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Right then, having decided to enter the Dirty Reiver should I get a place, I'm wondering what the event is like - specifically, how much skill is involved relative to head down and slog on? I'm alright with the latter, having done a few sportives etc, but the former could do with a bit of work.
I've been watching youtube vids etc. but it's hard to get a proper feel for it.
Mostly it's keep your head up and pick a line. Most of the route is forestry fire roads with two "lines" where the wheels of vehicles have compacted it down with a ridge of looser material in the middle of those. Last year there was one section that was "blockier" for want of a better word but it wasn't that much slower even on a CX bike.
The route is meant to be different this year but how different I don't know so it's hard to say if the organisers will put anything tricky in there. It does of course depend on forestry operations as well - coming round a corner to a mass of brash wood across the track is, ahem, interesting.
Thanks matey, I noticed the double tracks on a lot of the videos.
When i say head down and slog on, I was talking figuratively - I'll be keeping a look at whats coming up for sure 🙂
Most of the problems with line choice this year were early on when there were lots of riders around you - it was basically an off-road peleton. Once past the first food stop things thinned out a bit so unless you were passing or being passed by a group then you'd a clear choice. There was one section on the Forest Drive descent where there was a stretch of new gravel but apart from that it was mostly pretty smooth.
Whitestones pretty much nailed.
The buggest skill required is at the start end avoiding other riders after that its kerping your head up after being ratyles for 100miles.