Are we falling out of love with 'racing'?

[Bearbonesnorm]

No mention of the Transcon or CTR .... is surprised.

[benp1]

Greg mentioned the CTR already (resurrected a previous thread).

Although I have to say that I didn't know that either were on! I can't say I follow the racing, not against it, just not often into it

[Scattamah]

Not at all...XWA was excellent :) Those Katos sure know how to shift a tandem!

Greetz

S.

[pistonbroke]

And the French Divide which starts soon, the CAT700 which passed unnoticed on here and the multiplicity of Italian events (excl TNR). Maybe the number of events is growing faster than those interested in doing them, a bit like Trailquests in the early 2,000's where it was possible to do an event every weekend throughout the year. These overseas events seem to attract local riders but fewer UK based riders seem willing to venture abroad, I blame Brexit
A mate is riding the Transcontinental as cap number 145, Joan Carrillo he's nails.

[whitestone]

I knew the Transcon was starting at the weekend - there was a piece on bikepacking.com http://www.bikepacking.com/plog/organized-chaos/ but it was only Greg resurrecting the CTR thread along with Cath mentioning that Paul Horobin was riding it that put that into my thoughts.

Maybe a natural ebb in things. There was little discussion about the TD this year, even the US forums seemed quiet. Maybe no obvious "superstar" - Josh Kato, Kristoff Allagaert - who'd challenge the fastest times. Maybe it's that there's no-one we (generic not a royal we) know. I've just looked at the list of Transcon riders on Trackleaders and I don't recognise any of the obviously Anglophile names.

As for the French Divide, well Cath and I are on the starting line on Saturday and Sunday respectfully. Here's the Trackleaders link - http://trackleaders.com/frenchdivide18 The recent heat wave has been quite fortuitous!

Edit: Surprised to see Lael Wilcox lining up for the FD.

[jameso]

Thought this was about another Sky miracle ride ; )

I don't think every sub 5 day event will get that much attention now, not sure if the number truly racing those smaller events is that large either? Speculation though.
I still take an interest in the TD and HT550 but not a lot else tbh. The road events with no fixed route just aren't something I relate to or find inspiring as races, though watching a master like Allegaert ride is always of interest.
OT a bit, but it's a different set of variables between open-route road and fixed route off road racing. One seems to be highly influenced by how many busy main roads you can tolerate, the other is more about conditions and how well you cope in the middle of nowhere.

[Bearbonesnorm]

OT a bit, but it's a different set of variables between open-route road and fixed route off road racing. One seems to be highly influenced by how many busy main roads you can tolerate, the other is more about conditions and how well you cope in the middle of nowhere.

Probably very true. My head doesn't really relate to any road based events as they generally seem quite removed from my personal interests. There's no denying that there are some supremely fit individuals taking part but I think I perhaps (rightly or wrongly) view them as a test of fitness / stamina and less about the adventure contained within the journey.

As previously mentioned - maybe we've reached a saturation point with regard to events? Unless you have a direct connection, then it's hard to become overly excited. Very much looking forward to tales of the Silk Road mind, which perhaps proves the above point?

[Scud]

I suppose i tend to follow different events in different places, i love following the TransContinental and have had a few mates race it, but Facebook/ instagram seems the natural place to follow it as the race themselves posts there with updates and the riders themselves.

Whereas i find here really good the the Tour Divide, so i guess i tend to know where is best for different events?

[GregMay]

Not really interested in the road racing multi day side of our clique. Still interested in the MTB side. Tab open with the CTR at the moment - mainly interested in logging some more info for next years run.

[Blair512]

I'm captivated by TCR, it amazes me how much ground those guys can cover in such a short space of time!

[ripio]

Interesting to see how this guy gets on riding the Transcontinental on a Brompton!
https://chpt3.com/blogs/journal/introdu ... mptonental

[jameso]

There's no denying that there are some supremely fit individuals taking part but I think I perhaps (rightly or wrongly) view them as a test of fitness / stamina and less about the adventure contained within the journey

With an open route format there's still plenty of room for adventure, just a different type to off road events? Maybe not that different at all, the unknown is there in both. I've really enjoyed road touring covering 300km many days, very much a race-efficiency riding mentality just with the pressure off. Add that pressure and I'd add the kms. But there's no escaping the fact that the most interesting roads that I often divert over to satisfy the urge to explore tend to be the slowest, and too often the fastest ways across an area is to share the main roads with trucks. I did extra kms between points many days when riding France N to S recently just to avoid some departmental roads that turned out to be busy ones. I can't see how I could place well in TCR with that approach, and racing it has been on my mind a number of times. Decided I like the experience of long days on the nice roads, back-to-back back road audaxes really, but actually racing in this way seems a bit futile or contradictary for me.

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Yes.

I am not fast, so why be miserable pretending to race a route that I could enjoy touring?

Just ridden the CT over 10 days, rather than my original plan to race, and it was the best decision ever. So much more enjoyable than a sleep deprived, head-down suffer-fest. Chilled out in lots of nice little towns, had good meals, drank beer, and generally soaked up the experience. I don’t really understand the addiction to type 2 fun some people suffer from, but it’s definitely not for me.

