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Shame. I'm not gonna go. Hate Checkendon and its miles away. Well done to Pants and team for finding a new venue at such short notice though.
Would u rather it postponed until Feb
I definitely would.
Better to have something than not, can't please everyone!
Totally agree - and I think what you've done is the best bet!
I'm not sure if I can face riding Checkendon for 4 hours it'll be absolutely mind numbing, especially on a singlespeed!
Will we be able to get a refund if we've pre-entered?
Well, it's a bit of a trek now....but I've entered! (2hr vets - that's enough!)
What's Checkendon like to ride then? Bit closer to me so I'm not complaining yet 🙂
When I used to do events fairly regularly, it was very mixed. I quite liked it in the dry, but in the wet, Chiltern clay and fallen leaves weren't my favourite combo, and cost me a rear mech at least once.
But I'm tempted to say that gorrick / brass monkeys have done a great job in finding a venue; and indeed in continuing to promote local events so well and consistently, that for riders to pull out and ask for refunds if they're concerned the venue might not be 'the best' would be a shame. Consider it payback for the many fab races and venues they have and do use.
And I'm aware that sounds hypocritical and probably is given my eventing days are now largely gone.......
Mentioned this elsewhere...
"been told that we cannot now use any military land at all for Merida Brass Monkeys Round 1 this coming weekend"
*any*? !
I've never seen a Sunday so busy that all the MOD land around this way is in use all at the same time.
I'm smelling something fishy as previous cancellation at Frith apparently turned out there were no ops going on that day.
What's Checkendon like to ride then
Flat with woody, twisty singletrack, and flat out straights. A bit slippy in the wet. It's a real power course with no descents to recover on. Just hammer the straights then be efficient through the tight stuff. I find it fun, but hard as I prefer climbing, but i'll treat this as a good 4hrs working on my weaknesses. I'm entered, have the time sorted, so I'd race anywhere really 🙂
+1 to theotherjonv too and our support of a decent local race scene.
Nothing fishy about it at all! It's all to do with SSSI and SPA areas along with what is and what is not available at the time. It's just not that simple.
On a positive note, that's halved the travel time for me. Shame the course does not sound quite as good but would rather the event went ahead.
pants - Member
Nothing fishy about it at all! It's all to do with SSSI and SPA areas along with what is and what is not available at the time. It's just not that simple.
Ah, thanks for the explanation. Not that I understand the complexity of it.
And +1 for sorting out an alternative 🙂
Some day I'll actually come along! 😀 . This one is a bit far for me.
First race for me since the 90s...! Is the consensus for the new venue still hardtail (26) over full sus (29)? Really appreciate thoughts!
So are you racing or what GazHurst?
Beggars can't be choosers and unless you have enough land for an MTB venue that you would like to volunteer for future events we should all be grateful that this venue has been made available at such short notice! 😆
Seriously though, I know I'm spoilt by the riding in my doorstep and truth be told I would prefer something nice and hilly that I can peddle to from my front door, BUT I cannot thank Gorrick and Steve Jones enough for sorting this out so that I still get my race at the weekend - it might even be fun you know!!
So are you racing or what GazHurst?
Well I suppose i'll have to now you've piped up won't I 😯 How could I possibly face the ribbing I'd get if I didn't 😉
Is the consensus for the new venue still hardtail (26) over full sus (29)?
Whatever in your opinion covers the ground quickest for the race duration, bearing in mind tight woody/ rooty singletrack, then quick straights, some in the woods, and some bumpy edge of field.
If your full sus a nice light short travel one, then maybe that. If it's a big gnar-monster, then the hardtail.
r1chardh - I got your text last night...I'll text you later when I got out of work
Based on prior experience - whatever one has best mud clearance and you have skinny mud tyres for 😉
I'm smelling something fishy as previous cancellation at Frith apparently turned out there were no ops going on that day.
Covert ops, Snipers, that kind of thing maybe?
Thanks for the tips.
Well I suppose i'll have to now you've piped up won't I How could I possibly face the ribbing I'd get if I didn'tHa ha - bingo!!! 😉
Well I suppose i'll have to now you've piped up won't I How could I possibly face the ribbing I'd get if I didn'tHa ha - bingo!!!
Are you doing 2 or 4? Im going to follow you around all the way 😆
Are you doing 2 or 4? Im going to follow you around all the way
What is this 2hr you speak of, is there a kids race??? 
What is this 2hr you speak of, is there a kids race???
Arghhhhhhhhh
Got nervous and ordered some Ron's to replace the Ralph's for the weekend. Should I have gone for the Beavers? Been pretty much ok on Ralphs for local trails so far this Autumn, and not too far from Checkendon.
