2017 Fleches
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2017 Fleches
Is anyone riding a fleche this year?
Offical Web Site of Audax Club Parisien - General Flèches Pascales Nationales
"Flèches Nationales are annual events held in various regions or countries during the spring, whereby teams of cyclists all head to a common destination from various starting points. Teams ride during 24 hours to cover the longest distance possible (at least 360 km). After the ride, all participants meet and celebrate together.
The mother of those events is the 1947-created Flèche Vélocio, whereby teams head to the traditional Easter cycling rally in Provence (France). To respond to a growing demand by French or International randonneurs who want to meet in a location outside Provence, the Audax Club Parisien promotes and homologates team events patterned after the Flèche Vélocio: the Flèches Nationales (in France and abroad).
The Flèches Nationales can also be named National Arrow, Easter Arrow, or named after a country, a region or a famous person.
All ACP-sanctioned Flèches events must be run according to the rules of the Flèche Vélocio. The traditional event date is the Easter weekend, but for regions that have snow at this time, it may be held until the end of May."
And the rules:
Offical Web Site of Audax Club Parisien - Rules
Offical Web Site of Audax Club Parisien - General Flèches Pascales Nationales
"Flèches Nationales are annual events held in various regions or countries during the spring, whereby teams of cyclists all head to a common destination from various starting points. Teams ride during 24 hours to cover the longest distance possible (at least 360 km). After the ride, all participants meet and celebrate together.
The mother of those events is the 1947-created Flèche Vélocio, whereby teams head to the traditional Easter cycling rally in Provence (France). To respond to a growing demand by French or International randonneurs who want to meet in a location outside Provence, the Audax Club Parisien promotes and homologates team events patterned after the Flèche Vélocio: the Flèches Nationales (in France and abroad).
The Flèches Nationales can also be named National Arrow, Easter Arrow, or named after a country, a region or a famous person.
All ACP-sanctioned Flèches events must be run according to the rules of the Flèche Vélocio. The traditional event date is the Easter weekend, but for regions that have snow at this time, it may be held until the end of May."
And the rules:
Offical Web Site of Audax Club Parisien - Rules
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Tasmanian Fleche Opperman
This year, Tasmania has a fleche on the schedule ...
https://www.facebook.com/events/737496186425689/
"As a brief bit of history, Fleches in Australia are named after Sir Hubert Opperman, one of Australia’s most accomplished human beings. He was a long distance cyclist who set all sorts of records, and later become a distinguished federal politician. The Oppy in Victoria finished each alternate year in Rochester where Sir Hubert was born in 1904. He died in 1996.
The Oppy Fleche will be held from 6am on Saturday 18 March to 6am on Sunday 19 March."
For further information about the Tasmanian Opperman, and to register:
https://www.audax.org.au/portal/inde...-opperman-2017
.
https://www.facebook.com/events/737496186425689/
"As a brief bit of history, Fleches in Australia are named after Sir Hubert Opperman, one of Australia’s most accomplished human beings. He was a long distance cyclist who set all sorts of records, and later become a distinguished federal politician. The Oppy in Victoria finished each alternate year in Rochester where Sir Hubert was born in 1904. He died in 1996.
The Oppy Fleche will be held from 6am on Saturday 18 March to 6am on Sunday 19 March."
For further information about the Tasmanian Opperman, and to register:
https://www.audax.org.au/portal/inde...-opperman-2017
.
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maybe. Eastern Pennsylvania's fleche isn't scheduled until May this year, so maybe the weather will not be as cold as it has been in years past. I'm not a big fan of riding all night in 30 degree temperatures. Last year's fleche was moved back a week because of freezing rain and snow.
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PA Fleche
Eric:
PA Fleche is listed on the RUSA site for April 7. I too wish is was in May. It was originally listed when they were making the schedule to be in May according to Joe Kratovil, NJ RBA but was changed back to original date.
Jim
I did the NJ Arrow in July last year. Much more enjoyable even with the downpour we rode in for a few hours.
PA Fleche is listed on the RUSA site for April 7. I too wish is was in May. It was originally listed when they were making the schedule to be in May according to Joe Kratovil, NJ RBA but was changed back to original date.
Jim
I did the NJ Arrow in July last year. Much more enjoyable even with the downpour we rode in for a few hours.
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ok, that's a bummer. I'm in better shape right now than I have been for a number of years, but an all night winter ride just doesn't do much for me. Pretty sure it's warmer in France at Easter than it is here.
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Captained for the first time last year. I hope my all-young-guns Philly team can return for 2017 but I already have heard of one or two members potentially not being able to make it. Will have to scrounge up some new blood....
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looks like "Now You've Gone Too Far" will be trying again this year. Hard to think about it right now, when it's cold enough that I'm riding my trainer in the basement with full-fingered gloves on.
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FWIW, DCR fleche is a little later, for most riders it's the weekend of April 22/23 (teams can start as early as Thursday under the fleche rules).
Nick
Nick
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where is the finish? Crista has a perm that gets within 20 miles of here, so I could follow that route. But I think it would be too far.
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Team name: "Now You've REALLY Gone Too Far"
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tempting to do the DCR fleche, but I already committed to do NYGTF and it conflicts with the Eastern PA 300k
I keep hoping to get down and do one of the DCR 200k's. Hasn't worked out yet though
I keep hoping to get down and do one of the DCR 200k's. Hasn't worked out yet though
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I'm doing the eastern PA flèche. I'm captain, not sure why. We haven't chosen a team name yet, but I submitted a route this morning. I'm embarrassed to notice: the route I submitted is very similar to what we did last year, though the this year we'll go clockwise, so we'll have daylight for the part that was dark last year.
