The course was actually shorter this year, I made it 99.6 miles which makes comparisons tricky,
Yeah it was about 103 or 4 miles the past two times i did it. Would have liked to see Crampton there.
Bike Forum
Rain, rain, rain- Kielder 100
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Posted 8 months ago #
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A massive shout to anyone who turned up and have it a go, I reckon!
I was marshalling, firstly at the end of the first (Wainhope) loop, about 25 miles in, and even there the atrrition rate was high, the retirals from the first feed station onwards were even higher. We radioed every retiral back to control, Sara's radio traffic was absolutely non-stop all day.
Comedy sight of the day was from my second MP, at the curved bridge at Lewisburn, the number of people pinging off the railings or sliding down with a foot in their fork arch to stop was brilliant! Given the circumstances, had it been me, I think I would have pulled out, serious respect to everyone who gave it a shot.
Posted 8 months ago # -
To all the people going through so many brake pads and wearing them out after 13 miles etc, i have two theorys. Either you're using cheap seven quid jobbies, or just braking far too much.
I've done it the past few years on one set of pads, and a lot of life left in my other components.. apart from the cables maybe.How did the route compare to the last two years anyway?
Posted 8 months ago # -
Other than bearings and chain rings, that's my list of repairs too. My rear mech was brand new and the jockey wheels are shot, chain was new, pads new cables new.
But when you are trying to slow down using your pistons onto your rotors, it makes a bit of a mess.
Posted 8 months ago # -
or just braking far too much.
This is true but unless you were in the leed bunch you were in a pack of about 100 plus for the first 20 miles, so its like your in a trafic jam on/off the brakes all the timePosted 8 months ago # -
This is true but unless you were in the leed bunch you were in a pack of about 100 plus for the first 20 miles, so its like your in a trafic jam on/off the brakes all the time
Sounds about right, the majority of my pads went in the first 30 - 40 miles of the race. I started at the back so there was a lot of traffic to contend with.
Posted 8 months ago # -
The problem isn't braking too much - its actually not a very brake intensive course. The problem is the lack of clearance of calipers and the kind of sticky dirt up there.
After I changed my rear pads at 60km I must have lost all my hydraulic fluid or something as the lever was just going straight to the handlebar, so I didn't touch my back brake again. My rear pads were still down to the metal by the end!
Somebody (Hope?) needs to invent a wide clearance caliper so that the pads sit way off the rotor when not in use.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Somebody (Hope?) needs to invent a wide clearance caliper so that the pads sit way off the rotor when not in use.
I used to set my Avid BB7 mechanicals up with a lot of clearance, as they're manually adjusted.
The brakes on every bike I rode near to were making horrendous noises constantly. Remember the sound when riding through mud with V brakes? Like that.
Posted 8 months ago # -
I was dragging my brakes, that's why I got through so many pads. In fact everyone was dragging their brakes. If we had all known how to ride we'd have been fine on part worn organics obviously
Posted 8 months ago # -
Would have liked to see Crampton there.
With all due respect to Neil, Ben's a better rider and has made this his goal for the last few months, several training camps in the Alps and what not. Not to say he wouldn't have pushed the pace a bit more though!
The more horror stories come in the more glad I am that I wasnt there, and chapeau to the finishers!
Posted 8 months ago # -
Top event and major thanks to the marshall's, first time for me and i was 4th (i think) singlespeeder back, just need to change the pistons in my brakes....
Posted 8 months ago # -
Big thanks to the organisers and marshals
Course was like a Summers Strathpuffer but without the snow!!!I started off with new (bedded in) rear sintered, and used front resin. Had to change fronts at the 'piper' to sintered. No more pad changes after that.
Came into the finish just before 13 hours.......
Posted 8 months ago # -
my pads don't look at all worn. fronts new and rears 1/4 worn. they might be contaminated - they didn't work. so maybe that's the trick
Posted 8 months ago # -
To all the people going through so many brake pads and wearing them out after 13 miles etc, i have two theorys. Either you're using cheap seven quid jobbies, or just braking far too much.
