Very interesting this - I do wonder whether maybe group start / mass start / everyone setting off together is perhaps intrinsic with our greater concept or natural understanding of a 'race'? I purposely removed the group start element from the BB200 in an effort to help eliminate the notion of 'rac...

Echoing much of the above... I thought Grand Depart was a phrase borrowed from road racing. For the TDR, doesn't R = Race? Similarly the HT550 is a route, the HTR is a race (at least that's how I've always seen it). Event organisers select entrants and (to keep using the HTR as an example) expect to...

I might steal this idea as my ti goat has a loop on the mesh part but I have never bothered to to fixed anything to it before. I've done it on my Ti Goat Kestral with a wee bit of shockcord. I had additional tie-in points added to the underside of my tarp for this very purpose. It obviously relies ...

Water bottles and cages aren't always a perfect match as the detent notch position can vary. I find that Specialized cages and bottles are absolutely dependable. I have Zee cages so I can access them from the side too.

James mentioned it above but on long rides of this kind I've had a GPS displaying overall average speed and tried to maintain that at, or slightly above, my planned speed. I found it good for watching I don't stop too long, or making me put a bit of a spurt on so I don't drop below during any stops.

Folk have been caught doping for Sportives. I'd not think the TDR and others are immune. Peer pressure can be as intense as financial reward.

I'd not really considered the brake-pad example. I guess that "only" in the rules makes it clear if you are following the letter of the law.

Gordy chooses, but you're right. For some folk there is no option.

There's a guy locally has been bivvying every night for over a year.

What if you descend due to bad weather and see a struggling ill equipped shivering person - surely its ok to save their life , even if it includes providing kit, and finish the ride? Of course it is OK, but if I was the shivering person, the last thing on my mind would be whether or not I've been d...

If I crossed safely I might help someone else. I'd likely hang about to make sure they were safe. Of course you're not going to let someone drown. That would DQ them but not me. Would it disqualify the second rider? Just asking as I'm not sure what the river crossing means to the HTR. If it's a sig...

Do we agree that as events like BB200, YD200 HT550 are listed on the self supported website, then the self supported rule apply. However if the organisers override them, like Stu did with last years bb and the river crossings and Stu Rider did at the YD2/300 with water, then the organisers's rules ...

If I crossed safely I might help someone else. I'd likely hang about to make sure they were safe. Of course you're not going to let someone drown. That would DQ them but not me.

I think the helping of other riders cross swollen streams and rivers is simply not breaking rule #1 - don't be a dick! There's no way I wouldn't help someone else safely cross such risks regardless of what any rule said. I'd disagree with you on this one. Accepting it's not safe to cross as an indi...

Boo!

7/7 for 2019 32nd consecutive month. Out of interest, what's the BB record for consecutive BAMs? IIRC it's held by Taylor or Chew at 54 or so? I beat chew by a further 10 months as he gave up at Christmas and I carried on until the following October. 70 month's or 5 years 10 month's :-bd Are you gu...

I've become a fan of the Bontrager XR series. XR2 might be a good option for your back tyre, though I always prefer something chunkier on the front.

Fatbike and kit for a one-nighter (including 1.5L of water) - 18Kg

Bit of a last minute change of plan had me bivvying with metalheart and one of my mates. Lack of plan/openness to change saw lots of dithering about location. Metalheart had a mechanical on the way, which is when we discovered the winged scourge were out in force. Pressure of daylight and potential ...

Piemonster wrote: ↑Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:26 am I’m not sure I have access to an OS map that’ll work on basecamp.

See me after school...

However if there are no grey areas then should several of last years BB200 riders be DSQ for assisting each other during river crossings? I believe this happened during the HT550 too. However, you soon encroach upon another grey area; do you consider physical assistance to be disallowed but mental ...

Some events are quite clear on what constitutes "minimum requirements". If they're not clear then it's down to individual comfort levels. But is it not in the spirt to carry something similar to the other riders or is it ok to have a min kit much smaller and lighter than the others? Some ...

Aren't we all just abiding by the "rules" at selfsupporteduk.net? Anything else is at the whim of the event organiser and, if it's not ruled out by either of those, then it's fine.

Here's an example.



https://theomm.com/mountain-marathon-kit-list/

Some events are quite clear on what constitutes "minimum requirements". If they're not clear then it's down to individual comfort levels.

I print from Basecamp if I ever want a paper copy.