It’s getting closer a roll call is needed

http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20120909T10&p0=716&msg=End+2+End+2012

1) Who’s riding it this year?
2) Have you done it before?
3) What’s your goal finishing time?

1) I am
2) yes twice
3) Under 4 hours

1. I am – cannot wait
2. This will be my 3rd….in 15 years
3. Under 4h too

me –

1) Yes i am – anything;s better than a 14 hr day driving the drop bag van and running the finish like last yr
2) hmmm – 6th or 7th time
3) a bit more under 5hrs would be a nice change from 4.58, 4.59, 5.34 (my mom had just died) and 5.02…

i may well be at the sign on showing what can be squeezed into a medium Tee shirt if you have strong tyre levers 😆

At least I’m not on my own from on here.

1) No – wrong side of the world this year 🙁
2) done twice
3) Would love to hit 4 hrs with lighter bike and a chance to ride the hills (If you get off and push get out the way!!)

I’ve heard that they might not be using Ballacob this year – the first off-road climb – where the first traffic jam causes everyone to get of

If i know the E2E organisers, then there will be something even worse!!!

I’m there with BoltonJon above, will be my first time, be gentle on me…

No, due to a u-turn shaped change of plans I have 4 entries with the return bus if anyone is interested!

Scud – just remember what i said about the climbs last year – you’ll love them!!

Once over the finish line, its a 1 mile downhill to a local town for a pint

This does, however, suggest that there is a 1 mile uphill before the finish line!!

Looks good,going to book it for next year.

I’m in, however one of my mates bust his collarbone at Llandegla the other week so we’re waiting for the OK before we book the ferry..
It’ll be my fourth E2E.Last one I did was in 2006
Used to take me between 4/35 & 4/50.Somewhere around 4 hours would be good.

8th time for me. Sloc section announced as closed as of yesterday for repairs and to prevent further erosion, been bloody wet of late. Done 3.35 previously but anything under 4 would be good this year due to work, kids and consequent extra padding round the tummy.

Will be nice at the finish to have my statutory celebratory beer then ride downhill-biased singletrack all the way home 😀

Hello Rob – how’s the Rumblefish??

Rob. Do you think the Sloc will be repaired in time for the event?

I’ve just heard that their changing the route to miss Ballacob out, adding an extra 2 miles & 300 ft of climbing

This could scupper my plans for a sub-4h race finish – 4h 02m last year

What’s the alternative to Ballacob then?

JohnClimber

A climb up through Ballaugh plantation

If they use the route i think they will, then its a bit more of a gentle climb, but very long and very tough – it should get rid of the traffic jams which occur on Ballacob!!

Do you know the island well?

A route up through Ballaugh plantation and then out Slieu Dhoo wouldn’t add anything like an extra 300ft of ascent. It would add maybe an extra mile but the total climbing is pretty much unchanged.

boltonjon – Member
Do you know the island well?

Fairly well, I used to vist a customer at Jurby and I know Bonzo for my sins.

I hope the new route does get rid of the Ballacob bottle neck as I’m on a slower bike this year, so definatly would have got stuck in it.

yes, no and 4 hours.

Though 4.5 hours is probably a bit more realistic. And I’ll probably be happy as long as I am sub 5 hours. Or thereabouts.

Sounds good about Ballacob – the traffic jam was one bit I wasn’t looking forward too. Looking at a map, it looks like the total accent may actually be slightly less.

Looking forward to the event: only had a bike for a year after not riding since my teens. I live down south and normally ride SDW, but am Manx which is why I decided to enter. Just need to decide what tyres I should use.

ab1970 – Member
Just need to decide what tyres I should use.

Oh for Gods sake don’t start that sort of talk on here 😉

Here’s a shot from the net of the fire road through Ballaugh Plantation
Can any locals on here confirm this is the trail we’ll be using, it looks better than Ballacob as long at riders don’t ride 4 abreast

How’s everyone getting over?
I’ve done the Liverpool ferry in the past but the 3 nights in Douglas for one ride was a bit too much.

