I’m home already after racing this morning.

Trails were running fast and tacky for the most part. Hope everyone who was fussing about tyres enjoyed whatever they had fitted 😆

The weather was great for us this morning (#151 @ 8:15)

Does anyone know the girl who nailed herself early on, on Stage 2 faired? eddie11 found her off the bike in a bad way.

The new stage (5) was a hoot. Nearly went back for another go. Nearly.

Edit: 22:10 for me.

cracking day, was out just before you at 8. steady ride round, no queing for stages and not getting rushed into them so only caught 1 rider in the first stage. much better than the sunday last year and not just because of the weather.
stage 5 was definatly a good addition.

just beat you with a 21.41, i do need to stay of the brakes more but once the speed gets up i cant help a bit of comfort braking.

Great day. I was in the Sprint which was enough on my hardtail; stage two gave my legs a proper kicking!

Though stage three was a bit poo with the bog at the bottom of one shoot. Weather was good until I stage the climb up to stage three and got caught in a shower.

Overall, loved it and want to do it again next year.

First time at Ard Rock, finish time of 20:07, mostly racing blind as you could only practice stages 1,2 and 6 which is a bit odd! Thoroughly enjoyed it, hope the rider who went off in the air ambulance was ok, we had an hours wait at the top of stage 2 while the rerouted around a bog that caused the accident.

Though stage three was a bit poo with the bog at the bottom of one shoot.

i thought 3 was great, was also my best stage of the day. all where good stages with stage 6 the least enjoyable but still good.
i like racing the blind stages even though it does cause a few hairy moments here and there.

Was told the girl was alright when i signed out.

Couldn’t relax and went home in a mood with my self yesterday after pulling out after stage 2. Should have been a cracking day but really didn’t enjoy it and spent most of my time on the bike shouting at my self and riding the brakes or walking down the side of a track i should be able to ride well enough.

Feel completely beaten up this morning where i was too rigid on the bike and fighting it all the way down.

Good times guys 😀

I really like the format that you can practice some of the stages but not all f them. I can never decide whether I prefer to be able to practice and therefore go faster or if I just love racing blind.

p.s. results are up

https://www.rootsandrain.com/race5555/2017-aug-6-ard-rock-ard-rock-enduro-dales-bike-centre/results/?ref=alert

Was supposed to be doing the Sprint and Sport. Crashed in practice at the bottom of Stage 1 and split my chin open. Spent the rest of the day in A&E waiting to have it glued back together, then went home. Could have probably raced but my confidence was a bit shaken and it’s a course I want to be on my A-game for to be able to enjoy it. Plus all my mates had bailed for various reasons so I was billy-no-mates for the weekend.

First time at Ard Rock. I did the sprint.
I didn’t come last either!

Another awesome Ard rock!.

23.23 secured my usual mid table mediocrity, course was the best its ever been, I couldn’t pick a fave stage, though the new 5 stage 5 took everyone by surprise, looked like a pedally filler, was actually a flowing, flying piece of joy! Everyone came in grinning from ear to ear.

Canny wait for next year, I wish they’d do it twice a year.

How about one in May with uplifts?!

May would be great, no need for uplift though.

The transition after 4 was a vast improvement too btw.

Another fantastic ‘Ardrock weekend! Really enjoyed all the stages this year but 5 was definitely the most fun, as said above it looked flat and pedally watching from the start but once into the stage it was fast and flowy 8)

Mid-table for me too, 24:26.93 putting me 117th in vets.

3 stages in and -1 brake lever, rear mech, and chain. Went to the bar and drunk cider.

Yep – great day today 🙂

I was hoping for a top quarter finish and just made it! Stages 1 and 5 were my favourites, and the ones I scored best on. As above – 5 was really flowy and just what everyone needed after the slog uphill. I was half tempted to ask if i could do it again…

Really good crowd too, chatted to loads of friendly people enjoying the day (including all the walkers I bumped into).

Only slightly rubbish bit was the transition out of stage 2, which was very slippy & pushy. Glad I swapped out my rock razor for a HR2 on the back.

