LEL 2017

[LMT]

Damn. We will probubly not meet each other. I am plannig to ride slow.
My bike is almost ready. I have finished my dynamo powered light yesterday. But still have some work to do. Mount new tubeless tire what I haven't succedeed yesterday. Clean all my chains.

@leetaylor55 What will you pack to your drop bags?

Some water bottles that will be filled with carb powder, some 18650 batteries for the front light and a change of kit. Looking at the weather it looks to be rain up north (no surprise there) so will pack my sealskins gloves and overshoes in the bag as well. My bag drops are quite close together at Pocklington and Bernard Castle with only Thirsk in between but it is what it is. Brampton is going to be really busy and will be the Loudeac of PBP with many riders using this control as their base for doing the ride, the amount of people using this control for their bag drop attests to this.

Hope you enjoy the ride, whilst the general attitude of folks in the UK towards cycling is still fairly backwards imo, the event itself and the organisation is superb. I know that Danial and his team has put a lot of effort into the ride and it's got bigger every time it's been held in terms of riders.

What time are you looking to get to registration on Saturday? Can meet up then for a chat if you want, I'll be looking to get there between 10-11.

 

[snilard]

Some water bottles that will be filled with carb powder, some 18650 batteries for the front light and a change of kit. Looking at the weather it looks to be rain up north (no surprise there) so will pack my sealskins gloves and overshoes in the bag as well. My bag drops are quite close together at Pocklington and Bernard Castle with only Thirsk in between but it is what it is. Brampton is going to be really busy and will be the Loudeac of PBP with many riders using this control as their base for doing the ride, the amount of people using this control for their bag drop attests to this.

Hope you enjoy the ride, whilst the general attitude of folks in the UK towards cycling is still fairly backwards imo, the event itself and the organisation is superb. I know that Danial and his team has put a lot of effort into the ride and it's got bigger every time it's been held in terms of riders.

What time are you looking to get to registration on Saturday? Can meet up then for a chat if you want, I'll be looking to get there between 10-11.

My drop bags will be in Pocklington and Brampton. I have choosen it by majority at first and than missed deadline to change placement :-/ I am planning to place 2 chains into each dropbag, chain link pliers, clean clothes, magnesium flasks, some nuts, chocolade etc.

I am not sure about my registration time. I will try to be there at same time as you.
General attitude of folkt in the UK... Does it meat that drivers are not nice to cyclists? I can compare Czech Republic with Germany and Austria. Czech drivers are less nice to cyclists but it is still safe.


Will you carry towel?

 

[LMT]

My drop bags will be in Pocklington and Brampton. I have choosen it by majority at first and than missed deadline to change placement :-/ I am planning to place 2 chains into each dropbag, chain link pliers, clean clothes, magnesium flasks, some nuts, chocolade etc.

I am not sure about my registration time. I will try to be there at same time as you.
General attitude of folkt in the UK... Does it meat that drivers are not nice to cyclists? I can compare Czech Republic with Germany and Austria. Czech drivers are less nice to cyclists but it is still safe.


Will you carry towel?

My experience of drivers in the UK is that they are fine, you do get the odd idiot out on the road but I think that is the same anywhere you go. My point about attitude is that in the UK, the car is very much still seen as the king of transport, the alternatives - like a bike, are slowly coming through but it is painful to deal with the prejudices.

For example I've mentioned to work colleagues about me cycling to work only to met with, 'is that not dangerous?', 'do you wear a helmet an hi-vis?' and 'I could not do that'. In some respects I think cycling still has a stigma attached to it in the UK which is a real shame given our success on the track and TDF - anyways that's another discussion.

I'm not going to pack a towel, I'll use what I'm given at the control if I wish to have a shower.

 

[snilard]

I'm not going to pack a towel, I'll use what I'm given at the control if I wish to have a shower.

So towels are provided Great.

 

[DavidCH]

@snilard : Why not carry a few links in your pockets? Do riders really take two chains with them for 1400km? Half way round just stop into a garage and get the bike sprayed down and get and use a can of wd40. Chuck it away afterwards. All done in 5 minutes. And you don't disturb the drive chain configuration either.

