Guys… what's the story here ? The rider appears to be changing bikes, and others were spotted getting their bikes…

Posted by Tim Burt on Tuesday, June 26, 2012

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=436816973019862&id=336488303052730

you missed out the folks on one cog backing Dan as lots of them have raced against him or been his support crew.

just goes to show how potentially damaging to a rider and his sponsors uninformed sh1te from the mouths of idiots can be! Straight to accusations of cheating without checking facts first. *k wits

totally agree.. The amount of miles he’s racked up this year is insane.

Quite an accusatory tone on him

Seems perfectly reasonable to me, they’re levelling (justified IMO) accusations, they’ve been put right.

what njee said it seemed more like they were asking than accusing and they then accepted the explanation ….all very real world and balanced much un like here

I’m not exactly sure you are allowed a pit area on the lap. I’ve always seen the rules as ‘once you enter the course (at either the changeover area or solo entrance/exit/solo straight you must complete a lap before changing parts from outside the course’.

I guess it doesn’t really matter though as long as you only have one pit per lap. Having a pit where you can access it from 2 places on the same lap sounds very dodgy. Teams certianly aren’t allowed that. Conceivably you could get a flat on the first half of the lap and only have to wait 1/2 a lap to change the wheel, rather than a whole lap.

However, given the conditions last weekend I think some flexibility in the rules is essential and sensible.

GB

I was at the Puffer in January and most of the solos had their pit area out on the course. I didn’t think it was that unusual.

At ‘Puffer if you can get on the road climb it’s ideal and technically on the lap. Never seen it as a problem.

And you could stop twice on the same lap – once on the way up after leaving the timing area and again on the way down before you re-enter it. You could, in theory, have two bikes and no one would know.

But then it’s all just amateur sport, isn’t it. Why is anyone getting so worked up about it?

It just doesn’t seem on that you could ride 2 bikes on one lap. I agree that as long as everyone has one pit it doesn’t really matter where it is.

GB

Think Dan’s got a good point in his last FB message.

Personally don’t see an issue with the location of the pits, maybe swapping bikes is a bit unfair, but whatever he’ll still be riding the same bike for 10 miles regardless to where his pits are.

Agreed Will – it doesn’t matter where the pits are as long as you only access them once a lap. Issue is when the course loops past your spot twice per lap.

Dan certainly should not take much notice of the comments – he wasn’t cheating. Chapeau for riding through that crap for 24hrs…

GB

maybe swapping bikes is a bit unfair

Solo riders are allowed two bikes.
They even give them two number boards.
One for each bike.

I think the problem is those being able to access the pits twice on the same lap AND having two bikes…..

Thinking of the Puffer again – you could have one bike for the fire road climb/descent and another for the proper trails 🙂

If it’s unfair for solo riders to have two bikes, do teams have to share just the one?

@ druid.
Though Dan wasn’t doing that.

singlespeedstu – Member
Though Dan wasn’t doing that.

I think it’s more the fact that someone could. As I said above, it’s amateur sport, but that doesn’t stop some folk from taking it far too seriously. Think of all those roadies with their “racing” traditions…..

I think it’s more the fact that someone could

I’m just trying to make sure it’s clear Dan didn’t.

Well judging by the solo tent most people must have had pits track side, most of the night there was just a handful of people using it.

Apart from the fact most people are there for the challenge not the podium it would be a logistical nightmare to have 2 pits with 2 sets of everything.

most of the night there was just a handful of people using it.

I think this is partly due to the weather… 🙂

Anyway my point is not having 2 pits – its having one pit that the course loops past twice a lap.

GB

Dan wouldnt be riding in excess of 1200miles per month some dsys riding 240miles just to have a cup of tea by the beach, many miles before and after work if he was going to cheat. The guys an ex marine and thrives on going that extra mile to challenge himself. He’s up there on that podium due to hard work, hard winter miles not by gaining 2 minutes by cheating. If anyone thinks they’re man enough to take him on in an endurance event then step up I’m sure he’d like the challenge.

Well said mr tollah.

Wasn’t meaning to stir things up too much with this thread. Just caught sight of the discussion kicking off on facebook and thought the guy’s tone was out of order.

what njee said it seemed more like they were asking than accusing and they then accepted the explanation .

I was referring to the 2nd post on FB that’s now been taken off.

If anyone thinks they’re man enough to take him on in an endurance event then step up I’m sure he’d like the challenge.

A bit extreme? He came second when none of the biggest names were racing… 🙄

Not detracting from his effort, phenomenal as it was, but there’s no need for all that!

None of this big names would accuse him of cheating! And to be fair Mark Spratt and Dan are some of the big names 🙄

And no need for all what? Just saying that he doesn’t need to cheat to beat all the doubters sorry if it came across aggressive it wasn’t supposed to.

CHRIST…. WILL’S ALIVE!