Paris Brest Paris: rider tracking

[ed72]

In case anyone wishes to follow a friend, the rider tracking link will be posted a few days before the August 18th start and SHOULD be on the following page. PBP is the oldest cycling event in the world, first run in 1891, attracting approximately 7,000 crazies every 4 years who cycle the 1215 km with 37,000 feet of climbing from the Paris outskirts to Brest and back within either 90, 84, or 80 hours depending upon what category of rider they select. I am sure there will be many Cruz bikes there but I have no idea how many or who. Sorry I can't give exact info on how to track, the tracker link is not up yet.

https://www.paris-brest-paris.org/index2.php?lang=en&cat=randonnee&page=suivi_participants

Recumbent, Velos, tandems and all other "Specials" are in Wave F starting Sunday August 18th at 5:15 pm France time (11:15 am Eastern USA time) with another Specials starting in Group W early Monday Morning at 5 am (maybe 4:45 am??). Each participant has a number preceded by the "Wave" aka "Groupe" that they are in. Bents are either in wave F or W. I am in Wave F and number F153. This means F group and rider number 153. I think one has to go thru both lists to sort out the rider number that you wish to follow. Each group has around 300 riders. Riders go off every 15 minutes starting with the fast riders in group A at 4 pm Sunday with group B at 4:15 pm and so on into the night.

The following lists apply only to Randonneurs in the USA, I think privacy laws elsewhere prohibit publishing names. If you want to follow a fellow recumbent rider, find their F or W number and then this number is what will be used to plug into the tracker. At least this is how it worked in 2015 and supposedly it will be the same, perhaps with a mobile app. The rider is tracked when entering controls every few hours (after the first very long stretch to the first control in Villaines-la-Juhel), it isn't a satellite tracker so, progress reports are not real-time. The first control isn't until about mile 134 and most riders do a personal best because of all the cheering fans in little towns and the excitement and of course, a good group to draft although bents tend to ride solo. I made that one in 5:53 in 1995 and 6:43 in 2015 on an upwrong. Since it it very hilly, I am hoping for 7:13 or under this year to the first control. All I know is I have been doing a lot of climbing training for 4 months now.

GL to all my fellow PBP bent riders. The link also works for upright bikes.....Time to start packing.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...WVsXSutNXOZIlL2TD9I-6hT9UEaSf1Cc5bYj/pubhtml#

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...fEzGCe7ZXEkBftTIrWl/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true

 

[ed72]

This is the link. You can enter a name, frame number, state or perhaps other queries. Name works best for international riders. For instance 2019 TCR winner, Fiona K., will be in the G Group with frame G288. I reckon she will blow by me before Mortagne. LOL.

https://track.rtrt.me/e/PBP-2019?fb...7HY21IT6We_7uF4FlcTb2qrKQ5c85QkvICNQ#/tracker

 

[Tor Hovland]

Hi, everyone!

I'll be one of the Cruzbikers there! I'll be flying down to France tomorrow.

PBP has been something of a distant dream for me ever since I first heard about it, many years ago. The rational part of me has always dismissed the idea as something far outside my reach. But last year I decided to see if I was cut out for long-distance cycling by signing up for the local 400 km brevet. I completed that on my Bacchetta Giro as the sole participant. Despite knee pain at the end, and for quite a while after the event, I decided I wanted to try qualifying for PBP. That gave me a valid reason to shop for another bike, and I bought a second-hand Vendetta, incidentally from the French PBP finisher Marcel Flaux. He's got a newer Vendetta that he's riding a LOT, along with his velomobile, mountain bike, roller skis, and I don't know what.

This year I completed the brevet series completely solo without any issues apart from the horrible rain, slew and snow during the 300. There are ride reports with photos and video on this forum.

I'll be in the same wave as Ed. My start number is F131. But don't bother comparing my ride with his. Ed is a seriously fast rider. In 2015 he was among the 3% fastest finishers. Most riders need 80 hours or more, the fastest one was 42 and a half, and Ed was under 55. My main ambition is to complete the ride within the 90 hour time limit. But I will do my best to minimize time not spent riding, and see if I can get close to 80 hours.

I'll be posting photos, brief status messages, and live tracking links here:
https://twitter.com/torhovland

You're welcome to send feedback there, that will make the ride easier!

On the official not so live tracker, I'll be here:
https://rtrt.me/1584/track/RM89NLP4

You can also follow my progress on Strava:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/706298

 

[ed72]

Tor......have a great ride!!! I loved watching your qualifying Brevet videos. My first and primary objective as a relative randonneuring bent newbie (2 years, plus de 40,000 km) is first and foremost to finish. As you know, there are special challenges riding long distances whether on a bent or upright, the challenges are a little different on a bent for me compared to an upright but nobody probably should claim 1215 km is easy on any bike. Enjoying such an event like this with such a history and challenge has to be taken on individual terms and is the priority. I have a pound or so of metal pins to give children cheering along the routes as a souvenir, this will give me a lot of pleasure.

