GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

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landel
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GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by landel »

This'll be very interesting to see how it all works out.


https://www.theracingcollective.com/gbduro.html#

#GBDURO20 just got a whole lot scrappier... we have taken the decision to safeguard the 2020 edition of GBDURO by making it COVID-19 compliant under the strictest possible set of rules, described in Annex 1 of the GBDURO manual.

The rule changes can be summarised as follows:Format: start date of 8am Saturday 1 August 2020 to be ridden as a single stage, no checkpoints, no Finisher’s PartyRules: ride in a self-sufficient, rather than self-supported, manner without social contact (2m rule)
The main upshot of self-sufficient riding means riders will have to take all the food they’ll need with them to get from start to finish. This is a significant format change... any of our 2020 riders not wanting to take this on can defer their entry to next year.

WTF CONSTITUTES SELF-SUFFICIENT RIDING?

Moving from self-supported to self-sufficient riding requires a shift in mindset from ‘equal opportunity’ to ‘no assistance from others’ as per below:Self-supported riding permits the use of the kindness of strangers, commercially available resupply points (such as services, food and lodging) and the disposal of as much waste as you like – the key test is one of ‘equal opportunity’… if it’s not available to all riders, riders shouldn’t be doing it.

Self-sufficient riding on the other hand, does not permit assistance from others, use of any buildings (commercial or otherwise), or disposal of non-biodegradable waste – the key test here is one of ‘no assistance from others’… if it relies on assistance from others, riders shouldn’t be doing it.
jam bo
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by jam bo »

Even water?
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fatbikephil
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by fatbikephil »

Interesting - that's a fair amount of food you'll have to humpf around with you, as well as fuel! Taking water out of burns will be self sufficient.... I guess trapping wild animals and foraging for wild food is also in :???:
ScotRoutes
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by ScotRoutes »

1st August start? I'm not sure they've really thought about this.. If we are very lucky, some of the lockdown will be lifted this weekend. 3 weeks later we might get some more freedom and 3 weeks after that, a little more. That's 9th July already and assumes no setbacks, continued decline in infections/deaths and no 2nd wave. I'm really not expecting to see any significant relaxation before 11th August when the schools are due back.
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by slarge »

I can see the logic, but there's no way of policing the supply side of things, and circa 10 days food is a lot to carry. I'm also not so sure that the general public will have the appetite for seeing "cyclists" laden with gear obviously camping out and travelling spreading their germs in August.

Maybe Sept or October, but August is a bit early (in my view)
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

As Steve says, how do you police it. Who will know if you call into a coop somewhere and buy a sausage roll? If you did, is it such a bad thing? After all the shop will be open and as such they'll already be taking precautions to comply with social distancing.

What about things like opening gates or sitting on benches? Will riders be expected to wipe everything down? I know that sounds flippant but the farmers here cerainly seem concerned about using gates that walkers use.

Are public toilets open in England? Those in Wales are shut, so there's a major loss of water potential. You'll need the capability to carry an awful lot of water if you need to rely on natural sources only over the entire route.
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robbie
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by robbie »

Also people are still going to have to use public transport to get to either start/end or both.
redefined_cycles
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by redefined_cycles »

They've really not thought it through have they and anyone that decides to ride will equally not have thought it through or decided to flout the rules from the outset (edit: I could be wrong).

About carrying 'all food/water'... I learnt about such a thing from Karl in one of his BB writeups as 'trainijg for another event'. I dont think even he could manage such a feat.

Madness :smile:
Last edited by redefined_cycles on Mon May 25, 2020 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
landel
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by landel »

I'm in Ireland so very jealous at the thought of heading off for 2000km. Currently we can go 5km from home and that extends to 20km on June 8th. I figured there might be some stumbling blocks with regard to Covid19 restrictions alright.

The food packing and hauling logistics are fascinating though. Any non biodegradable rubbish has to be packed out too.
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Dave Barter
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by Dave Barter »

I’ll be more frank. I am not keen where this is going as I feel it is yet another means to drive up competitive suffering. I think self supported has the right balance of adventure with some interaction and inspiration of others along the way. It’s definitely not for me and I worry about riders stringing themselves out nutritionally as well as sleep wise.
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johnnystorm
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by johnnystorm »

I agree with the sentiments above and also wanted to add that by being totally self sufficient you aren't contributing anything to the regions you pass through.
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robbie
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by robbie »

Some Part of the attraction of these events can be the food that you find on route. It keeps you motivated to get to the next town/village and see what goodies you can find to stuff your face with :lol:
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Ooh yes, interaction with people you meet along the way is one of the great things about cycle travel, remove it and perhaps you might as well conduct things virtually rather than sending folk out there.
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Lazarus
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by Lazarus »

how do you police it.
How do you police self supported - no way of knowing if anyone pre booked or did drops or has help en route either,
Both have no method of policing their rules except via the particpants honesty.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

True Jon but now I'm thinking it shouldn't be too hard at present as the coppers here seem dead keen on stopping anything and everything :wink:

I'm assuming that they're expecting free movement between England / Wales / Scotland by then?
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In Reverse
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by In Reverse »

No harm in this imo. Obviously very few people will be attempting it and it will be v. interesting to see how those that do get on.

I'm genuinely struggling to visualise how I'd get 10 days worth of food/cooking kit on the bike. Big old panniers or a big rucksack? I think a trailer is unlikely given what I recall of some terrain Lachlan was pushing through last year.

Still 8 weeks away tbf. Same start date as the YD300 which I'm hoping has a chance of happening.
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Howard
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by Howard »

I was absolutely made up when I got my entry accepted for this year's GBDuro. Training and prep started well before lockdown so a bit of a roller coaster of will it / won't it go ahead over the last few months. Totally trivial really in the grand scheme of things, but I guess everyone on this forum knows how these things get into your head. I think they had a really difficult decision to make. But I quite like the fact they have stayed true to the bike-packing ethos – if there is a problem, find a way through somehow. And a fully self-sufficient trip, as if you were in truly remote wilderness, is probably the purest form of bike-packing there is anyway.

