Pop quiz

[Susan Otcenas]

One of the guys I was riding with got the Sno Balls. I have my standards. The twinkles went down before a steep 4-5 mile climb and they stayed down and I got up the hill, so I was satisfied with their food-like qualities.

Susan that ride sounds great. I decided this weekend that 300-400k is really a civilized distance. 600-1200 not so much.

On the 600K a few weeks ago, it seems that the convenience food of choice was corn dogs. Not for me (yuk!), but they were widely and thoroughly consumed by others. At multiple stops. Another friend microwaved an entire quart of ice cream at the last control and drank it straight from the container!!

I prefer 600Ks (with stops at ~360K) over 400Ks. I've done three 400Ks in the past 7 months and it has by far been the hardest distance for me. I seem to fall apart a little after 360k or so. Not so much my body as my mind. I can't seem to discipline myself through the final couple of controls and end up taking too long in the last 50 miles. I'd bet I was off the bike at least 2 hours in the last 50 miles of this 400K. Not because I wanted to be; it just seemed to ... happen.

I have a 1000K on the calendar for June 11-12. I'm frankly a little afraid of it. The first overnight is at 400K. I *need* to get there by 22 hours so that I can get sufficient rest before the 2nd (310K) segment. But so far, my best 400K has been 22:51. The first 2 were in utterly crap weather, which didn't help, and this weekend we had headwinds, some rain and a rash of flats. But that stuff is part of the game, and I'm a little worried that I basically need a trouble-free ride to hope to have enough time in the bank to rest. I'm even MORE freaked out that my first planned rest stop on PBP is 440K (275 miles). I've NEVER ridden that far without a break!

[sundial]

...and this weekend we had....a rash of flats.

Riding tubeless--is that an option for such rides?

[maillotpois]

Salsa - that's great!

Sundial - I run tubeless on my "double century and less" bike. On my brevet bike with the dyno hub I do not - and I'm not even sure if its possible to have tubeless built with the dyno hub. I don't want to jinx it, but the tubeless has been AMAZING and I wish I could have it on the brevet bike as well. And for tubeless, you can always put in a tube if you get a flat. Which I have not in a year. That said, I have been pretty lucky on the non-tubeless bike as well. During the brevet series, my only flat occurred during the 300k which was rain and flooding all day.

[Susan Otcenas]

Salsa - that's great!

+1!

During the brevet series, my only flat occurred during the 300k which was rain and flooding all day.

I wish.

I ride 650C (not B) so my tire options are limited. After a winter season PLAGUED by flats, I switched to the "beefiest" tires available in 650C, which is Continental UltraGatorskins. Still not great, but the best I can get.

In our series:
200K - Flat in the rain at mile 17
Switched to Contis
300K - Flat at mile 100
400K - no flat!
600K - Flat in drizzle at mile 45

last weekend's 400K, 2 flats in the first 15 miles (same flat). Thankfully it was dry. But my two companions had multiple flats, all in the rain or drizzle.

Good times.

[sundial]

Sundial - I run tubeless on my "double century and less" bike.

I was wondering if any of you brevet folks run tubeless. I can't help but think it would take a load off one's mind by mounting a set of new tubeless tires before the epic ride. And the ride quality is so much nicer in my opinion.

Course you may have to ride with an extra tire looped around you like in the old TDF days.

I had been running tubeless on my mtbs and switched to Specialized tubeless on my road bike as well. I LOVE it! I plan on doing a metric century here shortly and will see how well the tires hold up. I gave it a shot of Stan's just for good measure. Last year when I was attempting my self supported century my newish regular tire started to come apart (Specialized S-Works ) and I had to cut it short.