My 231 mile Ride (actually a DNF 185 miler): done

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redefined_cycles
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My 231 mile Ride (actually a DNF 185 miler): done

Post by redefined_cycles »

Hoping to get some inout from your kind selves...

Me and a few lads will be riding from West Yorkshire to sunny Landon for charity (one fella doing £5000 target to support the humanitarian crisis in Yemen which is apparently one of the worst food crisis the world has ever seen and me am raising for 10 orphans in and around wartorn Syria).

Anyway the rough gist of thw ride is summed up by saying: 'a day in the life of one of the fastest guys on such things as the TCR' and rules are based around Mike Halls guidelines (ie. Be nice to each other, no drafting, notForProfit, no outside support etc etc).

So not offically a race (the race is to get the fundraising done and raise lots of dosh: similar to how JamesO runs the TNR I suppose) but to keep it all lively the riders will try to get to the end point before their fellow riders.

Anyway, enough of that (I'm on 2 kids sponsorship at the mo and if anyone wants to sponsor then much love to your kind self)...

I'm here in front of you dragons cos I need your investment (haha... no your money, just your brains and guidance as I'm one of thw slowest riders and plan to get to end point (without racing) first... wouldn't that be lovely...
Last edited by redefined_cycles on Thu Apr 25, 2019 10:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

So.. Just a few Qs that need answering at the mo.

1. To watebladder or not to waterbladder. This would dictste what sort of bag I got for the bike (half or full even though I could technically run a 5L (Acepac) or 5.5L (Apidura) with a 3 or 2.5L reservoir...

2. I'm thinking that the only chance I have of finishing first is by carrying all my water and food and hence mot having to stop for refills of food nor water (have managed an 60 mile stint without stopping previously so hopefully might able to use that as a marker and make 65 to 70 miler stints).

3. Erm watch this space....
redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

Image

So on the issue if subject1 (waterbladder or not): How would one run the hose - seems I need a longer hose so may aswell upgrade my bladder (not mt personal bladder) at same time - and drink from it at same time as riding. Especially since I won't have any aerobars as my Earnies (the road bike) bars can't take it.

Yesterday whilst I was trialling for first time with camelbak in framebag, it was a bit of a mission to get a drink whist riding. But then if the hose was longer, dont they just flap about!!

:geek:

(Oh... did I say thanks)
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Can you not just mount a couple of bottles on the bars? Easy to reach and maybe less messing about when refill time comes?
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redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

Ok... so that answer my first Q I guess. Cheaper aswell I suppose as the half framebag will be much cheaper and 2 time 850ml bottles should be a fair bit.

(On mtb though will probs keep the hydration pack inside the framebag as theres not much room on the bars for bottles... i get that normally these (you lot) ultra endurance riders/racers have a very cluttered cockpit up front.... maybe just a longer hose and going at mtb pace isnt as much a worry of reaching for the water hose as long as its long enough :-bd )...
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RIP
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by RIP »

'not much room on bars' - specifically, stemcells/feedbags behind the bars for bottles? they obv don't use up valuable front-of-bars real estate..
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redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

RIP wrote:'not much room on bars' - specifically, stemcells/feedbags behind the bars for bottles? they obv don't use up valuable front-of-bars real estate..
Never really consider that. Fair point
Chew
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by Chew »

I'd suggest doing a few Audax to find out what works for you.
Trying to do it without stopping is unlikely to work.

Stopping isnt a bad thing and as long as its a reasonable distance between them, and you're efficient then it doesnt cost that much time.
It could end up being faster.

Mentally you can then break down the distance into smaller sections.

Bottles are easier to use.
Both from a drinking perspective, as you can see how much you're drinking, but also much quicker to refill
redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

Thanks all...

Maybe I might stop but being the Mr Slow of the group and also the ride coordinator (whats that word that they use for Anna in the TCR again) I need to set an example... Ahem.

The plan is Chew to do 3 times chunks of around 70... as long as I manage to get ahead whilst they are resting/faffing and keep going for another 50 (I tested it recently on the 320 miler over 3 days to Slough by doing a little friendly with one of the lads who tagged along on the last day) then I'm hoping I might just be in with a chance...

Plus, they dont know that I've got bears with 'don't be soft' stickers stuck to their top tubes, giving me some friendly lessons/advice... :-bd :grin:

Bottles it is...
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psling
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by psling »

Is this ride on-road or off-road?
If on-road and you're planning on doing it in one hit (i.e. not bivvying along the way) then surely you won't be needing to fill the bike up with bags? Maybe a waterproof and an insulated jacket just incase. Water and snacks can go in stem cells and bottle holders (why would you need a frame bag?).
I'd also be looking at fitting some easier-rolling tyres (or beg/buy/borrow a more road-orientated bike)!!
Of course, it can be done on a mountain bike with knobbly tyres but if you want to "finish first" it may be less painful on something more suitable? :cool:
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

Psling, thanks for the input. Happy to report that I'm no more dooDaa than the rest of anyone on here and wouldn't attempt such a feat (in 24H and one sitting on that minstrosity shown above [sorry Stan]...

Let me demonstrate:

Image

That there ^^ be my Earnie :grin: with full low rolling resistance * Schwalbe ProOne tubelessed wheels (Alhamdulillah (all praise to Allah))...

It won't be having the saddlepack on said day (thats got my nurses uniform in it just now) and the framebag Q was cos I defo needs one (just deciding exactly which) to carry food and jacket. Then the top tube bags would carry my electronics/charger/speaker etc etc and a couple ginger beers :-bd

Keep the expert input coming please as it is all being absorbed.

