D2R2 - any advice?

[cuda]

this will be my 1st gravel event. I'm not sure i'm an "event person" but figured this would be one way to find out and also give me something to train for.
I signed up for the 100k. I don't have a base to do anything longer + the 7k of climbing is as much as I do in a week so this seemed like a significant enough challenge.

I want to push myself and see how well I can do but I really have no idea what to expect. At 63 doing well is "relative" lol

So things I'm wondering about:

Is it a mass start and is it optimal to be as near the front as possible to avoid pandemonium and what not?

Once underway do i find others who are riding a tempo that feels right and work with them?

do I need to bring a hydration pack or just use water stations - It's only 60 or so miles.

Food? I'm figuring gels and bars. do most people that ride the course for time stop for lunch?

How sketchy are the descents? It's been dry lately.

What else can you tell me? I get the "just have fun" idea but for me that means pushing it.

[AngryScientist]

You’re thinking like a roadie. Stop that.

The Deerfield start is definitely not mass start. Roll through the start gate at your own schedule and take it easy. You’ll likely find other groups who you may want to join and pace along with. It’s a totally chill environment and very friendly.

For the 100k you don’t need to bring anything other than water bottles. There are enough rest stops to adequately refill and recharge.

Don’t sweat any of the other stuff. Push it if you want; you’ll find friends and comrades along the way; you really can’t go wrong.

Oh yes; have fun!

Look forward to meeting you and a beer post ride!

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by cuda

Is it a mass start and is it optimal to be as near the front as possible to avoid pandemonium and what not?

It's not really a mass start. There are a few people who go off together as a group, but most of the participants head off at their own pace shortly thereafter.

Once underway do i find others who are riding a tempo that feels right and work with them?

You'll probably find yourself riding with some people who are going at a similar pace, and are welcome to try to make friends. The route is basically always going up or down, so it'll be rarely that you'll really be "working" with them for more than a few brief moments, as you would on a flatter route.

do I need to bring a hydration pack or just use water stations - It's only 60 or so miles.

2 bottles + refill at water stations was more than enough for me.

Food? I'm figuring gels and bars. do most people that ride the course for time stop for lunch?

Most people stop for lunch. I'm don't think most people ride the course for time, but of those that do, I don't know how many stop for lunch.

How sketchy are the descents? It's been dry lately.

When I did it, only a few descents got "sketchy" and even that was exclusively a function of how fast you chose to go. There weren't any parts that were inherently sketchy if you kept your speed under control.

What else can you tell me? I get the "just have fun" idea but for me that means pushing it.

I know none of this is official, but if you want to balance pushing it and fun, I'd try riding it for segments (sometimes called "enduro" style), where you pick a bunch of climbs, download the strava segments, and go as hard as you can over those segments, and then just chill in between, enjoy the stops, etc. Especially if you're worried about sketch downhills, with 7k feet of climbing, you'll have more than enough opportunity to push yourself without riding the downhills aggressively, skipping lunch, and worrying about your overall time.

[R3awak3n]

Angry already said anything that really needs to be said but oh boy are you in for a treat. This is one of the best events of the year. Beautiful place, perfectly organize, nice people, an amazing weekend really, you will have a blast.

[joosttx]

There will be highs and lows during the ride. If you are low find resolve knowing things will get better. If you are feeling high don’t push yourself just enjoy the feeling. A heart monitor is an excellent tool for D2R2. Have a goal HR and try to stay near it or below it.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by cuda

I get the "just have fun" idea but for me that means pushing it.

If you really want to push it, do it on a vintage Raleigh Pro MKIV set up as a single speed.

It's been done.

In fact...I think Emily had it set up as a fixxie. Seriously.

Remember that as you're huffing up a rocky gravel road, in your lowest gear, expecting your lung to pop out any minute.

I got pretty lost on my first D2R2. Still had fun.

Bring lots of camera film...plenty of great views!

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

You’re thinking like a roadie. Stop that.

The Deerfield start is definitely not mass start. Roll through the start gate at your own schedule and take it easy. You’ll likely find other groups who you may want to join and pace along with. It’s a totally chill environment and very friendly.

For the 100k you don’t need to bring anything other than water bottles. There are enough rest stops to adequately refill and recharge.

