Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 116 total)
  • Bontrager 24/12 roll call…
  • Kryton57
    Full Member

    Come on then, whose up to a Sunny jaunt around Newnham in a couple of weeks?

    I’m going solo again, but this time taking a Bonty Mud X shod 26 Hardtail spare in case of inclement weather, mainly becuase it’s 2×10 as well.

    I’m looking forward to it!

    *Headline intentional, the past doesn’t die with me that easily I’m afraid,

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    It’s PIVOT, for crying out loud!! 😆

    I think it’s gonna struggle to lose the Bontrager name, though!!

    I’m going. Our usual team rabble of unfit layabouts will be there.
    It’ll be even worse this year because 3 of us have now got kids and have done barely any riding in the last year (I did no riding at all for 5 months and have only been doing around 30 miles/week since May).
    I thought I better take the Stumpjumper for a ride at the weekend to make sure all the boingy bits went boing and the brakes (Avid) haven’t had a hissy fit (they have 🙄 ) and I had to remove last years race number before dragging it’s sorry carcass out of the garage!

    We should have trackside camping – grey tunnel tent & probably a Salsa gazebo.
    I’ll wave and shout encouragement if I recognise you. What bike will you be on? I’ll be on a carbon Stumpjumper FSR going very slowly……

    gringojimi
    Free Member

    I’m struggling to call it anything but Bonty. Good to see some fresh sponsorship though as it is a great event.

    Entered the 12hr solo for another year. The drive from Suffolk is a test of endurance on it’s own!

    amedias
    Free Member

    I’m struggling to call it anything but Bonty

    same here! And now I won’t have a reason to ride it on my old Bonty either 🙁 Will be back on the retro 26er Scalpel marathon-machine instead…

    12hr Solo’ing again this year, then spending the next 12 hrs as team support for a female 4-up and on ‘encouragement’ duties for a friend in the 24hr Solo.

    can’t wait!

    jay_tht
    Free Member

    24hr solo and spare bike with some more grippe tyres just in case..

    Keeping finger toes crossed that we not need it.

    Can’t wait I must say.

    njee20
    Free Member

    I didn’t even know it wasn’t the Bonty any more!

    I’m there, 12 hour pair, should be good!

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    Will be back on the retro 26er Scalpel marathon-machine instead…

    glad thats getting some use.

    amedias
    Free Member

    glad thats getting some use.

    More than you might expect, it is perfect for this kind of event, and other long non-tech XC rides, just enough travel to keep comfy and grippy, and in 1×10 guise easy to build ~23lbs cheaply with obsolete 26er bits 😉

    I’m sure a 29er one would be X% faster but for going fast for short periods I have other options.

    I really really hope it’s dry again this year….

    Saccades
    Free Member

    /waves

    Last did it in 2010 in a messing about team of 4 (5?) and we had to steal some underage lad who was faster than us all due to others dropping out.

    Signed up for the Torchbearer, first solo, first 12 hour (Longest ride is 11 hours 3 years ago) with 2 others doing 24hr solo and we don’t have much in the way of pitcrew (one lad is an old hand at this type of thing though, got 2nd at the isle of man longest day race the other week). I’m not fast but have been averaging 140km per week so aiming to finish and anything over 8 laps or so would be nice.

    Wearing a green MAD top on a black & white centurion LRS (looks like a hardtail), bringing a spare set of wheels shod in ice spikes (I’m not forking out on dedicated mud tyres for 1 event) which I hope not to have to use.

    Any tips for a solo novice apart from don’t stop?

    amedias
    Free Member

    Any tips for a solo novice apart from don’t stop

    eat
    drink
    pace yourself
    eat some more
    drink some more
    ignore the hallucinations @4am
    eat some more
    drink some more
    it’s ok to cry a bit
    it’s not OK to pray for a mechanical/puncture just to get a break
    eat some more
    drink some more

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    I’m sure a 29er one would be X% faster

    ha ha I’m riding my Anthem 29er, but taking my 26″ HT with Bonty Muds as a spare, mainly becuae it has 2×10 so if does get muddy 20hrs in I have a slightly easier time of things

    coomber
    Free Member

    I’m going to be there for the first time, as a pair.

    My mate is quick and fit, i’ll be pushing the hills on an On One Parkwood.

    Give us a wave!

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    as a pair.

    Welcome to the hardest form of XC racing I’ve ever done 🙂

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    amedias – Member
    Any tips for a solo novice apart from don’t stop
    eat
    drink
    pace yourself
    eat some more
    drink some more
    ignore the hallucinations @4am
    eat some more
    drink some more
    it’s ok to cry a bit
    it’s not OK to pray for a mechanical/puncture just to get a break
    eat some more
    drink some more

    Last year I put a Gingsters pasty on my solo table as an incentive for doing the 24 – it was to be my final lap meal du’ jour. However, after 5 hours I was sick of jelly babies and fig rolls and couldn’t resist scoffing the pasty.

    Gunz
    Free Member

    Did the ‘oh damn, I didn’t enter early enough’ Torchbearer last year. Daytime 12 hour solo this year and looking forward to not developing a vacant thousand yard stare as the rain starts at 3am and I start seeing pixies in my peripheral vision.

    Saccades
    Free Member

    Pork Pie with Egg to be ordered to put on the table.

    And some fig rolls.

    amedias
    Free Member

    And some fig rolls.

