Forum menu
The route is quite different to previous years!
hmmm - just showed a small group round the old course.
assume most of the elements are similar just re-worked with a few add ons.
anyone want to show me the new course thursday night at 7.00.
Mattig - we didn't cover that one off. sounds like the course has been reworked more than i thought.
no biggie, it's just a hill, what could possibly go wrong?
You are not the man I thought you were...
I frequently find that myself.
this years route according to Strava;
[url= http://app.strava.com/segments/4680449 ]http://app.strava.com/segments/4680449[/url]
That chalky climb is going to be a real pain even if it's dry.
Being both pragmatic and unfit I suspect I'll be walking some if not all of it if it's wet and also some if not all of it if it's dry. Glad I've decided to do it on a lightish bike with a triple chainset, they're so much easier to push.
Rode bits of the course yesterday on Geax Suagaro's (sp?) and it was fine. Been a shower this morning but if the week stays dry it'll all be fine - even the perma puddles were dry.
I'm entering solo, I'll be the wheezing mess on a green on-one Scandal 29er.
I think I can run up that climb quicker than I can ride it! Not convinced about the new route, seems to miss out a lot of the good descents and has some downhill fireroad bits from my quick Strava check. Riding it tomorrow night so will see how it is...
has some downhill fireroad bits from my quick Strava check.
booooooo
what do we not want? [b]downhill fire road[/b]
when do we not want it? [b]not never[/b]
mind you there is one of our number that relishes the up and over the top and down fireroad bit at CYB
why do I get so nervous about races?
It's only monday and I need a nervous poo.
Descents on fire roads?? Don't like the sound of that personally and that climb at the start will be tough. I've only ever gone down it very quickly.
Best to reserve judgement until race day. Perhaps arrive early to get a lap in so you know what to expect. The organisers know their stuff so I'm sure it will be a good course.
Best to reserve judgement until race day. Perhaps arrive early to get a lap in so you know what to expect. The organisers know their stuff so I'm sure it will be a good course.
Double post. Damn phone!
yeah no way they will change it for the worse. nervous too.
just got a sore throat today. bang on schedule.
Proper course map just published on news page of Big Dog website.
That climb at the start will make the first lap horrendous, it's one you'd never knowingly choose to ride up, I can see some major hold ups there 😡
Hoping to get out for a ride round Stanmer on Thursday evening, other than that I've not been on the bike for two weeks.
...wishing I'd not entered 6hr solo
...wishing I'd not removed the granny ring
Oh well, bring it on. I'm sure the course will still be good, those guys know what they're doing.
...and it looks like there's no climb up Badgers this year 🙂
Paceman x
Ok so this new brutal start climb - bad enough that SS is no hinderance because a lot of the gearies will be pushing too?
mattig. thats about right. its a chain breaker.
paceman. see you thursday. big dog reccy or brighton mtb?
Lovely sunshine darn souf! 🙂
Think the weather gods are on our side this time round.
Not sure about the course director though thinking about that new climb near the start.
No badgers though - that's a shocker.
It mentions a drop about half way in on the new course - anyone been down it?
Like the look of those T-shirts.
It mentions a drop about half way in on the new course - anyone been down it?
It's in the vicinity of the rooty drop down onto the fireroad, which you reach via the chalky gap and off-camber trail just down from the middle car park.
Sounds like the Stanmer Wall drop Darkcyan 😈
See you Thursday, can't wait to get back on the pedals after two week hiatus.
Was a bit sketchy last night over wet roots, fun none the less.
On 29er Nobby Nic front and Ignitor rear.
Fingers crossed it'll dry out over the next four days.
Everyone
We've been out and cleared a couple of new bits to avoid the 'fall-line' descent which is an annual accident black spot, the rest of the route uses existing trails, just linked in a new way. For the new trail there are two options, high and low, and as you'd expect both are tricky, its a mtb event after all. This years route doesn't go north of the tarmac road that runs from Upper Lodges to Stanmer Village and does not include the 'Badgers' climb. However, it does have some serious climbing in the first 1/3. I've cleared 99% of all the trails on both sides of Stanmer and personally I find this years route a killer.
