Suggest a 2 or 3 day ride for me...

[ianfitz]

I've got a few days booked off work and family duties in early September. Thought I'd do something along the lines of last minute training for the bb200. I've a few ideas but am being indicisive! So go on, suggest a route for me.

I'm based in Sheffield but will happily travel by train or car, but would prefer something local ish - one way trips would be fine.

[FLV]

1, Go on sky scanner, book the cheapest flight to europe, ride home. Works for trains in UK too.
2, Woodcocks English C2C if you're quick and can make the trains work.
3, Ride to Matlock (ish) Up the Penine Bway, round the Mary Towneley, Back to Glossop / Hadfield and accross the longdendale / trans pennine trail to sheffield.

[Firmo]

1, Go on sky scanner, book the cheapest flight to europe, ride home. Works for trains in UK too.

Wouldn't you have to pay a small fortune to get a bike on a flight though?
Sounds interesting- Do you know what the cost is to do this?

[FLV]

Sounds interesting- Do you know what the cost is to do this?

Right now you book to go to Brussels, £15 plus £50 for a bike from manchester on the 12th september 1 way

I dont know how much fun the ride home would be though...

[Ian]

If it were me, I'd go and do the Lakeland 200.

[JohnClimber]

Last week I did the 180 miles of Sustrans route 72 from Ravensglass to south Shields and trains back to the start.
More disused train lines and very, very quiet lanes than full off riding, plus plenty of places to Bivi along Hadrians Wall.

[JohnClimber]

Or why not do the BB200 route a little early

[ianfitz]

Thanks all. Some good suggestions above, am sort of tempted by riding the bb, but am worried that i'll find it tough over 2/3 days and scare myself! Although it is the sensible option as aside from visiting elan village I've never been on any of the course.

I'd also thought of 'round the MTL via PBW/TPT' from home option.

Argh - too much to choose from! Not used to having this much time to myself! I know I will enjoy what ever I end up doing...

[MM-on-POINT]

Do the BB200 route and log actual riding time, do 1 day at a set avarege pace roughly 20km a hr. ride at comfortable pace for day two and on day 3 push the pace to cover the remaining distance.
Enjoy and when back home get on the bike for fast 10mile daily rides at the top of you pace the mix that up with alday ride.

[Bearbonesnorm]

do 1 day at a set avarege pace roughly 20km a hr.

I have to say that a 20km/hr average pace on the BB 200 would take some doing

[MM-on-POINT]

What would you suggest imstead 12-15km?

[Bearbonesnorm]

What would you suggest imstead 12-15km?

Yeah, 12km wouldn't be a bad target ... that wouldn't be a moving average but (the all important) total average. Obviously the longer your stops the harder you need to work to maintain the average.

[ianfitz]

Ian - the lakeland 200 does appeal, especially as it is longer/harder than the BB200. Then again it would appeal as you've done everything else ;-)

that said i do go to the lakes quite often and have ridden quite a lot of it at one time or another, it's b*****y good though!

in terms of average speed for the BB200 I would guess 20kph would be way beyond my capacity. I did manage 47km/1600m in the peak in 2:45 last night, half in the light and half dark. Thats 17kph but I felt it towards the end. No way i'd be keeping that up for 4x the duration!

[Ian]

do 1 day at a set avarege pace roughly 20km a hr.

I have to say that a 20km/hr average pace on the BB 200 would take some doing

If I could ride the BB200 at 20km/h, I'd be finished before it got dark

[Zippy]

do 1 day at a set avarege pace roughly 20km a hr.

I have to say that a 20km/hr average pace on the BB 200 would take some doing

If I could ride the BB200 at 20km/h, I'd be finished before it got dark

Actually, you wouldn't I was doing some maths and stuff on the route, it starts at 1000 and sunset is 1815ish, so 8.25 hours of riding time before the sun sets.

200km at 20km/h = 10 hours, = 1.75 hours after the sun sets (so I guess it may not be dark dark, but still a bit dark)

[Taylor]

Spod.

[slarge]

Lakeland 200 would get my vote - I have just done most of it over 2 days and it would be a perfect 3 day ride. Fantastic scenery, enough hike a bike to get you used to carrying for the BB200, and enough mileage/climbing to satisfy any training regime.
Day 1 - Staveley to Eskdale or Wasdale, Day 2 Eskdale to Matterdale/Pooley Bridge, then Day 3 over High Street and Garburn Pass - equal climbing each day and enough time in reserve to easily finish. Just take good tyres and go light - every gram has to be carried up 7500m!

