That works equally well Dr P 😉

Grim old morning. Almost didn’t make it into the car park the ground is so muddy. Should be fun trying to get back out!

Good luck all you will love it once you get going. I raced the whole series last season, hoping to get to the next one should I get a pass.

That was hideous, some proper slippy slop out there. Glad I’m not doing the 4hr. Got 5th in 2hr vets I think, pretty pleased with that for my first XC race.

I enjoyed the course apart from the really thick sticky mud in one area that felt like riding through concrete 😯

Well done for getting rearranged at shirt notice, roll on round 2 🙂

Hard. 3.5hrs of good racing on a single speed friendly course, then 30mins of blurred vision and nausea watching all those I’d passed come by me. No idea what happened but I think I’m done with carb drinks.

Course was good but why were there motorbikes going round?

Well done on getting a race together at short notice. One thought, wouldn’t it be better having the shorter races start after the 4hr so everyone finishes at the same time and creates a bit more atmosphere at the finish?

Must say, I was expecting worse! Just kept my head down and legs spinning. I’ve never removed so much mud from the bike after a race though – incredible. Amazed anything was still turning! Glad I went, well organised friendly as normal, but not sure if I’d return in a hurry. It was OK as an emergency, last minute replacement, and appreciate the effort put in by the organisers, but probably wouldn’t chose to race there.

For such a flat course I found that pretty hard going TBH. Mud, field edges, mud, slippin’ and slidin’….
I even crashed out on the grass under the timelaps arch, FFS!!

Must.
Get.
Fitter…

DrP

As a first race in a long time I enjoyed it, but the course was brutal! No respite anywhere, and by the last lap, pushing through the gloop – I’m glad I didn’t have another 2 hours to do! Managed 4 laps in the 2 hours. Can’t see results anywhere, so if anyone finds a link I’d appreciate it (I have looked at http://meridabrassmonkeys.com/?page_id=90 ).

Took the hardtail in the end (much better mud clearance) and was pleased I went with flat pedals at the last minute – had a few sudden foot down moments that I’m not sure I’d have survived if clipped in.

Well done and thanks to the organisers for finding the venue, and for putting in a couple of ‘easy’ diversions around the couple of technical bits – meaning they were clear to attack rather than clogged with people who had stalled / chosen to walk. Have signed up for the other two rounds!

http://www.timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPORT.aspx?eventid=352Chekendon15/11/2015

Thanks mrblobby!

Well done Mr Blobby. Seems I need to slap a Beaver on the front for December.

JWD on those who raced today! The Motorbikes go round for safety purposes and checking the course for problems to which is good for the rider we hope.

Great to see all the positive comments I’m sure the Brass Monkeys Team really appreciate as no doubt a lot of work went in for us the riders!

Ron’s were ok. I got use to losing the front on almost every corner 🙂

Felt rough today, but rode anyway for about 2hrs, before sacking it off. Bit disappointed, but it happens. Well done everyone and Gorrick for making it happen.

Roll on round 2 🙂

I also have never had to remove so much stubborn mud from my bike. Fell off 3 times and the fatbikes tyres just became heavy slicks! Still enjoyed it though. 😀

Sticky today!

I’ve got a job on cleaning the bike, but pleased the round went ahead, mud and all. Those middle laps (4 hour) were hard going, before it “dried up”!

OK as an emergency, last minute replacement, and appreciate the effort put in by the organisers, but probably wouldn’t chose to race there.

+1.

Wow, how hard? To be fair I am pretty rubbish on a flat course so I was always going to suffer!
Although it was hard, I quite enjoyed the 3 distinctly different surfaces and challenges they brought, was watching people as they went round and noticed that basically no one had the ‘right’ tyres for more than 50% of the time, those people gliding through the stodge with their mud tyres were suffering a bit on the roots and vice-versa. Made for some interesting cat and mouse!
How was ur race GazHurst? 😆

How was ur race GazHurst?

