whitestone wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:56 pm Here's my account, rather a series of vignettes - http://bobwightman.blogspot.com/2020/10 ... ition.html

Enjoyed that ta

Cheers for the the Blogs Trepid and Bob

Shewie wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 10:05 pm

whitestone wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:56 pm Here's my account, rather a series of vignettes - http://bobwightman.blogspot.com/2020/10 ... ition.html

Enjoyed that ta

Thanks Bob... Lovely read

Juliet's film

https://youtu.be/VW4SH7WI168

My take on it:
https://advntr.cc/hiraeth-the-bear-bones-200/

This is the strava segment for that stupid steep climb we were talking about earlier in the thread.

https://www.strava.com/segments/16596144

Edit - LMAO, I see "our" Matt Page is KOM. Absolute madness.

Seems he went back after not enjoying that bit so much on the BB200!

Good to see Angus Young and Gary Davies have both had a decent crack at it.

Angus Young?

Yep.

And Gary Davies.

TrepidExplorer wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 10:21 am 33hrs 15. Took 1hr 45 mins off last years' time but with the unfortunate issue of 5 hours less sleep. Was hoping for a sub-30 but those hopes were dashed in the first 8 hours.

Thanks to Steve, Andy and my Lockdown buddy Landslide for the company over the weekend.

Loved it all (well almost all of it). The turnips, my god, the turnips.

Full report, not so much glorious technicolour as I tried to stay focused.
https://trepidexplorer.blogspot.com/202 ... dging.html

If I'm feeling brave I might try it again in the spring just for kicks to see what I could do with a lighter ride.

Nice write up Andrea, and thanks for bringing some humour to that stretch of the ride - it was very much appreciated.

So I was going to write up my thoughts on the route, rather than the rambling that follows... but I just can't seem to bring myself to in any meaningful detail as I'm still in a bad place mentally thanks to bailing.

I will say that the failure to complete was all my own, and entirely avoidable. I had left my attempt late in the week so as to get past the worst of the weather (it was still surprisingly muddy out there). Knowing I had to be back at the car for 07:00 (so I could make a meeting later that day) led directly to my unwillingness to take on the final section, as I knew that there were bits of it where the track wasn't clear, although I also knew that it was the section with the least climbing on the entire route, so I probably could have ridden a lot of it. This wasn't bike, this wasn't body, this was all mind.

My prep for this year's event has obviously been less than stellar, having only ridden outdoors for four days over the entire of 2020. I had honestly expected the event to be cancelled, and to be honest I was somewhat relieved... but that changed, and I had to get myself fit, and light in a timescale that probably wasn't overly realistic. On the bright side, I'm basically back to where I was pre-COVID, but oh, so, so far away from where I was before my crash.

I've already alluded to my biggest issues on this year's ride in the other thread... I'm terrified of descending now. I'm actually pretty proud of myself that other than on the nastier bit off Hay, and just at the start of the GAP's final descent, I had ridden everything. By the time it had turned dark though, I was tip-toeing down everything and losing time hand over fist. I think being utterly on edge had led me to feel much more mentally drained than I otherwise would have been, which also played a part in sacking it off even though I'd already faced the nastiest descents on the route. I was just waiting to lose my front wheel on basically every descent, especially the wetter / muddier ones.

Ironically my bike largely held up fairly well. Hoping to avoid the puncture nightmares of previous years I'd gone heavy on replacement tubes and tubeless repair methods, but needed none of them (I assume because of my more sedate descending). I did however have an issue with my absolute lowest gear starting to sound like the chain and cassette were almost ripping metal out of each other. I've never heard a more chain destroying noise on a ride before and I couldn't seem to find a solution to it. After a while I also stopped being able to get out of lowest gear without going up to the big ring on the front, so I've got some investigation to do there. I did manage to forget my pressure gauge (or so I thought), so I spent the entire ride wondering if I was running completely wrong pressures (I started with 45 PSI that I use for mounting and had to try and work out how much to let out due to thumb pressure). Turns out the pressure gauge was in the car, I just couldn't see it in the dark).

I cannot complain at all about how my body held up. I did get some lower back pain, and I did have some pretty bad arm pump by the bottom of the GAP, but given no weight training, and no regular outdoor riding, that was to be expected. My hip held up astonishingly well. Just a couple of minor tweaks getting off the bike / climbing over gates. Given how much walking I did, that's actually astonishing!

The route was honestly fine, more rideable than usual. The hardest bit in my opinion being some of the crazy steep stuff after the initial Hay climb / descent. I screwed up with the tracks in a few places, but what's new? My favourite part was the GAP / leading up to the GAP... my least favourite part (and the bit that finally broke me) was the turnip farm. I was getting so angry that he'd decided on his own solution to where the right of way was, and I was determined to stick to the official right of way as much as was possible. I had split the route up into five sections starting in Hay. After the first section I was 7mph average, second 7.5mph average, third 6.9mph average. Easily enough to get me around sub 24 but...

