Paris-Brest-Paris
Printed From: BHPC Forum
Category: Public: Open to anyone
Forum Name: Audaxes and sportives
Forum Description: Organised but non-competitive
URL: https://forum.bhpc.org.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=5089
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 10:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Paris-Brest-Paris
Posted By: Yanto
Subject: Paris-Brest-Paris
Date Posted: 14 February 2015 at 8:47pm
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Well, why not? Despite completing London - Edinburgh - London, and saying "never, ever again" here I am not only contemplating PBP but have booked and paid for the ferry. There is still the small matter of qualifying, i.e, completing an "SR" Super Randonneur, which involves completing within time limits a 200, 300, 400 and 600km rides. Me being me and not finding a suitable local 300km ride I've entered a 200, 400, 400, 600km series. The 200 is the first week in April, the 400's are a week apart in May, and the 600 in June, then there's keeping the fitness and stamina until the 3rd week in august for PBP which is 1220km. Plus, talking about doing things out of order I guess I should get a suitable steed and get fit, at least the steed bit is sorted I'm picking up my velomobile on 16th of Feb. If anybody should stumble across my rambling story I will update it as things progress. Ian
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Replies:
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 14 February 2015 at 8:52pm
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Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 15 February 2015 at 12:08am
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Stories for the mag always appreciated. ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: blogwat
Date Posted: 16 February 2015 at 9:24am
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Another velomobile Ian !, pray tell more, good luck by the way, no more pies for the time being then. Jeff. ------------- when your up to your waist in aligators they forget to tell you you've got to clear the swamp |
Posted By: Andy TS
Date Posted: 17 February 2015 at 3:52pm
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Good luck Iain. Definitely will watch out for updates.  ------------- Allewedder A2, Broken Optima Baron Lowracer |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 18 February 2015 at 7:41pm
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Geoff, it's worse than no pies, it's no beeeeeer as well ;-( Well as some have seen on FB the velomobile has been collected, a marathon 900 mile drive in 23hrs including 4 hours with Ymte at Intercitybikes (manufacturer of the velo). If i remember how i'll put a photo of it on here. I took it out for a short ride yesterday, there are some set up changes i need to make but the performance was good (velo' not me) with 22mph ave over 25 miles. I hope to get out on Friday before the rain returns - yes i'm still a wuss despite being fully faired, then a ride on Sunday morning. I think the best approach to "training" is for now to get a couple hundred miles under my belt, sort the seating and BB settings and just learn how it goes, it is different to a Quest! Slowly, slowly catcha monkey as they say, who "they" are i've no idea. when i'm a bit more settled I will start exploring it's potential a bit more. |
Posted By: Andy TS
Date Posted: 18 February 2015 at 8:55pm
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So 22mph avg is not a bad start!! ------------- Allewedder A2, Broken Optima Baron Lowracer |
Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 18 February 2015 at 9:48pm
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What you bought Ian? ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 19 February 2015 at 7:47am
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It is called a DF here is a link to the US forum where a kind chap posted on my behalf. http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=115308" rel="nofollow - http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=115308
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Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 19 February 2015 at 8:04pm
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Ah yes - D.F. for Daniel Fenn. There were a few at the Worlds (as was Daniel), including Swanette's. Looks very similar to the Evo K, but then Daniel did design that as well apparently. ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 19 February 2015 at 9:19pm
| Externally very similar, internals are quite different, I will bring it to race meeting and let you crawl all over it. |
Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 19 February 2015 at 9:30pm
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Will do. Looks lovely in orange. ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 20 February 2015 at 12:02am
Maybe. Hopefully I'll ride some qualifiers and see how things go. I would do me good to get focused this year. And I need to stay away form the beer shop. Bad habits have been formed. I've not ridden a bent since 2008, after I rode a home build down to Spain [best thing I ever did] and I always vowed that if I ever did PBP again after doing it in 2007 on recumbent, and 2011 on a DF then I'd revert back to the Dark Side. So, I've pulled the bare frame from the loft [I really like the bike, but boy it weighs a sack or two], installed some basic bits, stuck it on the turbo, turned the pedals a few times. And crikey, I've got some serious work to do before now and then! I also have high hopes of building a carbon version before then, but time passes quickly. I have all the stuff ready, but I'd do well just to concentrate on this current bike and get some fitness going first and foremost. Time is moving on, and I won't have time for loads of miles, so it's high intensity all the way for me this time :-) Might even wear my BHPC shirt I bought in 2006[?]..that I've never worn! Hopefully will try and get to Hillingdon too this year too. So...we'll see. |
Yanto wrote:Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 20 February 2015 at 8:01am
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Best of luck, have you any photo's of the bike? I'd be interested in your PBP experiences, if you wish to share can you PM me your email address and i'll contact you. Cheers
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Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 20 February 2015 at 8:59pm
This was it in 2008 http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vindaloo77/100_1222b.jpg" rel="nofollow - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vindaloo77/100_1222b.jpg just after I'd finished it. Drop of paint came a bit later. If I don't get the carbon version finished then I'll set about putting this thing to task!