I’ve booked onto the Saturday afternoon Heysham ferry and escaping on the Sunday evening ferry, so only one night out and I’ll most proberbly ride to the start on the Saturday evening and bivi up there rather than get up at stupid o’clock to get the bus north on the Sunday

ab1970

I live down south and normally ride SDW, but am Manx which is why I decided to enter. Just need to decide what tyres I should use

Me too – been living near Reading for the last 10 years – but don’t ride on the SDW much

From Port Erin originally

I’m in, looking forward to it – looking for an improvement on 5hrs 30 last year, fingers crossed 🙂

1) Yes – I’m riding this year.
2) Yes – 2011.
3) Be happy with anything under 5 hours.

1) I’ve entered but broken elbow has scuppered that.
2) First time last year
3) Was looking forward to starting in the top 100

was thinking of this next year what is the best type of bke for this

Jon: the Rumblefish is fookin mega mate, ate everything up in its path in the Alps. It’s a bit weighty but when you point it downhill it just goes and goes. Could do with a bit more fitness in me though!

JohnClimber – Member
Can any locals on here confirm this is the trail we’ll be using, it looks better than Ballacob as long as riders don’t ride 4 abreast

Well I’m extremely local to that bit of trail but I’m not privy to whether it’s part of the route or not and anyway, owing to a big date mix-up on my part, I’m not riding. I thought that I was away in Greece that weekend so didn’t enter but now I find out that I’m not…. 🙄

I know of a spare ticket AndyR?

Am sworn to secrecy but if the route changes there will indeed be more climbing than Ballacobb and it will add a good 10 minutes to the time taken . Nobody on here has guessed correctly what the alternative route , if indeed they use one , may be . Anyway I thought Ballaugh Plantation was still closed because of the tree disease .

Thunderpants: I’ve heard straight up Druidale on’t rumour mill. Can you confirm or deny?

As I say I am sworn to secrecy , however if you were to come into the shop and threaten Julian he may just tell you . Should be a good fun 3 weeks with everybody speculating where it will go .

Hope the finish line doesn’t change, I live within a mile of it and it’s downhill all the way 😀

I’m looking forward to a couple of nice pints of Guinness in the Bay in Port Erin!! 😀

For those that are veterans of the event, how does it compare recently to prior years? I appreciate that the course hasn’t changed much but the volume of people riding it now has risen massively.

I last did it 4 years ago (I think) just as popularity started to gain. My (possiby misplaced) impression was that it was starting to get a bit too big an event to make it enjoyable. I keep threatening to do it again so it would be interesting to hear peoples thoughts.

I was in the very first event back in 95 or 96 with 30 other riders. It was pretty lonely halfway through the course

I entered again last year with 1700 riders and it was awesome

Yes, very busy early on and a nightmare up Ballacob, but great banter and a better course than the first event – I’ve never done another race like it

I agree with Jon, my first was in 03 and I barely saw anyone from halfway apart from the leaders coming ripping past through Arrasey (back then the elites started an hour behind the rest).

Last year was mega, great to be part of it

Ramsey Neil – Member
Am sworn to secrecy but if the route changes there will indeed be more climbing than Ballacobb and it will add a good 10 minutes to the time taken . Nobody on here has guessed correctly what the alternative route , if indeed they use one , may be . Anyway I thought Ballaugh Plantation was still closed because of the tree disease .

Neil, AFAIK parts of the fireroad up through are still closed, although the actual green lane (the old road)has been open for a while.
Alternative route? Sulby Glen and up the Snakebite??

Sounds like you’re fitting than me Rob, I remember Elliot Baxter and his entourage hurtling past me as I pootled through Tynwald Mills the first year I did it!

Really pleasing to hear its still got the same charm, maybe I’ll have another go at it next year.

boltonjon – Member
I know of a spare ticket AndyR?

Thanks for that fella, but if I’d planned to ride I’d have been getting a few more miles in than I have been. Part of me is very tempted though….