Bar width and tyre choice.....high rollers and 720mm here, if you look at it you will hit it!
Weather looks great.
Enjoy the day.
Alex & Nick
Also, cleared a long and lovely flowing new bit of ST which was going to be included but it includes a couple of very tight technical bits, (a couple of very steep bits and some scary off camber hairpins) so it was vetoed. This section will become a future classic for locals, until the Starva numpties sanitise it!
See you there.
Cheers
Also, cleared a long and lovely flowing new bit of ST which was going to be included but it includes a couple of very tight technical bits, (a couple of very steep bits and some scary off camber hairpins) so it was vetoed. This section will become a future classic for locals, until the Starva numpties sanitise it!
Whereabouts is this section, it sounds great?
Thanks in advance for all your hard work, it should be a great day as always,
Paceman
I should stop reading about this event.
I get more nervous every time I think about it.
Had a quick look at the new killer climb in the first third. If you dont know its the vertical chalk wall going into the sky.
Its a bit damp, very steep (unclassified in road parlance)with a f******* great big rut in the middle.
First attempt failed about one third up, second cleared it just sitting on the nose of my saddle and peddling like a clown. It will be a classic for the spectators and the pub afterwards but not sure i would classify if as fun to ride. Never thought i would miss badgers climb but this is worse.
As paceman commented no one ever does this climb in a normal stanmer ride.
you never know it may become a classic.
Nice and sunny - should be dry for saturday.
If you stand up in today's conditions it will spin out, may change as it drys out
It tickles me that the course has been changed to use the climb that our local host didn't bother to show us because, obviously, nobody would run a race up that!
(It's cool Nick, 's funny is all).
Maybe we need pics!
was annoyed i didnt have my phone.
if anyone is riding it tale a pic and post.
Mike you must show me the new trail that's been cut from Big Dog. Very curious.
I'll be riding it in about an hour's time - well I say riding, I'll probably be on foot!
Mike where is the fall line descent - the stanmer wall (steep sharp descent after chalky gap) wasnt in it last year so not sure which bit you mean. is it the bit down to the bottom of badgers?
I'm sure there wasn't a solo male vet category when I entered so I'm up against all the youngsters in the 18+ group. I'll know I'm the wrong side of 45 though 🙂
chief, let me know how you get on.
on second thought, not pics, a vid of that climb and the key course features please. with commentary.
[i]a vid of that climb[/i]
best not, you'd probably stay at home 🙁
it's just a hill, how bad can it be?
.
.
.
.
.
.
oh
it'll be fine, there's longer/steeper hills out there.
will try and get a vid for your viewing. not sure how to post it though.
have struggled with pics on here in the past. may have to recruit paceman!
shoud be on friday all being well.
Just think 10 foot wide chalky / clay cliff with trees each side with vertical rut in the middle and a few roots thrown in (it is stanmer!), guessing 30-35 meters before it flattens (relatively speaking)out.
legs felt like jelly for most of the ride home!
wwaswas - im like you, flying the flag for the over 45's.
are you in brightonmtb?
nb am putting a new chain on as it was making alarming sounds on my test run up the cliff!
suggest you do the same if you have any concerns about your chain or too many magic links!
will try and get a vid for your viewing. not sure how to post it though.
youtube it then click the 'Video' button here and paste in the URL.
If no joy then email me the youtube link and I'll do it.
(45 ... it's but a distant memory...)
ok will have something up here soon, hopefully of someone going up for comedy value.
would love to see the top guys flying up there as im sure they will.
darkycan - I'm an occasional 'join in half way through on a Thursday' participant. Tend to have a chat with Ronnie and loiter at the back 🙂
ok me too. will say hello. probably know you already.
Well that was er different wasn't it! Just ridden the course and the impression I'm left with is; lots more ups, less singletrack - much less singletrack, and bizarrely fire road descents. That's what I've come away with, I'm sure it will suit some folk but personally I'm quite glad I'm a spectator this year.
Best of luck everyone, it's always a good vibe and they serve beer 🙂
and bizarrely fire road descents
Seems odd to me too.