I entered in the 12 hour solo category down at Gorrick bank holiday weekend.

Does anyone know what the course is like? If it’s wet will mud tyres be an advantage and in the dry will I get away with Thunderburt rear + Ron upfront?

Any other tips for 12 hour racing? I was thinking of having a car with the boot up near the feed zone and briefly stop to take food to eat.

Rather than do that with your car (and flatten the battery) just take a large lidded plastic box fill it with lots of food and energy drink.

It’s very loamy, but if it’s wet wet then Rons would be better than a Burt on the back.

Leave food trackside in a box as Twisty says.

If you have a little table to put your box on that helps, doing the six hour fat bike so say hello if you see on one fatty slogging round.

As above -loamy, well drained, rooty in places. In the wet you get a loamy/sandy mud that your tyres will cut through. Ron/Ron or similar in the wet will be fine. Any fast tyre in the dry is fine.

Small table/box for your pit. Fairly sure gorrick won’t allow a raised car-boot right next to the track anyway for safety reasons, especially on the first few laps. You can put your pit trackside anywhere too – so wherever you get a camping spot trackside, that will do.

Never done the race, echo all the above, loamy. Springy even as can be a soft moss kind of surface in places. Bit weird but fun.

Enjoy it as it’s the last time they’re racing there following sale of the manor 🙁 . I’m tempted to enter for a change, though never done a race in my life.

As njee20 says above, Thunderburts might be a bit optimistic if it’s wet!

For a pit it’s often worth seeing if someone will let you pit with them, that way there’s usually someone to keep an eye on your kit for you and give you a bit of encouragement when you need it. I’ve had people who were riding unsupported jump in our pit at Torq and 24/12 and it worked really well. You’ll find that at the endurance events that vast majority of people are incredibly friendly and will help you out if they can.

I’m going to be racing at Torq with a few mates and you’re more than welcome to pit with us and share our gazebo. If you’re interested then drop me an email.

Enjoy it as it’s the last time they’re racing there following sale of the manor

Really?

I knew the Manor had been sold, i think to an investor that wants to turn it into a luxury hotel, but i thought that it only included the immediate land and the bulk of the military area would remain in military hands?

Maybe it makes access and the camping fields impossible for future, it’ll be very sad if all the riding and the trail network that Gorrick’s team has created over the years there was to go too.

Seeing as I’m now limited to 6h by injury, what’s the strategy? I’ve never ridden a 6h but basically it looks like 7 consecutive smash laps just to get near the top 10!

6h tactics are plan to ride tactically then forget about that and ride hard for the hours then remember too late that its six hours and limp along for a bit then get second wind and bomb off again only to then get cramp. Well that’s what I usually do.

^^ think an average of 85% of MHR for 6hrs. Pure hell – it’s a tough time category.

You will learn all about riding across a trampoline if the course is the same as last year.
I did 6hr solo and almost enjoyed it. Always worth doing the extra last lap, even if you are crawling at that point. Some bits are tough and there are some really quick sections where being brave and having some skillz are useful.
Never done a wet one so dont know about tyres , did a damp lap and a RR / XR4 combo seemed as good as anything.

theotherjonv – Member 
Really?

I knew the Manor had been sold, i think to an investor that wants to turn it into a luxury hotel, but i thought that it only included the immediate land and the bulk of the military area would remain in military hands?

Maybe it makes access and the camping fields impossible for future, it’ll be very sad if all the riding and the trail network that Gorrick’s team has created over the years there was to go too.

Apparently it went out to people already registered saying it would be the last at Minley due to the land being sold off.

Does seem puzzling to me. Planning documents just show plans for the manor lands, not the wider forest. http://publicaccess.hart.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=NRUCI2HZ0GB00

I use Rocket Ron/Racing Ralph all year round on my 29er. The only bouncy sections will be the new bits they introduce every year.
The Manor was sold last year for a hotel and/or spa but I think there is a planning issue. Expect a mysterious fire anytime soon. It appears the land has now also gone but I assumed it was a different buyer due to the different timing of the sales.

