[Closed] 3 Peaks Cyclocross roll call & tips

I've entered a few times but never got in. I was brushing up my cross skills this summer and I'd probably have ended up killing myself, anyway. 😆

It's rubbish give your ticket to me.

There's not too much to know. Pump tyres up nice and high. Ingleborough will be great in this weather. There's lots of false summits up to Whernside. If you are there the night before then the bottom of Penyghent is legal to ride up and down, test yourself out.

Yep, I'll be there for my 9th race.

Tips - bit late for that now, you should already be sorted! 😉

I was in but had to pull out due to injury. 🙁

OP you have practiced carrying your bike up a hill haven't you? Its a bit late in the day to be deciding if a camelbak is good or not ?!?!

For what its worth I had to use a Camelbak. I ride a small frame and I couldn't shoulder the bike with a bottle cage on, but you will know all this right? 😯

On the way up the first hill the bite valve caught on a bit of my bike and came out, the bladder then leaked out almost completely. I had actually super glued it in place for this year. I wasn't the only person this happened to. Luckily I found the valve, another women didn't !

I also got an mtb inner tube, cut it open and taped it to the underside of the top tube. You see people with pipe lagging etc on the tube, but an inner tube just stops the bike moving around on your shoulder, which IMO was more beneficial than padding.

Use the road ride from Ingleborough to Ingleton to refuel, its about the only rest in the whole route. Take on food and drink off Whernside. The road ride from Whernside to PyG is harder than you think and full of cars (support crews) driving like d!cks.

Coming off Whernside don't just follow the path. Look for the sneaky tracks that the fast guys use.

Enjoy, its an amazing chance to ride your bike on some very nice hills, whilst absolutely killing yourself 😆

The road ride from Whernside to PyG is harder than you think and full of cars (support crews) driving like d!cks.

Yeah this too. The bitter irony of getting punishment passed by fans of cycling and vans labeled up in cycling brands.

Ride with a gopro, then go and torch 'em later while they're in the pub.

Starting, only line up at the front if your aiming for 3hrs!!! 😉

I've got no intention of getting anywhere near the front, got landcruisers, beefy tubes, 2 spares, and can carryou my bike so all should be good.

I couldn't figure it out from the instructions but are there feed stops or is it self supported?

The bit of BW heading towards Ribblehead below where the footpath off Whernside joins it has been sanitised so you don't need to take the line to the right. This ends at the steep section with set stones.

If someone is stood by the side of the track with a camera and away from the obvious road/refuelling points then they are there for a reason 😉

Make sure you have read and understood the rules and regs. NOTE the bit about being able to maintain disc brakes if you're using them, this is my 1st time using discs for it so nearly missed it.(i'm taking it to mean carrying spare pads and the tools to change em)

No feed stops, only 1 water stop as listed in the regs.

13. BRUNSCAR DRINKS STATION
There will be a drinks station at Brunscar between Chapel-le-Dale and Whernside at the start of 20
metres of bridleway, where competitors must walk the 20 metres and ride again after the bridleway
(due to bridleway laws).

I couldn't figure it out from the instructions but are there feed stops or is it self supported?

There's a water stop at the foot of Whernside (on the climb side).
It is literally plastic cups of wtaer being handed up. Most people use it to wash down a gel, it's not an option to stop and refill a CamelBak or bottle.

Other than that it's entirely self-supported although you are permitted to take spares, food, drink etc from any helpers you may wish to station at opportune moments around the course.

Traffic WILL be horrendous - huge numbers of supporters, spectators etc who all feel the need to drive big vans around the place desperately trying to be in place for their rider. Plus the usual crowds of walkers, motorcyclists etc who didn't know / have forgotten than the event is on.

Its a bit late in the day to be deciding if a camelbak is good or not ?!?!

why is it too late to be deciding how he's going to carry water?