[Ian]

I have to say that a 20km/hr average pace on the BB 200 would take some doing

If I could ride the BB200 at 20km/h, I'd be finished before it got dark

Actually, you wouldn't I was doing some maths and stuff on the route, it starts at 1000 and sunset is 1815ish, so 8.25 hours of riding time before the sun sets.

200km at 20km/h = 10 hours, = 1.75 hours after the sun sets (so I guess it may not be dark dark, but still a bit dark)

Fairy nuff
Last year I put my light on at 9 hours 10 mins (128 km) into the ride, so 7:10pm. My average speed up until then was 13.9 km/h. This year, the opening section will be faster due to more road, so if I can get around Claerwen before dark, I'll be quite pleased.

[Zippy]

Last year I put my light on at 9 hours 10 mins (128 km) into the ride, so 7:10pm. My average speed up until then was 13.9 km/h. This year, the opening section will be faster due to more road, so if I can get around Claerwen before dark, I'll be quite pleased.

Interesting, cheers. My biggest unknown is the navigation and what conditions are like with weather etc. in Wales. The tricky navigation bit looks like it begins when dark and more shattered (as opposed to road and easier navigation at the end). Therefore I'm studying the route carefully and testing my navigation solution a bit before I start, and hence last weekend I did some maths and was working out expected amount of hours of illumination I needed and water/food points etc. etc. given various average speeds etc. This is all a bit of a step into the partially unknown

I've also not done a long ride this year, but that's never stopped me in the past :)

I reckon local knowledge and experience will help you a bit Ian

[Chew]

Interesting, cheers. My biggest unknown is the navigation and what conditions are like with weather etc. in Wales. The tricky navigation bit looks like it begins when dark and more shattered (as opposed to road and easier navigation at the end). Therefore I'm studying the route carefully and testing my navigation solution a bit before I start, and hence last weekend I did some maths and was working out expected amount of hours of illumination I needed and water/food points etc. etc. given various average speeds etc. This is all a bit of a step into the partially unknown

I've also not done a long ride this year, but that's never stopped me in the past :)

I reckon local knowledge and experience will help you a bit Ian

I'd be wary of planning too much. Any plan is just going to go out of the window as soon as you start, so its more a case of having the skills to make things up as you go along. Waters easy to pick up so dont worry about that. There are a few options for food, but i'd be tempted to be self sufficient.

Average speed is also going to be a strange one this year as the course (and you) gets slower the further around you go. So trying to maintain an average speed of x will be very difficult as the first 75k (excluding Carnau) is going to be very fast. After that things will settle down.

Navigation is quite key. Last year there were quite a few people who would pass me, then get lost, only to pass me again another 20 mins later and repeat....
For anyone going sub 24 the last 25k will be interesting

[Bearbonesnorm]

For anyone going sub 24 the last 25k will be interesting

Uhmm, there's one bit of that I'm not looking forward to ... my feet will get wet, I'll be pushing uphill, followed by pushing downhill ... then I'll get wet feet again before I start to push uphill again

[slarge]

I know where you mean Stu - I'm not looking forward to that either, but it's only 10minutes to warmth and dryness after that (10 mins may be an exageration, but that's what I am telling myself)

[Chew]

Uhmm, there's one bit of that I'm not looking forward to ... my feet will get wet, I'll be pushing uphill, followed by pushing downhill ... then I'll get wet feet again before I start to push uphill again

...and if you get back before 8am you'll have to sleep in the field with everyone else

[Taylor]

...and if you get back before 8am you'll have to sleep in the field with everyone else

:D :D :D :D

[Zippy]

For anyone going sub 24 the last 25k will be interesting

Uhmm, there's one bit of that I'm not looking forward to ... my feet will get wet, I'll be pushing uphill, followed by pushing downhill ... then I'll get wet feet again before I start to push uphill again

Right, winter boots it is then (only just arrived, they've not even got cleats fitted yet!).
Well, at least we know it's the last 25k, which makes it slightly easier..

pushing downhill? Really. Oh bugger, I don't like pushing at the best of times, in fact most of the time I just try and ride stuff down coz there's less chance of me falling over when on the bike then when on my feet :?