the C17

[Johnallan]

With a week to go, I really hope everyone else is better prepared than me!

After the sufferfest that was Pendle 600 during a heatwave, I've had little desire to ride the road bike. Then during the NYM300 an old knee injury flaired up which is still present and has led to much reduced pedal-time. Throw in an infected saddle sore for which I'm still taking antibiotics, and I couldn't feel much less ready.

On the plus side though, the ferry crossings are booked for the campervan and the more-sensible half is coming along for the holiday. We've got a week-and-a-bit after PBP to explore a bit. No set plan yet but possibly east towards Vosges, possibly Black Forest and back via Belgium. I'm looking forward to the holiday more than the ride if I'm honest

[Blackhound]

Ferry booked. I will just be at the roadside for some of the return leg. Roughly from Tuesday lunchtime to Wednesday lunchtime between Tinteniac and Fougeres.

Maybe see someone out there.

[Dyffers]

No, not particularly well prepared, but I'm just about fit enough, the bike setup is well tested previously and I've got some experience so won't be wasting calories on worrying.

I'll be reet, might even enjoy myself.

[fatbikephil]

I kind of wish there was a dot watching option for this given you lot all doing it!
Looking forward to the tales at any rate - good luck!
John - mind and take plenty paracetemol with you!

[Retiredtester]

Sorry to hear about your travails John and hope your luck returns next week. I'm feeling pretty good after a shitty cold and the bike seems alright. I'm getting a ferry from Newhaven on Saturday for a (hopefully) leisurely ride down and an 0545 start on Monday. What time are you guys starting?

[Retiredtester]

Ps I think there is an option to track people by the times they pass though the controls for anyone who's genuinely got nothing better on!

[Johnallan]

https://track.rtrt.me/e/CC-2023?fbclid= ... Y#/tracker

I think that should work for tracking riders in and out of controls.

I'm on a 17:45 start so hopefully able to stay ahead of 'The Bulge' and avoid too much pissing about in the controls.

Rough plan is ride 600km to Brest and sleep for a bit Monday night, then do whatever the body will allow to get back to Rambouillet for Wednesday night. Ideally in about 72hours but I won't be upset if it takes longer

[Dyffers]

K120 on the tracking page, 1830 start. Came in around 78 hours on my last two rides; not expecting to go faster this year.

[Dyffers]

Rough plan is ride 600km to Brest and sleep for a bit Monday night, then do whatever the body will allow to get back to Rambouillet for Wednesday night. Ideally in about 72hours but I won't be upset if it takes longer

Screenshot_20230812-162622.png (140.43 KiB) Viewed 1543 times

I had the same plan in 2019 starting at 1630, but fell apart after Loudeac and was falling asleep lowing time for the last couple of hour to Brest. You need to be at Brest before 1am Tuesday to get a bed.

This time I'm purposely starting two hours later so if it goes the same I'll sleep for two or three hours at Carhaix.

Edit: looking at those times has reminded me how I managed to convince the guy in McDonalds in Fourgeres to reopen for me just before the control. I hate McDonalds but the hot food in the preceding controls had been rubbish and just a little thing like getting a burger before I had a few hours sleep at the control really set me up for a good final day.

[Johnallan]

That looks like a solid ride! I'm guessing you still slept at Brest? And then again at Fougeres?

It's ages since I rode anything this long and I'm getting nervous

[Dyffers]

That's right, slept at Brest and Fougeres, for shorter than I'd have liked. On the way back I always lose interest and up lounging in controls and haemorrhaging time / av speed; I'd hoped to get to Villaines before sleeping.

It's four years exactly since I did a ride this long! It'll be fine...