NOTE the bit about being able to maintain disc brakes if you're using them, this is my 1st time using discs for it so nearly missed it.(i'm taking it to mean carrying spare pads and the tools to change em)

Maybe in a wet race you would need them but I didn't take spares last year, and Im still on the same pads now and done loads of riding on the bike since.

I didn't think it was that brake heavy anyhow.

why is it too late to be deciding how he's going to carry water?

Because it implies he hasn't been out with the bike trying it out.

Because it implies he hasn't been out with the bike trying it out.

hardly a show-stopper.

It is if you realise you cant shoulder your bike with a bottle cage on it, and you don't have a camelbak 🙂

But op has already confirmed he has tried.

It is if you realise you cant shoulder your bike with a bottle cage on it

terrahawk - Member
your original point/issue was that it was 'late in the day' to be considering it, which it isn't. He's got all week to sort himself out

...... and in my world that's a lifetime 😆

So long as I find the start, do some pedaling, a bit of carrying, some falling off and I make the finish line in a reasonable time I'll class it as a success.

I'd rather the security of a camelbak as that can't bounce out and leave me fluid-less on whats set to be a reasonably warm day.

As for carrying a bike, can do it with or without cage, done it before and can therefore imagine that doing it again won't be an issue; with the exception of the shoulder pain.

I found that a Camelbak made it easier to drink while trudging upwards. Each time I've done it, it's been a battle against cramp more than anything else.

I'm there, tall chap on a Blue Pro6 in Kinesis/Gore Kit.

Its my first time but the start of my 14th Cross season so I've ridden a bike a bit but looking forward to a genuine challenge.

I've ridden my peaks bike enough to settle it in and will just be riding 60psi and holding on to my hat (so to speak). I'm going bottle on the seat tube and pad taped to my shoulder with Kinesio tape, been doing a few walks recently and other than that i'm just looking forward to riding my bike in a cool place.

Oh and I'm working at the cycle show Thursday to Saturday so come say hello on stand G15 if you're racing on a Kinesis !

How much do you weigh? 60psi will be comfortable, but might put you at high risk of pinch flat....also depending on what tyres your using.

73kg and tubeless cross boss's 35mm

I'll be there....marshalling 🙂

Carrying a bike up and down boggy hills isn't really my idea of fun. Fair play to those who manage it though. I'll be doing the foot version next year, if all goes well, which may sound even less appealing to many of you...

Warm and dry as anything right now with a week of the same to come, but I think the rain is forecast to arrive just in time for Saturday (still warm though). I'd have thought it will still be unusually dry underwheel.

I just had an email confirming my rave number. 135 for me. First time too

Any supporters, have a look on the Three Peaks website, the rules download has been updated and they seem to have got much tougher on support vehicles including a ban on vehicles following the race route off Cold Cotes.

Good news I think, some of the driving (and associated cheating) I've witnessed in the past was getting way out of hand.

I'm No.480 say 'ello if you get a chance / can breathe.

I'll be on a KTM cx bike with bright yellow bar tape

I get pissed off with all the cars. It's a bike race FFS. I keep saying I'm going to run all our sheep from home down towards Austwick which can take 45mins.

Ggrrrrrrr !!!

C

Take care on the ride out from the start to not get taken out by riders with no interest in the safety of others on the road.
On the first climb you don't have to walk up next to the fence following everyone else.
Don't wear slippy plastic race shoes as the stepped climb up to Whernside can be unforgiving and a bit slippy

The cold Coates thing has been in operation for at least 2 years. I marshalled near there 2 years ago and a farmer did get his sheep out on the road at an opportune moment. People were going mad. All a bit sad really.

I'm in favour of banning bike changes/wheels swaps etc. To me it should be carry the spares etc you think you need. Being able to change a bike or wheel is not very sporting or fair on those who can't afford lots of spare kit. Plus it should be about rider skill to maintain their equipment and get it to the finish.

I`m in hoping for an 8th completion

I'm torn on team support. The team support has come from the roots of the event in cross and road and is just part of the culture and been there years and years. You accept it when you sign up. The fast guys are properly good and deserve it too. But.... to anyone who has come from mountainbiking first it is a bit weird. Can you not ride round some hills for 4 hours with your own kit?

