BBXXX for dummies

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UnderTheRadars
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BBXXX for dummies

Post by UnderTheRadars »

First let me just say get your minds out of the gutter you dirty boners.

As relative newbie to BB I’ve always wanted to ask what the score is for the various BB events. I read much about them on here, talk of tussocks, rain, hike-a-bike, grid references and sheep, but no talk about what the format of events are or what they involve (aside from the tussocks and suffering etc I mention above).

Obviously this will have all been spoken about eons ago, and yes I’ve tried a bit of a search, but as you can imagine there are so many posts and threads to go through so I’m being lazy and starting this thread.

So could you explain the BB events/rides please?

Actually let’s make this thread a safe space for asking those silly questions you’ve always been afraid to ask, come on in, cuddle the panda and type away
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Winter Event: Takes place in January and starts at Llanbrynmair Community centre. There's no fixed route but simply a series of GR that usually have a common thread such as fords or something similar. You're free to visit as few or as many as you wish and devise your own route between them. On occasion, the format changes a little and there's a fixed point to reach such as a certain village. When that happens, the supplied GR act as 'waymarkers' to help devise a route but again, none are mandatory. There's always BB goodies for the riders at this one. Start Sat and return Sunday.

WRT: Usually the first Bank holiday in May but sometimes it's the last one. Starts at BB Towers. No fixed route but a selection of GR which you can choose to base your ride around or completely ignore should you wish. Always feels like a proper social event - especially at the start. The infamous weigh-in and raffle take place then. Start Sat return Monday (or Sun if you're short on time). Everyone gets a legendary WRT T shirt.

BB200: Different from either of the above as there is a fixed route which is as near to 200km as I can make it. Starts from Llanbrynmair community centre with a free start between 8am and 10am. Those returning and having completed the route within 24 hours receive a coveted black badge. Between 24 and 28 hours, a rare blue badge and a completion within 36 hours will be greeted with a green badge. Riders must carry certain items and be self-sufficient, so no kit sharing or gear caching. The route varies every year but they tend to include lots of climbing (there's nowt flat in mid-Wales) and there's usually a good selection of lesser known and little used RoW ... which accounts for the bogs and tussocks. Start Sat morning, return asap. 300KM version available to black badge holders.

Winter Bivvy: Not really an official event but traditional. There's usually a few scattered around the country and all taking place over the same weekend. Someone simply steps forward and agrees to arrange something in their location. Nearly always take place around the middle of Dec and the weather's often as you'd imagine :wink: . Very social affairs.

RTTS: As above, not an event but a ride to the seaside and back around mid-summer. The idea is to ride through the night and arrive at the coast for dawn. To my knowledge this has never actually happened. Very much social with all welcome.
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by RIP »

Tussocks, rain - yes indeed, but ohhhh so much worse :smile:

The WRT and Winter Event are similar to each other but I would say the BB2/300 is somewhat different - more 'serious' for want of a better word, having a fixed format and purpose which you shouldn't treat lightly.

WRT/WE format? It can be whatever you want it to be, and that is absolutely not a flippant answer. It's a big part of the charm.

(EDIT: just crossed with Stu's answer which is much more helpful obviously :smile: )
Last edited by RIP on Fri Sep 10, 2021 1:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by UnderTheRadars »

Thank you both :-bd quite a bit I didn’t know and some events I hadn’t heard of. Plenty of goals there to set for next year
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by whitestone »

A dirty boner, snigger, snigger :grin:

For the BB200/300 routes.

Basically a week or so before the ride Stu sends a GPX file to those (un)lucky enough to have a place. This shows the route you are to follow. Whether you *should* follow it is another matter. A bit of internet research should show you where any refuelling points are, maybe even where the tussocks and hike-a-bike will be found (I don't think Stu reckoned on the field of turnips last year!), then you just have to work out your strategy.

There's a starting "window" of a couple of hours and you are free to start whenever you like within that period. For the initial part of the route it's likely you'll see quite a few other riders as you'll all have your separate paces and you'll be passing and repassing people. It's an ITT, an Individual Time Trial, but often you end up riding with someone for quite a way which helps with opening gates, etc.

Get back to the finish and you get a badge. And a cup of tea and some toast.

Nothing more complicated than that really.
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by psling »

Comprehensive! :-bd

I was just going to say hit the link to the home page then click on events. Coming straight onto the Forum we sometimes forget or even don't realise there's a whole website :wink: :cool:
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by UnderTheRadars »

psling wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 1:52 pm Comprehensive! :-bd

I was just going to say hit the link to the home page then click on events. Coming straight onto the Forum we sometimes forget or even don't realise there's a whole website :wink: :cool:

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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by RIP »

As an example, just one of an almost infinite number of WRT 'formats' was my own experience of my first one.

