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Riding Your First 400K Brevet
by Phil Piltch
So you've managed to complete a 200K brevet, and have moved on to successfully complete a 300K brevet as well. You're now contemplating doing a 400. Finishing a 400K will put you in good stead to complete the ultimate randonneuring event, PBP.
While a 400 is only 100K longer that a 300, the transition is much more significant than going from a 200 to a 300. While both 200K and 300K brevets can be ridden within daylight hours, or with a minimal amount of night riding, a 400K involves a significant amount of night riding. You'll be spending many hours on unlit country roads, in potentially unfamiliar territory, riding at a time normally spent sleeping. Keeping yourself motivated can become quite challenging. The best way to complete a night ride is to ride with experienced randonneurs who have done night riding before and can coach you along.
Riding at night can often be a very pleasant experience. The roads are quieter, the wind gentler, and in summer, the night's coolness can be a refreshing change from the heat of the day. Moonlit nights are a particular treat, as crickets or birds serenade you. On a dark, quiet stretch of road, stars stand out clearly, and you might see fireflies.
But riding at night also poses challenges not found during the day. Distances are harder to judge, hills are harder to pace, and sleep deprivation can make you sleepy, and impair judgement and coordination. Route navigation can be especially difficult in darkness. Dealing with mechanical problems, even a flat tire, can be more challenging. Seeing and being seen are much more difficult; for this reason, a good lighting system and reflective vest or sash are required.
Preparing for a 400K brevet is not much different that for shorter brevets. As with a 300K, it's important to train both for strength and for endurance. Ideally, you should also try to get in some short night rides to get a feel for night riding, and to ensure that your lighting system is bright enough. (The club has scheduled at least one nighttime populaire to help introduce new members to night riding.)
A good quality, reliable lighting system is critical for night riding. Most lighting systems on the market are sufficient for city commutes or for off-road trail riding, but are not appropriate for randonneuring. You'll need a headlight that's bright enough to let you see road surfaces, as well as road-edge hazards such as potholes, cracks, and debris, and that will provide that level of lighting for the duration of the night ride. If you use battery-powered lights, you'll need to pack enough spares to get through the night. If you use a generator-powered light, a set of spare bulbs is required. In either case, a back-up lighting system is highly recommended, in case the main one fails. Most LED taillights are acceptable, but should be attached firmly to the bike, and should point straight back. (For information on lighting, see the article "Choosing a Lighting System" ). Some randonneurs also use a helmet-mounted light to help illuminate signs and their route sheet. A small flashlight is handy - there are some LED type that are small but put out a lot of light. Red is the best choice, since it will not interfere with your night vision.
The pace of a 400K brevet is similar to that of shorter brevets. You should not start too quickly. Instead, pick a pace you'll be able to keep for the entire ride. As with riding shorter brevets, try to find others who are riding a similar pace, and ride as a group. On a 400K brevet, time management critical. Try to minimise the time you spend at controls and other stops, and keep in mind the closing times for upcoming controls. This is especially important towards the latter part of the ride, when your pace will be slower. (Night riding is often slower than riding during the day.)
The best way to ride a brevet (even a 200K) is to break the ride into segments, rather than focusing on the entire time and distance. Focus on getting to the next control. Try to build a time buffer, arriving at the control well in advance of its closing time, so that delays due to minor mechanical problems, such as a flat tire or going off-route, will not cause you to miss the closing time of the next control. You should also keep in mind that there will be very few services available at night. While the controls will generally be places that are open late at night or on a 24-hour basis, be sure that you have plenty of spare water and food to last until al least the next control.
There are competing ideas on the best time to start a 400. Some randonneurs like a morning start, while others argue in favour of a night start. Each position has its own strengths and weakness. If you're a fairly fast rider, a morning start can minimise the amount of night riding you'll have to do. However, for slower riders, a morning start will mean riding through the night, when they're tired and ready for sleep. On the other hand, a night start means the night riding is done when you're still fresh, but also means riding through several hours in darkness. As you work your way through the brevet series, and speak to other randonneurs about their experiences, you'll get a better sense of which approach works best for you. (One good way to experience night riding is to do a Fleche, which is a 24 hour team event of 3 to 5 riders, covering a distance of at least 360 km.)
Finishing a 400K brevet within the accepted time limit of 27 hours is a significant achievement. In doing so, you will have reached a goal many cyclists only dream about. What's more, the completion of your first 400K will doubtless encourage you to try for a 600K brevet.
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