Anyone done one of these events before?
Thinking of doing the 4 hour option but haven't done a daylight solo race since 1997 so kind of out of touch on what to expect.
Any hints and tips gratefully accepted.
[quote=m1kea said]Thinking of doing the 4 hour option but haven't done a daylight solo race since 1997 so kind of out of touch on what to expect.
Any hints and tips gratefully accepted.
It's a bit like a nighttime solo race but you can see where you're going.
HTH 😉
It's a bit like a nighttime solo race but you can see where you're going.HTH
Very good 🙄 😛
My last two MTB 'races' have been Thetford D2D and not solo, so not really a fair comparison.
Might have some of this... i've just texted my mate. He did it once when i had man-flu and couldn't make it.
I did it a few years ago and thought it was really good. 4hrs.
Like a sweet gorrick/swinley race course, nice flowing bits and nothing too tech, but stays interesting over the 4 hours.
very well organised and friendly- would deffo recommend.
Logs on to Gorrick site to enter..... 8)
I can't remember if I did 2 or 4 hours last year but it was a fun course. Bit sandy so went over a fair few times.
Well worth doing. It's a great event. I'm down for the 6hr solo.
Looking forward to it and excellent value for money.
Matt Lewis
I can't remember if I did 2 or 4 hours last year but it was a fun course. [b]Bit sandy so went over a fair few times.[/b]
Sounds like a man after my own heart. 😆
Having just gone 2 X 10 12/36 will I be utterly at sea with gearing / breathing out of my @rse within the first 20 secs / booking a coronary after 15 mins?
It's great fun. The venue provides for some excellent riding with a lot of climbing and descending each lap and around 75 or 80% single track.
The course is usually fairly dry to.
In for 6hr pairs.
Planning to enter for the 6hr solo. I haven't raced for more than 1.5hrs so far this year so that should be interesting.
I have raced it every year so far, and it has always been a great event with a very good course with a few little drops and tricky bits, but nothing too difficult.
Yeah, not a bad event, well worth a visit and cheap as chips to enter! 😆 Recession busting event!
So - who is coming?
The course should be good this year.
2 weeks today and you will be sitting at home thinking what a great race, course and could I have done better and pushed it a bit more to get those extra laps and places in! See you soon folks!
Is that because you had a hand in the course this year, with all that time on your hands? 🙂 It's always a good course!
So, what tyres? 😉
I've never ridden in this area but suspect my usual Panny Razrs might be a bit slick, especially with the fab summer we've had so far?
Other choices are Bonty Mud X, Maxxis Aspens and IIRC some Panny Cinders / Fire XC that I have buried somewhere.
Prob in for 6 hr solo, but entering on the day, can't trust the wrather. Did gorrick 100 in terrible conditions 2 years ago, no fun and the bike needed a few hundred.pounds worth.of maintence afterwards.
The sand content at Porridgepot is completely different to that at Swinley it doesn't eat bikes as quick and dries out a lot faster.
As to tyres - what ever you like should be OK. It never gets clingy even in the depths of winter. Rons and Ralph's should be fine to give you some idea, I am expecting to be on CrossMarks.
Looking forward to it!
I'm still waiting to see if i have a riding partner 🙁 looking unlikely at the moment so will be waiting on the weather on going for entry on the day. I was hoping to do the 6 hour pair, but if i'm on my own i'll go for either the 4 hour solo or 6 hour solo.
I have spoken to the weather gods and all will be fine!!! 🙂
Get back to work CSM...! 😉
Ha Ha, at least I am at work! 😀
So, what tyres then will you be using......Me Maxxis Ignitors.
Will do three or four hours, and the kids can do one or two for the eldest 😈 . I have a work road ride the day before of 150k, so will have to tread carefully on the domestic front.
Getting with the times, now have a Facebook page!
Are You Tough Enough that is.
[url=
OK then, One week to push in the busy MTB Calendar and then it's AYTE! A lot of Course prep this week to make it a most enjoyable experience for all!!
Will keep you updated on course conditions throughout the week! 🙂
I did the 6 hours a few years ago, good course and well organised. Just paced myself, a lap an hour with a stop/snack after each lap.
Weather is looking promising - could be worse!
And it dries reasonably well!
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Team Tired Gorilla are signed up. Me in the 2hr Singlespeed, Son1 in the 14-16yo and Son2 in the fun race.
You have an hour to enter before the price goes up.
