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1) As Simon said, a tent/gazebo might be too big, a blanket will probably do fine.
2) Prestige cycles will be there (no idea what stock they have)
3) I'd rather he rode his normal bike. Being beaten by someone on their sisters shopping bike would be too humiliating.
A few questions - Our first Big Dog...nervously excited
1) from the above I am reading that your car boot will be your pit "garage" in the pit lane? Is that correct? Do most people have an accompanying tent or picnic blanket? [b]Most have a blanket/gazebo etc near the pit area[/b]
2) Are there any trade guys there selling the usual things that I destroy in races (10 speed chains and 29er tyres!) [b]There has been in previous years[/b]
3) Can Richp be made to race on his sisters shopping bike? [b]He'll still be quicker than me [/b] 😐
Have a great day Mccraque, Big Dog is lots of fun and the weather gods are behaving themselves I hope.
EDIT: Wwaswas you beat me to it 😉
Cheers guys - I'll be wheezing my way around on a black on-one. Say Hi when you lap me!
Prestige Cycles will be there to fix stuff and they will carry limited spares but no Giant or Freedom Bikes this year so bike components will be limited. Contact Prestige now if you need them to bring anything for you to buy on the day.
Plenty of traders (Morvelo, Lazer, Marin, Apres Recovery Drinks, i-Ride, Privateer, Broken Riders, Mr Bamboo Man, Green Oil, Kinesis, Chickens, Exposure etc.) but no components as such - we did invite them but..
Food's gonna be good again - Sue's burgers 'n' things, Dinkycino coffee, Tea and home-made cakes in the marquee, Stone baked fresh Pizza, Hawaiian meats BBQ and Handlebar Juice (he cycles to pulp fruit, you drink).
Oh, some beer too (Dark Star), 3 separate masseurs and the Ride Journal DJ's (spinning and tag team racing). Bring enough water with you.
Over
I'm racing with McCraque on Saturday in a team of 3, I'll be on the black and gold Canyon full sus. He says he'll be wheezing but he's a fair bit quicker than me, then again so are most people. I don't care about that though, I may not win anything but I'll have a lot of fun in the process 😀
Massively looking forward to it.
Cheers - Chris
Did my final ride before Sat last night and was nearly sick (again).
Tyres: was thinking about a SB8/HR 2.0" combo if it stayed dry but any rain would see me in the bushes. Regularly. Plus I dont have time to change them so will still be on the ignitors. I haven't fallen in love with them but they are still OK
Bars: will be my 711's whch do fit through everything if I concentrate. Will put on a slightly longer stem though for a more aerodynamic position(!)
Cranks: Will tighten them properly after the NDS fell off AGAIN last night. Fortunately I saw it this time and didn't have to walk all the way back down the hill this time
This hill at the start doesnt sound great to be honest but if it is that bad I probably haven't ever tried to go up it. The Coldean stuff was OK on the SS backwards so if i have to walk the bit at the start it is not the end of the world as I walked up Badgers and the Coldean stuff last year.
The worst bit will be on the first lap waiting for all the xc mincers ponce down the first descent into the bombhole. No opportunity to pass. Might see if I can nip oout tomorrow as back from Hols. Not going this year so have fun. Hope the course isn't too xc compared to the old which rewarded a bit of skill. The climb will be fun. It's my commute route when I'm feeling energetic
Tim, I have some spare XT cranks if you want to borrow them for now? Planning to hit our usual spot there on Saturday morning, could bring them then.
Will put on a slightly longer stem though for a more aerodynamic position(!)
...this made me chuckle 😆
I'm sticking with my tried and tested combo of Spesh Purgatory 2.35 front and Maxxis Ikon 2.2 rear both around 28psi. The Spesh is a little portly but grips like sh!t on a stick. 700mm bars and 70mm stem, spd's for the climbs.
My only concern is the 1x10 set-up I'm running - 6hrs could be a challenge listening to reports of the hill climbs involved, although the thought of TimP on his singlespeed will keep me going 😉
Really looking forward to it now, it's warm and windy out there at the moment, it'll be perfect if the weather holds.
I'm probably going to stick with Geax Suguaro unless there's any significant rain otherwise it'll be 'the other' 29er with the grippy 'blimey they're heavy' tyres.
I am interested to see how your late season training camp in Crotia has improved your climbing Paceman
Rubena Kratos 2.25 front and rear for me.
Got them with the bike and actually really like them.
Had never heard of them before.
Something skinny on the back would be better.
1x10 for me.
TimP - Member
I am interested to see how your late season training camp in Croatia has improved your climbing Paceman
Will find out the extent of the damage this evening 😯
Hi All, anybody looking for a pair's ticket to this?
I'm ill and my mate is injured so doesn't look like we're going to be there.
Not looking to make a profit just get back what we paid which I think was £50 for the pair.
Let me know if you're interested. thanks.
For everyone else who are still going, have fun guys, weather looks like its clearing up so should be a good one.
my training has moved to the tapering phase
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Just came back from a nip around the course at race pace and thought it was bloomin' fantastic. I wasn't bowled over when we "toured" it on Tuesday but it really rides very differently when you're coming into each section flat out and hunting for oxygen 😉 Ground conditions are perfect - it really will be a blast on Saturday. That first climb is steep but it's very grippy atm - there's plenty enough grip to climb it standing up if you've got the legs.
Don't think it'll make too much difference if it rains tomorrow btw, it's been drying out pretty fast in there recently - it should be all loose and dusty after a couple of laps 😀
nice one.
not long now.
taper time I.e. eat what the fxxxxx you want for a,day.
craving custard badly
Rain started at 6.23 this morning. Still raining at 7 but off to london now
Yep, still raining in mid Sussex and not looking fantastic for today
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:00000.1.03876
Right , I'm off to dig the 'winter' bike out for this morning's commute.
bit damp up here in the Surrey Alps ... do I need to get the SS out for tomorrow after all?
