Just got back from a couple of warm up laps and they’ve put the bridge in already. They’ve turned it 90 degrees from how it has been before and it’s “interesting” there’s no direct run up to it at all, you have to go round a tree about a foot from the bottom. Means i’ve got f-all chance of getting up it on my singlespeed (33:17) during the race! Other than that it’s looking really fast, as long as the rain holds off…

roll on I cannot wait

same here.

going to be good !!

what about using a bike with gears then?

doesnt seem much point in a ss if it means you have to get off and push on a race course.

it could still be pretty tricky. It’s a scaffold ramp that’s probably about 1:4(ish) which with a run up and some momentum i could easily clear, but as there’s no run up whatsoever it’s a bit more tricky. What’s the point in even entering a race if you’re not going to win?

could be slippery getting up the wet wooden ramp without a good run up!

It’s in a good position it’ll be fine after your first lap or so.

Are you sure you don’t go under it after the zig zag climb and over it on the way down…?

lol , I walked up it last year anyway.

Are you sure you don’t go under it after the zig zag climb and over it on the way down…?

That sounds about right.

I saw a few people almost bin it yesterday on the down slope in perfect conditions, if it gets wet and with other people all trying to jostle for position going over it all I can say is I hope St. Johns are close by :p

vanilla83 – Member

Are you sure you don’t go under it after the zig zag climb and over it on the way down…?

Yep you do, which means there’s a rather large tree about 1 foot from the bottom of the ramp on the upside (which is clearly the upside as the other side has a 6″ step at the top of the ramp which would be almost impossible to ride up!)

At least everyone has the same obstacle to overcome – it’s not really a problem.

And the same would apply if they put a 10′ drop-off in? If it’s dry then no it won’t be a problem unless people over-cook it or try and ride it 2 abreast. If it’s wet though then lots of people are going to come off on it (and it won’t even be safely walkable) so it very much will be a problem.

And the same would apply if they put a 10′ drop-off in? If it’s dry then no it won’t be a problem unless people over-cook it or try and ride it 2 abreast. If it’s wet though then lots of people are going to come off on it (and it won’t even be safely walkable) so it very much will be a problem.

When they put the chicken wire down it’ll be fine, as of last night there was none in place.

I was wondering if they were going to put chicken wire on it, I think you’re probably right and it should improve it although will probably a nastier landing if anyone does come off :p

I shouldn’t worry too much, if the ramp becomes a blackspot they’ll divert the course.

Thing is, they can’t divert the course can they – it has to go over/under the ramp because it’s a figure of 8 course (unless they then make the upper quarry the climb and the DH lower quarry…

I don’t fancy riding up upper quarry, especially in the wet but it might not be a bad idea in terms of safety if it’s wet…

Upper quarry’s fine in the wet I reckon – there’s so much rock/stone under it all that it only gets slimy on the top and remains fast if a bit sketchy on some of the roots (but that’s what roots are for…)

It will make the speed differential between riders much bigger though if it’s slippy… “Podium rider sliding through on your right!” 🙂

Its not going to be wet..

Right…

Yes I am.

And to prove it I’m turning up with semi slicks on.

KINGTUT – Member

Its not going to be wet..

i like your thinking

If it’s wet though then lots of people are going to come off on it

Why? It’s about 10 feet of the track, if that, and all you have to do is go straight on. As long as people are giving other people enough room and not trying to overtake then I can’t see it beign a problem. The double drop-off in the course the other year was way steeper, longer and bumpier and only a couple of people came off on it the whole weekend.

i presume the double drop off won’t be included this year?

KINGTUT – Member

Yes I am.

And to prove it I’m turning up with semi slicks on.

I like that. 🙂
I can’t get weekend off work/on-call, starting to feel rather gutted i can’t come. 🙁

KINGTUT – Member

Yes I am.

And to prove it I’m turning up with semi slicks on.

I think the ramp will be fine, people underestimating the steepness of the upslope of the bombhole after grinding up the zig zags and not carrying enough speed in is going to be more of a problem I think. If it gets greasy that is going to cause far more pile ups.

it won’t be a problem because it is a mountain bike race and you all have ‘skills’

That’s ‘Skillz’ to you.

Kingtut, no, it went through a “sensitive area” so the estate weren’t very happy. Fair play to the organisers for sneaking it in though. 🙂

The ramp was a liability last year not through a lack of ability on my part but because people giving up and dismounting without looking – had a couple of very close spd-related incidents.

Why not tarmac the whole course just to be sure that there’s nothing “difficult”.

Kingtut, no, it went through a “sensitive area” so the estate weren’t very happy. Fair play to the organisers for sneaking it in though.

Good, it was the only part of the course I have nearly come to lumping someone for being an arrogant ****.

singlespeedstu – Member

Why not tarmac the whole course just to be sure that there’s nothing “difficult”.

Yawn.

Yeah, well I nearly lumped you back for the same reason 😉

(“lumping” is not the Vegas way, Mike…)

I’m sure this is telling everyone reading this to suck eggs, but you need to give people a bit of space on a difficult bit like that ramp and not come barging through. Works out a lot faster than getting into a snarl and gives you a chance to have a cheeky rest. 😉

Sorry there was me thinking it was a mountainbike race.