Kiwi Brevet

[SimonK]

This isn't actually a race, but this seemed the most appropriate forum to post in, so here it is:

Kiwi Brevet
New Zealand

Proposed start date: noon, Sat 6th Feb 2010

(trying to get long days and good weather, but little holiday traffic).

Proposed course:

Start Blenheim, round Port Underwood road, Queen Charlotte Drive, Maungatapu Track, backroads to St Arnaud, Porika Track to Lake Rotoroa, Braeburn Track to Murchison, over Maruia Saddle backroads to Springs Junction, Rahu Saddle to Reefton, Big River and Waiuta Tracks, then backroads to Blackball, backroads to Jackson, over Arthurs Pass to Sheffield, Wharfedale Track, Lees Valley to Hanmer via back roads (?), Molesworth Station, Taylors Pass and then singletrack back to Blenhiem.

Approx 1200 km (note: our Google Map takes micro-shortcuts and under-estimates the total distance).

http://maps.google.co.nz/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112695328976832403070.00047034cc217e43981f8&z=8

Approx 50% sealed roads, 40% gravel roads, 6% 4WD, 4% singletrack

Proposed rules:

Do it all yourself, under your own steam.

Riders must carry all their own gear (i.e. no domistiques).

No outside support (deliveries only to public addresses, no support from friends along the way).

Follow 100% of the course.

Riders must carry a personal locator beacon, and agree to cover the cost of rescue in the event they need to be evacuated.

Times under 4 days will be recorded as 4 days, 0 hours. (We're not after an exercise in sleep deprivation). Riders must have a minimum of one four hour block of time every day when they do not travel along the course.

Riders must finish in under 8 days.

Drafting is OK.

When on public roads, follow the Road Code.

Cell phones OK.

Call-ins to be made from designated towns to an 0800 number.

In the event of Molesworth Station being closed to cyclists due to fire risk, riders are to proceed through the Rainbow Station and North Bank road.

No entry fee; no prizes.
Some sort of koha will be requested for community charities along the route (yet to be determined).

Check it out at http://www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.com/

[ScottM]

Ah, it's a loop -- I like, I like.  50% is quite a bit of pavement, though.

Thanks for posting.  Very stoked to see a self-supported event in the southern hemisphere!

[SimonK]

Yeah a lot of tar seal - unfortunately we don't have such a huge network of forest roads and singletrack over here. But a fair chunk of the sealed road riding is still very quiet and beautiful. Paul's put some footage of the first descent onto the brevet blog (taken in '87, but not too much has changed). It may be road riding, but it certainly isn't boring!

[multisportscott]

Oh My God, I am sitting in a motel in Silver City with three days to go on my GDMBR tour and have been thinking about coming back to race the whole way down from Banff. I came up with a mini "self supported tour" event that I was going to propose upon my return to NZ, but nothing like this!!
Simon you are genius. Can I swing it, will work give me ant more time off so soon?
Wow I am super excited at even the propsition of something like this at home.
Awsome.
Cheers, Scott from ChCh

[SimonK]

Everything seems to be coming together for the Kiwi Brevet. The course is finalised, cue sheets typed, SPOTs arrived and summer is finally on the way. We have 66 starters at this stage (including 10 women).

Looks like there will be a fairly even mix of 29ers, 26" hardtails, fullys, and cyclocross/touring bikes.
You can follow along at www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.com after the start on 6th Feb.

Big thanks to Scott Morris for sorting out the technical side of the SPOT coverage.

[ScottM]

Kiwi Brevet riders are on their way!  They started at high noon, Saturday, which was just a few hours ago.  Dots are moving on the Trackleaders tracking map:

http://trackleaders.com/kiwibrevet

Who's going to sleep, and where?  We'll just have to wait and see.  Go Simon!

[sifter]

For anyone that's interested, I've put a detailed list of my setup on my blog http://sifter-writes-bikes.blogspot.com/2010/02/kiwi-brevet-gear-review.html

I finished the Kiwi Brevet (with SimonK actually) at the end of the 5th day, just before the 4 day + 12 hour mark. 

The bike and gear were as per the attached image, with the exception of an empty camelbak on top of the dry bag, and two tubes taped to the frame.

[SimonK]

We're just a few days out from the 2012 Kiwi Brevet. There are a whole bunch of interesting bikepacking rigs on the rider profiles page:
http://kiwibrevet.blogspot.com/p/rider-profiles-2012.html

If you are a blue dot junkie, the SPOT action starts on early Saturday (that's late Friday in North America). The faster riders will complete the 1100 kilometre course in about 4 days.

[SimonK]

Lance griffin is usign the Kiwi Brevet as a warm-down event after last years Tour divide.

Ollie Whalley ia using it as practice for this yeras Tour Divide. He's put over 100 km between himself and the rest of the field in less than three days!
http://trackleaders.com/kiwibrevet

[jryter]

Here is another blog a friend from NZ sent.. http://restroomraider.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/kiwi-brevet-day-1-molesworth-monotony.html
Curious about some of the words! metal roads? etc. My sister is in Christchurch so one of these days gotta go over an ride a bit.