Have you photoshopped that image, don't believe we will see sun this summer...
Now if I'd been really clever / stupid, I should have entered the ACU 25 on P881/25, and then popped up afterwards.
Keep us posted with weather updates s'il vous plait
Here ya go. Broken down for Sunday. Not too bad!
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Ps not photoshopped!
I won't be playing. I was out for 2 hours yesterday and it was just muddy beyond all words. Throw in them couple of wet days before hand and in all honesty i just can't find the enthusiasm for 6 hours of mud !
Will get some pics on course later and post up tomorrow. Should be fine - it does drain ok and we are gonna put some drainage in the puddles tomorrow - around Pamts Way Round and Pants Way Down - those are as bad as it gets, and they are fine.
Any chance of a GPX? I want a virtual partner to chase 😉
No GPX against MoD License rules 😀
However having rode and finalised the course last night, even I was surprised to see the lack of Mud!!!
Did a lap last night. Bikes are fine, couple of muddy puddles.
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Certainly NOT a mudfest. It'll be fine.
Cool, though do we get our money back if it is in any way muddy? 😉 😆
interesting... although i've just had a new fairing arrive for my Yamaha R1. lol
What no mud!? Sod that I'm off to Essex to trash and drivetrain...
Thanks for the conditions report, Shortcut. Much appreciated!
Out trimming and blowing today, couple of little showers but generally dry and improving. Had to pause the blower briefly - due to excessive dust...... 😉
As Shortcut says the conditions are improving vastly actually not alot of wet Patches at all.
ah is this course quite.. non-technical? more of a hardtail course?
You'll be fine on a HT, has a couple of techy bits here and there.
pants - MemberGetting with the times, now have a Facebook page!
Are You Tough Enough that is.
AYTE
I don't do my@rsebook but did I see a reference to one Webber, M of Aylesbury participating?
If so, we'll need to make sure he doesn't have another crash as I don't want Teflonso winning the F1.
The course is finished and ready, trimmed and blown as well as drainage in place, just in case, 🙂 You may all think I'm talking utter rubbish but seriously very little mud on the course ! Yes ha!
After riding Gorrick 100 at Swinley during a similar period of miserable weather on mud-x which were a bonus for all of 20 metres of the course, I've just put Ralphs on for Sunday.
Bike looks all summery now. Thank you!
I don't do my@rsebook but did I see a reference to one Webber, M of Aylesbury participating?If so, we'll need to make sure he doesn't have another crash as I don't want Teflonso winning the F1.
Old photo from about 4yrs ago! Get with it Pants!
I'm sure he just uses the photo of himself so he can reminisce about what it was like to be able to ride a bike fast and be 2 stone lighter 😀
What no mud!? Sod that I'm off to Essex to trash and drivetrain...
Not to do the National you're not...
I know got the email about 3mins after posting!
Good for you though Pants - the National is postponed if you'd not heard, so you'll now get a deluge of fast riders!
umming and arrhing about doing this, enjoyed racing there before (brass monkeys) - any update on conditions? (just fancy riding my bike and perhaps destroying myself - not my bike!)
What about the field where the parking is...
Parking field had some damp bits but was fine a course of days ago.
GB
any pics of the course? is it like longmoor i.e. sandy and humpy?
It's best described as splashy... Firm under the puddles mainly. A couple of short squishy bits but it's all perfectly rideable. The less puddly sections dried out a lot in the couple of hours I was up there and it's sunny now. The wettest bits will be wet tomorrow and there are some massive splashy puddles but no slog and NO PUSHING!!!
The course is sandy and humpy, yes.
sandy, humpy AND splashy?! 😯 I'll be in heaven then 😀
(also some rooty?)
Yes, some rooty, some splashy, but all ok. And no walking unless you have weak legs, poor skills or just ''Are not quite tough enough"!
So who going..?
If you weren't there you really missed out! Sunshine, firm and drying trails, no pushing, nice swoopy buts... Fantastic race and the venue is just one huge sponge - the heavy rain from the previous days just disappeared.
Ah well, gave it a miss and did a 100mile road ride instead. Shame, but given it had rained for the entire week I didn't want to chance it. Hope those who entered had a blast!
It was awsome. On Ralphs and they were fine albeit at a pretty low pressure.
The course was a lot better than I expected, a bit muddy in places but all rideable if you had the legs for the climbs which unfortunately I didn't after the first couple of laps.