I wish you all good fortune. One thing for sure, it will be memorable.

Remember the rider in front won't get any road crap. I know in the intro to LEL there is a video about catching the train. Just do that when it's dry if need be.

All the best

 

[snilard]

@snilard : Why not carry a few links in your pockets? Do riders really take two chains with them for 1400km? Half way round just stop into a garage and get the bike sprayed down and get and use a can of wd40. Chuck it away afterwards. All done in 5 minutes. And you don't disturb the drive chain configuration either.

I usually have no problem with changing my chain after few hundred kilometers. I use wet lubricant so my chain is full of fine sand after double century. WD40 does not solve this problem.

 

[Kenneth Jessett]

WD 40 is great if the drive train gets wet, but I always use dry lube which tends to eliminate some of the dirty chain problem. Sandy chains will wear out the teeth on the cogs pretty quickly.

 

[snilard]

WD 40 is great if the drive train gets wet, but I always use dry lube which tends to eliminate some of the dirty chain problem. Sandy chains will wear out the teeth on the cogs pretty quickly.

Meybe later but I will not change my practive week before start

 

[Kenneth Jessett]

Enjoy the ride, it's going to be an adventure to remember.

 

[LMT]

Looking at the LEL Facebook page, none other than Marko Baloh will be there at the start line for a 0500hrs start. From what I've read he'll be riding with Chris Hopkinson (or not), he's starting at 0500hrs as well. Rider numbers are A27 & A19 respectively.

Be interesting to see if the controls allow them through if they get there before it opens.

 

[ed72]

I suspect Marko being a kind and respectful randonneur will honor the controls and ride less fast. Super, super nice guy. Good coach.

Some young bucks were hammering the hills early in 2015 PBP, Marko told me they did not chase but the group would do a little tempo after the hills. After a dozen efforts, he said the message was clear them....this is not a race. Of course 100 miles in a touch over 4 hours might feel like it to the less gifted.

Wish I was riding LEL.

Maybe someday. Enjoy the Grand Randonnee.

 

[Kenneth Jessett]

If randonneuring events were not races they wouldn't list finishing times. As someone once said, when two cyclists are on the road at the same time, it is a race. But I do agree about Balou, I have heard he is a good sport, I can't say the same about the other one though.

By the way, this might interest: Mersey Roads RTTC 24-Hour National Championship - Cheshire, England - July 22, 2017 Michael Broadwith was the top male finisher covering 530.82 miles in 24 hours. Jasmijn Muller was the top female and 3rd overall finisher with 454.68 miles."

531 miles in 24 hours is pretty impressive as is 455 miles for the lady.

Ken.

 

[DavidCH]

I'm following Marko and Hoppo

Hey Hardy, can you give me the link?

I am interested in them and what sort of weather they have to deal with.

 

[trplay]

https://www.facebook.com/MarkoBaloh/ Lots of flats, they're out of tubes and having to wait for riders to catch up to poach tubes. Marco doesn't like the traffic aspects, etc.

 

[RojoRacing]

Yeah something like 4-5 flats in the first 3 hours :lol poor guys have it hard.

 

[DavidCH]

A roadie thru and thru. Why not go tubeless? Just seems rediculous not to.

 

[ratz]

You right pink in Britain; you get flats.... clearly that's the issue.

 

[RojoRacing]

And you guys want me to try and convince Marko to ride a Vendetta when we can't even get him to go tubeless

 

[Kenneth Jessett]

You right pink in Britain; you get flats.... clearly that's the issue.

You get flats whenever you ride in rain, Britain or not.

Looks like Hopkinson is decked out in his favourite hair colour. I'm told he is sponsered by some company whenever he rides - maybe it the Orange company? - and he also told me he never rides out unless he is in a race preferring to do all his training on a machine at home, so maybe riding without a crew is causing him problems.

The bag hanging under Marco's crossbar is quite something.

 

[ElyDave]

I was volunteering at St Ives control on the way up and saw a couple of the cruzbikes go through, also a velomobile and a Schlitter amongst others, so a decent representation of recumbents. I'll be back there tomorrow and Thursday as well.

I'll post a couple of pics when I find my camera