However, I do see all of the problems (there are so many!!!) and personally going self-sufficient is well out of my league so I'm going to take the option to defer to next year. Which is what I suspect most people will do. At least I know where I stand rather than endless potential dates that keep needing to be shifted.

I suspect there will be very few takers and even fewer finishers if any. I just hope there aren't any incidents that attract all the wrong sort of publicity.
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by shutupthepunx »

htrider wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 7:05 pm ....I guess trapping wild animals and foraging for wild food is also in :???:
start lines gona look interestin

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sean_iow
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by sean_iow »

Seems a bold move to hold it, not sure I think it's the right one.

Bikepacking races are already the wrong side of the law, neither racing on bridleways or wild camping being lawful. We seem to get away with it as the mainstream media has never been interested in what we do. We just quietly go about our business and no one pays much attention.

Even if they are able to hold the event and comply with the emergency powers at the time regarding social distancing and travel etc. it only takes one incident to bring unwanted attention with the potential then for future problems for all events. If that incident happens to occur at the same time as another Tory faux pas it will be just the right diversion for the press to focus on to shift attention.

Instead of the actions of one minister it will be 'Irresponsible cyclists ride all over the country spreading virus' across the front pages, and the press don't need much of a reason to print an article about how evil cyclists are. I think at the moment we need to be seen to be putting the bigger picture before our own interests, which other events have by cancelling.

I'm surprised they have decided to go ahead this early, they take a high environmental stance with the non-car transport thing and then hold a mass-start group event during a pandemic?
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jameso
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by jameso »

Interesting change. Thoughts about timing/restrictions aside, it's a pure form of travel. Thinking about some of the most interesting bike adventures I've read about, it's re-creating some of the demands of a long wilderness ride in the UK.
Racing in that way? Potentially a bit 'Hunger Games', to Dave's point. There's probably a timescale that works well, maybe 5-6 days where the weight/bulk of food isn't getting too great, the need for good food is there but some attrition can be handled and you can cover a lot of ground in that time. Some new methods come to mind. A race to test the keto diet? Not sure but the methods and tactics will interest some. It's taking some aspects of self-supported racing a stage further, I think there's a hook and it'll get some interest (more so in less restricted times). Perhaps what you lose in lacking contact with others and experience of the towns, villages etc some will gain in the introspective experience. I get that, it's not for me as a race but I see the appeal of solo travel.
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by jameso »

sean_iow wrote: Tue May 26, 2020 7:12 am Instead of the actions of one minister it will be 'Irresponsible cyclists ride all over the country spreading virus' across the front pages, and the press don't need much of a reason to print an article about how evil cyclists are. I think at the moment we need to be seen to be putting the bigger picture before our own interests, which other events have by cancelling.

I'm surprised they have decided to go ahead this early, they take a high environmental stance with the non-car transport thing and then hold a mass-start group event during a pandemic?
Accepting that the papers are full of sub standard and print whatever they like anyway, and not wanting to divert on the the main topic of another thread, but shops are opening in June and driving from one town to another is OK, vs riding place to place and not going to any shops in August? Based on a best-case scenario by the Govt (so that's a 'TBC') restaurants and hospitality businesses may be opening in August so I don't think their plans are out of line with that background. Whether that's the right timescale or we get there is another matter. They can always cancel if there's a rise in cases again.
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sean_iow
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by sean_iow »

jameso wrote: Tue May 26, 2020 7:33 am They can always cancel if there's a rise in cases again.
We do seem to be reopening the country based on the 'overall' number of cases. At a local level in some areas they are not dropping off yet. The more remote/protected the location the further behind London they are on the curve. Locally our cases aren't dropping off yet* at anywhere near the rate given as the national picture.

But they could cancel if the position changes and competitors do need notice to arrange leave etc.

* This isn't me being an internet expert, my wife's job is the data entry for cases on the Island.
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jameso
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by jameso »

The more remote/protected the location the further behind London they are on the curve
I read a week or so back that London's at a lower rate than most areas now, one story saying 'lower than anywhere' but I guess that depends on how that define an 'area'. Anyway, just suprising as much as anything and not relevant to your actual point, I know what you mean about more remote areas. I was thinking the no shopping rule and just passing through was close to zero risk, or could be. Almost self-isolated travel. Yet no such thing as zero risk travel now .. so the event mechanics vs the risk, thankfully I'm not making that call.
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by ScotRoutes »

shops are opening in June and driving from one town to another is OK, vs riding place to place and not going to any shops in August? Based on a best-case scenario by the Govt (so that's a 'TBC') restaurants and hospitality businesses may be opening in August so I don't think their plans are out of line with that background
I'll just point out that the position is different in Scotland where the Government is taking a slightly slower approach. A number of cyclists travelling the length of the UK and turning up in some of the local communities will attract the wrong sort of attention.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: GBDURO goes from self-supported to self-sufficient

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Aye, we're still on the only leave home for essentials and 2 x exercise sessions close to home per day guidelines ... a relative of someone living down in the village arrived at their home one day last week and within 15 minutes what looked like the average armed response unit showed up to bugger them off :wink:

In fairness, I'm pretty confident that things will have returned to something a little more normal looking by August. However, announcing plans quite publicly on social media at this time, doesn't seem like the best of ideas. In reality, it serves no purpose beyond a desire for self promotion. The desicion could be expressed to each rider via email and each asked to remain quiet about it. A public announcement could have followed later if / when peoples concerns have further eased.
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