ryda wrote:

dented wrote:What does 'Brevet' mean?

I would have guess it to being a french word and the translation is "Certificate"

so I guess it has more than 1 english meaning

Usually they have a card that needs stamping at the checkpoints, so yeah, that makes sense.

ThingOne wrote:I usually only eva race with 1 bottle, would probably take 2 for this.

one for the bourbon and the other for the coke ?

Finally, a race long enough to bother showing up for! I'm only competitive on distances over 1000 Km. Despite being a pathalogical non-racer I'm finding it hard to think of reasons not to join in. And hey, the price is right:)

How munty are the munty bits? Eg tramping tracks like Wakamarina?

Domesticles

PS Anyone have a disc-compatable rear rack they don't want?

Its not a race, its a Brevet!

Domesticles wrote:How munty are the munty bits? Eg tramping tracks like Wakamarina?

When I read the route description I don't see Wakamarina listed?
I'd say the muntiest bit would be Wharfedale? And I'm talking techy munty, not just big hill munty.

He was asking if there's anything LIKE Wakamarina, not saying it was in there.

Oli wrote:He was asking if there's anything LIKE Wakamarina, not saying it was in there.

Oh I say, jolly good spotting old chap aye wot.

There are a couple of wee hills.

The Southern Alps spring to mind (Arthurs Pass, Otira Gorge) and there's a lump between Blenheim and Nelson. Then just out of Nelson. Most of Wairau Valley is relatively flat from memory, and promises to be mind numbingly boring - roads that are dead straight for 8km, then a 20 degree kink, only to remain dead straight for another 7km or so. Awesome. I might need to take a spare ipod.

Bring me the munt! This grannytrack stuff is all well and good, but I'd really prefer a course that's as challenging on the equipment as it is on the body. 1000 Km +, 50% Nydia Bay, 50% airport runways, for instance.

Show me a bike that'll do both well without snapping and I'll show you... er... my appreciation? Let's push the envelope here. Paris-Brest-Paris (the original 1200Km enduro) was a test of man and machine and back in the 1890s finding a bike that would be tolerably comfortable and fast and wouldn't break was a real challenge. I'm totally into this brevet but I'd like to see way more tramping tracks on the route, with some long carries and plenty of brake burn. Then we'll see what works and what doesn't.

Domesticles

Domesticles wrote:Bring me the munt! This grannytrack stuff is all well and good, but I'd really prefer a course that's as challenging on the equipment as it is on the body. 1000 Km +, 50% Nydia Bay, 50% airport runways, for instance.

Show me a bike that'll do both well without snapping and I'll show you... er... my appreciation? Let's push the envelope here. Paris-Brest-Paris (the original 1200Km enduro) was a test of man and machine and back in the 1890s finding a bike that would be tolerably comfortable and fast and wouldn't break was a real challenge. I'm totally into this brevet but I'd like to see way more tramping tracks on the route, with some long carries and plenty of brake burn. Then we'll see what works and what doesn't.

Domesticles

This is still a lot gnarlier that what I gather of Paris-Brest-Paris, some of those 4x4 roads would snap a road racing bike in a second unless you walked it all, most include sections not drivable in a normal car under any circumstances.

100% gnarly stuff on the course would be cool, unfortunately the tracks don't exist for that, maybe you could help Simon pioneer the route for the 2011 edition

snr_merv wrote:

Domesticles wrote:Bring me the munt! This grannytrack stuff is all well and good, but I'd really prefer a course that's as challenging on the equipment as it is on the body. 1000 Km +, 50% Nydia Bay, 50% airport runways, for instance.

Show me a bike that'll do both well without snapping and I'll show you... er... my appreciation? Let's push the envelope here. Paris-Brest-Paris (the original 1200Km enduro) was a test of man and machine and back in the 1890s finding a bike that would be tolerably comfortable and fast and wouldn't break was a real challenge. I'm totally into this brevet but I'd like to see way more tramping tracks on the route, with some long carries and plenty of brake burn. Then we'll see what works and what doesn't.

Domesticles

This is still a lot gnarlier that what I gather of Paris-Brest-Paris, some of those 4x4 roads would snap a road racing bike in a second unless you walked it all, most include sections not drivable in a normal car under any circumstances.

100% gnarly stuff on the course would be cool, unfortunately the tracks don't exist for that, maybe you could help Simon pioneer the route for the 2011 edition

Well said snr_merv!

Another quote from the wiki on Brevets:

"Randonneurs do not compete against other cyclists; randonnées are a test of endurance, self-sufficiency and bicycle touring skills. Riders are expected to carry appropriate clothing for inclement weather, spare parts and tools needed for likely repairs. Brevets frequently involve night riding, when participants are required to carry lights, spare bulbs and reflective gear."

A cyclo-cross bike might be the go for this brevet, but a MTB would be nearly as fast and a lot more comfortable. We'll see.

Based on the Great Divide event experience I'd highly recommend bringing a camera. Take time to smell the manuka flowers and all that. Have a yarn with the locals when you get a chance. Build up a huge appetite and then don't waste it on squeezies - sample the best cafes the top of the South has to offer. In between all the important stuff, ride heaps!

Another grunty section is Big River to Waiuta. The Porika Track is fairly serious at the end of a long day, as well. It's going to be interesting to see what the total climbing is - somewhere around 12,000 m I'd guess (give or take a few thousand).

We won't be doing the Wairau Valley Rd. Only if Molesworth is closed will we ride the north bank of the Wairau (which is much more interesting). The Molesworth, by the way, is the highest public road in NZ (according to their website) so some big climbs there too (though they do look small in that landscape).

We've started a blog here: http://www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.com/

You'll be able to add your name to a start list in due course. We'll need people to make a commitment to that by the 6th Jan so that the tracking devices can be arranged. If you'd like your name added to the start list right now, just PM me.

Cheers
Simon

consider yorself PMed...

Have just requested the time off...

Simon sez:

> A cyclo-cross bike might be the go for this brevet, but a MTB would be nearly as fast and a lot more comfortable. We'll see.

CX bikes are perhaps as close as you can get nowadays to what was once known as a Touring Bike, but I'd have thought that the handles were a tad too steep and the chainstays a smidgen too short. Then again, I haven't ridden a modern CX bike so I dunno, but I am under the impression they are designed for cyclo-cross racing. And of course Simon has ridden the GDR and I haven't. Bearing this in mind, however, I've ridden lots of tringlesack on my various touring bikes and as far as I can see this is a road mission, pure and simple. 4% tringlesack is next to nothing.

Also, notwithstanding the fact that it's likely to be blazing hot much of the time, prospective entrants might be interested to have a look over the equipment survey of Randonneur USA Paris-Brest-Paris participants. The 07 PBP was exceptionally cold and wet. Mudguards help keep you warmer and drier, and when you've just gone into your second sunset (often a problem psychologically) and you're soaked through, you need all the help you can get. Link here: http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/BQPBPEquipsurvey.pdf

> It's going to be interesting to see what the total climbing is - somewhere around 12,000 m I'd guess.

See? Average gradient 1 in a hundred! I suspect weight may count for less than rolling resistance. Then again (according to the survey above), stopping is what really slows you down. (Funny, that:) Comfort is everything.

Tell you what though, it's great to see a long distance course mapped out which has a bit of variety in it. The nascent Audax NZ group seems to be focussing on simply doing multiple laps of Taupo as a PBP qualifier...

I should probably repost this to the blog.