[fatbikephil]

There didn't seem to be much chit chat post Highland Trail this year and the YD 300 and Cairngorms loop barely raised a mention... Plus the Deeside trail website seems to be gone and no mention of group starts this year - lack of interest? (despite it being an ace route and a good distance). Maybe its just this forum, we are too busy eating cake drinking tea / coffee / beer and having fun.

[Mike]

I think it's great what folk are achieving on certain race/endurance scenes, but on a personal note I'm not that interested in following them day to day. I also think that the market is so saturated now with these kinda races/events every month ( so it seems ) that they are no longer new but the norm and sometimes the norm is just boring. But this is obviously my own opinion which counts for sub standard. Enjoy ya own ride!



I must add saying the above there are obviously those events which I have done and will do again because they are simply great times!

[JohnClimber]

I think that the bike packer demographic (JC uses a big word shocker) has grown out of racing.
I think we are more interested in chilling out rather than simply making up the numbers to give the top 3 on the podium a better felling of achievement.

[Ringo]

I personally love followingthe tcr at moment and enjoyed following taw.

[gairym]

Just ridden the CT over 10 days, rather than my original plan to race, and it was the best decision ever. So much more enjoyable than a sleep deprived, head-down suffer-fest. Chilled out in lots of nice little towns, had good meals, drank beer, and generally soaked up the experience. I don’t really understand the addiction to type 2 fun some people suffer from, but it’s definitely not for me.

+1 to this!

Not bashing folks who are fast but I've personally got no interest in killing myself to come in 233rd instead of 312th

[In Reverse]

I'm at a race right now and, at current count, there are 5 Boners here.

[jameso]

Is sleep deprivation an aspect of racing that puts some/many off? Some people simply handle it better than others but you need to ride much faster to make up the gap on a rider who sleeps 2, even 3hrs less than you do every day.

Matt Lee used to win early TDRs on a fairly regular 5am to midnight kind of schedule, now you'd need to be able to get by on much less kip than that. People know how to be efficient with stops and sleep is often the decider. While I've had some memorable experiences being pretty out of it via sleep dep, would I do that again? Nah, unlikely. I ride or did race out of a love of riding my bike, I also like sleep and feeling good on the bike rather than feeling drained to that level. Controlling sleep in races makes it a stage race and removes a lot of the simplicity that is so good about BP races, but it's a fairly major aspect to being competitive and not one we're all hapy with - far less so in a road event than off-road.

[pistonbroke]

Fully agree with the sleep deprivation issue in fact I've referred to the events, particularly road based, as Insomniac Racing. I think you get into a diminishing returns situation, if you can function on 20 mins curled up fully clothed in a hedge you need far less stuff than if, like me, you need a comfortable setup and several hours sleep. BITD it was the same with car rallying, consecutive all night events were the norm and one of the biggest dangers was meeting a milkman coming the other way at 5am or a drunk on his way home in the small hours. My dad was a top driver and functioned by grabbing 10 minute power naps whilst waiting to start a stage, he could just switch off and be back to full concentration within seconds of waking up. I'm not sure if this can be trained or is innate.

[slarge]

When a race is new it attracts lots of interest, but after a few years and lots of similar races there isn't much extra to say that hasn't already been said. I think everything goes in cycles of 6-10 years, then people start migrating to new things. Just look at XC racing, trailquests, Polaris/OMM, and now we have ITT's, bikepacking and Enduros. In a few years people will be migrating to the next big thing - eBike randuro or something.

A core of people don't move to the next big thing - but they become a minority. Luckily for bikepacking the core of people doing it are quite widespread, and it is possible to drift in and out as it doesn't consist of organised events, it is people disappearing into the woods at random.

For racing, the bubble will burst. Organisers move on, interest wanes, people realise that touring or other stuff might be more up t heir street, and some of the smaller events or group starts will die out. It's just the natural way of things.

[jameso]

^ Touring is back :) In hindsight the TCR etc will be seen as the spark that gets more people out road bikepacking (aka touring). There's a few more non-competitive events popping up which is good to see, since I think a lot of riders at any race mass start are there for a group tour and the social as much as anything.

[ScotRoutes]

^ Touring is back :) In hindsight the TCR etc will be seen as the spark that gets more people out road bikepacking (aka touring).

I know it's 're nature of my job but I see lots of road tourers and none of them would have the slightest idea what the TCR is - whether they are old hands or trying it for the first time.

There's a few more non-competitive events popping up which is good to see, since I think a lot of riders at any race mass start are there for a group tour and the social as much as anything.

+1

Many folk would love to do something like the HT550 with a bit of occasional company. As the standard of participant has elevated through the years, this has become more and more unlikely for the average Joe or Joanne. I can see the rise in an Audax-style event with maximum as well as minimum speeds as well as the more organised tours.

[Richpips]

Is sleep deprivation an aspect of racing that puts some/many off? Some people simply handle it better than others but you need to ride much faster to make up the gap on a rider who sleeps 2, even 3hrs less than you do every day.
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Controlling sleep in races makes it a stage race and removes a lot of the simplicity that is so good about BP races, but it's a fairly major aspect to being competitive and not one we're all hapy with - far less so in a road event than off-road.

I feel that riding/racing on the road with a continuous lack of sleep is foolish.

I can tell you a funny story about the time that Tom fell asleep on a cycle path in Holland.

A story that wouldn't have been funny if he'd been on a road with a car coincidentally passing.