Chew had kindly offered his really excellent 'Lonely Hearts Club' to any Billy/Milly-No-Mates who came alone. On the day he gathered ten or so apprehensive riders with all manner of bikes, clothing, and kit, around him like some sort of Pied Piper Boner.

Five of those riders, including me, looked at the other five, then at Chew's route, then at each other. I think I remember breaking the logjam by rudely proclaiming our five were completely hopeless and would be left behind within about 5 minutes and we would just hold them up. We promptly and spontaneously formed the separate LHC Group B, and spent the 3 days diligently wandering around carrying out very important research into local pubs, cafes, chip shops (memorably), and sundry other pointless pursuits. I vaguely remember doing a bit of biking at some point but that part is a bit hazy.

Being the top chap he is, Stu didn't bat an eyelid, didn't say "oi, you're breaking the event rules", simply encouraged us to crack on and just see what happened.

One of the best weekends of my life and am still hooked. I refuse to dilute it by doing any other events at all (apart from the aforementioned Winter Event, which is best only spoken of in dark secluded places with no witnesses).

Penn'orth, is all.
Last edited by RIP on Fri Sep 10, 2021 7:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by UnderTheRadars »

RIP wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:17 pm spent the 3 days diligently wandering around carrying out very important research into local pubs, cafes, chip shops (memorably), and sundry other pointless pursuits. I vaguely remember doing a bit of biking at some point but that part is a bit hazy.
Now that sounds like my kind of event
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by RIP »

and there you have it, bravo :-bd


PS. Interestingly, it has been known for people to roll up to the WRT, get one mile into their ride, then stop and go back to base and then home, announcing that it wasn't "their type of event".

Thereby spectacularly missing the point (*) completely of course.

It's for anyone and everyone (just as long as you don't mind sleeping in a ditch).

(*) and therein lies the rub, there ain't one....
Last edited by RIP on Fri Sep 10, 2021 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by psling »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 1:45 pm RTTS: As above, not an event but a ride to the seaside and back around mid-summer. The idea is to ride through the night and arrive at the coast for dawn. To my knowledge this has never actually happened. Very much social with all welcome.
I actually managed the first one but I rode in from the south, starting just north of Llandovery and arriving in Aberaeron around 06.30 to grab an early coffee and bacon roll at a bakery/cafe kindly made by the owner as she was opening up to receive deliveries. I can remember taking a second breakfast watching rugby at a pub on the seafront - must have been a Lions tour on or something - and then wondering around for a while hoping to catch site of other boners arriving but no-one to be seen :sad: (although I did bump into a friend from Ross-on-Wye who happened to be holidaying there!).

I seem to remember reading later that a group had set out from HQ in awful weather, had split into sub-groups with only 2 people finally making it to Aberaeron seemingly after I'd started my return journey :cool:
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

around 06.30
Is sunrise not some considerable time before 6.30 at mid-summer :wink:
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by psling »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 3:24 pm
around 06.30
Is sunrise not some considerable time before 6.30 at mid-summer :wink:
Maybe, but my old bones can't keep up with the passage of the sun; the intent is there but the body isn't always willing :lol: :wink:
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by fatbikephil »

Starting to get my mind on this as I'll have to pack up a week early due to a parental visit the weekend before and staying there working all week....
The required kit states 'shelter' is there any particular requirement - bivvy bag, poly bag, tarp etc??

Oh and is there parking at Llanbrynmair?
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

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The required kit states 'shelter' is there any particular requirement - bivvy bag, poly bag, tarp etc??
Tent or bivvy bag or tarp as a minimum.

Yes, there's parking.
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by whitestone »

Parking at the community centre Phil.

Shelter just has to be suitable for the conditions - what a cop out! I've ridden through on all three of the BB200s I've done so it's really been there for emergencies. I did plan on bivvying on the second of those but by the time I got to where I'd planned I was so near the finish that I couldn't be bothered! The ground can still be quite warm in Oct, it's rain/damp that's often the problem. As such I take my summer bivy kit: lightweight tarp & pole, bivy bag, quilt and mat. Only a kilo or so.
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by lune ranger »

The requirements afaik are a shelter which can be a bivi bag or tarp etc and a sleeping bag of some sort. The rules are pretty vague and open to a certain amount of interpretation but after asking a similar question a few years ago I was informed not to take the piss when doing so :wink:
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Re: BBXXX for dummies

Post by fatbikephil »

Tah all
I'm not for taking the lightest possible stuff just to 'comply' so will be going for something that I can get some shut eye in if I can't be bothered pulling an all nighter. Probably a warmer version of my YD300 kit. Now what tyres will I use?? :grin:
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