Forecast looks pretty good for the weekend too.
Racing Ralphs or Rocket Rons are fine round Checkendon. What might be worth thinking about though is running Snakeskin sidewall versions if you have them - many racers efforts have been dashed round there as the Chiltern flints are razor sharp and pretty much throughout the woodland singletrack sections.
Ah yes, good point - slashed a saguaro there last year.
I'm racing in the 4 hour ss category. Bordon was a bit far but now Checkendon? Noone told me of the change of venue. If I don't find this thread I might have got to Bordon me and my mate.
Full gas for me!! (cause everyone seems to be sick or untrained :p)
Ah yes, good point - slashed a saguaro there last year.
I'm screwed then.....
Unless.... Nah, screwed...
DrP
Forecast looks pretty good for the weekend too.
Was that only two days ago? 😕
So I'm guessing it's a bit of a swamp now?
Checkendon is 5 miles from me but I'd pulled out due to my heart murmour which has now cleared up. [u]If anyone has an entry I could use I might be interested![/u]
Regarding tyres and what the course is like - rooty and slippery. Robert Jackson who generally wins or podiums Grand Vets suggests Nobby Nic front at least and to straight line the corners as much as possible.
Any of the gorrick lot reading this...? I didn't realise there was a single speed category! Numpty... Can I switch my entry to that tomorrow at all??
DrP
Don't fret too much about tyres, over a 4hr race your legs are going to determine everything. Just run as low a pressure as you dare, that way your ride will be nice, soft and grippy. I used Ralphs for a whole winter as an experiment and they were just fine. Currently spend most of my time hurtling into corners on skinny cx tyres at 23-25psi; plenty of grip to be had on them too.
It's all about the legs.
My biggest tip is to do a little spin on the turbo tonight, stopping every 10 mins or so to have a proper stretch. Scrambled eggs on toast at silly o'clock in the morning then off to have fun in the mud.
Enjoy yourselves. I'll be doing a much more sensible 45 min race, but at my usual av heart rate of 182bpm it will still be brutal.
My biggest tip is to do a little spin on the turbo tonight, stopping every 10 mins or so to have a proper stretch. Scrambled eggs on toast at silly o'clock in the morning then off to have fun in the mud.
Puts down strongbow... Stares disappointingly at the co-co pops... carries on watching TV..
DrP
That works equally well Dr P 😉
Grim old morning. Almost didn't make it into the car park the ground is so muddy. Should be fun trying to get back out!
Good luck all you will love it once you get going. I raced the whole series last season, hoping to get to the next one should I get a pass.
That was hideous, some proper slippy slop out there. Glad I'm not doing the 4hr. Got 5th in 2hr vets I think, pretty pleased with that for my first XC race.
I enjoyed the course apart from the really thick sticky mud in one area that felt like riding through concrete 😯
Well done for getting rearranged at shirt notice, roll on round 2 🙂
Hard. 3.5hrs of good racing on a single speed friendly course, then 30mins of blurred vision and nausea watching all those I'd passed come by me. No idea what happened but I think I'm done with carb drinks.
Course was good but why were there motorbikes going round?
Well done on getting a race together at short notice. One thought, wouldn't it be better having the shorter races start after the 4hr so everyone finishes at the same time and creates a bit more atmosphere at the finish?
Must say, I was expecting worse! Just kept my head down and legs spinning. I've never removed so much mud from the bike after a race though - incredible. Amazed anything was still turning! Glad I went, well organised friendly as normal, but not sure if I'd return in a hurry. It was OK as an emergency, last minute replacement, and appreciate the effort put in by the organisers, but probably wouldn't chose to race there.
For such a flat course I found that pretty hard going TBH. Mud, field edges, mud, slippin' and slidin'....
I even crashed out on the grass under the timelaps arch, FFS!!
Must.
Get.
Fitter...
DrP
As a first race in a long time I enjoyed it, but the course was brutal! No respite anywhere, and by the last lap, pushing through the gloop - I'm glad I didn't have another 2 hours to do! Managed 4 laps in the 2 hours. Can't see results anywhere, so if anyone finds a link I'd appreciate it (I have looked at http://meridabrassmonkeys.com/?page_id=90 ).
Took the hardtail in the end (much better mud clearance) and was pleased I went with flat pedals at the last minute - had a few sudden foot down moments that I'm not sure I'd have survived if clipped in.
Well done and thanks to the organisers for finding the venue, and for putting in a couple of 'easy' diversions around the couple of technical bits - meaning they were clear to attack rather than clogged with people who had stalled / chosen to walk. Have signed up for the other two rounds!