I will battle the forecasted headwinds to Brest and if I really push hard, it could be a tailwind all the way back. If not feeling the best and who can predict on a ride of this length (760 miles or 1215 or so km), sleep the whole night in Brest and party with the bulge wave of riders on the way back. The hills felt very easy last time because I was really on great form and light (me and the bike). If the hills are like I remember, I can have a pretty good time. I actually modeling my PBP ride on bestbikesplits and it suggests that I could do a fast time if I don't wank and faff around the controls this time. The Premieres will get to Brest in around 19-20 hours normally and then 23-24 more hours to get back but these are people like Marko Baloh, former professional riders, and recent winners of TCR, etc. Of course, most of them have support. At 60 years old, my fast riding days are likely behind me.

Have fun. Be safe....especially first 10-20 km. Lots of excited riders. Major road furnature at 10 km just leaving the village....be careful there, road pinches in half.

 

[Tor Hovland]

Thanks! I hope you get an enjoyable ride as well!

I am eager to get a feel for those hills and to see what my actual speed will be compared to my local qualifiers. Flatlanders tend to point out how hilly PBP is, while people from hilly areas hardly notice any hills at all. Luckily, Norway is very hilly, so there is hope. Still, with about 11.000 meters of climbing over 1200 km, the route is on paper almost as undulating as my usual rides. I just hope the majority of those meters come from rolling hills that we can just pedal through. Accumulated climbing for free, so to speak.

I'll make sure to take care during the opening stages!

Hope to see you in the start corral!

 

[ed72]

I saw two Cruzbikes (s30 I think) on the back of what looked like a Mercedes camper van, presumably to ride since they were going to the PBP parking area. Quite a few recumbents riding around today.

 

[ed72]

I am eager to get a feel for those hills and to see what my actual speed will be compared to my local qualifiers. Flatlanders tend to point out how hilly PBP is, while people from hilly areas hardly notice any hills at all. Luckily, Norway is very hilly, so there is hope.

I just saw this, I'll mention it when we see each other later. The only somewhat steep hills are between Longy-au-Perche and into Montagne, they are around 7-8% at the top of the climb and 3-4% at the bottom. They are 4-7 minutes long depending on power and weight. RIDEWITHGPS might call them 4.5% or something but I think it reports an average gradient. The climbs tend to start shallow and the steepest bit is towards the top, this is opposite from where I live. There is another decent climb leaving Tintineac and after Loudeac. The rest of the hills are mostly 2-5% but the whole route could be classified as rolling. The "flattest" part is the middle but is still is 50 feet per mile or 1% on average. "The Roc" is just one long slog. I did it both ways in the 53 ring last time, it is just really, really long.

I am defuddled at the low success rates of bents on PBP, it is almost ideal for a bent.

GL......you are going to have a great ride!!

 

[DavidCH]

Hey @Tor Hovland ... you're doing great. I noticed your pace has dropped a little. Just to let you know my thoughts are with you. Not sure what the conditions are but maybe too much heat? It's a very long ride that I am sure you will remember. God bless

 

[DavidCH]

Well done @Tor Hovland ... you finished. Just wondered if you have any of that video magic to go with the experience?

 

[ed72]

Tor is a very strong rider and very nice guy. It is normal for pace to drop but what might not be clear is how we had a headwind both directions. I seem to recall Tor with a gopro looking device, he probably is sleeping. It is 1:22 am here, I got up yesterday a 1 am to eat, try to fix my bike, and then shove off into 39 F dew. My assigned tracker malfunctioned. I did finished several hours after Tor.

 

[trplay]

Congratulations to you and Thor!

 

[jond]

Great achievement both of you. True class.

 

[ccf]

My assigned tracker malfunctioned. I did finished

Good to know you finished. Saw “waiting to start” on the website today and thought “uh-oh”.

 

[LarryOz]

Tor is a very strong rider and very nice guy. It is normal for pace to drop but what might not be clear is how we had a headwind both directions. I seem to recall Tor with a gopro looking device, he probably is sleeping. It is 1:22 am here, I got up yesterday a 1 am to eat, try to fix my bike, and then shove off into 39 F dew. My assigned tracker malfunctioned. I did finished several hours after Tor.

Congrats to both of you - I could never seem to get the tracking thing working to watch - Look forward to some videos later

 

[nobrakes]

Congratulations to you both - awesome achievement on any platform. A couple of my Strava buddies did it - one on a Pelso Brevet and another on an M5 TiCa. Dunno if you saw them?

