I'm in... think there were only 9 entries left so I was unlucky!

Did I enter a certain distance? No idea.

No idea about badges either, all I know is I'm going to hate large chunks of it but I'll sign up for whatever hairbrain, sadistic event Stu dreams up next.

Did I enter a certain distance? No idea.

200 Nige ... you'll be glad to know.

I am in and some unfinished business from 2014

Got myself an entry for BB200 having not done a bikepacker yet its gonna be fun and very slightly out of the comfort zone i'd be interested on your advice and tips for a first timer
Could someone explain what badge means what just so I know .

Could someone explain what badge means what just so I know .

Green: Finish
Blue: Sub 28hr finish
Black: Sub 24hr finish

There's people with far better advice than me but minimising all stopping time, will make a massive difference.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:
There's people with far better advice than me but minimising all stopping time, will make a massive difference.

As stu says. Keeping stopping time to an absolute minimum is key. Keep moving as much as you can. Every pedal stroke, step, gate, ford and hike a bike gets you nearer to the end.

Si

Take less stuff, eat little and often, stay hydrated and don’t go off too quick...

Pacing: if you can chat then that's about the pace to go at. Don't worry if people pass you, you might be having a slow patch or they might just be faster than you.

Minimise stopped time. Doesn't mean no stopping but try and do things in parallel, so if you are at a cafe and it's going to take five minutes for your tea and cake to arrive, use those five minutes to get your bike restocked, check the next section of route so you know where the turnings are, that sort of thing. I think it was Ian who posted about having two average speeds on your GPS: moving average and overall average (this includes stopped time). Try to keep them as close as possible. I also have moving time and stopped time displayed.

Kit. What you take over and above the mandatory kit will depend on the weather but keep it to the minimum, it's a challenge not a tour. Know your own weaknesses so you can save weight and bulk elsewhere and properly deal with them.

You'll wander round the start looking at other bikes wondering how they get away with so little kit. Don't worry about it.

Do not take cooking kit or enough sleeping kit to be comfortable; when you're cold, tired and miserable at 2am make sure stopping is no more pleasant than continuing. It's not the WRT

Leerowe76 wrote:i'd be interested on your advice and tips for a first timer .

Plenty of lube

whitestone wrote:....I think it was Ian who posted about having two average speeds on your GPS: moving average and overall average.

Kit. What you take over and above the mandatory kit will depend on the weather but keep it to the minimum, it's a challenge not a tour. Know your own weaknesses so you can save weight and bulk elsewhere and properly deal with them.

You'll wander round the start looking at other bikes wondering how they get away with so little kit. Don't worry about it.

Good to know not just me that has multiple average speeds.

on kit, last time i entered BB200 i started to appreciate there's a difference between carrying "camping gear" because one intends to stop, and carrying camping gear because the rules dictate so.

my thoughts, carry food that can be eaten on the move, and is a bit of "pick me up"
at a 2am, when you're cursing the course creator for yet another hike a bike a bit of luxury food is a bit of a pick me up
i have a packet of hob nobs in a fuel pouch next to seat post. easy to grab, and no faffing with wrappers.

shoes that are comfortable in which to walk.

a sense of humour.

I would take "camping gear" that enables you to survive rather than have eight hours blissful kip in the land of Nod. In reality it's not so much about "sleeping" as "recharging" and just a couple of hours can be enough to let you carry on. Unless there's been a cold spell, the ground's still got some of its summer warmth in October so you can use summer bivy kit.

On last year's YD300 I wasn't sure, correctly as it happened, that I could ride through but kipped down at Ribblehead for about two hours getting maybe 90mins sleep. This was enough to let me carry on at a decent pace. I took 18 1/2hrs to Ribblehead and 8 1/2 to the finish. If you read Philip Addyman's account of him riding this year's edition he took 12 1/2hrs to Ribblehead and 10 1/2 to the finish. I'm nowhere near as fast as Philip but that rest let me more than match his pace.

Edit: Here's my write up from 2 years ago - http://bobwightman.blogspot.com/search/ ... ones%20200

Practice pushing your bike up hills through terrain that looks like it doesn't have a track to follow.

I'm not joking.

Dave Barter wrote:

Leerowe76 wrote:i'd be interested on your advice and tips for a first timer .

Plenty of lube

Changed my mind about the lift...

Richard G wrote:Practice pushing your bike up hills through terrain that looks like it doesn't have a track to follow.

I'm not joking.

Joking?

That's often the case.

Thanks for all the advice, lots of lube and pushing

Thanks Stu.... I am pleased to hear that!

Off to read the rules now.

Dave Barter wrote:

Leerowe76 wrote:i'd be interested on your advice and tips for a first timer .

Plenty of lube

And a relaxed demeanour.

What works best for crossing fords that are too wide/deep/rocky to cycle across?
In my one BB200 a large crossing changed my mental strength and led to retirement. I crossed with my cycling Shimano boots on over sealskinz socks but it was too deep and I got fully wet feet.

Do you just get wet feet and live with it?
Do you cross with bare feet?
Or what?

Dave

Wet feet and live with it. I got proper scared when I slipped off the log crossing (I think) last year.

Don't do well with water after nearly drowning when I was a kid.

Take your time. Walk up/ down the bank and find a bit where you are most comfortable to cross. Look for routes over stepping stones if you can. Wheel your bike through whilst hoping from stone to stone, or just wade through, with the bike up stream of you. The shoes/ socks thing depends on stream bed surface and/ or water temperature. If very cold, I would take my shoes and socks off, wade through, dry feet and put them back on.

I remember one crossing on the BB200 from a couple of years ago that took me by surprise. Sometimes taking a minute to recompose yourself, maybe eat something, let’s you evaluate the situation better so your mental strength doesn’t suffer for the rest of the ride. Remembering that others have been through before you, and others will likely follow helps too.

or.......

Go as fast as you can and bunnyhop the 'muver

Thanks.

I think the pause, eat and think would have been a good option. The ford was I guess, 20m wide and I wasn't very eager to risk my feet and ankles bare foot. But maybe there was an easier place just up or downstream.

Dave

Insoles and socks off, boots on, cross, squeeze as much water out of boots as possible, but socks back on, boots back on, continue. Faffy but = dry warm feet.

That's a good idea if you've got waterproof socks for sure.

But yeah, no way in hell I'd cross a river barefoot. F'knows what's down there.