erichkopp

I've decided I'm going to ride a few randoneuring events in the coming year, especially a 200k and 300k at the very least. I've read a lot and know more than enough to know that it's something I really want to do, but I have a few questions.

1. Are there designated sleep and rest stops for the longer brevets, or are you basically on your own to find a place to sleep along the route?

2. Are fenders required or just encouraged?

3. I know that lights are required. What I'm unsure of is the type of light that I must have. At the moment I have a Cateye Opticube in the front and a multi-LED light in back. I plan on getting a second more powerful light for the front, but I don't want to have to spend a ton of money on it. What are my options? (I'd prefer something battery operated and easily removed when not in use)

bmike

You won't have to worry about sleep stops until the 600k... and then most are arranged by the RBA who is putting on the ride. Depending on how you stick to their schedule will determine if / when / how you sleep.

Where are you riding? Encouraged by some / disdained by others. Ride your own ride with gear that you think will work for you. Confidence and mental toughness is what will get you through the longer events.

The Opticube might be underpowered... but for a 300k you'll need lights for a few hours in the morning and then for several hours @ night depending on how fast you ride. The Ixon IQ is a great battery light - I have 1 for around town and love it. It will be my brevet back up (and maybe primary on the 300k) this year. Its not terribly expensive, runs on 4AAs (I run rechargeable) that you can restock on the road if needed (but be sure to put fresh ones in before the start and carry what you think you'll need).

You learn more about the Ixon (and other lights) here.

mattm

1) probably depends on the group, but in seattle the 600k's usually have a sleep-stop (couple of motel rooms for sharing) at the 400k mark. btw some don't sleep at all on these events! although i'm not quite there yet.

2) fenders are certainly not required. but definitely suggested! more so, a rear flap is essential for keeping actual spray off the friends behind you.

in reality a brevet rarely stays in one solid group, so you'll either be by yourself, or at the back of a pack (so you don't spray).

having said all of that, i think they make a huge difference (full fenders that is)

3) you can get by doing all your brevets with battery-powered if you choose. one big thing to keep in mind is that you not only have to illuminate the road, but your cuesheet and also road signs - so a helmet light is also something to thing about at the same time.

i run a dynohub with a schmidt E6 lamp - but there are a few randos around here that use battery-powered lights. and in that case you just need to carry spares!

btw most, if not all, of your questions may be answered in the RUSA handbook. did you sign up for RUSA? when you do, they'll send you a cool book with tons of rando info. i actually read the whole thing!

erichkopp

I haven't signed up yet. Do you have to pay for a membership, or is it something that you just need to fill out some info for? I still have not got that far, but have read the majority of the info on their website.

Randochap

Rather than reiterate what is available elsewhere (e.g. there is a lighting thread as a sub-heading here) I'll point you to my club's website, which has a wealth of info.

And the link to my own site below.

As far as sleeping arrangements, there is usually only need for that on 600 brevets and beyond. Certainly not many would sleep on a 400. We usually recomend a place but leave arrangements (e.g. motel booking) to individual riders and don't usually arrange bag drops on anything under an ultra. A few of our routes are devised so as to have the route pass the start area motel accomodations, on a 600, around the 400k mark.

A recent exception to that practice (motel accomodation only) is described in this story. It might give you the flavour of a 600k randonee, ridden under variable conditions as well as a good argument for the scouting dictum "be prepared."

mattm

$10 to sign up, if i remember correctly.

also that $10/year also buys you a subscription to the "American Randonneur" quarterly magazine, which is usually a pretty good read.

and while i'm on the subject, check out Bicycle Quarterly. another great rando read!

djwid

That is something I didn't know. I can't wait for my cook book to arrive then. Now I am waiting for more than an RUSA membership #.

supcom

In the US, brevet fees are handled differently by the various clubs/organizers. Most organizers seem to charge a fee for each brevet - typically $20 or so for single day events. Costs are higher for longer events that include overnight motel rooms, food, drop bags, SAG, etc.

In Dallas, where I live, or Houston, riders pay a small yearly fee that covers any and all brevets you can stand (and we do a lot of brevets). But that includes no food, no SAG, no motel, on any of our brevets. Our long routes return back to the start for two or three separate loops so drop bags are not required and riders can arrange their own motel rooms (usually two or three to a room).

Every once in a while we convince someone to ride SAG and charge a small fee to cover expenses.

I should note that, while you may be required to pay a yearly club fee or brevet fee, you do not have to be a member of RUSA to ride a brevet. Membership in the national organization is encouraged. You get a quarterly newsletter and can earn various awards if you are a member. You can also ride Permanent routes, which are like brevets except you can ride them at a date of your own choosing. But you must be a RUSA member for that.