*theres only one faster tyre IMO worth getting which is the GP5000 tubeless but that'd be being snobbish and wasteful :grin:
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psling
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by psling »

Ha ha, yep, that looks more suitable!
I'd probably go with a half-frame bag (I use Wildcat Ocelots) and water bottles in the botte holders under. Looks like 500ml bottles should fit no problem, possibly even bigger ones. Like Chew says, much easier to keep an eye on levels and fill along the way.
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

So... The ride took place as intended. Ran a little late and departed at 0615 on 20th/Saturday (last satirday).

Route was 223 miles with 11500ft elevation with 4 famous-ish climbs (Carr Lane/before Derby; Edge Hill (somewhere further South); Bison Hill at start of the Chilterns). The riders were (just) 3...

My target for orphans affected (acrually in middle of) by the Syrian crisis of which I've raised almost 8 childrens sponsorship for the year... LadypoolCycles Khalil who's raised £2000 of his £10000 target for the Yemeni Food crisis and another lad (the superfast one) who's managed 600 of the compulsory £750 target of which he also decided to fundraise for the orphans.

Night before I noticed Superfast Lads (SLs) gearing was a bit rubbish so took a look in stand. Turned out the builder (some shop in London) had left 2 links too long in the chain. I being the nice man that I try to be chopped and tightend cablw and sorted and tuned it. Noticed a noise of aliens inside bottom bracket when shifting rear mech to the more tensioned gear (I forget which way was that) and put it down to some sleeve inside his frame that was gonna be giving up the ghost soon (hopefully not on our ride but from post ride report it sounds like it did and he lost his highest 3 gears). SLs bike was some random carbon chinese jobby so wasnt expecting much from it anyway. He also had what seemed to be square bearing - shimano 520 spd - pedals which must have cost him at least around 10 to 15 extra watts durig the ride. Being the gentleman that I am, I obviously didnt mention his knackered bearings until post ride (and I'll be sending some of my old ones on to him at some point).

So... the ride. Departed at 0615 after a little vid from the charity partner for their twitter feed. Obviously, me being the guy with the most OCD bike which the best power savings and easy rolling resistance, I was soon trailing behind SLs and Khalil trail. Life360 on the go I knew that I was soon around 5 miles behind and this was less than 20 miles into the ride...

Some time before Derby and due to some confusion or whatnot, I had managed to get to position 2. Then at mile40 and just after leaving Hardwick Hill/park (or whatever it was), my right knee - that I had been nursing from the onset of the ride - refused to want to go any further. So I was ready to chuck in the towel as the pain was becoming unbearable...

Then I (must have) remembered that I need 'not be soft'... Sat at side of road some miles before Carr Lane I pondered over a statement in a record breaking article (of LeJoG for 2018) I'd just re-read that week: where Broadwith - https://cyclinguphill.com/new-lejog-cyc ... broadwith/ - told his support crew-wife that, "I can't do this for another 11 hours"... She asked "can you for another 20 minutes"... He said yes.... the record was broken (around 11 hours later).

I decided to go for another 5 miles as I couldn't think clearly in 20 minute stints. Managed to make my 5 mile trick work (initially in 5 mile segments) for another 135 miles and finally had to give in at mile 175... Pain killers (combination of 6 hourly CoCodamol and Duck Tape and Ibuprofen) finally stopped working for me when the cold came back as dusk set in.

Was pretty chuffed with my performance cos even thiugh my average speed was only 13mph (as opposed to 16.5mph of SuperfastLad) I managed to keep within 20 mile range of him by just havig the strategy of "keep on moving" and "don't faff" (yes, Escape Goat, if you're reading, I did have your profile slogan in my head).

A thoroughly enjoyable day and thanks all for your input on this thread all them weeks/months ago... :-bd

https://strava.app.link/UrYwgOdX9V

Next step (aside from building up my lovely Italian Bertoletti frame as my prize) is to try and complete The Old 240 to redeem myself for not completing it.

Have spoken to the physio friend who just thinks its inflammation. I reckons the knee injury been caused by unusual riding postions during trainin for the ride as I've been using a superlight carbon saddle. Upon which (I read) you dont sit, but rather perch... Hence Ive probably been putting undue stress on the tiny knee muscles (whichever they are) and kneecap. Also not really done many knee exercises for this ride (cos I thought I was well-ard and didn't need to anymore :sad: ).

Feel free to share any experiences of fast knee rehab you might have gone through. Thanks again all...
redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride: Pls input

Post by redefined_cycles »

Lessons learnt.

1. Always cover my knees (so will be gp9ng back to my default full length Singltrack pants as opposed to 3 quart Singletracks used for this.

2. I did the right thing taking my waterproof jacket which I did ponder over leaving behind. It was a lifesaver when the cold came in at sundown... Arm Warmers and gloves being the lifesaver to keep me warm in the cold temps just before sunrise.

3. I really need to toughen up.

4. I need to start taking the little exercises (like squats and knee balancing stuff I used to do previously) more seriously.

5. Stop skimping on weight in thw areas where other priorities are more important...
BobCatMax
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Re: My 231 mile Ride (actually a DNF 185 miler): done

Post by BobCatMax »

I've always been one to cover my knees too...even on some of the warmer spring days. I think Rob Lee (mountain biker of some note) said similar about the importance of keeping knees warm.

Sounds like you put in a sterling effort, well done on your achievements
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redefined_cycles
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Re: My 231 mile Ride (actually a DNF 185 miler): done

Post by redefined_cycles »

BobCatMax wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2019 6:00 am I've always been one to cover my knees too...even on some of the warmer spring days. I think Rob Lee (mountain biker of some note) said similar about the importance of keeping knees warm.

Sounds like you put in a sterling effort, well done on your achievements
Thanks buddy... I did indeed and happy with it :-bd
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