Also a big thanks to SRAM tech support, who helped me out at short notice and seemed to be doing everything they could to get people good to ride.

First time, great event, great day out ,loved all the stages, always a little bit too apprehensive on stuff I dont really know, managed a 31st in oldies 😆 ..stage 4 must have passed about a dozen folk fixing puntures 😕

What an awesome weekend that was!

Top work by Joe and the organizing team. I decided not to race this year after not enjoying it last year (I’ve done 3 of the 5 ard rocks). Instead I was supporting friends, heckling, demoing and catching up with friends who I don’t see very often. All in all, absolutely bloody brilliant, a top weekend with some top mates.

Can’t wait to get back up there and do a Dales Bike Centre evening ride with Stu.

3rd time at the Ard Rock for me and it just keeps getting better – Stage 5 was definitely the best for me.

Ended up 115th in the Vets at 24 something – should have been a bit quicker but had a spectacular off on stage 6 right in front of the spectators! All good but had to let a few past before I could get going again

First time, great event, great day out ,loved all the stages, always a little bit too apprehensive on stuff I dont really know, managed a 31st in oldies ..stage 4 must have passed about a dozen

Sadly never caught up with you all weekend Brian, would’ve been good to have a beer. I reckon there were at least 20 folks at side of 3 on Saturday, and same on 4. I reckon it’s folks that aren’t used to riding rocky stuff and also not used to racing, backed up by the amount of folk that don’t seem to understand ‘rider’ !

Bottom of stage 3 was carnage, mainly folks riding maxxis exo tyres, I did do a wee tyre audit… 😆

Very enjoyable, did the sport today. Transitions were brutal in some places especially the wind and cheweed up muddy bits. Unsure of how I did in relation to my class yet. Traffic was unbelievable! Felt lots of people were out of their depth. I stayed rubber side up so pleased with that cases the crap out of the small gap on stage (?) so worried about the state of my bike when I clean it! Great weekend though, wish I entered the full enduro now mind

Hats off to the organisers, what a great event. My first ard rock. Fantastic to see all abilities catered for, a really inclusive vibe.

Really pleased to complete the frankly amazing loop given recent bike issues and a KO in my last event, with a 22:50 in the enduro. Gutted for mates and everyone else who had punctures! All 6 stages had some fantastic moments, but 5 was probably the pick for me. Hurting today after rushing round in just over 4hrs on my own to make a prior engagement!

Another cracking weekend, 2 punctures for me so a bit gutted but still enjoyed it. Stage 5 a great addition, loved it.

Sorry to the riders coming down stage 1 this morning, I was the annoying bastard with the pan and wooden spoon heckling you all 🙂

First time, great event, great day out ,loved all the stages, always a little bit too apprehensive on stuff I dont really know, managed a 31st in oldies ..stage 4 must have passed about a dozen
Sadly never caught up with you all weekend Brian, would’ve been good to have a beer. I reckon there were at least 20 folks at side of 3 on Saturday, and same on 4. I reckon it’s folks that aren’t used to riding rocky stuff and also not used to racing, backed up by the amount of folk that don’t seem to understand ‘rider’ !

Bottom of stage 3 was carnage, mainly folks riding maxxis exo tyres, I did do a wee tyre audit…

I did have a wee swatch for you when I was out and about Greg, we never lasted long saturday night tbh, goosed 🙂

Minions both ends btw, nae problems 😆

about Greg, we never lasted long saturday night tbh, goosed

Minions both ends btw, nae problems

Aye, we were burst on sat night too, sleeping for 11!

Had a Mary up front and slaughter grid rear, walloped it a few times but it held firm. I reckon the Mary is my fave tyre ever, it’s like legalised cheating!.

the amount of folk that don’t seem to understand ‘rider’ !

OTOH I had some riders knacker their own race run before I’d even shouted “rider” at them. Too polite for their own good!

Magic Mary and Rock Razor were spot on for me. Supergravity F&R.