Machka 

The controls are the "designated rest stops" ... you don't have to rest there, all you need to do is to get your card signed. But most people also use the facilities in the gas station/restaurant washrooms, and pick up some water or something to eat.

As for sleep, most people don't sleep on anything less than 600K, and if you're doing your brevet on the Canadian prairies, you are on your own!! That's half the fun!!

Most 1200Ks provide something for sleep stops ... like a community hall with mats or something.


Not required. I suppose they are encouraged if you're doing a brevet in England or Washington.


You need to have a light that will remain lit from dusk till dawn. The kind is up to you.

erichkopp

I really appreciate all the information here. I'm getting really excited to enter my first brevet in January. Seems like a really fun and very doable challenge, at least for the shorter events. I'd imagine that the long rides must get pretty intense.

thebulls

I think that one of the many hard things to learn to do when you're randonneuring is to ride at a pace that will have you finishing the event ("Ride Your own Ride). Many "DNF's" (Did Not Finish) that I've seen are people who are used to being able to ride a 200K really fast, and then they do the same pace on the 600K and "blow up". A lesser example is just starting the ride in a "fast group" and then hanging on for too long. You drain all the glycogen from your legs and then spend three hours feeling like you're pedaling mud and waiting for your legs to wake up again. The key is to never blow your legs out, and if you're feeling just awful, ride more slowly and keep eating and eventually you'll feel better.

CliftonGK1

Nevermind a 600k, after many many century rides I bombed a couple of 200k attempts before actually finishing the distance. Exact same reason you mentioned, though: Went out fast like I was going to do a moderate paced century and then didn't have anything left for the remainder 25 miles.
This summer was my introductary "Learn to Pace Yourself" season, and I went from failing 200k attempts to completing a double century.

erichkopp

Not wearing myself out too soon is probably something I'll have to really pay attention to. How about nutrition? Anything to avoid? What does one consume during a normal brevet?

mattm

nutrition.. that's a big one, and i'm going to guess we all approach it differently.

* some randos take the "hammer nutrition" route, e.g. all liquid carbs, no real food on a brevet.

* others drink ensure (actually really hits the spot on a long ride!), and eat mostly regular food.

* and of course others just eat junk food the whole time, e.g. fast food or gas station food.

i fall into the latter two categories, i've never tried hammer stuff, and i don't like clif bars or gels. so i eat beef jerky, nuts, and gas station food while i'm on the road. or i'll bring a burrito or something for lunch along the way. i enjoy being able to find my foods of choice just about anywhere i go!

when i first started out i battled with an upset stomach on rides, and finally figured out i was taking in too much sugar (candy bars, cokes). these days i can ride a whole 600k without feeling ill, thankfully - by eating more salty than sweet foods.

anyway it's just something you have to figure out for yoursef, over the course of a brevet season or training for one. it took me about 6 months of experimentation to find my "sweet spot" when it comes to fueling for a ride.

CliftonGK1

I'm a "Hammer" person, (except not Hammer brand because it makes me hurl.) On STP, I lived on Clif Bars and Accel Gels, and used Accelerade in my bottles. At the food stops, I'd grab a pack or two of Shot Blox and maybe a banana, fill my bottles with another pre-measured Accelerade powder baggie (I make them up the night before a ride) and off I went.

I just can't understand how some of these guys were knocking back onion rings and greasy burgers at the food stop with all the vendor buggies. 96 degrees, 130+ miles in, and they're chomping down on burgers with nearly 75 miles left in the day! Just watching them made me queasy.

the spin guru

In response to food and eating greasy food sometimes a burger is just what the doctor ordered. In the summer I did a 300km brevet and at the 150km mark I hit the control and even had my own food with me, but I jut had to stop and eat something. I sat down and was just going to have my control card signed then head back out, but the veggie burger just called out to me.

As I was devouring the burger another came in and was startled to see me inhaling a burger and said " have fun with that burger on the climb out of town. It's a brutal 4km slog, he was minorly correct as I did the squirts a bit. But sometimes you just have to listen to your gut.

I was gald I did as that was hands down the best veggie burger I have ever had in my life!

supcom

Nutrition. Eat whatever you feel like eating. Seriously. Here's the deal:

You'll almost certainly be running a calorie deficit during the ride. As you go along you will likely find that some of the foods that taste so good at the start of the ride become unpalatable as you tire, get hot, and dehydrated, and low on blood sugar. When you dig into your pocket and retch at the thought of sucking down another Goo packet, Powerful Bar, or Vitameatavegamin drink mix, you'll need to change your plan. So, when you get to the next control, cruise the shelves and hot box and pick out whatever seems appetizing. If you can eat it, you'll get a benefit from it. If you don't eat, you are doomed.