Seemed pretty quiet so I guess lots of people stayed away because of the recent weather.
that was haaaaard. but good work on the course guys. 8)
shame only really good riders turned up 😳
Thanks. Both sons and myself really enjoyed it. And to cap it all, I made the podium (alright - third among three in the 2hr singlespeed, despite only completing one of three laps due to a crank falling off 😳 ).
Son1 managed two laps, and Son2 finished the fun race.
Great event and the course drained nicely - there was some interesting bits in the mud mind - but it made it more exciting!
I'm thoroughly broken though - 6 hour solo - why on earth did i do it??
Thank you to all who turned up and raced to those who stayed away for fear of mud, you missed a good un! The Sun God was again good to us again!
Porridgepot is always kind when it's been raining, a dam good all weather course with plenty Singletrack, which you had a good mix of today with plenty missed out too.
It seems that it was enjoyable but tough for all!
Were You Tough Enough?
Cheers 🙂
Pants - well done on putting on the event and chapeau to the riders. Looks like you were blessed with a window in the weather as drizzle set in again this morning. Perhaps next time!
Were you all buzzed by the Vulcan and the Red Arrows. Sounds like the Vulcan took off again this morning (around 08:30) and that was from many miles away!
The Vulcan was flying afterwards, but the Red Arrows and the Typhoons were out there - I missed a turn off the fireroad because I was watching them! 😳
Great event, course help up well under the circumstances, shame the entries were down, but unsurprising I guess! Now I just need to do some more riding to get fit again!
I must go and try that area - its hard to find bits of Surrey that are holding up against this rain. Punchbowl is ok and the sandy areas arguably better. But most BWs are gloopy bogs and Pitch Hill almost a right off.
So as my first proper solo MTB event since 1997 I can safely say I [b]wasn't[/b] tough enough!
Tried to keep up with my mate on the first lap but gave up after 15 mins and instead tried to concentrate on not falling off too much (limited success) and not getting in too many people's way (fair to middling effort).
Wimped out on many of the climbs and also decided to have a chat with my photographist colleague Mr Swarbrick on my final lap.
Glad to have made the trip and it was a good eye opener for the importance of practising singletrack, plus riding your (MTB) bike on a regular basis; - two things I singularly lack!
Cheers to ACU et al 8)
P.S big props to the sado masochist on the rigid single speed. I was shot to bits on my CF hardtail with gears!
P.S big props to the sado masochist on the rigid single speed. I was shot to bits on my CF hardtail with gears!
There were several of those, notably Gee who not only won the 4-hour SS category, but also (comfortably) the normal 4-hour category too! Unfair!
No gears + no suspension + no big repair bills when it's muddy = WIN!
Gee - I didn't think I would say this before this summer (sic) but you have a point. Repair bills are doing my head in this year as is the sound of mud and sand in my cogs etc. Just glad I held off buying a new bike!
Gee
you clearly have a rubber skeleton and like riding too much, judging by your Strava feed 😆 8)
You went past me on the last steep firetrack road at a hell of a rate of nots - i don't think i could ride down it that quickly!!
Well done Gee - an epic result!
I felt almost tough enough for 2 laps, then there was a loud cracking noise from my bike - thought swingarm had snapped. Had actually picked up a slow puncture which didn't seal (sealant dried up - ooops) - and noise was a tyre burp which could be heard about 50 m away.........
struggled around a couple more laps pumping tyre up now and again, nearly put a tube in but didn't have a tool to get the collar off the tubeless valve. Not feeling tough at all at that point
no idea how the top guys maintain that sort of speed - 'specially the ones without gears
Well done to everyone that raced at the weekend, my team mates phil and rory got the top spot in the 6 hour, as well as dean and derek who took 3rd. Great ride from them all! PMR@cing is a name you should all be seeing a lot more of 😛
As others have said, hats off to Pants and the team for creating a great, rideable course in a summer worse than most winters.
Chapeau again to Gee for conclusively beating me in the 4hr singlespeed, although I don't think I was ever going to worry him too much.
Finally thanks to all the fellow riders who made the effort to enter and turn up and give the event a really good atmosphere. Hope the aches and pains aren't too bad today.
@All-On-Black 😀 Trophies are ordered and getting done!
@Straightliner, cheers, it's easy to sort out a route on PP Hill in the wet, It's a shame that peeps don't realise how good PP Hill is as an all weather course.
Agreed thanks to those who did turn up and make the day.