So - Record attempt, or pootle?

[simon_brooke]

Thinking about this event, are we going for a serious record attempt - i.e. to set a time for an end-to-end relay which will be genuinely hard to beat, or are we pootling? I'm up for it either way, but I'd prefer the serious record attempt. What this means in practice is:

Record attempt

• All riders try to maintain time trial pace for their ten mile leg
• Baton handovers happen rolling - the new rider starts riding when the baton holder comes in sight, gets up to speed, takes the baton as the old beton holder comes up, and then goes for it.
• Regional support crews carry a spare front wheel, and one suitable spare back wheel for each different drive-train setup that riders in their section will be using
• Each regional support crew has with them one spare rider ready to take over at any point in the section, already changed into his riding kit and with his bike in the van or on the roof of the support car, ready to go at once if needed.
• We select the most direct possible route, even if it involves roads you would not normally choose to cycle.

Pootle

• Riders ride at their own pace.
• There's a certain amount of time at baton handovers to relax and chat
• There isn't necessarily a spare bike and rider for each section, and organisers don't necessarily carry a full set of spare wheels
• Where there's a choice of routes we pick the one that's most pleasant to cycle.

Handovers are really key. The first time we ran the 7/24 (all seven 7stanes centres and all the roads in between), my team, which finished first in 22:05, lost twenty minutes at every baton handover to people not being ready, and social chit-chat. Two years later, the team that set the record of 17:20 lost no time at all at handovers.

If we keep handovers very slick we ought to be able to maintain a continuous 20mph average speed for the whole distance, and finish inside 42 hours. Everyone will have a much better idea of when their turn will actually happen. And we'll have an event which (if someone's prepared to go out there and find sponsorship and act as press secretary) will attract good sponsorship and good press attention.

The downside of going for speed is that it isn't really a social event at all. Riders from a section might all arrange to meet up at a particular pub afterwards for a beer and a chinwag, but otherwise it becomes a pretty lonely, focussed, contre-la-montre effort.

If, on the other hand, we go for a pootle, there will be people (particularly in northern Scotland who will have to wait around for up to a day and a half not really having much idea when the baton will reach them - and that could get pretty dull and pretty frustrating.

 

[Theseus]

I've voted for a pootle, but I would go for a middle ground where we set a pace that while not flat out is more than am amble.

I would opt for choosing the route to be a balance between directness and round the houses, aiming to get the job done, but to avoid any sections that would put people in situations taht make them uncomfortable. If a rider is happy tackling a duel carriageway with 70+mph lorries then fine, but if a rider only feels safe on a bridleway, they should be able to plan that.

As for the support crew ... I think it would be a bit much to get each organizer to arrange 26" & 700c front and back wheels complete with options for rim, disc or roller braking, let alone compag vs shimano rear blocks with 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 sprockets. As for supporting those of us that intend to ride it fixed or SS ...

Mind you I fully agree on the handover issue having been a control officer on one 7/24 and organized a team and ridden in another, the difference between some teams that took ages to change compared to those that were slick was noticeable. There needs to be a system for each rider to be given say 30, 10 & 5 minutes warning of impending arrival at each changeover station.

 

[Garz]

I voted pootle simply due to the fact we cant expect all participants to be exceptional athletes. This forum is seen in my eyes as a fun place and to put more pressure on time or records would take the edge off simply because there is a line where it doesnt become fun anymore!

You could use this 'pootle' run as a benchmark testing how it goes then the following attempt go for it with the top riders another time..

 

[aJohnson]

I'm mixed, I'd love to see a record attempt one, but I doubt I'd enter that as I've never really tried TT and wont be able to do 10miles in a TT time. And I think some others wouldn't aswell.

 

[PaulSB]

I voted pootle. My average is usually around 15 mph and I couldn't hope to keep up 20 mph unless the conditions were very favourable. Two weeks ago I managed 9.89 miles in 32 minutes, I had to get the 09.58 train out of Preston and didn't leave home till 09.20!!!! I've never managed that before.

I'm also a bit worried by all the talk of spares. I've offered to help organise but I know I'm not up to running a mobile workshop! Plus who is going to pay for all this stuff? I'd also question the need, in all my years of cycling I've only twice been unable to get home - once when the bottom bracket failed and the second time when some pillock knocked me off the bike, and you can't fix that on the road!

There is a wide range of abilities catered for on here and I feel the event should be open to all which means the bar must not be set too high. Riders should be able to join in regardless of ability. I felt the idea was to have fun not to set a record, though I can fully appreciate why some people would get great enjoyment from setting a record

 

[Garz]

The problem which we established from another member was that this record has been set by a cycling club and the RAF. They would have great organisation and hardcore riders so at the time a few of us realised that any record attempt is probably going to be asking too much.

The other record we can make (i hope) is for the number of relays used to complete it. This type of record doesn't require speed!

 

[zimzum42]

Would be interesting to see what kind of a time a relay of regular folk would set.

Even with just ten mile legs, I would still wager you'd not break the records held by lone elite riders...

 

[Archie_tect]

Is this the same LEJOG relay idea started by peanut some weeks ago?

 

[Garz]

... then the Scots pootling.

Somehow although I like a dig at the sweaty socks, trust me judging by their cyclogs stats they wont be the ones pootling!

 

[snorri]

Sadly, I have to say I reckon this is doomed before it's properly started

Me too.

 

[PaulSB]

Sadly, I have to say I reckon this is doomed before it's properly started

and me, which is a real shame.

 

[Greenbank]

Would be interesting to see what kind of a time a relay of regular folk would set.

Even with just ten mile legs, I would still wager you'd not break the records held by lone elite riders...

Exactly.

The recent relay ride by Cracknell et al averaged 24.1mph for the 842 miles (just under 35 hours).

24.1mph is a 24:53 10 mile TT time. Does CycleChat have 85 people who can do sub 25 minute 10 mile TTs?

sub 25 minute 10s in undulating terrain? 10 mile TT courses tend to be rather flat. You'd need to make up the time in Cornwall and Scotland where there are hills. We all know that the corresponding downhills don't make up for the time lost gaining that altitude.

To account for this we'd need some really fast people who are capable of some sub 23-minute 10 mile TTs for the hilly sections. Not many of them here I guess.

Gethin Bulter's solo (upright) LEJOG record was just over 44 hours solo. That's a shade under 20mph average for the whole thing. Many people are happy getting over the 20mph mark in a 10 mile TT, especially if it was as undulating as LEJOG.

In riders favour though, remember that many record attempts wait for the right wind conditions. A 40mph gale from the South West would make it a much easier proposition...

 

[Garz]

The problem is when you start to require the faster riders it will be harder to organise as the majority of the reliable or available people are actually participating for fun or cant/dont care for the speed record.

If you want to organise this hardcore team then good luck, as it seems hard to get just a team comitted let alone a select core for this.

Oh and the spread of riders means locations make a difference too. Having fast people living near the legs required will be hit and miss.

 

[wyno70]

The record has been done by pro riders, so the long and short of it is that it's gone!