There’s a vets category this year so I’ll only be giving away a 20 year advantage instead of the usual 40!

Cheers for the advice guys. My first time at these types of events but would like to do my best.

notmyrealname – I’ll email you later this week about using a small space if thats alright.

Forget your silly carbon race bikes and racing tyres

Fatbikes with bivi gear is the only way to compete in the 12:12 🙂

honk honk!

notmyrealname – I’ll email you later this week about using a small space if thats alright.

Not a problem.

It appears the land has now also gone but I assumed it was a different buyer due to the different timing of the sales.

What makes you think that the land has been sold??

I’d failed to realise the 6h was from 3-9pm, needing lights.

Whats are thought of starting at 3pm from the get go with lights mounted to avoid the transition time of changing up?

Surely for the 2 hours / two laps of darkness only a decent bar light would be needed?

And also – these new rules; Does this mean that starting a new lap at 8:45pm is pointless as that lap doesn’t count? E.G. Its best timed so you finish your last lap at 8:59:59 to count?

I would pit and fit them at the time. Only a minute or so.

You are meant to have a second light / backup. Lots of twisty stuff, so 2 is always going to be better.

Yes.

I am doing the 6 hour solo too. Although just back from a two week family holiday, so not expecting to be very competitive.

Like Yak I will fit lights during the race. I think I will leave a spare helmet with a light set up ready to go. Depending on when I am due to finish I may or may not use a bar light. I am pretty sure last year it was only the last lap of the 6 hour that was fully dark, this year will be one lap less.

And also – these new rules; Does this mean that starting a new lap at 8:45pm is pointless as that lap doesn’t count? E.G. Its best timed so you finish your last lap at 8:59:59 to count?

It looks like that’s the case for the race this year, only laps completed within the 6h or 12h will count. I suppose it stops them having to hang about until late to do the podiums for the 12h race as people are still out on the course for a while after midnight.
After finally managing to get my wife to understand the normal timing system for 12’s they’ve changed it so no doubt there’ll be confusion about it come Sunday night 🙂

It’s a bloody brilliant event on a great course. The above comments regarding the course are bang on, there’s plenty of grip on the surface so something fast rolling unless it really wet and then other than the roots bits it’s never too tough going.

Have a laugh and enjoy it…

Whats are thought of starting at 3pm from the get go with lights mounted to avoid the transition time of changing up?

Surely for the 2 hours / two laps of darkness only a decent bar light would be needed?

Bar light only is crap. I know I ran out of helmet light 2 years ago. It may be OK on your own but in the company of racers with megawatts it’s really crap.

I have a light on a spare helmet – changing helmets and clipping a bar light on isn’t time consuming.

You have to have passed the finish line by 8:59:59 for the lap to count. If you go over the lap won’t count and your previous lap finish time will be used.

FWIW my approach has fundamentally changed given my recent knee issues. Bike has 28T front, I’ll be trying to start hard to avoid the queue then throttling right down and spinning round. I do not want to feel like death at 8hours! Finishing in good order is my aim ready for holiday flight at 6am. What could possibly go wrong!?

Gutted to be missing it. Solo’ed 3 years ago and it has special memories (although a short 12 back then might have been good, as by the time i got back and sorted myself out – unsupported – all the beer had gone)

I suspect doing the six, if you’re not likely to be on the podium you might want to try the extra lap anyway because the course is just such good fun.

Although just back from a two week family holiday, so not expecting to be very competitive.

Me too and therefore…

I suspect doing the six, if you’re not likely to be on the podium you might want to try the extra lap anyway because the course is just such good fun.

As this is really just me getting back to racing in prep for the following weeks XCO after a week of all inclusive debauchery.

Full light setup is then.

Got talked into a last minute entry for this in 12hr pairs with another mate doing his first solo.

Will be going for the 2nd helmet ready to go with lights approach, not sure if a bar mount is necessary especially on such a twisty course.