I think you’re fully aware of how my race was young lady 😥 you can go off people you know!!!!

However, very well done on your day.

Enjoy cleaning that bike 😆

Some good pics up from Kevin.

http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Races/Brass-Monkeys-2015-R1/

Have to say I really enjoyed the course. I was expecting far worse from all I’d heard about it. Seemed to stay rideable for the whole 4hrs and was pretty enjoyable.

Good photos. Bloody bright flash he had as well in some of the darker wooded sections.

my bike makes me feel ill in those pics. It’s my night ride winter bike and normally not expected to see daylight in any circumstances, certainly not other people in daylight.

It’s more a collection of moving mudguards now. 😳

It’s my night ride winter bike and normally not expected to see daylight in any circumstances, certainly not other people in daylight

I think I had a brief chat to you along those lines – I had a leaf/mud/stick clag racket happening and your stealth bike was enviously silent.

Just cleaned mine – must have had a couple of kgs of mud on it….

🙁

Really hard first laps with low thread tyres slow cornering and some crashes. Course improved towards the end. I don’t knw what happened with me. Fastestlap by a minute was the last!
No podiums for fat bikes and ss? I know we are just a few…

Just dug the bike out the back of the car. There’s a crankset and bottom bracket in the mud there somewhere….

You obviously didn’t hang around for the Fat Bike podium on Sunday then Sarpullido see https://www.facebook.com/Merida-Brass-Monkeys-390368177678648/?fref=ts There will also be a Series podium. At the Brass Monkeys all Single Speed riders are competing in their regular category but are also winning Single Speed sub category Series points and the rider with the most will win a Series plate.

A quick ask – does anyone know the parking situation for the next two locations?

After grounding my 3 series 2 years ago I like to know if I need to oust the kids from the Kuga for the occasion rather than risk the sump of my current car…

Ta.

If the next one is held at frith hill, then parking for any car is not a problem.
If the 3rd one is held at minley manor, then I’d probably ditch the kids. Last time I was at the north entrance (a year ago ? maybe longer) logging was going on, and that makes a mess of the place! Good place to ride though!

Well, for my sins I’m joining you all in the 2hr on the 13th. I’ll doubt it’ll be a good showing, I’m a few lbs overweight… 😳

2hr vets? I’m in too! Be a battle of who has the worse winter form 🙂

What’s the course like?

I am probably the closest STWer to Frith Hill so guess I better comment on the venue.

Frith Hill has plenty of twisty rooty single track. It isn’t ridden much, so the trails are in good condition, and it drains well. If we get rain in the days before the race then maybe one or two muddy bits, but not sticky mud. Lots of short up and down hills. At the moment lots of the trails have vanished, but I am sure they will be refound by the Brass Monkey team.

Car parking at Frith is probably the best of any venue that Gorrick use. Plenty of hardstanding car parking, straight off a main road.

Was it Frith where they had the Summer Monkey? I always get confused between Frith/Windmill/Porridge Pot!

I’ll be there for 2 hours. Prob the longest ride I’ll have managed in weeks!

Thanks for the insight Jason, thats saved me putting a Beaver on the front…

Thats the one Nick…although it’ll start and finish at Frith, I imagine it’ll take in quite a bit of Porridge Pot too (as the Summer Monkey did)

2hr vets?

Yes MrBlobby we meet at last. Your results from the last round bely your anticipated form though, I can’t see myself in top 10…

…although I’m not really competing until peak on 1st March.

Eurgh, barely ridden since utter cold-ridden failure at the last one, and now have another cold/sick/lurgy thing.

Ah well, in the race for last, I’ll be there again in the 4hr.

I have a Christmas Party on the Saturday night with an overnight stay at a hotel….my attendance is a bit tentative at the moment. If I do attend, my performance will be even more tentative!!!!!!!!!!

Good to see the continued pessimism all round 🙂