Viewing 40 posts - 41 through 80 (of 84 total)
  • Hell of the North Cotswolds
  • clubber
    Free Member

    I used to use 60 front 80 rear when I did it on a MTB!

    emac65
    Free Member

    Put 60 in my Crossmarks,t’was a bit rattly at times on my rigid h/tail… 😯

    konage
    Free Member

    Had a good 100k ride , until on my kona jake cx bike , one of my jockey wheels fell out of my deraillier , quick bodge , then could get 3 gears then got to the point where i just darn’t change gear. so then ended up grinding round in a gear that was too big for the climbs and too low for the road !! But got round in a strange way enjoyed it too.

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    Dickyboy
    Full Member

    I do wonder why people enter a road based reliability ride and expect a MTB enduro

    It’s advertised as an off road reliability trial, so I expected a lot less road, should have researched it a bit more before entering I guess 🙄

    OrangeEvo
    Free Member

    Excellent days cycling – loved every minute of it. Put 50 psi in my skinny 1.8 Panaracer Fire XC’s and felt a bit battered at the end – bigger volume tyres with less pressure me thinks.

    Finished at 2:49pm for the 100k which is a new PB for me 🙂

    Love this event more than any other, did my first one in 1999 and have completed about 10 so far.

    DoctorRad
    Free Member

    It was 103km all told I think, dragged myself round it in 8h 20m, not bad considering my almost total lack of cycling in the past decade.

    For those wanting more North Costwolds routes, some former HONC routes are available here: http://blog.thecorrective.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

    HOWEVER, please remember that the HONC organisers get special permission to use some footpaths and private tracks on the day only, so PLEASE DON’T use these tracks at any other time. If I get round to it, I’ll try and get some ‘legalised’ versions of the routes on-line sometime.

    simondbarnes
    Full Member

    Cracking day out pootling around near the back of the field. Why rush when there was so much sunshine to enjoy? We got to the finish at about 1720 🙂

    DoctorRad
    Free Member

    @simondbarnes – yeah, no idea how or why people get round so quickly… it’s not a race 😉

    Thanks for your company and patience!

    psling
    Free Member

    Was good to see you again Simon and good to meet you Matt; we chatted just before I took my, ahem, shortcut. Hope you enjoyed that little climb with Simon 😆

    DoctorRad
    Free Member

    THAT climb: walking hurt more than riding after 80km, but I hardly had the legs for either.

    Yesterday was the 3rd longest ride I’ve ever done and had the highest proportion of off-road in my top 3.

    thekingofsweden
    Full Member

    Did a nice little add on to the 50k route to clock up a nice little 65k loop on our tandem too 😀

    Really enjoyed it and isnt the format based on Paris/Roubaix ‘ROAD’ Race ? Hence the title HONC

    Maybe next year the event will only be open to 700c wheeled bikes one gear and drop bars 😉

    spokebloke
    Free Member

    Really enjoyed it and isnt the format based on Paris/Roubaix ‘ROAD’ Race ? Hence the title HONC

    I agree, but it’s billed as an OFF-road reliability trial, so I’d expect a bit more off-road. Judging by the number of mountain bikes (80%?) I probably wasn’t alone.

    PeteG55
    Free Member

    *Waves at Tollah* hey, hows the brakes?
    I was there as a ride marshall for the first half and then sweeper marshall for the 2nd half of the 100k. Quite sunburnt now. Think the Snowshill loop would have been far better the other way around, but knowing the slightly odd nature (sadistic perhaps) of the guy responsible for the route, its no less than I would of expected.
    A large amount of circus bikes out there, but thats one of things I like about events like this, everyone out there, just riding bikes wether they were ‘cross bikes, singlespeed 29ers or 160mm travel bikes that would be better suited to the Alps.
    I will say, I think if I ride it again I might add a couple of chainrings back on. 34t 1×9 nearly broke me towards the end!

    mrmo
    Free Member

    HONC

    So where does it say it is an offroad reliability trial? I see two pictures showing tarmac and two showing farm tracks. I would say that is fairly accurate as a reflection of what to expect.

    I got lost. 🙁

    I missed the second split and just followed the bikes in front on the short route without realising I should have turned right for the long route.
    It wasn’t until I saw a sign for “Winchcombe 2 1/2 miles” that I stopped and checked the map.
    I wasn’t going to go back up that private track against the flow, so I carried on to the finish and kept going North and rejoined the course at the bottom of the hill at Laverton.

    It still worked out at 100km with 1800m of climbing.
    4:51 on a 34×19 singlespeed 29er.
    My own personal route. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/78601540

    Hello to everyone who recognised me.

    thekingofsweden
    Full Member

    @ MTG Hi from the Tandem hust after the food stop (Waving) 🙂

    Being a reliability trial it has been diluted with way markers the old written route to follow was more fun

    dirtbiker100
    Free Member

    I still stand by my thought of it being a bit boring. After hearing hints that CX bikes might find it tough and it was going to be more exciting this year. Then riding an 82km ride last week that took in the descent down to Hailes, then up from stanway and down to stanton then up the same laverton climb.
    Should definitely have gone with a CX bike, no matter the weather. On-road down to buckland was a shame, if you’re going slow due to corners on roads why not go slow off-road?
    If it was Hellish I’d have expected more climbs/descents and less flat roads, especially riding along the edge of the cotswold escarpment.
    Even my 64yr old dad said it was all too easy.