Sure, will drop you a line. But I'll tell you now - you're a damn site quicker than me! I'm a full valve participant. Full 90hr merchant.I don't know much about the velo world but those riders put in some serious times in both 2007 and 2011. Really amazing. Considering how much they weigh and PBP is not exactly flat. One thing I love about PBP is all the different bikes and nationalities. You'll have a lot of fun. |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 20 February 2015 at 9:03pm
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Yes Ymte who makes the DF did it in 2007 unsupported in under 55hrs, he's doing it this year in one his machines, a DFXL which is a lot faster than the one he did it in last time. |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 20 February 2015 at 10:17pm
Oh right! My advice would be to stick on his wheel/shell and don't let him out of your site I remember before 2007 somebody so aptly describing PBP as a 'wheel suckers paradise'. It is so true. All kinds of stuff goes on, especially at the beginning. I remember Ymte doing 55hrs. He was with Hans Wessels I seem to remember. Edit: actually, we do them an injustice - I'm pretty sure it was 53hrs! For me, the challenge is can I still do it fours years on? A reason and a goal to get some kind of fitness going. Some would disagree, and this is not to be critical, but from my own personal experience, don't hold too many expectations about the route itself - it's nothing special. Nothing bad about it, but nothing spectacular either. You will have done just as interesting qualifying rides in the UK to get there. Rather, it's all about the event as a whole and the history of it that makes it what it is. That's a beautifully crafted Velo you have there. Work of art. Edit: On the topic of Hans Wessels, I've just been searching on BROL for a quote I read ages ago allegedly by him. It deserves repetition: "Stop worrying about bike weights and so on. Most important aspect of a PBP bike is it being comfortable. You will ride on it for a long, long time. Your daily commute bike might be a very good PBP bike. You ride a lot on it, it is dependable and you know the bike by heart." |
Posted By: legs_larry
Date Posted: 21 February 2015 at 5:23pm
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I had a brief chat with Hans Wessels at the start in 2007. He said he was "going for a time" but then, pointing at his glasses, added "if it rains it will be difficult". It rained. ------------- ==================== a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 21 February 2015 at 5:36pm
Ymte was non-committal about going for a time this year. I think he will, he mentioned the LEL race where he was a long way ahead until he had a puncture, he said he was running a too smaller inner-tube for the tyre and it went BANG!!!! The grin said "i'm not making that mistake again". He also said that doing a very fast time unsupported is very difficult, I actually think that 53hrs unsupported is exceedingly quick! I'm putting my name against a 90hr start time, no pressure, enjoy the ride and go fast if i feel capable. |
Posted By: Warekiwi
Date Posted: 23 February 2015 at 9:10pm
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You will be in good company as far as velomobiles go-- two of my Eurotour friends from Denmark plan on coming south for it. One in a Milan SL and the other in a Strada. From reading the French velomobile forums I think there will be quite a few others as well- unlike your experience of the LEL. All the best with your preparation and we will all look forward to hearing about the experience! ------------- QuattroVelo #13 (2016)now eQV! Snoek#18 Too tight! Brompton P6- for shoppping! Vitus Escarpe eMTB for off-road fun. |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 09 March 2015 at 10:07pm
