BB200 goes large.

slarge · Post by **slarge** » Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:53 pm

Fantastic stuff Stu, was hoping there would be a 250 or 300 option. It's time for some strategy thinking! To bivvy or not to bivvy, that's the question......

gairym · Post by **gairym** » Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:38 pm

slarge wrote:Fantastic stuff Stu, was hoping there would be a 250 or 300 option. It's time for some strategy thinking! To bivvy or not to bivvy, that's the question......

What???

Surely you jest? You must mean "To bivvy one night or two, that's the question"?

Obviously I'm not the intended audience (though given the required speed/stamina/fitness I'd love to do it) but JEEEEES, an extra 100km of BB200 would bloody kill me!

ZeroDarkBivi · Post by **ZeroDarkBivi** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 5:34 pm

slarge wrote:Fantastic stuff Stu, was hoping there would be a 250 or 300 option. It's time for some strategy thinking! To bivvy or not to bivvy, that's the question......

That's a very simple question, if the cut-off is 30 hours - to bivvy or to finish!

The other consideration is driving the four hours home after 30 odd hours on the go... so a post-ride bivvy would certainly be required (in the van), and maybe taking leave on the Monday.

Asposium · Post by **Asposium** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 6:15 pm

A thought for the 200km edition

A minimum finish time, i.e. no sub-24hour finish. Might stop people treating as a race with extra luggage

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 6:41 pm

A minimum finish time, i.e. no sub-24hour finish. Might stop people treating as a race with extra luggage

I don't see it as any kind of problem. I like seeing people push themselves whether they finish in 18 hours or 30 ... it's good for the soul.

The reason for an extended version is simply because there are some very fast / fit riders who I know will always want the bar raising. My only hope is that a 300 takes nothing away from those doing the 200 - it always being a tough challenge and hopefully will remain so.

Asposium · Post by **Asposium** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 6:42 pm

Bearbonesnorm wrote:
A minimum finish time, i.e. no sub-24hour finish. Might stop people treating as a race with extra luggage
I don't see it as any kind of problem. I like seeing people push themselves whether they finish in 18 hours or 30 ... it's good for the soul. The reason for an extended version is simply because there are some very fast / fit riders who I know will always want the bar raising. My only hope is that a 300 takes nothing away from those doing the 200 - it always being a tough challenge and hopefully will remain so.

Two laps of the 200km route??

ZeroDarkBivi · Post by **ZeroDarkBivi** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 8:47 pm

I think the badges for completion within a certain timeframe does make it less likely people will bivi on the BB200. That and the fact it is likely to be cold / sodden / etc. I have every intention of having a long enjoyable bivi (maybe near a pub) in the sun (!) on the Lakeland Jenn ride, even though it is only 160km, because that's the nature of that event. Might even take some cooking kit, for the first time on a bike trip!

whitestone · Post by **whitestone** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 8:53 pm

ZeroDarkBivi wrote:I think the badges for completion within a certain timeframe does make it less likely people will bivi on the BB200. That and the fact it is likely to be cold / sodden / etc. I have every intention of having a long enjoyable bivi (maybe near a pub) in the sun (!) on the Lakeland Jenn ride, even though it is only 160km, because that's the nature of that event. Might even take some cooking kit, for the first time on a bike trip!

+1

A different ethos to the two events. The first JennRide I bivvied but I rode through last year. Will be bivvying again this year and there'll be a couple of pub stops

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 9:14 pm

Very much so, there'll be many faces at the WRT you wouldn't expect to see at the BB200 ... and vice versa obviously.

I think it's also important to remember the BB200 place in all this stuff we do - Chew touched upon it but back in 2011 things were different, no one really knew what they / we / us were capable of. Two riders completed 2011 in under 24 hours. In my opinion they were / are fast, fit and capable riders but upon their return they looked like broken men but the following year, they were not only faster but also much fresher when they finished. Perceptions change with time and what once seemed mental is now fairly ordinary ... assuming you move in the right circles of course.

slarge · Post by **slarge** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 9:21 pm

That for me is the beauty of the BB200 - it is a challenge to everyone, and it is never going to be easy, but everyone doing it is testing themselves to some degree. It can be a social ride, and solo bivvy ride, a fast ride or a slow ride, each person has their own goal. After 7 years the bar is being raised a bit for those who want it. And for those who don't there is still the "easy" option

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue May 01, 2018 1:16 pm

I'm not going to analyze this, I'm in!

mountainbaker · Post by **mountainbaker** » Tue May 01, 2018 5:28 pm

I think I'm up for this. Haven't done BB since 2014, and that was the worst one, right?

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Tue May 01, 2018 5:46 pm

Haven't done BB since 2014, and that was the worst one, right?

Oh yes

Scattamah · Post by **Scattamah** » Tue May 01, 2018 6:13 pm

Until the next one, right Stu? :)

Greetz

S.

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Tue May 01, 2018 6:51 pm

Nothing is ever that bad that it couldn't be worse ... think we might have that as a sticker

Chicken Legs · Post by **Chicken Legs** » Tue May 01, 2018 9:46 pm

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Nothing is ever that bad that it couldn't be worse ... think we might have that as a sticker

2014 BB200 100K longer

ctznsmith · Post by **ctznsmith** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:06 pm

I somehow scraped a black badge last year and my brain was quite happy with not entering this year.

I just saw Stu's facebook post.

I think I said "noooooo, you bastard" out loud.

Naturally I'm now thinking about entering the 300.

(I don't think I've actually ridden my mountain bike since last years BB200.

Well at least it will give me focus/a target)

Dave Barter · Post by **Dave Barter** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:42 pm

The problem for me is that I would have to take Monday off as there is no way I could drive home safely on Sunday after 300km.

Richard G · Post by **Richard G** » Sat Jun 02, 2018 12:46 am

Yeah, I think that's sensible.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:30 pm

I have a dilemma; continue my unbroken run of BB200’s (seven), or enter the BB300?

mountainbaker · Post by **mountainbaker** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 4:16 pm

Ian wrote:I have a dilemma; continue my unbroken run of BB200’s (seven), or enter the BB300?

I think you have to do the 300, otherwise you will not have done all of the BB kilometres.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 2:23 pm

I suppose that's a good point - I'll take it, before someone says both...

That being the case, I better get back on the bike a bit more. I managed to wriggle through last years BB200 with very little prep, but an extra 100 Welsh km's would quickly expose any inadequacies on the fitness front.

sean_iow · Post by **sean_iow** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 2:28 pm

Ian, last years was 220km so you'd 'only' have to manage an extra 80km

Perhaps the route will pass back by the start for 200km with an extra 100km loop for the 300 route, thus making the route planning easier for Stu? (only one route instead of 2 separate ones to plan) and also enabling you to pass by the start before 24 hrs and be back again in under 30 hrs to complete both

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:00 pm

220km, you say? 10% extra free

Let's hope Stu isn't feeling so generous this year, or we'll get 330km

Not that I'm complaining - last years route was the best of the lot in my opinion - so I'd happily take that and another 80km+ like it on top.

Will there be badges, and if so, what colour?*

* these things are important

sean_iow · Post by **sean_iow** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:07 pm

Last years was the first I've done, are they not all that nice

Stu did point out at the time that the last 20km was downhill* so didn't count

*The sort of downhill that has climbs in it as I remember it.

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