    On the plus side – The organisation at beginning and end, the mid-ride stop at guiting, the cake at the laverton loop. Even the parking (after hearing about possible problems). Really very top notch. That all far exceeded my expectations. Thanks for all that.
    Just a better route is wanted really. Was there reasons for not taking some bridlepaths and routes? too fast/narrow/technical?

    spokebloke
    Free Member

    So where does it say it is an offroad reliability trial? I see two pictures showing tarmac and two showing farm tracks. I would say that is fairly accurate as a reflection of what to expect.

    Google HONC.
    Read the site description.

    mrmo
    Free Member

    Dirtbiker, what would you want to see? genuine question, bare in mind 1200 riders and the need to make the route rideable in all conditions. Many of the routes i would use on a solo ride but know that they would suffer with more, then there is always the issue of keeping landowners on side.

    I have ideas for routes of a similar length but Graham designs the route, so it will reflect his character. If you want a hilly off road route i am working on a 100-150km circuit of cheltenham. that will have a few little climbs in it that i could share.

    flatfish
    Free Member

    I’d have prefered it the other way round, much as it was last year.
    I thought the climbing on bridleway was a shame with tarmac descents spoiling all the hard work climbing.
    That said I expect I’ll be trying to enter again next year.
    The rest of the organization was, as usual, tip top.

    spokebloke
    Free Member

    Just a better route is wanted really. Was there reasons for not taking some bridlepaths and routes? too fast/narrow/technical?

    If you want this, and scrumpy, come to Heaven.

    yetirose
    Free Member

    100k on a single speed , great company, mad conversations all the way round ,i really enjoyed the route and a touch of genius including the climb up from laverton ( i have unfinished buisness there)thanks to the organisers and marshalls . 🙂 😀

    dirtbiker100
    Free Member

    mrmo, I was getting carried away and the last two sentences are me realising that many bridlepaths just would not be rideable by 1000 riders in the wet, along with land owner issues etc etc. I fully understand the problems that need to be ironed out and many thanks to graham and co for getting a 100km route that can be ridden by 1200 riders!

    spokebloke
    Free Member

    4:51 on a 34×19 singlespeed 29er.

    Crikey, that’s bloody good going.

    Thanks, but if you check my route after I got back on the 50km route by mistake, you’ll see I headed North on B roads to rejoin the 100km route, so although my total distance is about right, I missed out some of the lanes and bridleways.
    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/78601540

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    And you missed the big climb as well!!

    Photos are out.

    clubber
    Free Member

    So, pics are up here: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/gallery.tlx?containerid=171867

    Shame the website is preventing directly linking especially as they’re watermarked. Silly really IMO since if anyone wants to copy them without paying (with watermarks) there’s plenty of easy ways to do that…

    I did the big climb. I rejoined the 100km route at the bottom of the hill at Laverton.

    there’s plenty of easy ways to do that…

    Are there really ? 😉

    Matching socks & frame. How cool is that 8)

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    I did the big climb. I rejoined the 100km route at the bottom of the hill at Laverton.

    Ah my apologies.

    clubber
    Free Member

    Exactly…

    I beat you though. Matching helmet, jersey, socks, frame, bar tape, wheels, gloves, shoes AND sunglasses 😉

    I’ll not post my pic since obviously screen grabbing it would be naughty but it’s here

    anotherdeadhero
    Free Member

    Not got your vegas m frames on though clubber – poor form – you just had to wear the new oakleys eh?

    clubber
    Free Member

    But they have purple lenses! (well blue iridium but it looks purple 😉 )

    clubber
    Free Member

    The website protection doesn’t work on iPhone either. Straight ‘save image’ option 😉 I hate companies that patronise in this way (try right clicking an image). Sure some people will not pay but they never will and they can get the pics with a simple ‘print screen’. I’ve bought from them for the last god knows how many years. I’m tempted not to this year 😉

    pjt201
    Free Member

    Hmm, didn’t realise my new sunnies were that red…

    clubber
    Free Member

    I did! 😉

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    Yep, they’re red alright.. 😉

    We’ve discussed event photograph costs before, but as far as I’m concerned, a digital photo is just something I post on page 2 of a forum thread while the subject is still current.
    It might get a couple of comments, but that’s it. Soon enough we move on to page 3 and it’s forgotten about.
    It’s definitely not something I would pay £10 for.

    d0ugal
    Free Member

    there were three tandems in this year’s HONC

    two of the three had no visible number

    I tagged those tandems with “tandem”

    might be of interest should any STWers have been the tandem riders

    gallery

    Bernaard
    Free Member

    HONC virgin here 100k in 5.22hrs not inc the 10k there and back from the campsite.
    Recognised Graham in the car park anmd seen him again en route.

    Coped fine on the rigid, but the last couple of bumpy sections hurt.
    Agree that there was a bit too much tarmac. Twas a good tester to see how much training I need for Kielder too. Lots…….

    paramart
    Free Member

    did the 100km, the bloke in the pic on the single speed left me trailing in his wake at about 20 miles, got cramp on the big hill, rolling around on the grass bank trying to sort it out, made it worse as all started to cramp up,walked for a bit then through the muddy part, then just plugged away till the end, well done to all involved with running this event.

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