I like a breakfast burrito or sausage and egg around mid morning. Around 5 PM, I like one of those mini pizzas available at many convenience stores. In between I'll grab gummi bears, trail mix, chips, a sandwich, pop tarts, cookies, packages of crackers, or anything else that looks good. Chocolate milk is great early in the day, and late in day when I'm starting to flag, a can of Starbucks DoubleShot Espresso chased down with a bottle of orange juice is like rocket fuel. Trust me on that one. It will bring you back from the dead.

kk4df

Getting enough nutrition for the pace you've chosen is important. I've settled with the Heed and Perpetuem products from Hammer Nutrition. They work very well for me. I will still eat a real meal at some control points, but stay away from any greasy foods or sugary desserts. I start the day with oatmeal and a bottle of Ensure. I try to consume one bottle of energy drink per hour along with 1/2 Cliff Bar or a banana.

On the longer brevets, you can certainly feel like you've run out of fuel. You can easily burn 500 calories per hour (or more), and most people can only digest about 250 to 300 calories per hour. That leaves you at a deficit. Your body has about 2000+ calories easily available as glycogen. After that's gone, your body must be processing your body fat into energy. So when the brevets get longer than about 10 hours, most of us have used up most of the available glycogen and moved well into the fat-burning zone. I can tell on the brevets about when this is for me. It's at this point that the kind of nutrition you're taking in gets more difficult. At this point, I need something more easily digestible (mostly liquids).

A few of my brevet rules:
1. Let your starting pace be such that you think you can finish as fast or faster than you started.
2. Eat before you're hungry, and drink before you're thirsty.

Randochap

On the same 300k ride SG is referring to, my problem was insufficient salt intake. I had some hammer liquid, but had it in my head that I'd save it for the return. Mistake! The ride in to the halfway point (actually 158k) includes some brutal 21% switchbacks and the sun was beating down on the road, as it snakes along the shoreline of the ocean.

By the time I reached the outskirts of the control village, if I stood up to "power" over a lump in the road, my quads just locked up. Understand, that the last half is as hard as the first ont his brevet w/ almost 4,000 metres of climbing along its course, including the re-ascent of the massive hill leading down into town.

I mixed up the Hammer hot weather concoction and put plenty of salt on the light meal I ordered at the control (no burgers to sit in this chap's belly like a rock!

No more cramps and the second leg was a pleasure.

So, yeah, besides the technical stuff (lighting is most important for longer brevets) nutrition and hydration may be the most important things to work out. I daren't go near fat. I will spare you the kind of detail SG provides in his story.

On edit: Yes, pacing. Ah, the art of honesty. If you don't know how to be honest with yourself, the ride will provide the truth serum in due course. How many times we (in our early days) felt the sting of the "truth" coursing through our whole being after we have overestimated our prowess? And how many times have we watched a neophyte fly away from the start of a long brevet and thought: Well, we'll be seeing him/her up the road in a bit?

Machka 

One consumes 250-300 calories per hour. What you consume is up to you ... go with things you crave, but nothing too spicy, and nothing too unusual.

And here's a tip to help you ward off the nausea ... nibble.

Get a Bento bag, put your food of choice into the Bento bag, and then nibble ... take a bite ... ride a little bit ... take a bite ... ride a little bit ... take a bite ... etc. Don't gobble down an entire pastry or cookie or whatever all at once.

the spin guru

The other couple of thing's you really want to make sure you have are......

1. Booties in cold and or rainy weather. Most people really dislike wet and cold feet.
2. Sunscreen or sunblock of some sort during sunny brevets.
3. A way to secure your cue sheets so you have easy access and can read them as you go. Randchap has an excellent home made version on his website. I finally got mine sorted out when I switched over to an aero bar set up.
Handlebar bags also work very well.

bmike

here's mine... recycled honjo fender strut with a piece of plastic and an aloksak.
velcro or zip tie to the stem. use electrical shrink wrap tubing to keep from scratching the bike





h-bar bags do work well too.

Randochap

Yes, I've seen this design around. Much slicker than my cheapie coat-hanger job. Nice work.

An engineer recently turned up at one of our brevets with another improvement on my design. Beautiul thing. Talented DIY folks out there.

sch

One other thing, in addition to bike lites, one of the small LED AA powered headlamps
taped, glued or ziptied to your helmet is invaluable for reading the map/directions
after dark and if bright enough the road signs and markings. Bike lights of no value
for these purposes and the helmet lamp can supplement the handlebar light as it
points where you look. Riding at night can be a very claustrophobic affair, a tiny
bubble of light in the dark.

Richard Cranium

Most of what you need to know - you'll learn by actually riding a few brevets. Much of the confusion over any subject comes from knowing when and where which advice is applicable to a given situation.

Forums give you all information you'll ever need, but they can't decide what's important, and what's most useful in any single situation. good luck.