Are either of you taking bivvy bags?. I'm contemplating taking a hunka and a very light sleeping bag, just so I can do my own thing without relying on the beds at controls. I've struggled to sleep in rooms full of farting, snoring blokes in previous audaxes and I like the idea of being able to sleep when and where it suits me. Offset by the obvious weight penalty though....

Schedule wise, I chose a Monday morning start as I'm not good at riding through the night. I'm hoping to ride til about 1 or 2am (450k if all goes well), sleep for 3-4hrs and then do the same the next day, getting back to rambouillet late on weds night. Prob a bit ambitious, but at least I'll have plenty of margin for error.

No sleeping kit; there's plenty of other places to sleep than controls, and I know by Monday night I'll be struggling to stay awake not sleep. And it's summer so it'll be dry.

ChrisN and I did the 5am start in 2011 and slept at Loudeac which worked well enough. It was just the lack of occasion at the morning start that puts me off doing it again. The controls were nice and quiet until after Brest when we caught the bulge proper.

However, catching the bulge can be motivating if you like a bit of schadenfreude as there will be hundreds of desperate people nearly out of time at controls, whilst you're lazing in the sun with ten hours+ in hand.

You've got it John. Just eat a lot :)

Dyffers wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:56 pm No sleeping kit; there's plenty of other places to sleep than controls, and I know by Monday night I'll be struggling to stay awake not sleep. And it's summer so it'll be dry.

ChrisN and I did the 5am start in 2011 and slept at Loudeac which worked well enough. It was just the lack of occasion at the morning start that puts me off doing it again. The controls were nice and quiet until after Brest when we caught the bulge proper.

However, catching the bulge can be motivating if you like a bit of schadenfreude as there will be hundreds of desperate people nearly out of time at controls, whilst you're lazing in the sun with ten hours+ in hand.

Thanks dyffers. Sage advice re sleeping stuff. I'm riding down from Dieppe, so I might just bring my stuff and make a decision once I'm at rambouillet. And I love a bit of schadenfreude, and the idea of chasing down the bulge is very appealing

Retiredtester wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:43 pm Are either of you taking bivvy bags?. I'm contemplating taking a hunka and a very light sleeping bag, just so I can do my own thing without relying on the beds at controls. I've struggled to sleep in rooms full of farting, snoring blokes in previous audaxes and I like the idea of being able to sleep when and where it suits me. Offset by the obvious weight penalty though....

Schedule wise, I chose a Monday morning start as I'm not good at riding through the night. I'm hoping to ride til about 1 or 2am (450k if all goes well), sleep for 3-4hrs and then do the same the next day, getting back to rambouillet late on weds night. Prob a bit ambitious, but at least I'll have plenty of margin for error.

I've never done the event before but am planning on taking an Exped Synmat HL and either a Borahgear bivvy or a silk bag liner, depending on the weather forecast.

Like you, retiredtester, I don't fancy the dorms - both the noise, the smell and the potential wait for a spot if it's busy. Then again, by the time I'm needing a sleep I could probably doss down anywhere and not care.m

I've got a 19h45 start on the Sunday evening and my plan is to get to Carhaix (515km) or just beyond by around midnight - give or take - on the Monday night, sleep until dawn, then another sleep on Tuesday night, wherever I am by then. Beyond that is too far ahead to plan. "Race out, tour back" as the advice goes - seems this year the control closing times are a shade earlier on the way out, with more slack on the way back.

Final shakedown ride done this morning.

The big 'ole seatpack of random crap will solve the storage capacity problem I had last time when it warmed up and I ended up with arm warmers and gilet permanently stashed in my jersey pockets.

My 85 year old friend and chairman of my bike club has put it perfectly this morning "I wish you all the best and trust you will have a relatively uneventful ride, at the end of which you will feel satisfied and somewhat pleased with yourself."

All the Brest* everyone, good luck and have a safe journey




*see what I did there…?!

Dyffers wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 10:49 am PXL_20230813_060932304-01.jpeg

A thing of beauty. Unlike mine.

PS I've got an excellent schedule planner thing on google sheets that I gratefully accepted from a Dutch bloke on FB. Saved me a lot of work - here if you want to use it.

And a link to a a google maps track with toilets, bakeries and supermarkets listed on it here

That is a nice looking bike Dyffers...

Good luck everyone!

There's some really useful and positive stuff on this thread. Thank you all

For now, I've cut the sleeping stuff down to an Endura primaloft jacket (that's also useful anytime it gets cold), a SOL emergency bivvy, and some thin merino sleep-wear. Still subject to change depending on the weather.



18.5kg with food and water - we won't be breaking any records

I was gonna say, "anymore bike pics"... I just like looking at the pics and yes, Retired Tester... Why take a bivy/sleeping bag when you can just take a nice cosy down jacket with some leg warmers and find a lovely bus shelter - they were designed for Audaxes, right... Surely PBP has its fair share of lovely shelters. Get your point about the smelly dorms though...

Nice bikes, Dyffers and John Allen... Like the retro look

Oh... and are you sure that top tube bag's long enough

Good shout fellas. I guess I'll take the Rab jacket and some leg warmers, and I've got an emergency bivvy bag thing.

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 9:34 pm Oh... and are you sure that Baguette holder's long enough

Jon... That wasn't me... It's a thing the mods do, to get the forum users in check... it's like when you write Crikey, how much it comes out as that... (r£apha)

Retiredtester wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 9:46 pm Good shout fellas. I guess I'll take the Rab jacket and some leg warmers, and I've got an emergency bivvy bag thing.

Erm... Just an update. I mentioned and shared this thread with my mate Faruq who's in the audax scene and done the LEL this year... He sent me back this message - make of it what you will...

Maybe a superlight BB200 type setup that you'll only deploy if totally needed, but take the other shelters that come along as the main source of (sleep) income!

I have heard alot are (taking sleep setup).

Because controls are super busy and ppl don't actually get rest.

Check this guy a dude I know

Audaxers are riding like bikepackers... Bikepackers as Audaxeteers. What next

Johnallan wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 9:51 pm

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 9:34 pm Oh... and are you sure that Baguette holder's long enough

Aha... I see smart. Yes, Adam Watkins eats alot of baguettes on his 600 mile audax things

All set, though I think I'm pointed in the wrong direction. Looks like it's going to be dry but hot. Bon courage à tous.

I've never quite experienced anything quite like the area around Rambouillet at the moment

Quite looking forward to getting going, but also nervous to be on the roads around so many other riders!

Absolutely piping hot which isn't ideal, but preferable to the usual storms I generally attract on multi-day rides.

Good luck to everyone else riding, it's unlikely we'll cross paths amongst the 6000+? Other riders!!

Good luck and enjoy

Currently trying to relax at our camp 2 miles away before heading over to the start about 4.30pm.

Based on the forecast my mates have been removing most warm clothes from their kit. Forecast is no lower than 15-18°C overnight and scorchio for a Brit 30°C during the day, but better than wind and rain so I'm not complaining.

Bonne chance to everyone riding.

Well, I've made it to Brest! Bonkers event and everything I was told it would be. Hope you're all getting on ok. Alors, a Paris!

It's been rather damp here so enjoy the good riding and nice weather whilst you can!