The other side if the amazing bb200.

Worst bits?

Cramps at 9pm 12 hours in.

High saddle on gravel bike on Dyfi forest

Choosing to not get water when I could and having to wait 1 hour for more.

Terrible chaffing on the old chap.

Almost being brought to tears just before Barmouth being overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it.

There's probably more.

Sitting on the train on the way to BB200 2018 and realising I’d left my waterproof shorts on the bed at home.

Escape Goat wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:42 pm The other side if the amazing bb200.

Worst bits?

Cramps at 9pm 12 hours in.

High saddle on gravel bike on Dyfi forest

Choosing to not get water when I could and having to wait 1 hour for more.

Terrible chaffing on the old chap.

Almost being brought to tears just before Barmouth being overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it.

There's probably more.

And you do this for fun lol

Haha. Yeah...

I’ve heard about this type 2 fun

Yeah it's certainly interesting how it presents itself. Bits did slip into type 3 momentarily.

During the infamous 2014 edition I had two moments that were a bit.....less than ideal.

The first was well into the night as I simply refused to consider stopping (despite passing many suitable locations) and so just pushed on and on despite being absolutely done for, suffering increasing saddle sore issues (see moment two ) and my lights slowly, one by one, failing on me.

Finally, in the middle of what can only really be described as a trackless swamp, my final working light blinked out and I was left in total darkness with only a working rear light to see a few centimeters in any given direction.

So, I got my bivi kit out and simply laid down where I was. Possibly the least suitable bivi spot in history but I had no choice other than to stay stood up in that same spot

I laid there soggy and unable to sleep until it got just light enough to function and then went on my merry way - looking back it was hilarious!

Worst moment #2 came a few hours later when I used the camera on my phone to self-examine a deteriorating undercarriage situation.

The resulting image will haunt my to me grave. I'll not describe it further other than to say that it was 'not good' and that it ended my ride and left me in a bad way for quite some time.



Still.....I came back the next year and finished the bloody thing and can't wait until I can next get back to do it!

Two come to mind
Both are towards the end
The “missing track” towards the end of the 2016 edition. To be fair, I did later look on bing maps, there was a faint outline of a track; however, good luck finding it at 3am in the morning by torch light (even by my headtorch)

The wood at the end of the 2019 edition, I gave up trying to go round the “puddles”.

In a sadistic way the 2018 edition was kind of fun; though that was the year I finally though “fcuk it, I’m going tubeless”. 13 punctures ....those punctures cost me a black badge. Grr

Last year - The crazy flooded section ending in the World Cup downhill track was all a bit much at the time.....

I suppose riding 2018 and the river crossings.

I was using SPD's and slipped whilst trying to negotiate one of what can only be described as a torrent and having to swim for the bank. My waterproof clothing is also waterproof from the inside!
Luckily somebody managed to grab my bike.
I would have turned back, but the thought of re-crossing the river was too much. I discovered there were plenty more rivers to cross, but as always, just "do" this last one seemed to do the trick.

Putting a good effort in and watching the time slip past the black was a bit sad, settled for a blue badge by 23minutes.

2015 or 2016 can't remember
Snapping my rear axle after 90 miles or so managed to roll back from carno


2018
Gave up after about 6 miles wasn't feeling it
Still regret it now

Coming to a halt somewhere in Snowdonia National Park in 2014 and having a moment of "emotion"!

Cooked up some nosh at the side of the road and cried into my dinner. This was about 1 or 2 in the morning.

Other down moments I can recall over the years...

2016 - Lost one of my Joysticks while farting about in some woods, which it turned out wasn't the right way anyway!

DNF 2017 - mechanical after 8 miles

DNF 2018 - Knocked it on the head after 20 miles due to the weather and river crossing levels

DNF 2019 - Got to the end of Nant y Moch and bailed. Actually felt physically sick at the thought of riding the rest of the route, so headed for home after reaching Mach

A realisation that riding against the clock isn't for me anymore.

The BB200 has still given me some of the best riding in my life though!

Si

Not sure I’ve had any really bad emotional moments. Bb300 in 2018 was great despite nearly swimming in one of the river crossings, but riding with a group then just with Mike was just good fun. Even 2014 was fun but mostly because of some of the ridiculousness of some of the tracks. Maybe the worst was the first route in 2012 and the track through 7 rivers where it was impossible to keep dry feet, then having the temperature plummet so my feet got really really cold

Im with steve, iv not really had any bads bits to the bb200 i quite enjoy the challenge n ride. The weather kind makes it what it is. When me feet get super cold thats about the lowest moment, but then they do that on any ride i do through the winter.

The worst bit?

The all-day drive to get there and then the same to get back. That's why I've never repeated it.

2014: sat in the pub in Penmachno nursing a Coke trying to get warm, then realising it wasn’t going to happen and the only option was to find a big hill to ride up. Fortunately I found one.