Don’t sweat any of the other stuff. Push it if you want; you’ll find friends and comrades along the way; you really can’t go wrong.

Oh yes; have fun!

Look forward to meeting you and a beer post ride!

All this^ Lots of gravel is personal preference, but after some bigger and some smaller, I found a 32mm tire to be about the best size. Also, depending on your fitness, I think a 1:1 gear ratio is a good fit for most any hill you encounter. I'm older and heavier now, so I'd probably go easier than that now. It's not a race. Still trying to decide if I can make it this year.

[Hilltopperny]

D2R2 was my first organized event. I found it to be quite the challenge. IIRC there is somewhere around 9000ft of elevation for the 100k and since that is a good mix of dirt and such it can be amplified by rain as it was a few years back!

Angry gave you the lowdown and Joost did a good job of explaining the ride as it does have highs and lows. I would just say to do it at a comfortable pace and save some gas for some of the later climbs! It is a fantastic event and ride! Wish I could find the time to get out there this year! Enjoy the ride!

Sent from my SM-S127DL using Tapatalk

[NHAero]

I'm riding the 100K too, will be there on my Bingham. I bring a lot of water since the bike carries three cages.

The one thing you need to pay attention to is your GPS or however you navigate, because you may be riding along with someone on one of the other routes and they go straight when you should go right! So don't just follow others without knowing where your turns are.

I've ridden it on tires from 28 to 38mm and liked the fatter ones better. At the moment the Bingham is wearing 42mm GK slicks. The only parts that might be sketchy are jeep road segments with washouts. People have passed me on Hawks Rd going twice as fast as I was going (and I also passed an ambulance one year trying to pick its way up from the lower end to get someone that crashed pretty badly). So use common sense and ride within your capability.

It's a great event! Last year I also rode the 100K, starting with Angry and Slow Poke Pete. Angry left midway to had home because of the storm Henri threatening.

[julian3141]

one note on food. The water stations have gells, fig newtons, and bananas as well as water and picked juice. in previous years they have had food at the start but not last year.

[NHAero]

FWIW, last year I rode a 30-34 low gear and never had to walk, and I'm old and slow. This year I put a 28T small ring on for the Green Mountain Gravel Growler so I'll have an even lower gear!

At a relaxed pace last year my riding time was just over 5-1/2 hours.

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by julian3141

pickle juice.

I'd never heard of this til many years ago at D2R2 I saw several swilling pickle juice. Looked disgusting. Evidently, I like to try disgusting things and have been surprised at how effective it is.

There's a biga$$ climb towards the end, I forget the name of the road. Just as you think you're nearing the finish, they lob this at you. Every year it messes with me mentally.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by mistermo

I'd never heard of this til many years ago at D2R2 I saw several swilling pickle juice. Looked disgusting. Evidently, I like to try disgusting things and have been surprised at how effective it is.

There's a biga$$ climb towards the end, I forget the name of the road. Just as you think you're nearing the finish, they lob this at you. Every year it messes with me mentally.

I did the 115K the first time I rode D2R2, and switched to the 100K after that, because after lunch were three killer climbs! I like to do most of the work before lunch!

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by julian3141

one note on food. The water stations have gells, fig newtons, and bananas as well as water and picked juice. in previous years they have had food at the start but not last year.

Adding a note for food, this was one area where I was really disappointed. It's not that what they had wasn't adequate, but I was disappointed. Their website said (and still says) "The organization will put as much effort into its food offerings as the routes." The ride wasn't the worst, but was probably in the bottom 50 percent for food stop quality among organized rides I've done.

It's still a great ride, and the food was enough, but it didn't live up to my expectations.

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by mistermo

I'd never heard of this til many years ago at D2R2 I saw several swilling pickle juice. Looked disgusting. Evidently, I like to try disgusting things and have been surprised at how effective it is.



There's a biga$$ climb towards the end, I forget the name of the road. Just as you think you're nearing the finish, they lob this at you. Every year it messes with me mentally.

The climb to Apex Orchards is the 20%+ grade where you climb and get some goodies at the orchard once you reach the top.

Sent from my SM-S127DL using Tapatalk