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Well, it gives me no pleasure at all in admitting that the Dark Side was very poorly represented, both in terms of numbers and performance on Saturday's Kennet Valley 200km qualifier. Out of 150 odd, there was a solitary recumbent rider, me, and I was 15 mins out of time. This equates to a Big Fail. And the first time I've ever been out of time on an Audax. Without going into all the details....I rode 190km with the front disc rubbing on the pad without realizing, which, as you might expect, slowed me down. How come I didn't realize? Err....I just thought that after 8yrs away from the DS, I was off the pace [like I had none], although a great day for riding there was a not insignificant headwind for the first 100km, the bike was heavy, and all sorts of other excuses. All I needed to do was put the wheel in properly at the start. Shame and embarrassment ensued! In buckets at the time.  I'd have got round ok otherwise.I can only apologise and will be making amends ! Anyway....we go again and next up is The Dean 300 on the 28th. Going to knock up another steel bike before then. |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 01 April 2015 at 9:12pm
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Better news on the qualifying front this weekend - I got round a very damp and gusty Dean 300km. Only just mind, but I got round nonetheless. It's a cracking ride, lots of variation of terrain but quite tough in places. The lumps, recumbents and very out of condition riders - what is to be done? Get training probably. Done any qualifiers yet, Ian? |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 02 April 2015 at 11:04am
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Well done Garry, you're ahead of me in the qualifiers, i've got first 200k on Saturday (4th) it's the Double Dutch, so as flat as a pancake, weather looks agreeable too, bit of a northerly but not too bad, shouldn't affect me much and the return 3rd will be a tail wind - looking forward to it. My 300 is actually a 400 on the 9th of May the Llanfairgogogoch etc etc, this i'm not so sure about, like you i need to get some longer rides in and do some doubling up, i.e. two consecutive long rides of about 75-100 miles/day.
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Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 05 April 2015 at 11:10am
Yesterday I answered that question, I hate rides over 4-5hrs. I'm not doing PBP
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Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 05 April 2015 at 5:14pm
Just curious, can you say more Ian? This wasn't a calendar event you were on was it, but rather a solo ride? Far from me to discourage a decision not to ride, I'm verging myself [and it's all utterly mad anyway - but's a reason too ride ], but you've had a sudden shift of interest without even doing a qualifier yet. Give yourself a bit more time maybe?You'd be in good company there, and I bet you're a strong rider too. Edit:...Ah sorry, just realized it was a calender event you rode - the Double Dutch. Give it a couple of days and you'll be looking at the sites again :-) |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 13 May 2015 at 10:01pm
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This must be one of the quietest corners of the internet Anyway...an update, and for those that are not in the slightest bit interested, I've included the gpx route maps of the rides completed so far. I've been wavering for months, but so far have completed http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/The-Dean-300-AudaxThe%20Dean%20300" rel="nofollow - The Dean 300 , http://www.routeyou.com/en-gb/route/view/1641144/cycle-route/3down-audax-2014.en" rel="nofollow - The 3Down 300 , http://www.audax-salop.talktalk.net/elenydd/route_map.html" rel="nofollow - The Elenydd 300 and, after the Saturday just gone http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Severn-Across-Audax-2009" rel="nofollow - The Severn Across 400 [never have I been so shot after a ride...terrible preparation]. Interestingly enough, I've been the only dark sider on all four rides. So, that leaves a 600, and they start on the 23rd. Even though I haven't entered anything, there are still options available, the booking page on the AUK site for the Bryan Chapman has even reopened for business...which is very tempting...and surprising. So we edge closer - closer to something I'm really sure not I want to do again  The bike's holding up well - which is pleasing. And is holding up my speed noticeably very well on the climbs too. This is were time is so easily lost. Oh the climbs, the dreaded climbs........what to do about the climbs? Just have to climb more I guess. And....drink less, sleep more, and [horror of horrors] train more. Just the basic things actually. |
