Will it be harder than the old route?

Which direction from bearbase is it going? More to the north?

Go On leak a few morsels to whet the appetite.

We know it's going north (small comment in a newsletter some months back).

If you're going north, it'd be rude not to go over the Berwyns in my opinion. There's a good link from there round to Coed-y-brenin that I did on WRT two years ago, and lots of trails to play at. Drop down to Dolgellau, round Cadair to the west, Pennal, up into the forest, great trail down to Mach, a few bridleways via Glyndwr's Way and home for breakfast. That must be getting on for 200km.

// of course, I could be totally wrong, but hey

edit: also, I reckon Stu will make it harder for the same distance. With some many people getting under 24 hours last year, its the next logical step. A bit like Alan G adding 120 miles to the HTR, 'cos the 440 was a bit easy

Ha lol, I especially remember how easy the last section was, really nice and flat

I can still remember the push from the stream where I had to unbolt my seat pack and tackle the climb in two trips.

Still got me in a magazine

After making 25 hours last year I did have high hopes......

Much pain and suffering, soul destroying hike a bike, boggy death marches, a bunch of slippery, grassy, tussocky descents... good times.

composite wrote:Much pain and suffering, soul destroying hike a bike, boggy death marches, a bunch of slippery, grassy, tussocky descents... good times.

Excellent. That's what I'll be signing up for.


Berwyns are great, local to my in-laws so know the area reasonably well. It's brilliant, hardly any punters and shed loads of good trails.

Fozzy, you must have been just in front of me, i did 25 1/2 hours last year and said on the finish line that i wouldn't do it again. ha ha. so much for that. really looking forward to it. and I want to get under 24.

I'm waiting for Stu's article he's sorting out.

http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... f=7&t=3715

That should give an idea for what morsels should expect I hope

I'm still not sure if I'm going to enter this year...knee rehab is starting to come on leaps and bounds relatively speaking, so should be ok come October

Well I went for a ride with Stu a couple of months ago and because of my starting point we went North, Stu kept saying "ooh look at the track" and " have you ridden that track" to which my reply was almost universally "what track?"

Fantasticmrmatt wrote:Well I went for a ride with Stu a couple of months ago and because of my starting point we went North, Stu kept saying "ooh look at the track" and " have you ridden that track" to which my reply was almost universally "what track?"

So sounds like I need to do more walking in SPD's training

I'm a right stubborn git for trying to stay on my bike at all costs too

Okay ... yep this years route will be headng north. Most of it is in place, just a final check required next week to finalise a few sections, however you can rest assured that it'll be a good 'un because I won't be happy until I'm certain you won't be either

Loving that answer Stu!

So you'll be riding it again this year, stu?!

Good stuff!

Can't wait!

So you'll be riding it again this year, stu?!

No, not this year ... I'll 'ave me pinny on

I will be on rhino watch in your absence

I remember that moment so well. I recall all I wanted was a glass of milk and I could swear I could smell bacon frying!

Glad we pushed on!

So....I'm just planning my holiday time from work, and pencilled BB200 into my calendar. With other things going on etc. I don't think I'll be able to find enough time to get myself back up to fitness levels of doing a fast time for the BB200 again (and also get my dissertation done, and be at work full time without falling asleep at my desk). However, I have a question Stu. How do-able is the route do you reckon to get it done in under 24 hours? Last year my first time doing this sort of thing had my mentally wired a bit and out popped the sub 18 hour time...don't reckon I'll get that again this year, but I quite fancy one of them gold BB200 badges, which means this coming year a so called 'pootle' round for a sub 24, then 2015 I'll have a go at a decent time again (That's the plan in my mind anyway).
What's the score then?

What's the score then?

Difficult question to answer. Given that there'll be less road miles, a similar amount of climbing and a reasonably 'slow' start, I'm not convinced a 'pootle' will acheive a sub 24 hour time.

As people are generally getting faster / better, the bar needs to be raised while still keeping it accessable for the majority. I could be waaay out here but I suspect there'll be an increase in entries but sub 24 hour times will reduce to somewhere between 2011 (2) and 2012 (13) levels