    I’m not sure I’d be that brave, you do know they have a laxative effect? My digestion always suffer on long events anyway, not sure I’d want that on top!

    Saccades
    Free Member

    Never have a problem – I drink coffee like it’s going out of fashion and I do long spins (~6 hours) munching on gels and the like and always been fine.

    Every other day or so I need the toilet and that’s it.

    IdleJon
    Full Member

    I’m not fast but have been averaging 140km per week so aiming to finish and anything over 8 laps or so would be nice.

    You know you need to be doing that in 12hours, don’t you? 😉

    Any tips for a solo novice apart from don’t stop?

    When your main light runs out at 4.45am, don’t sit down and think “I’ll just wait until the sun comes up – it can only be 30 minutes now.” (My wife woke me at 7.30, asking why I wasn’t riding…. 🙄 )

    I’ll be there again with a 4 man team of fat, middle aged Welsh riders on unsuitable bikes. Nothing new then. 😆

    notmyrealname
    Free Member

    Gutted to be missing it this year due to an almighty **** up with my dates which meant that I couldn’t get time off work for it 🙁
    Going to have to do the Torq in Your Sleep instead but definitely back next year for 24/12.

    Good luck to everyone going, and I hope the weather’s better than last year for you all.

    Saccades
    Free Member

    You know you need to be doing that in 12hours, don’t you?

    Ah bugger, have I left it too late to speed up a bit? 😉

    When your main light runs out at 4.45am, don’t sit down and think “I’ll just wait until the sun comes up – it can only be 30 minutes now.” (My wife woke me at 7.30, asking why I wasn’t riding…. )

    Sunrise at half 6 isn’t it? Hiring something from Exposure which they have said will last me for the event, plus I have several backups.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    Me riding for Beerbabe-NWAlpsCC

    PrinceJohn
    Full Member

    Last year I put a Gingsters pasty on my solo table as an incentive for doing the 24 – it was to be my final lap meal du’ jour. However, after 5 hours I was sick of jelly babies and fig rolls and couldn’t resist scoffing the pasty.

    Wow – never knew people went that mad at 24hr events….

    I’m doing 12hr pairs again. Not brave stupid enough to try solo

    Some pics from a few years ago popped up in my memories today – the year I sadly didn’t race as I had a broken leg…

    njee20
    Free Member

    **** that.

    coomber
    Free Member

    Wow. Looks like a mayhem picture!

    Kryton57 – Member
    as a pair.
    Welcome to the hardest form of XC racing I’ve ever done

    I’ve been warned!

    Not at all fit but not racing. Well I’m not, my teammate might be.

    Bullet
    Full Member

    Any news on the course layout for this year yet?

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Through a field up a hill and around some woods?

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    Sunrise at half 6 isn’t it?

    First light is about 5am down here at the moment. Probably 5.30am by end of July.

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    Kryton57 – Member

    Through a field up a hill and around some woods?

    😆

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    Yeh, I’m in, never been so unfit due to hip and thigh pain that I think may be here for life now. 🙁

    I’ll do what I can and make sure I give a shout to everyone else.

    #prayforsun

    IdleJon
    Full Member

    Dartmoor Zoo has lost a lynx – it’s been sighted near Sparkwell. (Dartmoor Zoo is just up the road, a mile or two from Newnham.) So if you see a pair of hungry looking eyes watching you in the dark…..

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-36715287

    amedias
    Free Member

    So if you see a pair of hungry looking eyes watching you in the dark

    toss them a piece of flapjack and tell them to MTFU and get riding?

    seen more than my fair share of bush-napping riders at 24/12 and Mayhem over the years…

    mjsmke
    Full Member

    This year will be my third year but first 12hr solo. I’m planing on 2 laps on and 20 mins off to stretch/eat/fill up the camel bak, then repeat till i pass out.

    Bullet
    Full Member

    Being chased down Cottage Return by a lynx should be fun 🙂

    Yak
    Full Member

    Lynx don’t chase. They hide then leap out and get you.

    So watch out in the slow speed bits like the top of the climb by the ice-cream van.

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    I was thinking it might be fun to do until I saw that photo up there (the mud one, not the savage cat.)

    as a pair.
    Welcome to the hardest form of XC racing I’ve ever done

    Fancy a paired effort next year? 😉

    amedias
    Free Member

    until I saw that photo up there

    In fairness that was ‘the year’ when it was absolutely fricking awful, the campsite was nearly evacuated in the night due to a rising river level, a lot of tents ended up either floating or collapsed, and many gazebos lodged in trees.

    <hoping not to Jinx it>

    It’s very unlikely to be like that again, most years I get sunburnt!

    Yak
    Full Member

    It was a bit wet last year. I raced the 12hr pairs in fairly muddy conditions. Mrs Yak raced the Torchbearer. That looked horrible once the rain kicked off in the early hours, but she reckoned the track rode better once fully wet.

    So dry, muddy or wet – nothing to worry about. (except the cat)

    dabaldie
    Free Member

    Who wants a weather update… Currently scorchio. Ground rock hard with the odd small puddle. Staying hot until Wed. Few heavy showers Wed then cloudy with long sunny breaks.. perfect.

    See you there!

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Which forecast are you looking at? The one I have is heavy showers/rain from 12:00am Sunday to the finish – much like last year.

    If it stays that way I’m saving the fuel.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 116 total)

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