I've done it the past few years on one set of pads, and a lot of life left in my other components.. apart from the cables maybe.See the thing is I would have agreed with you in the past. I have ridden at Kielder, in the rain, for miles without any pad problems and completed the first two events without a change. For some reason it was terrible on Saturday - I got through 3 sets in my 80 odd miles and the fronts were new at 50 and down to the metal at the end. I thought the conditions on the ground were not that much worse than the first year - it rained more but as drac said above it was only about 1cm which is little. Baffling really but in a way I'm glad I didn't renew my drivechain before the race
Posted 8 months ago # -
Sounds about right, the majority of my pads went in the first 30 - 40 miles of the race. I started at the back so there was a lot of traffic to contend with.
True. I got caught behind someone two years ago who was hugging their brakes the whole way down one of the long twisty descents, so i had to slow down to save ramming into the back of him. That'll wear down your pads!
There are some terrible brake huggers out there. Conditions make a big difference though obviously.Posted 8 months ago # -
I thought the conditions on the ground were not that much worse than the first year
I was lots muddier/grittier this time than in 2009, despite only riding half as far.
Hadn't a lot of the trails recently been topped off by the FC? I wonder if they'd not had time to bed in, so lots of loose, sandy surfaces to flick up and ruin us?
Posted 8 months ago # -
To all the people going through so many brake pads and wearing them out after 13 miles etc, i have two theorys. Either you're using cheap seven quid jobbies, or just braking far too much.
I'm not particularly hard on brakes. In fact, before I swapped the pads to new (bedded in) sintered pads before Kielder I reckon the previous ones had been on for 2 or 3 years. And that bike gets ridden in all sorts of weather.
In the 33 miles I rode on saturday, I lost about two thirds of the pad. I don't think I'd have got to the end on the same set, even though I was braking less and less as the ride went on as I was riding around less people.
I think the conditions were just really agressive on saturday.
Posted 8 months ago # -
To all the people going through so many brake pads and wearing them out after 13 miles etc, i have two theorys. Either you're using cheap seven quid jobbies, or just braking far too much.
If you had ridden this year you'd seen it was far muddier than the last 2 you have done. It was wet all day and while Kielder Castle had 1cm of rain when I was at Bloody Bush putting banners up it was raining far harder, the hog was sinking into the mud with big fat tyres. It rained pretty much for 24 hours though and had lingering drizzle when it was easing off.
Given Ben said his pads ran out with 40 miles to go I'll go with it was the conditions.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Special mention to fella called greg who checked i was ok after the off ,ta. Oh,and the lady with the pink brakes
who dragged a few of us up deadwater past the piper.nice one.That was probably me, I was worried I was holding you all up! It was proper miserable up there!
To all the people going through so many brake pads and wearing them out after 13 miles etc, i have two theorys. Either you're using cheap seven quid jobbies, or just braking far too much.
I've done it the past few years on one set of pads, and a lot of life left in my other components.. apart from the cables maybe.I have never changed brake pads in a race before, it wasn't an option not to. The braking wasn't the problem, you could hear them grinding away when you were just riding along!
Posted 8 months ago # -
I was in the 'border train' too. There cant have been many folk with pink brakes and It certainly was trio25 that I was following.
That was the worst part of the lap for me.
Posted 8 months ago # -
all i remember was water, mud and christmas trees for 100 miles. i used xt discs. the front pads have been on for 18 months and were fine at the start. the rear pads were new (shimano again) and properly bedded in. rear pads went after 40miles, down to the metal. braked on the metal for 10miles as knew a replacement set wouldnt last the whole race. when tried to change the pads the piston was stuck and took ages to press back in. heard a lot of people had the same problem. the new rear brake pads lasted until that stop with the choc rice crispy cake. from then on - 30 miles? - braked with metal on metal, then piston on rotor - nice. was still very impressed with the braking power! with about 5 to go had to run the dh - which as someone has already said, looked about the best bit, grr. well done to all who finished and those that tried.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Who were the 2 guys with the Jones (one was the space frame with a fat wheel and the other a steel one)? I have never seen a fat bike before and it looked ace!!
Posted 8 months ago # -
Who were the 2 guys with the Jones
Waves. Mine was the blue steel one. I'd not played with a fat wheel either before a quick roll around on my friend's new toy. Feels remarkably like riding a bike, would be interesting to try it on something lumpy.
