BRM512 Kazahari 200 km

Before the brevet, I did the usual preparation:

• Q-sheet printed and laminated (check)
• Clothes (check)
• Bike maintenance (check)
• Participant Agreement Form (check)
• Entry list (Opps... my name is not on the list!!!)

Hmm... my name wasn't on the BRM512 entry list. Kind of confused a little bit. A quick check on Sports Entry website confirmed that I actually registered for the BRM515 (Tue) not the BRM512 (Sat) event. The course and distance is the same. I thought I have registered on the Saturday event. Anyway, I sent an email to the organizer if I can still attend the BRM512 and they confirmed that I could, so got a late entry. I cannot move my BRM515 registration to Sat, so I'm both registered for the 200 km event. I though I can use the Tuesday event as a backup (and I actually will be using it... more on that later). The organizer updated their entry list on their website and now that I can put a [check] on the entry list, I have confirmed that I'm ready for the event.

Woke up around 4:30 and had a quick cereal breakfast. I made sure I pack my homemade energy bar and left home around 5:10. The starting point is around 10 km from home and arrived 5:40. The morning briefing has already started. I quickly registered and received my brevet card.

At meeting point before the 6:00AM start.

The bike I used for this brevet.

Feeling good...

The ride to the first checkpoint was uneventful and was confident on the route (due to previous week reconn ride). There were a bunch of riders so we made sure we ride in waves of 5-10 riders so not to interfere much with the traffic. After many traffic lights, reached the first checkpoint (46 km)  after 2:15 hours. Quickly got my receipt and off to the climb to Kazahari Pass. I felt good on the climb and found my rhythm.

Then around midway to the pass at 485m, while shifting down, I heard a load crack on the right shifter. I tried to shift down again but the lever is not pulling the cable. I think have broken the shift lever. I can shift up but not down and while trying to figure out what was wrong, I shifted all the way to the top gear. That was a mistake that cause me to DNF (Did Not Finish). Adjusting the rear mech limit stops could only bring me two gears down (15T) and there was no way I can climb Kazahari Pass with this gearing. I decided to turn back and call the organizer I DNF. I was not happy with broken shifter. I have been using this SRAM groupset for only just a year. Not sure if this is a manufacturing issue or something else.

While riding down, I was pondering replacing my shifter with the more traditional downtube shifters. They are bullet proof and simple mechanically and could last a long time. I can only worry about broken cables, which should be easy to repair on the road. I stopped by Y's Road at Tamasai and they didn't have the stock parts I wanted to buy. 

As I wanted to ride this bike for few more brevet this month, I'm going for quick modification as follow:

1. Replace the rear derailer with Tiagra.
2. Cut the shift cable on the handlebar and only use the SRAM brifter for braking.
3. Install a downtube front and rear shifter.

Now, I just need to find a shop that has the Tiagra derailer.

The cause of my DNF... broken shift lever (SRAM RIVAL)

Another view.

Got stuck with 15T...