Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - non-Brevet LD

How many of you all ride 300's, 400's, 600's or 1200's as non-brevet rides?

Anyone ever done a 600k club ride?

How many of you all ride 300's, 400's, 600's or 1200's as non-brevet rides?

Anyone ever done a 600k club ride?

There is such a thing?

SP
Bend, OR

I've done several "fun rides" of between 500K and 600K.

I've done several "fun rides" of between 500K and 600K.

Was there a hotel or camping involved? Or, was it a single rides with fuel stops?

I've done double centuries (323 km) just for fun.

One such double century ended up being a bit more than I expected. I mapped it out on a road map, like I usually do, and I figured it would be just over the double century distance. I set off about 5 am (by myself, this was solo) at a relatively brisk pace with the idea in mind that I'd like to do a fairly fast double. And in fact, despite some interesting weather out there, when I reached the 323 km point, I had done my fastest double. The thing was, I was still out in the middle of nowhere at that point. The whole ride ended up being about 380 km.

I think that was the longest solo, for fun, ride I've done.


But I've also done a couple 24-hour races, which aren't brevets.

I suppose that you're counting Permanents as Brevets in this context ?

I suppose that you're counting Permanents as Brevets in this context ?

Yeah. I'm mostly wondering how often LD riders ride 300k+ distances outside of the context of RUSA/Audax. ie. no credit. Plan it yourself and ride it yourself. (either alone or with other riders)

I rode 250k to a 400k brevet, but that was over two days and included a brevet so it doesn't really count.

Do you also mean keeping in the time limits even if not for credit? I've thought about doing a 600k but probably taking a bit longer than the allotted time (more sleep) - but at that point isn't it more like a tour?

i do a solo double 300k+ to my inlaws. good fun.
next year planning on it being back to back 200k's (with an ultralite camp stop) so i can see more of the mountains.

at that point isn't it more like a tour?

I've never met anyone who rides 250 miles, sleeps for an 1 1/2, and gets back on the bike for 130 more to call that a tour.

A typical 50 mile ride might include confirming a cue sheet, a few ride buddies, a bike check, a snack and you're off. Now, I fully understand that there are other concerns as a ride increases in mileage, but why not the same basic approach to a 400k? No controls, no worries about losing the route and having to get back to where you left it and no time limits other than a goal to finish in your fastest possible time.

I realize that my questioning might sound like a criticism of the RUSA/Audax system. It is absolutely not.
I am just wondering why at some point (generally 200k) almost all LD rides become RUSA events.

I could see doing up to a 400k, but I'm not sure I'd be motivated enough to do more than a single day's ride. I have trouble starting early enough in the morning when I'm riding by myself.

I've ridden a couple of double centuries totally on my own. I've ridden a 300km (Dairyland Dare) that was an organized ride but not a brevet, although it did have a time cutoff. I rode a 300km overnighter with a couple of friends (dusk to dawn) - technically it was not a brevet but it was in preparation for PBP.

How many of you all ride 300's, 400's, 600's or 1200's as non-brevet rides?

Well a double century is, what, 320k?

Well a double century is, what, 320k?

323 km.

And I would assume that a lot of people here have done that. I rode doubles as a training ride for longer distances.

323 km.

And I would assume that a lot of people here have done that. I rode doubles as a training ride for longer distances.

Right, so 300km not as part of a brevet :thumb:

A typical 50 mile ride might include confirming a cue sheet, a few ride buddies, a bike check, a snack and you're off. Now, I fully understand that there are other concerns as a ride increases in mileage, but why not the same basic approach to a 400k? No controls, no worries about losing the route and having to get back to where you left it and no time limits other than a goal to finish in your fastest possible time.

I realize that my questioning might sound like a criticism of the RUSA/Audax system. It is absolutely not.
I am just wondering why at some point (generally 200k) almost all LD rides become RUSA events.


A typical 50 mile ride, for me, consists of grabbing some water/sports drink and a few snacks, getting on my bicycle whenever I'm ready to go in the morning ... and riding. No need for cue sheets, riding buddies, or a bike check for something as short as 50 miles.