A question for those of you who use battery powered lights: what do you recommend? One of my team asked me that, and all I could think of was "get a dynamo hub..." which isn't what he wants to hear.
@greg3rd48, you following this?
A question for those of you who use battery powered lights: what do you recommend? One of my team asked me that, and all I could think of was "get a dynamo hub..." which isn't what he wants to hear.
@greg3rd48, you following this?
Last edited by rhm; 03-10-17 at 05:49 PM.
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one of my perennial fleche team members uses two Cygolyte Expillions. That's my backup battery light. I'd feel stupid trying to ride all night without a dyno.
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I like! But isn't it supposed to include a bad pun in French? Hmmm...
être déterminé
Last edited by rhm; 03-11-17 at 01:40 PM.
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@rhm, I use a Volt 300 as a backup light. I have the set that comes with the light, a charging cradle and a spare battery. So I can double the burn time by just swapping the battery with the spare.
Having dynamo lights on both my bikes, I have never seriously used it though - I just carry it because the organizers here require a second light on night starts and brevets over 300 km.
Having dynamo lights on both my bikes, I have never seriously used it though - I just carry it because the organizers here require a second light on night starts and brevets over 300 km.
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Suggested battery light
I use an Ixon IQ Premium as my backup light. If you buy from Europe they are pretty reasonable. Use lithium batteries.
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I'm doing the eastern PA flèche. I'm captain, not sure why. We haven't chosen a team name yet, but I submitted a route this morning. I'm embarrassed to notice: the route I submitted is very similar to what we did last year, though the this year we'll go clockwise, so we'll have daylight for the part that was dark last year.
The clockwise change will mix things up for you. It'll be fun! Are you going to do another early start like last year? We all missed seeing your team at the finish on Sunday.
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But no, no early start this year, unless weather demands it (and all team members agree, which seems a stretch this year). Currently hoping for an 8:00 Sunday finish.
We'll see you at the after party
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I like most of my route. There are a couple of stretches I would change if I could
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The day approaches!
I decided to call my team "Flèche Mob!" (Pronounced "Flash Mob") for no particular reason. We had a team of five, but two dropped out in the last few days. In a mad scramble another rider was drafted (I take no credit for this; one of my team took the initiative) and it looks like we have four riders.
The weather outlook is gradually improving, too. Should be a good ride
I decided to call my team "Flèche Mob!" (Pronounced "Flash Mob") for no particular reason. We had a team of five, but two dropped out in the last few days. In a mad scramble another rider was drafted (I take no credit for this; one of my team took the initiative) and it looks like we have four riders.
The weather outlook is gradually improving, too. Should be a good ride
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Fleche Mob is a great name. Glad to get to meet you finally.
Our ride was mostly uneventful. We found out that there was a bridge out 1 1/2 miles before our 22 hour control, which caused us to suffer from a fairly bad case of catastrophizing. Seeing "bridge out in 5 miles" when you are 6 miles from your next stop is not a great feeling at 4:30am. It turned out that there was a road right next to the one we wanted to take that was really nice and only added about a mile to the route. Thank goodness for google maps. Doing an internet review of road construction is not foolproof, that's for sure.
Our ride was mostly uneventful. We found out that there was a bridge out 1 1/2 miles before our 22 hour control, which caused us to suffer from a fairly bad case of catastrophizing. Seeing "bridge out in 5 miles" when you are 6 miles from your next stop is not a great feeling at 4:30am. It turned out that there was a road right next to the one we wanted to take that was really nice and only added about a mile to the route. Thank goodness for google maps. Doing an internet review of road construction is not foolproof, that's for sure.
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DNQ for us, unfortunately. I'll work on a proper ride report and pictures for the club blog, but basically: two flats for me (including one less than 3 miles from the start), a loose rear hub (also me), cross and direct headwinds the entirety of Saturday, a broken rear shifter turning a teammate's bike into a two-speed, tons of traffic, and plenty of moments of broken morale.
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Huh, sorry to hear that, CJ!
My route worked out pretty well. There were two sections riding straight into the teeth of the wind, both about 15 miles, and the first one was pretty brutal, but by the time we hit the second one, the wind was dying down. When we submit our routes, of course, we can't know the weather we'll get. But at this time of year we can be pretty confident of a strong west wind during the day. If I do another fleche, I'm going to try to take that wind pattern into account.
Riding through the night, with the nearly full moon bright overhead, was really nice. I should have brought more warm clothes, though.
My route worked out pretty well. There were two sections riding straight into the teeth of the wind, both about 15 miles, and the first one was pretty brutal, but by the time we hit the second one, the wind was dying down. When we submit our routes, of course, we can't know the weather we'll get. But at this time of year we can be pretty confident of a strong west wind during the day. If I do another fleche, I'm going to try to take that wind pattern into account.
Riding through the night, with the nearly full moon bright overhead, was really nice. I should have brought more warm clothes, though.
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I rode on @rhm team and must say that the route planning was meticulous. I do not see how I would have done that. That was my first Fleche and first randonneuring event and it left me fatigued and begging for sleep but it was a great experience and I look forward to participating in many others.