Material preparation for a 300 km brevet

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Above 100 km, cycling training is necessary; above 200 km, more than just the cyclist needs to be prepared. For a 300 km BRM, one must be able to handle everything, including liquid and solid replenishment

When considering cycling long distances, it is important to prepare adequately. Generally, beyond 100 km, it is advised to have a minimum amount of training in order to endure the ride. If you plan to cycle over 200 km, it is recommended to plan a more rigorous preparation, both physically and logistically. For example, it is important to choose your equipment wisely, plan for regular replenishment of water and food, and ensure you have the necessary knowledge to manage emergency situations.

If participating in a 300 km BRM, it is essential to prepare well, including logistics such as replenishment. Indeed, on such a distance, managing food and hydration is crucial to endure the ride. It is therefore important to plan for replenishment with easily digestible, energy-rich foods, as well as water and beverages to stay hydrated.

Let's take the example of the BRM 300 km organized by the Audax Club Parisien, which is a real-world scenario. This BRM is noteworthy as it addresses cyclists directly, being a night-time ride with a start between 8 pm and 9 pm. Additionally, it follows the purest randonneur tradition as there are no solid or liquid replenishment points, and the cyclist must manage everything. We can also include the mapping, although part of the route appears to be signposted.

The elements to prepare for this ride include, beyond training, the bicycle and its equipment, the cyclist, and solid and liquid food replenishment.

The bike and its equipment

Bike lighting kit with fixed front and rear lights for the road + batteries + spare batteries.
Lightweight helmet light
Extra bottle cage to carry night and/or rain clothes
GPS with loaded BRM 300 route and its external battery + USB cable.
Spare inner tube
Adequate Allen keys

The cyclist

Reflective vest
2 cycling jerseys
Cycling shorts
Shoes
Arm warmers
Gloves
Printed route map
ID + money + license
Camera or mobile phone

Food and drink

Plenty of cereal bars
2-liter Camelbak (for complete autonomy)
1-liter water bottle
Powder for emergency energy drink

Miscellaneous

It's often too silly to leave your cycling shoes at home, so it's important to remember:
Floor pump
Put your bottles on the bike, even if they are empty.
Bring bottled water or fill your bottles with tap water.
Driver's license + registration.

Tip: To avoid forgetting anything, it's easy to visualize your day and plan for the different situations that will arise. For example, you can store your cereal bars in the pocket of your first jersey, but they may become inaccessible when you put on a second jersey, the Camelbak, and the reflective vest, and you're riding in a fast peloton at 30 km/h and don't want to stop.

This list and these recommendations have one simple goal: to help you organize yourself as best as possible to fully enjoy this superb Brevet de Randonneurs Mondiaux. Have a safe trip!

After 300 km of brevet, some stress may start to creep in during preparation. To manage what could become a problem, see: stress before a big bike ride.

Other publications cycling

One Step Higher - The Book

One Step Higher, presentation of the book published in 2021 in paperback. If Paris-Brest-Paris could be told as a tale, or how to progress from a 100 km bike ride to the legendary 1200 km cycling event?

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How to manage the 1,200 km of Paris-Brest-Paris

To achieve a good time or simply complete the journey, how to organize one's ride and calculate the average speed for the outbound and return trip

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Having an ideal position on a bike requires several things. Some are static, such as saddle height and crank length, while others are dynamic, such as the position of the foot on the pedal, particularly during pedaling.

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