Ed - I still miss your input on the M5 thread over on BROL, you were a great contributor and personality to have on that thread. I was wondering how you got on with the M5 on bestbikesplit? I spent ages faffing about with it but in the end I never could get reliable numbers out of it. Was wondering if there was some intrinsic voodoo in the programming of it that meant it only worked for uprights, or whether it was pure weight, cda and crr and my numbers were just garbage I've got my 'big' event next Sunday and was hoping to knock some time out of my PR.

Well done again, I hope one day to join your ranks and make it over there. I have a half notion to do LEL in a couple of years, if the stars align and I'm still healthy.

Cheers

 

[ed72]

Thank you, NoBrakes.

I'm an engineer and pretty good with analysis. I need time to make it.

I know my Crr on my local roads with GP5000 and latex tubes and Cda. CdA can be as low as 0.145 or as high as 0.210 depending in kit and how much rando stuff handing off the bike.

I did 141 watts fr 52 hours moving time off an FTP 290 ish. I had an asthma problem going into Fougeres (190 mile check), it took me 10.5 hours to get there this time, 9:43 in 2015 and 9:03 in 1995. I was reasonably happy with that because of strong headwinds and the uprights would block me in on the climbs and I would be braking on the descents behind them at 30 mph instead of 45-50 mph. One group in particular shoved me off the road into the ditch going past me on climbs, I don't want to name them but it was the San Francisco Randonneurs. I am so proud of myself because in my youth, I was a hockey player, and such horrible, disrespectful behaviour deserved what got me booted from BROL. There are limits. I talked with several bent riders, we all got shoved into the ditch. I could say more.

I know bestbikesplits works for shorter events with consistent conditions. I need time to assess whether it was reasonably accurate if I input headwinds out and mostly back. With my own calculations in 2015, I predicted 55:20 ish and did below 55. It was way off but I also did not use headwinds each directions. My moving time was 52 hours, predicted to be 43-44 hours moving. Again, headwinds each way for the most part.

I loved the experience. I finished. I have medical problems. I trained as hard as ever. My power numbers are the best in such a long time. I had all kinds of issues. I rode the return in the big ring because the FD malfunctioned.

Sometimes, an event like this isn't about success but more about not giving up. One decides in advance the price they are willing to pay and if there is anything or anywhere else they want to be. When it really sucks, they say to themselves, this why I trained so hard and then the suck passes. I wanted to quit for maybe 2-3 minutes and then I just had to solve my problem, I needed time and sleep. I did finish. 75 hours isn't bad for a 60 year old riding unsupported.

I saw a bunch of Peloso bents. I rode for a while along with a French gentelman on his own creation, a steel MBB bent. I saw some Cruzbents on the start but only Tor during the event...he is super strong.

Congratulations to you both - awesome achievement on any platform. A couple of my Strava buddies did it - one on a Pelso Brevet and another on an M5 TiCa. Dunno if you saw them?

Ed - I still miss your input on the M5 thread over on BROL, you were a great contributor and personality to have on that thread. I was wondering how you got on with the M5 on bestbikesplit? I spent ages faffing about with it but in the end I never could get reliable numbers out of it. Was wondering if there was some intrinsic voodoo in the programming of it that meant it only worked for uprights, or whether it was pure weight, cda and crr and my numbers were just garbage I've got my 'big' event next Sunday and was hoping to knock some time out of my PR.

Well done again, I hope one day to join your ranks and make it over there. I have a half notion to do LEL in a couple of years, if the stars align and I'm still healthy.

Cheers

 

[ed72]

I know we don't have a lot of randos, 10.5 hours for more than a 300k in very hilly terrain against a 10-15 mph wind wasn't bad. It just took me almost 36 hours to recover from an asthma issue. Eventually, I was strong again.....my return time was lower than my outward time, this ain't normal.

 

[DavidCH]

from an asthma issue

Difficult.. I typically get asthma if there is wind chill and if it's been damp. I also notice it more on my vendetta than on the DF. Maybe it's because I breath thru my mouth more when putting the power on. I have actually tried some nostril openers... I saw Chris Froome use in some of his races. Breathing thru the nose helps but I gave up after inhaling a fly.

 

[Balor]

My assigned tracker malfunctioned. I did finished several hours after Tor.

Great, I've been worrying given lack of tracking. Very sad to hear about your asthma, but you did finish and with a good time at that. Hopefully, we'll see each other on next PBP

 

[DavidCH]

One group in particular shoved me off the road into the ditch going past me on climb

This sentence has stuck with me. I am sorry you had to go thru that ordeal. I guess they thought you might be sucking their wheel? I don't think they realized the physics involved. When another rider is following it actually reduces the drag for the riders in front. Which means they don't have to work so hard to keep up the speed.

Most of those riders all pee together so you probably got past them on a pee stop.

I am curious... there was wind but was there any rain ? I guess it was a little humid if you had asthma?

I notice over here in spain as soon as there is moisture in the air all the fauna starts communicating with my nose. There is a type of moss on the roof that I have allergy to starting in Sept with the change of weather.