Really well run this year and did the sport this morning, S5 was a total hoon, and stoked finishing 22nd in Vets !
Could have been much quicker IF some folk did move out the way when I shouted RIDER !
Roll on next year

Low points,
I badly misjudged it when I started stage 1, if I’d known the gaps weren’t going to be timed for the sprint I’d have taken my time and picked a lull. Rider in front didn’t seem to want to pass the lads in front of him causing a bit of a train. My fault I should have known better. Or been more aggressive but that’s not really me.

High points,
Relaxing after stage 1 as I knew it’d be a rubbish result with only 2 stages left. Absolutely loved stage two, the 3 passes were painless.
Great event, great people and cracking trails, loved just letting it run, brakes off and skipping over the terrain.

Mary and Rock Razor was perfect.
34th in the vets.

Too polite for their own good!

Thats me today!

My first ever event of any description so spent all the stages looking behind me and politely letting people past as soon as they appeared.

Really enjoyed it. Not just the riding but the whole crack. We got there Thursday night, Tapped the barrel and got leathered. Rode the demo on Friday and got straight on the ale at mid day. Thought Big Red and the Grinners were hilarious. Spent Saturday walking 1 and 2 to get an idea of what I was in for. Great crack shouting encouragement to you Enduro riders and chatting to all the marshals. Despite promising ourselves that we would have a quiet one on Saturday night, that didnt happen as was awake all bloody night with the local church sounding off every 15 mins with the bells.

Anyway…. a full litany of excuses can be provided to substantiate my frankly appalling 34 mins. But you know what… I dont care because I had a brilliant weekend, made a load of new mates and completed something that I really didnt think I could.

Some pics here, got quite a few of you Saturday lot on stages 1 and 2.

Top work by the organisers, well done all the fast lads and lasses, cheers to all the marshals and healing vibes to all the injured (of which there seemed to be a load).

See you next year… a little better prepared and a bit more sober!

Anyone know where the photos will be. Must’ve been 15 cameramen on course!

Roots and rain

https://www.rootsandrain.com/race5555/2017-aug-6-ard-events-ard-rock-enduro-dales-bike-centre/results/

Loads on Roots and Rain

Too slow

I usually have a tag session on there but not this time with over 14k of photos.

Edit.. Now 21 😯

Just back from doing the sport with a less windy affair than last year. Some great runs and trails today again stage 5 being a real hoot loved it,and with the group of 6 of us all getting to with in 20 yards of the finish of 6 without any problems it was almost perfect, some great guys and girls out all happy to chat pass or be passed….

All bar the two total clowns who tried to pass my mate on the last wall gap on stage six ..sending him into the poor camera man..lets be fair at that point its down and dusted no prizes for being the biggest douche on the course .. no shout to ask to pass but trying to get 3 through the gap at speed..apart from this dickish act it was brilliant. Had to be dragged away from the Whyte stall too that 170rs C 🙂

I usually have a tag session on there but not this time with over 14k of photos.

The tiny number boards don’t help either! Tags normally get done pretty quickly as everyone scans through but it’s far harder when you can’t see the number.

Some images from today. More to be added.

http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/ard-rock-enduro-2017/

Once again, work rota conspired to stop me taking part, so would someone please tell me they had a crap time and wished they had never even heard of the event.

Photos make it look just awful by the way.

😆

It was hellish.

Once again, work rota conspired to stop me taking part, so would someone please tell me they had a crap time and wished they had never even heard of the event.

Photos make it look just awful by the way.

I slept rough for two days in the back of a transit, couldn’t ever seem to scrape together the 3 old pound coins required for the showers.,They wouldn’t take the new ones. Some git liked to start his or her generator at 6am. I had no phone signal so my other half was worried sick/really angry at once, im not sure which

I slept rough for two days in the back of a transit, couldn’t ever seem to scrape together the 3 old pound coins required for the showers.,They wouldn’t take the new ones. Some git liked to start his or her generator at 6am. I had no phone signal so my other half was worried sick/really angry at once, im not sure which

Feeling better already…

top of three marshal face is like a nuclear reacter from the wind and some sun did appear
had a great day up there glad the rain stayed away and no major incidents on our section .
lots of tired but happy riders