tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post5029501566667227555..comments2021-01-30T06:51:48.529-08:00Comments on Huffman Bicycle Club: Big Savage SR600Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-88937219449817956922015-09-17T15:51:39.559-07:002015-09-17T15:51:39.559-07:0034-36 granny should definitely do it. I think I&#...34-36 granny should definitely do it. I think I'd go back with a 34-28, as low as I can go with a short RD, but I now have a 34-32 on the Salsa and would find that a much happier ride.<br /><br />Part of my challenge was that I carried more weight than I needed. Had a full camelback on more than one of the worst climbs.Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722786211652015559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-15914002988198678832015-09-17T11:11:28.779-07:002015-09-17T11:11:28.779-07:00I built a bike for a friend with super hill friend...I built a bike for a friend with super hill friendly gearing, a compact in front, XT 11-36 in back. God forbid I ever attempted one of these rides, but theoretically, not caring if the shifting was a bit less precise or minding the gaps, would that sort of gearing potentially save my arse from a DNF? I think as long as I can spin the steep stuff, though slow, it'd be much better for my psyche and I would keep going and don't know if there's a huge drawback to that methodology. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01666497008280697887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-23945925061458457542015-09-14T11:19:19.555-07:002015-09-14T11:19:19.555-07:00Great report, Max! And for all of the difficulties...Great report, Max! And for all of the difficulties that you and Damon described, you hold the course record -- for now. Billwabeckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04917782530876260422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-54232241737526752792015-09-14T08:14:24.157-07:002015-09-14T08:14:24.157-07:00Interesting point. One could approach this as an ...Interesting point. One could approach this as an all-out effort, but of course that requires specific training. You are furthered hampered by rules against drop bags and outside support, even at controls, so you are really touring this thing. I do think it would be an intriguing goal to ride the nation's SR600s in 40 hours each. I'm not sure how realistic it is to consider the flat out efforts that Petervary might be able to bring to them.<br /><br />Preparedness: I had the weird and sui generis experience of showing up at the start with no nerves and never really questioning my ability to finish the ride. It really was weird. And it is purely a question of lots of miles since late June.Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722786211652015559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-50469209670685743702015-09-13T09:58:33.582-07:002015-09-13T09:58:33.582-07:00I'm not able to post comments on your blog for...I'm not able to post comments on your blog for some reason, so I'll post my comment here. Remarkable effort, and a great result. Regarding your last comment though, I do have a thought.<br /><br />You, and perhaps to a lesser extent the other contributors to this blog, are fortunate to be able to dispatch a 1200 with relatively little drama. Tough 400K? OK, it might take 17 hours instead of 15. But the interesting thing to remember is that for many in the rando community, the rides that might seem to some like checklist items are epic ordeals. I've seen people finish a 1200K minutes before the final control closes, able to count the hours of sleep over the last 4 days on one hand. Sometimes without even needing their thumb. Which is good because their entire body has enough nerve damage that they can't feel their thumbs anyway.<br /><br />The stronger randos generally don't need to think about the distance so much as trying to beat their PRs at that distance. Maybe take one real control stop (i.e. get off the bike) every 200K. I think that the SR600 is a brilliant way to introduce the 'physical challenge' aspect of randonneuring to that group. What I find interesting about yours and Max' writeups is that you actually did the things that the tail end of the rando bell-curve do on a typical brevet.. You stopped at the controls, filled your faces with food, and tried to recover enough for the next segment.<br /><br />So to that I say "huzzah". Proof that brevets needn't be just a longer club ride. They can be an epic adventure, and to me it sounds like yours was.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16215727841155911987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-18618631125931135992015-09-13T08:27:15.960-07:002015-09-13T08:27:15.960-07:00I will say that, stepping back a bit for perspecti...I will say that, stepping back a bit for perspective, this ride went about as well as it could have. No mechanicals, and I was off my bike and entirely untrained until late June. At that point, 40-mile rides were difficult. Two months later, and with wedding planning to boot, we made it through this -- I shouldn't be complaining. But I will say with all sincerity that, had I been riding solo, this would have been a DNF.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06383376886256041817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-77937350988687188782015-09-13T08:24:05.619-07:002015-09-13T08:24:05.619-07:00Agreed, a quality write-up, and one rather less bi...Agreed, a quality write-up, and one rather less bitter than mine. There's no question you were better prepared for this than I was, and it showed. I think you're well placed to not race Natchez in 3 weeks. Consider that caffeine taper we discussed...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06383376886256041817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-57883622573151284072015-09-11T18:58:13.598-07:002015-09-11T18:58:13.598-07:00Nice write-up. I took a look at the ride profile a...Nice write-up. I took a look at the ride profile above and thought, "wow that's a lot of up and down in only 600KM". Then I realized that was all just the first 300K.<br /><br />On the other hand, it sounds like you had a plan, and stuck to it remarkably well. An enviable accomplishment. Also, impressive that you survived the bacon cheese burger and nachos at the stray cat. I imagine many a rider would have quit the ride after that meal.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16215727841155911987noreply@blogger.com