Just need to decide on what tyres to chuck on, options are a Schwalbe NN/RR or Maxxis HR2/Ardent unfortunately don’t have anything more racey.

Course is currently running fast. Not too much loamy/springy but it’s a signature element of the place so there is some to enjoy 😀

jamesfts – Member 
Just need to decide on what tyres to chuck on, options are a Schwalbe NN/RR or Maxxis HR2/Ardent unfortunately don’t have anything more racey.

Personally I’d find the HR2 very draggy for this sort of ride although I guess you’re talking up front which I’ve never done. I use it at rear for Surrey Hills and the like for grip on the downs but it drags on the flat. Ardent would be good though.

I don’t know much about the Schwalbe stuff as I’m a Maxxis fan, but they sound the sort of thing for this kind of event.

Course is currently running fast. Not too much loamy/springy but it’s a signature element of the place so there is some to enjoy

Sounds good to me! Haven’t been doing nearly the amount of riding I was doing before last years race so the faster the better.

John said at todays riders briefing that despite the initial doom n gloom Gorrick have possibly secured the event @ Minley for another couple of years 😀

Yay!!

Jeez that was hard! How did everyone do?

Unable to sleep – 5 caffeine gels and 16normal. Wired, aching and stomach making weird noises.

I wasn’t racing but did do an early (pre rain showers) lap to check my bike was ok for SSUK next weekend. As ever the roots were in abundance and the sponge was bouncy so respect to everyone for doing that for 6/12 hours.

I took some 1st lap photos.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskFV5vZM

This year was probably the most enjoyable Torq course I’ve rode yet. I really enjoyed it up until about 9 hours in when everything started hurting!
After no proper training for it I decided I’d be happy with a top 15, which I got, and I enjoyed it as well so can’t do better than that really.
Congratulation on your podium adsh.

Mrs did the six hours with a friend of ours, said it was great fun despite a reasonably big off, she now has a slightly black eye. They missed third by 26 seconds or so. Clutch on van went upon leaving so long wait for green flag man followed by projected even longer, three hours, wait for a low loader led to cab to Wimbledon. So a day of highs and lows

Junior Yaks got a 1st and 2nd, Mrs Yak won the 12hr vet female solo. Pit duties for me, but I got a couple of laps in before. Great course, lots of fun old bits and a few new links – great stuff. Well done all who rode, pitted, supported and to Gorrick for another top race weekend.

Well done ADSH!

6hrs on the HT for me, feeling battered this morning. As expected arriving almost straight off the plane after a very indulgent holiday 7 1/2lbs heavier and with barely any riding in the last 3-4 weeks I didn’t do so well – 24th 6hr vets. My shoulder started going after 2.5h and I had to sit on the trailside for a few minutes and work it/my neck loose on the 4th lap after which I was riding through the pain. I felt I had nothing in my legs all race, and cramped up the 1st of the two hills on one lap! All reflected in my lap times.

Great course though, although the loamy bits gt draggier and the roots harder hitting as time went on.

My only criticism – toilets! 4 toilets for the main camping field was not enough, especially when they weren’t cleaned/emptied and – how can I put this – the levels were visibily rising! 😯

6hr solo for me, and I only managed 3 hours of it! I started to get bad anterior knee pain quite badly on the 4th lap, an issue that I thought I had sorted but seems to have returned. More stretching/rollering/fiddling with saddle position needed.
It’s a shame because I felt pretty good and was up in 2nd at the time. At least going home early and not staying the night meant I missed the worst of the portaloos.

Really enjoyed the event, everyone was friendly and welcoming.

Managed 12 laps in the solo category which earned me 15th place.

A big thanks to (notmyrealname) and wife for giving such massive support as we weren’t the most organised.

We entered at the last minute after fearing the venue would be lost next year. Glad we did…. Possum Power Big Hitters made 3rd in the 3 person mixed team!
Fabulous course as always and thanks to everyone who made it such a friendly event. I really hope they manage to keep the venue with the new owners.