Posted By: legs_larry
Date Posted: 14 May 2015 at 2:05pm
Which way did you return to base after Membury on the Severn Across?  ------------- ==================== a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 14 May 2015 at 8:53pm
Not sure really. Headed Sarf East, got lost and ended up on this long straight road that took me into Slough  Got lost in Reading though!Loads of folk did the A4 on Saturday, even some fast characters [what's wrong with these people?]. We was the pioneers Dave, back in the day, rebels |
Posted By: legs_larry
Date Posted: 15 May 2015 at 12:50pm
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ISTR it being your idea. I was falling asleep at the wheel before Malmesbury and was thus incapable of having any... ------------- ==================== a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 25 May 2015 at 11:32pm
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Ok, so here we are again - all the qualifiers done now, with the Flatlands 600 being the final one the weekend just gone [May 23-24]. If ever there was a Dark Side friendly 600, then this could well be it. However, with averse weather, like all other Audaxes, this ride could also be well and truly awful too. It's a jaunt starting in Gt Dunnow, up through Boston to Goole on the humber, and looping back down through Lincoln among other places to GD. And eating an awful lot of junk food along the way [and believe me, guilt never comes into it]. The route: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/3455798 Saturday was probably one of the best days I've ever had on a bike. If anybody was wondering why Stuart Dennison wasn't racing on Sunday, well, he was 'ere on the Flatlands ride - exhibiting a Ratracer without the fairing. Turns out he did this ride last year too as a preregistration PBP qualifier, which basically means he could enter this PBP earlier than the likes me of me that didn't do any such pre-qualifiers, and thus guaranteeing himself a place. Registration opens for me on the 31st May. We'll see. On Saturday night between the hours of 1am and 5am, it was a definite No No....this is the last ever ride. This is madness and I hate it. Driving back 18 hrs later, and events have already started to take on a different completion. What is going on with all this stuff? It's just so crazy. |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 26 May 2015 at 7:43am
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Well done Garry, surely between 1am and 5am you should in have been in an Audax "Hotel" ?
Any plans for keeping the miles up until PBP?
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Posted By: legs_larry
Date Posted: 26 May 2015 at 12:29pm
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Staying away from the BCM and The Beast From The East is probably as sensible as these things get... ------------- ==================== a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 26 May 2015 at 11:22pm
I was riding with Stuart around that time and he had made provisions for booking into an Audax Hotel. He flatly refused the first offering but accepted the second. Unfortunately, having no kip provisions, I had to press on, as it was a bit cold to really relax into concrete against skin at that particular moment. So he took up occupancy for a while, and I pressed on...but I soon fell victim to natures call and found myself virtually falling off the bike, collapsing into a grass verge and having to accept the way things are. Such is natures call.
