Sometimes it is just “the look” I get and sometimes it’s explicit, “Are you crazy?” “I could never do that.” “Why would anyone want to do that?” Ok, I understand that long distances on a bike are not for everyone. But, if you are curious or interested in Randonneuring, I have two thoughts. First, there is only one requirement for Randonneuring and that is that you must love riding and cherish the opportunity to get out and enjoy the Minnesota seasons. Second, if Randonneuring were anywhere near as difficult as it sounds, I couldn’t do it—really. Randonneuring is available to anyone that loves to ride. Let me give you an introduction.
Minnesota Randonneurs are closely affiliated with TCBC. Our rides are called Brevets. From those names, you have probably figured out that Randonneuring and Brevets are from the French language. “Randonneur” is a French term that, loosely translated, means long distance bike ride. The actual rides are termed “Brevets”. You may have seen the brevets on the TCBC calendar. They are listed in pink and the ride key says brevets are rides “with time limits and required checkpoints. Randonneurs USA rules apply. Cooperative spirit.”
All Minnesota Randonneur riders are TCBC members and all of our brevets show up on the TCBC calendar. TCBC mileage credit is given for our rides.
The most common brevet distance is 200Km (124 miles) although earlier this spring we offered a 100Km (62 mile) “Populaire. Other local rides are 300 Km (186 miles), 400Km (248 miles) and 600 Km (372 miles). Other Randonneur clubs in the US offer rides as long as 1,000Km (621 miles) and even 1,200 Km (745 miles). Last year 14 Minnesota riders rode the Paris-Brest-Paris 1,200Km. What gives?
I frequently ride with this group and know them quite well. I can give you my perspective on who we are and how we ride. We have doctors, business owners, software developers, a stay-at-home dad, a PhD economist, a carpenter, a translator, a woodwind repair man, lawyers, retired people, programmers, a Fortune 500 CEO and about any other trade or profession you can think of. It’s a diverse group with a shared love of bike riding.
Brevets are not races. The on-bike riding pace normally ranges between 12 and 18 mph. Most of us probably ride 1-3 mph slower on a brevet than we would on a shorter TCBC ride. The routes include mandatory stops at checkpoints that are typically convenience stores where we restock food, candy and water or our favorite drink. These stops can be anywhere from 20 to 50 miles apart. Some riders rush through the checkpoint in minutes while others relax for an hour or more. There is a time limit cut-off for all brevets but it is really not a factor under most normal circumstances. The limit for a 200 Km ride is 13.5 hours, which calculates to an overall pace of less than 10 mph. I am told that there is also a minimum time limit to prevent a pace that is too fast. But I personally have never been in danger of riding a 200Km distance is less than 6 hours so I have never paid much attention to that limit.
You do not need a special bike to ride a brevet. We ride what we have. At the start of a Brevet you will see a wide variety of bicycles from standard road bikes to special Randonneur models to recumbents to odd one-of-a-kind designs. I ride a standard type Specialized carbon road bike, the kind you will see at every TCBC ride. Special Randonneur models typically have steel frames, larger and softer tires, Brooks or similar saddles, fenders and large storage bags for extra clothing. The theory is that these designs are more comfortable for long hours in the saddle but they are usually heavier than a standard road bike. I love my ordinary road bike and it works well for me.
I am living proof that neither speed nor power is necessary to enjoy Randonneuring. The key to successful and enjoyable brevet riding is proper nutrition and hydration. Our bodies cannot store enough water or fuel to complete an 8-hour ride, much less an 80-hour ride. Eating and drinking during the ride is necessary. Some riders use gels and other “artificial” nutrition products. Others, like me, rely on convenience store food: pizza, hot dogs, donuts, V-8, candy bars., tea and water. The food intake of some Randonneurs is legitimately weird. I find that V-8 juice and a glazed donut make a nice combination at a checkpoint/rest stop. And “no”, I’m not pregnant. Learning how to refuel and hydrate your body presents a learning curve. As beginners we make mistakes. With experience we get better and therefore, faster.
For 2012 Minnesota Randonneurs scheduled 15 brevet dates. Some dates offer more than one distance. They are listed on the TCBC calendar Most of these rides start in Apple Valley, St. Louis Park or Rochester but this year the selection has been expanded to include rides starting in the Northern suburbs, from Western Wisconsin and even Black River Falls in central Wisconsin.
For more information go to the Minnesota Randonneur website: http://minnesotarandonneurs.org/ Or, for specific questions, contact our Regional Brevet Administrator, Rob Welsh at tcbcbrevet@aol.com
Give us a try. We will love to have you.