Mrs Kilo is doing it, unfinished business after a bit of a 'mare last year. I'll be out as limited support crew for her on my road bike, more to shout at her than anything else 🙂 The driving was a bit lary in places last year from various crews, not sure what support you need which can't be handed up from a cyclist, more so if you're not going for the win or a very high place. As for the support coming from the road and cx aspect of the event you wouldn't be allowed support like the flying van convoys in most road races and iirc any tt under 100 miles, even then it's much stricter rules, only cx races I've done have been fixed point pits

I`m not very good at the peaks at all but do have two cross bikes if the rules allow I will have support if they changed the rules then I would abide by them .I need all the help I can get

Number 640 starting on an old blue Kinesis ,but may end up on a bright orange Dave Lloyd

Long range weather forecast isn't looking too great. Rain all day Saturday, showers and windy on Sunday...

I achieved my PB in the 3 Peaks that year when it rained for months beforehand and was super-windy. The one where there was a lake near the bottom of Pen Y Ghent.
Happy days.

anyway, chuffed I'm not doing it this year!

I achieved my PB in the 3 Peaks that year when it rained for months beforehand and was super-windy. The one where there was a lake near the bottom of Pen Y Ghent.
Happy days.

anyway, chuffed I'm not doing it this year!

Really? - that was my worst year by quite some margin (even including the year I collapsed on PyG!).
I deliberately took a year out of it last year, my PB was 2014 which was near perfect weather - not too hot, almost no wind and dry ground.

yep. Mad isn't it? I put it down to the bike I was riding rather than anything else.

Sadly not able to do it (didn't get in) but I did enter the Hope event (that got cancelled a couple of weeks ago) which I was really looking forward to doing, considering I didn't get in the 3P.

Best of luck all.

Setting of now for a pint or two in the pub at Helwith Bridge then a night in the bunkhouse.
Good luck to everyone.

Going to bike over in the morning and watch.

Steve_b77 - some more tips for you, and others:

Tyres: 75 - 85 psi with heavy/touring inner tubes

Gears: aim for a 1:1 ratio, but 34 x 30 should be OK

If you're creative, roll your survival bag up and strap it under the cross-bar to give you some padding

Don't forget your whistle and waterproof

I don't recommend sunglasses. They'll either steam up, or get covered in mud, or both

Wear an MTB helmet and use the visor to stop mud splashing in your eyes

Do your helmet strap up tighter than normal as it'll get shaken all over the place

Don't strap the timing 'dibber' too tight near your wrist, otherwise it'll dig into you

Carry necessary tools, pump and tubes - don't expect any other riders to stop for you if you have a problem

If you arrive on a road section on your own and can see a rider ahead of you going about the same speed, do what's necessary to catch them, and then work together

Watch out for rocks and stone water-channels on the downhills, particularly Whernside. It's still possible to pinch-flat with 80psi in your tyres - you'll be crying for your full-sus !

And don't worry about the riders who get bike changes - they only do it to get faster bikes (with smooth tyres) for the road sections, and then change back again before heading offroad - tossers

The organisers and marshalls are brilliant - thanks them as you pass by, if you've got any breath left 😉

Have fun - it's probably the only time you'll descend like a maniac on rough rocky trails on a CX bike, and the scenery is stunning

The sleeping arrangements at the bunk house are interesting. The pub is looking like a good idea!

Turned into a nice day for those still out there 🙂 First couple of hours weren't so great, at least for those of us standing around. Hope everyone survived ok - looked like a broken collarbone (at a guess) and one or two broken bikes heading down off Ingleborough. Interestingly, Rob Jebb seemed to have about a 2 min lead already by that point but obviously didn't hold on to it. Didn't see anything to tempt me into doing it!

The start

[img] [/img]

Random hill some where ?
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The random hill *looks like* the summit ridge of Whernside.