r/randonneuring

I’ve been thinking about my setup for PBP and came to the idea of rear lights and radars. I am absolutely a Garmin Varia fan and have run mine on all my Audax rides for the past several years. I’ve never run it on “always on” mode, and it seems like that is required by French law. It also seems like that will be a massive battery drain.

So here’s what I’m wondering:
Considering just how many riders there are at PBP, does a radar add much to the ride in terms of useful information? Is your screen constantly filled with blips of riders behind you? Is there even that much vehicle traffic to warrant a radar?

If the radar isn’t worth it, then there are plenty of rear lights with massive battery power that can handle the French no-blinking policies. So what do we think - radar or non?

I have to choose a new bicycle.
As per advice from Jan Heine I would like to start from te tire width.
I live and ride in The Netherlands, and here most of the times roads are very well made.
I’d like to be able to ride in France and in UK also, though.
I see that many modern bikes can take 32-34 mm tires, and some (Endurace and Domane for example) can take up to 38mm.

Question is — will I benefit from this wider tires (38) or 32-34 is perfectly fine?

I’ve finished 400km BRM last month on my old 25mm tires. It was manageable but I’d like more cushioning.

Obviously every year is different and no one can predict the weather this far ahead. However, the heat waves in Western Europe the past couple years and especially this year has been concerning. I'm hesitant to participate in that time of the year. Maybe 1 or 2 days can be fine but multiple days in a row made the superhuman Lael Wilcox quit, most of us are no where near her level. I'm wondering if there has been any discussion from ACP about potentially dangerous conditions for riders.

The Midnight Sun Randonnée was fully booked in 2026 with cyclists from 20 countries making a reservation. 128 participants from 15 countries made it to the starting line, of which 100 finished the ride within the time limit. An additional two participants made it to Umeå, but unfortunately their luggage and bikes were lost on the way.

Hey all,

I'm looking for some extra rear lights for my bike. I get way too paranoid about my single rear light breaking/running out of charge without me noticing, so want to get some additional complimentary lights just to out my mind at ease.

My current light is typically mountain onto the back of my rear rack (tailfin aeropack), so options of additional lights are either on the rear seat stays or onto the arch of the rack.

I'm also just generally curious what kind of rear lights people use. I'm using an exposure Blaze, I think the mk2 version currently, and while I think it's a great light, it's incredibly difficult/ vague to tell how much battery is remaining, which doesn't help my anxiety about it dying mid-ride.

Cheers!

P.S. For those who saw my last post.

I didn't manage to enter the 600km audax last weekend as my new shoes didn't arrive in time, fingers crossed they arrive this week. Hoping to get out and try my 1st audax out soon.

Edit: Thanks everyone for your help and advice, really helpful to get some information on what people actually are using!

I've ordered a Garmin Varia for a new main light, the notifications/visibility on head unit for battery life will really set my mind at ease. Will be really interesting to try iut this new radar tech too.

I've also ordered a couple of Cateye Omni 3s for some supporting lights to put on my rack supports/ seat stays for the extra visibility and super long battery life, and easy ability to just switch in new aaa batteries whenever needed!

Thanks to Paul, Bernard and everyone at Audax Ireland for what was such an incredible experience....Here's my video report for day 1&2.

https://preview.redd.it/hsxwmk6n1pah1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=36d56d5db780b857c9bf1c0b5c9c449b76af9744

I just want to give everyone who is struggling with doubts and confidence a bit of encouragement. I just finished the Míle Fáilte 1200 in Ireland which was an absolutely wonderful event. But I've never felt so unprepared for an audax. Before MF I had ridden only 3000 km this year. I did a 600 a month earlier (my only audax this year) and after that I barely got on the bike because work was so stressful. By the time I got to Ireland I felt exhausted and dreaded the idea of destroying myself mentally and physically even more when I really just wanted a holiday. But I thought I'd give it a go because even doing one or two days would be better than not even trying.

And then the first day actually went quite well. I decided to keep stops to an absolute minimum and slam myself with carbs to keep my energy up. I had a cathartic little cry in the rain, and did the distance without feeling too bad. The second day followed the west coast of Ireland which I really wanted to see, so I did the same thing again (including the cry 😂), and decided that tomorrow would be tomorrow's problem. And then I got on with the third day, and the last day, and I made it to the finish!

So here are my words of encouragement: you're doing great and you too can do it! Keep stops short, don't waste time off the bike, snack on the bike and eat the most calorie-dense food you can find (but stay away from food which is hard to digest), try to maximise sleep if you can. Chat to nice people but ride your own speed. And then you might just surprise yourself.

I've never quite liked the idea of clipless pedals and I never used them in my life. Although I have rode bikes for most of my life, only now I am considering things like randonneuring and getting more "serious", but I still don't feel like getting a clipless setup.

Am I actually ruining capacity that much not using them? It always felt like it was a bit exaggerated by people focused on speed and racing, but on endurance, they don';t seem (to me) that relevant. Please educate me (nicely, I'm new to randonneuring).

2019 - everything hurt (basically inexperience)

2023 - Sprained my ankle 1 month prior to pbp so I did not have enough training

Now PBP is coming up again and to be honest, I'm not even sure if I should go.

I'd truly enjoyed the fanfare and riding through France. But the idea of possibly not finishing a third time feels like a punch in the gut.

How many times did you DNF PBP?

Hey all,

I recently discovered Audax, and it sounds like it'd be right up my street. I've only ever ridden solo however, with a longest ride of 200miles (in 18hours, inc stops).

There's a 600km (in 40hours) near where I live in Wales this weekend that I'm considering signing up for. It'd be quite a jump in distance, and the timing isn't the best, as my current shoes fell apart last weekend and I'm currently waiting for my new pair to arrive.

Do I throw caution to the wind, and dive in the deep end, or should I travel further afield and try out a shorter distance 1st, after getting some test rides on my new shoes done?

Cheers!

Hi guys! What would you get and why ? It's a Steel road bike - a Mason Resolution - i usually use for Audaxes. It currenty wear a pair of Ursus Team Proxima 50/40, an early batch with non-ceramic hubs. I'm leaning a bit towards the Scope but the hidden nipple is a bit sketchy.