On the brake pad front, the last 2 years I haven't had to touch my pads. Same bike, same brakes.
This year thanks to little pre-race checking I had a suspect front brake that failed at around 25 miles, and then I went through the backing plate on one set of rear pads, wore out another pair to the metal, and then did about half another set. So I think its safe to say it was harder on brakes this time!
Posted 8 months ago # -
I have to admit I did like both of your bikes. We were hanging around the same area as you at the start, there was 3 of us in black and yellow tops (God this reminds me of the love story that guy started on here ages ago :D).
Posted 8 months ago # -
I check the course markers when we run the kielder marathon series and i wore a pair of pads out on one lap, about 12 miles and thats at my snails pace
Posted 8 months ago # -
Someone else said aztec sintered are the way to go, thats what I used and still have half a pad left on full inspection at each end today.
Back at work today feeling not too bad, not sure I'll be doing that race in a hurry again though!
Posted 8 months ago # -
Hadn't a lot of the trails recently been topped off by the FC? I wonder if they'd not had time to bed in, so lots of loose, sandy surfaces to flick up and ruin us?
I think in 2009 we rode the new blue trail for the first time - I remember thinking it should have been allowed to settle first. You're right though - everyone was much muddier this time. Perhaps it was the combination of a few more hundred riders chewing it all up and the rain making the slop sloppier and so more easily spread around. Also, FWIW, my sintered pads fitted at 50 miles are ok now (35 miles later) whereas the ordinary pads (£15 pair, not desperately cheap ones) were down to the metal.
Hub gears and coaster brakes ftw. Or fixies.
Posted 8 months ago # -
I had some of the bargain pads from XC racer on, they have felt fine for all rides before Kielder,and they were well bedded in, but in that fine sand dust they seemed to glaze over. I had to change from my usual 1 finger braking to a full hand on the lever and pulling hard. It was like using wood for pads!
Pulling the brakes apart today, this appears to be the case, half the pads still left even though I had the impression of no brakes.
Next year I might carry some abrasive paper with me. Lucky to get away with the two big crashes Though, so perhaps not a good idea.Posted 8 months ago # -
FWIW my rear v-brake pad is worn down to almost nohting, the front is about 3/4 gone. Both were nearly new at the start, but did last the race (although they made a lot of rubbing noise through the muddy bits and didn't work effectively anywhere). Rims seem OK. My arms still hurt, not used to braking so hard for so long!
Posted 8 months ago # -
Anyone elses eyeballs feel as though they've been grit-blasted? mine are still bloodshot and hurt everytime i blink.
Posted 8 months ago # -
That was my first experience of Kielder on my Orange 5 , which worked really well despite all the sand rammed into every orifice ,mine as well as the bikes, causing chain suck and the brakes were virtually useless at times and down to the metal after 30 miles. I swapped pads for another set, which lasted until checkpoint 2 where after a very close "big off" due to having one eye shut cos of the grit in it, I called it a day...the singletrack sections and the one down to the finish were fun tho'... Enjoyed the Black-sheep beer in the pub too!
Posted 8 months ago # -
Anyone elses eyeballs feel as though they've been grit-blasted?
Yup ,but feel a lot better today.
Amazing how fine that dust was,it really did get everywhere.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Who were the 2 guys with the Jones (one was the space frame with a fat wheel and the other a steel one)? I have never seen a fat bike before and it looked ace!!
The fat one is mine, but think that the choice of a big front wheel might have been a mistake on the day. Only the 3rd ride on it so I wanted to have a play. Does indeed ride very much like a bike, bit draggier on the ups, but rock solid stable on the downs and flat.
There was one other spaceframe out there which I rode with on the first fireroad, non-fat fork.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Some of my thoughts on the day as part of the Killer Kielder write up:
Posted 8 months ago # -
wenanwhere - Member
Some of my thoughts on the day as part of the Killer Kielder write up:Absolutely fantastic effort. I was chatting with you on the start line (I'm just to the right of you in the pic) and thought you were nuts!
Amazing......
Posted 8 months ago #
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