And if you wanted to do a 400K that way ... go for it. If you read my first post in this thread you'd see that I almost did a 400K on one of my rides. It was only supposed to be about 330 km, but ended up being 380 km. And I thought about doing the full 400, but it was dark, I was alone out there, and I was running out of food and water.


Not all long distance rides (over 200K) are RUSA events. RUSA is only for US riders. Riders in other countries have nothing to do with RUSA.

Brevets are those long distance rides which are approved by the ACP (Audax Club Parisien) http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/ or the BRM (Les Randonneurs Mondiaux) http://www.lesrandonneursmondiaux.org/ Both are international organizations based in France.

The ACP is in charge of the 200K, 300K, 400K, and 600K, and the BRM is in charge of the 1000K, and 1200K. (Although I might be mistaken about the 1000K distance).

If a club wants to run brevets, that club has to make their intentions known to the ACP. In Canada, an independent club would contact the existing provincial randonneuring club who would then contact the ACP. In other countries such as Australia, UK, and USA the club would contact the organizing body (Audax Australia, Audax UK, or RUSA) who would contact ACP. Then the club would have to create rides that meet certain criteria in order for them to be approved as brevets.


Lots of clubs, however, run long distance events that are not brevets. There is, I believe, a double century series in California. There are heaps of 24-hour events all over the US, and one in the UK. There's the Furnace Creek 508, the Fireweed 400, and the Iditabike. Pactour also runs some long distance stuff. And of course, there's the RAAM.

Have a look at my Links page for links to these events.
http://www.machka.net/links.htm

The ACP is in charge of the 200K, 300K, 400K, and 600K, and the BRM is in charge of the 1000K, and 1200K. (Although I might be mistaken about the 1000K distance).



1000 km = ACP.

I've done a few informal 300-350 km, just me on my bike with a map and something to eat, leaving early in the morning and arriving in the evening. Going for longer distances in one shot means spending the whole night alone out there, and I think this is what has stopped me until now. What I have tried (with little success) and will try again is to chain two 300 km with a short hotel night in between.

...I fully understand that there are other concerns as a ride increases in mileage, but why not the same basic approach to a 400k? No controls, no worries about losing the route and having to get back to where you left it and no time limits other than a goal to finish in your fastest possible time. ...

You need to come out to CA. There are so many double centuries available to ride that they've had to schedule two on some weekends. I think it's safe to say that there are a lot more people here doing those than doing brevets.

The reason people choose to do brevets for long distances is because of the social factor. There are an opportunity to go do a fun ride with good company. Why do it solo when you can do it with friends! :)

You need to come out to CA. There are so many double centuries available to ride that they've had to schedule two on some weekends. I think it's safe to say that there are a lot more people here doing those than doing brevets.

I've often wondered why it is that the East Coast has so few double centuries (as "formal" types of group/club events) compared to the West Coast. I realize that we're a little more cheek-to-jowl here, which can make "getting out of town" tough, but I think it's doable in most places.

As for why bike clubs don't put on 300k rides and such (without all the rules associated with RUSA/ACP) . . . I think they have a hard enough time getting people to come out for -- and especially to lead -- any rides. And as the distances increase, so often do the posted ride speeds, which means the longer club rides are populated mostly by the serious go-fast guys. And it seems to me that a lot of them aren't all that interested in distances of over 60-70 miles at a pop.

Greaterbrown knows the subtext of which I speak. :) It's become almost an institutional running joke that I, the editor of our local club's newsletter, almost never ride with the club. Aside from scheduling issues (I usually like to start much earlier in the morning than they do), the chief reason is that I go too far for the "casual" crowd but I go too slowly for the longer-distance crowd. I can crank out 60-70 miles no problem, but I can't do it at an average speed of 20 mph. (Especially true for me given that our club's long rides are most often in very hilly terrain.) There really is no place in the club for someone like me.

I guess I gotta join the randos. :)