Oh boy...there is so much to do...I need to get the bike sorted out, loads more mechanicals...and fitness....well, there is so much to do. We'll see... |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 26 May 2015 at 11:42pm
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I can see the attraction of doing these bonkers long events on/in a trike... It gives you somewhere relatively comfortable to sleep! ------------- |
Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 26 May 2015 at 11:49pm
Too true. Also, cover said vehicle with a nice smooth fairing and you have not only increase in speed, but protection from the elements too....while you sleep! |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 26 May 2015 at 11:52pm
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Posted By: legs_larry
Date Posted: 21 August 2015 at 12:06am
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One is pleased to note that Garry finished PBP in 89:34, which is a whole twenty-six minutes faster than 2007! Chapeau, Sir! ------------- ==================== a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 21 August 2015 at 12:07am
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Posted By: garryb59
Date Posted: 22 August 2015 at 2:10pm
Thanks Dave. You were missed out there. A certain part of Mortagne had a poignant familiarity to it - you will recall it well [especially after you'd just lent me 50 quid at the control too ]What an experience once again. Did I enjoy it? Goodness knows. The whole gamut of emotions seemed to come and go, forever flowing so quickly, ranging from the most negative to the most positive, but all in all it leaves an indelible imprint on the memory that's for sure. And how bizarre it is that once some time is put between the finish and where we are now - it all seems like an amazing experience and the pain recedes. Hell fire we'd never go back and do anything again if the case was contrary. But it was a mad crazy dash for the line from start to finish, with no time to spare. Again. And the nights were tough. Always trying to hold onto precious time while sleep deprivation accumulates by the kilometer. It was always emergency stops for me, half hour here, half hour there, but the weather was so much kinder this time around and I did most of my emergency kipping by the side of the road, along with many others. I see the tracker did not not record me going through Tinteniac on the return leg. Reading yacf, it sounds like the tracker was all over the place for a while. I don't recall seeing a blank in the brevet card....but it could be I was so zonked I actually forgot to go through the control! I saw Patrick Fields on a few occasions. We were swapping internal thoughts about our lack of preparation and how utterly blown apart we felt - and vowed this: never for this ride to be completed in this state again! [cough] I didn't see Stuart once throughout the whole ride. Getting home it would appear there was a reason - he finished 10 hours ahead of me! I smell the air from another planet, the planet 'Training'. Fair play to him. From what I can see from the photos he was not carrying the kitchen sink either, which I have a tendency to do. I have to say there were many good recumbent riders out there, most of whom I sadly didn't see after reaching Mortange. Some very good riders indeed. PBP is not flat, as you know, but recumbents can be ridden perfectly fine if you're prepared to prepare properly. But it was a great experience and I feel buoyed to go off and build another bike. This one is history. It was cobbled together pretty quickly this year [where did that year just go!] and did the job, but it's a bit all over the place. If I'm still of this world in 2019 I'll be 60 [what!], and [from a distant bar stool] I like the idea of putting in some dedicated time to get fit, get a bike together that can perform to a higher standard, go round once again, and have a decent crack at making headway into the clock, and pushing beyond the hanging on stage for so much of the time. But the sun shone...for hours. And on the descents, it was fantastic. Here are a couple of [not perfectly clear] videos from the start posted on BROL. https://youtu.be/4Htz15C2NmU https://youtu.be/jsbETs00Qmg [can't seem to post these as clickable links though] Coming back into the flat though made me realize how much I'd left all the issues here well and truly behind for 6 days - strikes me that's a good barometer of how you've spent time away. There is therapy in getting so exhausted that wooden floors, table tops and roadside verges can take on the character of being the most enticing places to insinuate sleep! At that time, emails don't matter no more. Talking of sleep......most go. See you sometime Dave. cheers |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 22 August 2015 at 7:31pm
Well done that man!!  ------------- |
Posted By: farwer
Date Posted: 22 August 2015 at 9:47pm
| Awesome, well done. Jochen |
Posted By: legs_larry
Date Posted: 23 August 2015 at 12:09am
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The tracker was all over the place; at one point it had Garry averaging more than 53 km/h for 300 km and apparently has one Chris Smith as a DNF, which is news both to him and his stoker ------------- ==================== a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds |
Posted By: LWaB
Date Posted: 19 May 2022 at 9:25pm
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Reviving an ancient thread, I like to keep track of interesting PBP rides. Perusing https://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pbp/stories/stories_2019.html cN while away quite some time. I know a fair few folk have finished PBP on recumbent bikes over the years. There are increasing numbers of velomobile finishers, including at least one woman. Brit blokes have been successful on bare recumbent trikes but I don’t remember reading of any women doing so. Have I missed somebody? |