...what killed me in the end was being harangued by landowners. I lost upwards of half an hour having to listen to them complaining about riders scaring the sheep, and gates being clanged at 4am, and honestly, call me a pussy but it got to me. I do this sort of thing to escape from life's stresses (there are many), so I didn't need to hear that the thing I was doing as an escape was having a negative effect on people. The time wasn't even the main loss... I just felt so, so drained / upset by it.

I don't know if I'll be back at this point. It's still looking more likely that I'll shift to gravel as I don't ever see myself getting over the mental scarring from my crash / the after effects. I really did want this to be some sort of triumphant return... but this really wasn't the year to afford me the riding I needed to make that a possibility, and I wonder if the damage is done long term now.

TrepidExplorer wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 10:21 am 33hrs 15. Took 1hr 45 mins off last years' time but with the unfortunate issue of 5 hours less sleep. Was hoping for a sub-30 but those hopes were dashed in the first 8 hours.

If I'm feeling brave I might try it again in the spring just for kicks to see what I could do with a lighter ride.

I just read this... I know exactly where your flip flop is. lol

Or at least, I know exactly where A flip flop is.

Oh, and they'll obviously never see this... but I feel like I should thank my NHS surgeons in a public forum.

I asked them to focus on getting me back cycling over all other things, and that they have managed without question. I'll never be able to do the splits again, and there are certain exercises that are a full on no-no... but I can most definitely still pedal a bike!

don't know if I'll be back at this point. It's still looking more likely that I'll shift to gravel as I don't ever see myself getting over the mental scarring from my crash / the after effects.

I honestly believe that if you change / limit the terrain you ride, stick to doing it on a mountainbike. Switching to a gravel bike will simply make things feel harder / rougher / worse.

Anyway, never say never. Like you said earlier somewhere - don't ever quit until you have to.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Oct 21, 2020 8:46 pm I honestly believe that if you change / limit the terrain you ride, stick to doing it on a mountainbike. Switching to a gravel bike will simply make things feel harder / rougher / worse.

Anyway, never say never. Like you said earlier somewhere - don't ever quit until you have to.

To be clear... I mean the easy sort of gravel (just fire roads and the like). Not the absolute nutters trying to do BB200 on a gravel bike sort of gravel.

But yeah, you're right. I'm not stopping until I stop.

I rolled a van quite spectacularly as a yoof and I remember driving afterwards was a gut gripping experience for a while. I lost all faith or perspective about how well a vehicle would manage to go round a corner etc etc. I was barely injured, amazingly.

I can only imagine what *getting back on the horse* (bike) might be like for you. I can only suggest you give it some time and some mellower riding to see whether you recover your mojo.

Coming back with the BB200 seems a bit full on. Still, some folks like a kill-or-cure approach

Richard G wrote: ↑Wed Oct 21, 2020 1:19 pm Edit - LMAO, I see "our" Matt Page is KOM. Absolute madness.

Seems he went back after not enjoying that bit so much on the BB200!

I have not walked a tarmac climb in about 20 years. It was bugging me, so I returned
I did have a crack at the next stupid one in the forest too but the segment finishes higher up than I thought and I had stopped pushing on by then.

mattpage wrote: ↑Thu Oct 22, 2020 3:59 pm I have not walked a tarmac climb in about 20 years. It was bugging me, so I returned
I did have a crack at the next stupid one in the forest too but the segment finishes higher up than I thought and I had stopped pushing on by then.

I've ridden all of that first one, but never the nasty one beneath the trees.

Landslide wrote: ↑Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:55 am My take on it:
https://advntr.cc/hiraeth-the-bear-bones-200/

Nice write up! I bivvied just off the spot where you took the photo under Hay Bluff in August , having come up and over from Gospel pass.

Ta, glad you liked it!

You know the old saying "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail"?
Yep, that's me.
I'd mentally already prepared to fail a few days ago after reading everyone's posts, decided that I'm not up to the whole thing in 36 hours, and didn't fancy getting caught, and most probably bailing in turnip/locked gate/shouty farmer land in the dark. So I had decided to cut off the whole loop between Builth and Rhulen hill in the hope of maybe making it to enjoy at least some of the Crickhowell to Brecon bit.
I had prepared my kit and food, but not the bike, which typically for me, I'd left till the very last minute, and to when it was dark, for that extra level of difficulty for my already seriously bike mechanically challenged mind... I'm not at all a mountain biker and have done very little off road riding except on some pretty tame gravel roads and a tiny bit of dry grass in the summer, all on my gravel bike. It seemed pretty clear to me that the BB200 was a route for a mountain bike, and so I used that other great saying of "there is only one perfect bike: the one you've already got". I have a twenty year old Jamis mountain bike, which has had pretty little use for about 17 years of that, but at least I had given it a clean and a service this year and a new set of cables. It's a hand-me-down from my husband, and he casually slipped into the conversation a few days ago that he had of course changed the original tyres to hybrid ones....
What caught me out in the though was the sodding rear mud guard, which I had assumed would just be quick and easy to remove (last minute, in the dark) so that I could fit my seat pack. Oh no it wasn't. I daren't take the seat post out (20 year old, probably seized bolts, me mechanically challenged), for fear of solving one problem and creating another. I tried lowering the mud guard to as low as it would go and fitting the seat pack above it. Nope. Would've been quite happy to take a hacksaw to it, but couldn't put my hand on one at 7am yesterday morning.
After a whole lot of faff it was 7.30, getting light, and I knew if I didn't leave soon I'd talk myself out of the whole thing altogether. BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
So I had a lovely day, well half day, out on the BB200 route, thoroughly enjoying exploring some areas on my door step that I had never been to, honing my non existing mountain bike skills, and discovering that those tyres really had zero grip on anything muddy (the day before had been a very wet one), and that the saddle isn't exactly comfy either...
After leaving home, the morning started slowly with me playing leapfrogs with a dustcart in the narrow lanes. The I turned a corner and found myself facing a bunch of cows. For once I wasn't scared, they looked surprised then started running away from me, which was kind of nice of them, but I was pretty sure they weren't meant to be out on the lane.... I stopped for a bit, the dustcart caught up with me again, then the farmer came on his quad bike shouting and swearing, not at me but at his cows who had run off while he was feeding them. He thanked me for stopping rather than carrying on and chasing them further away. Through Libanus and up a track I haven't been to for about 18 or 19 years, like I'm sure we all do I'm always on the lookout for potential bivvy spots these days....BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
The next bits over Mynydd Illtyd and Trallong common I know quite well, but never on a bike.BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr I was expecting it to be slow and hard going, and it really was. Has been said enough now, I know. It was a gorgeous day for it, beautiful weather and I stopped to take lots of photos. BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
Then came tarmac at Merthyr Cynog and sign saying Brecon 8 miles. Now one of the things I have learned about myself this year is that I have a ridiculously strong homing instinct. I really am not much good for bikepacking anywhere near home. It was only lunchtime, and a beautifully sunny day, perfect for being out there riding on to Builth as I had planned. On the other hand, I could be at home, house to myself, and be trimming my bush(es)
I scoffed down my emergency chocolate bar, just because I was greedy, and headed home...
Do I now have an immaculately manicured lavender hedge? Nope, I did about a third, then snipped into my thumb tip with the e secatuers.
Did I go out later in the afternoon for another bike ride? Yes of course I did.
So what's next?
Maybe my mind wasn't completely in it, or as they say, I didn't want it badly enough. Waiting for covid test results just a few days beforehand and being about to go into lockdown again probably didn't help either.
I'm thinking I'll do some more shorted local off road rides, hopefully bit by bit all of the BB200 route over the coming weeks, get a bit better at it, and see if I like it. If I do, invest at least in some decent off road tyres.
All good, just great to be out there.
BB200 2020 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Nice report!
I'm loving all these pictures from other folks. I'm definitely feeling a lot better about the event now compared to the day immediately after.

A few pics from my feeble attempt last weekend ...













The last one’s from the bail-out route we took to get back to the Red Lion but I thought I’d post it anyway.

One thing I didn't note... the fitness required to ride all the hills on this one isn't that far off competitive athlete level. The difference that makes to being able to get through in any sort of reasonable time is HUGE. Because of just how much steep stuff is in this one, no-one should feel bad about ending up pushing a ridiculous amount / having to bail because of exhaustion.

As hard as the really fast riders are pushing, there's a monumental difference between going up a hill at 100% for half an hour, and going up at 100% for 10mins and then recovering quickly on the following sections.

Love the picture Charlie

Richard G wrote: ↑Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:43 am One thing I didn't note... the fitness required to ride all the hills on this one isn't that far off competitive athlete level. The difference that makes to being able to get through in any sort of reasonable time is HUGE. Because of just how much steep stuff is in this one, no-one should feel bad about ending up pushing a ridiculous amount / having to bail because of exhaustion.

As hard as the really fast riders are pushing, there's a monumental difference between going up a hill at 100% for half an hour, and going up at 100% for 10mins and then recovering quickly on the following sections.

Ha ha, thank you, that makes me feel better - I'm about as far from competitive athlete level as they come