8:48am (near Stanmer) - still drizzling but the rain seems to be fading now but quite a lot has fallen over the last 2hrs 😡
It'll be what it'll be now, still ok I think by tomorrow as Jimification said, it's forecast to be warm and windy today so should dry out again quickly, but I wouldn't go with full on race tyres personally.
We also checked out the course last night. It's certainly different to the last four years and will favour those who attack the hills, should be fun at race pace once the field has spread out. The fist big climb is a shock to the system but should make for a good spectator spot. Prepare to hurt if you're signed up solo.
Mattjg, mud-specific bike not really needed I'd say unless a load more rain arrives.
Maybe see some of you guys tomorrow, we'll be based next to a silver T5 van.
Paceman
According to the Beeb it will stop raining by midday and the sun will come out. No more rain forecast. Keep thinking positive weather thoughts!
Course conditions were excellent on Weds evening so i doubt a few hours of rain this morning will do much to change that. Plus the racing line will dry things out.
Really looking forward to it now, particularly the guys from the Ride Journal spinning great tunes on the wheels of steel.
I give up looking at weather forecasts.
Too busy craving custard darkcyan 😉
'Twas good to catch up over a beer last night after the ride, must do that again next week... and bring some lights this time.
Still debating whether to fit a front mech and granny ring or just take the pain on that climb.
yeah *** the weather
Dorking Cocks will be there in force, we look a bit like this -> . (The protocol is to shout "up the Cocks" each time you see a proudly displayed Cock top).
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Still debating whether to fit a front mech and granny ring or just take the pain on that climb.
Take the pain, some people are doing it SS FFS.
It has now stopped raining here in Brighton, so with any luck the course will dry out by tomorrow. It was running absolutely spot on when I last rode it on Wednesday, just hope that the Cliff Bar cliff and Coldean climbs dry out as they are hard enough in the dry.
Take the pain, some people are doing it SS FFS.
And I take my hat off to them, but that's their choice to take the pain 😀
i think the rain's a good thing, if the course goes all greasy it will tip the advantage to those riders with awsums technical skills, so while the fast dirt roadies might be able to blast the climb[s]s[/s], proper mountainbikers will be able to roost past them as they mince on the slippery singletrack
i look forward to seeing some different faces on the podium
still raining in [s]sunny[/s] Hove.
Brushing up my roosting skills.
Pain is temporary Paceman, but the shame of a front mech is forever.
(I may though put a smaller ring on the front ...).
Should be a good one I hope,Im running single ring and Have no spares!
Im just taking ralphs and rons! I wont be able to wear my pink kit if its wet so I hope it dries out!
See you all there,Look out for the plonker on the Big green FF29 in Morvelo or Kinesis Morvelo Project kit!
I'm sticking with my Maxxis Ikons summer tyres. Death or glory! (Gulp)
Pain is temporary Paceman, but the shame of a front mech is forever.
Sticking with the single ring and the usual tyres.
Longer stem installed last night and put the dry tyres in a bucket to bring with me. Will take them out when I get home.
On the plus side I don't need to water the garden tonight so I can just get on with eating pasta.
Also, anyone want to give me a lift from Hove? I lost out in the family car lottery this week
I've got a race king on my bike at the moment. And no spares. Keeping an eye on the weather until lunch. Could be a frantic dash to Evans Gatwick.....
TimP - I'm in Hove, mail me (in profile) we can probably sort something out.
wwaswas message sent thanks
It’s no Big-Dog.. (In reference to any other UK sporting event)
Tyres - 60psi, check
Big ring – (“the only ring” – Dave Hemming)
Lycra – sized down for a race fit, the others were dragging.
Gels – 1 every 6 minutes (strategy – Frazer Clifford )
“The big-dog isn’t won in the park, it’s won in the fortune of war” – Ian Leitch.
“Cycling is real” – Rory Hitchens
See you boys on the podium! - Jono
Pivot-Boompods-Racing
@pivotboomracing
Racing Ralph and Rocket Rons - check
1x10 gearing with a 34t - check
Training and preparation - ooops.
BARK LESS WAG MORE 😀
Rode the new bits last night, Coledeane in reverse wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, but it's a joyless slog instead of a fun descent, isn't cycling meant to be fun ? Also lots of new lines cut in the Coledean woods to make it easier, I hope these don't spoil the trail permanently. Piss poor course overall.
Hmmm - don't hold back FRC 😉
It's certainly different though!
The big-dog isn’t won in the park, it’s won in [s]the fortune of war[/s] OhSo.
#cycling is real
FRC - I think the coldean climb just replaces Badgers really and although both options are grim, it is an XC race so whilst it is supposed to be fun it is also supposed to hurt a bit too. You have got to find yourself in the pain cave at least once a lap otherwise you are not racing!
The Coldean climb is a good substitute for Badgers although its a much more fun as a downhill. The chalky climb at the start is unnecessary and will put off those riders doing it for fun. I much preferred the old course which felt more like a loop and flowed better in my opinion.
Oh well, we will see tomorrow, I'm sure it'll be fun nonetheless.
The sun's been out in Brighton since lunchtime 😀
TimP - you are gonna suffer on your single speed contraption. Shame I will be too far ahead to see it 😉
Almost worth hanging onto your (small)wheel for the first lap. In fact I think I will.
Try and get the cranks to stay on though will you!
Almost worth hanging onto your (small)wheel for the first lap. In fact I think I will.
I'm in. Convoy!
Try and get the cranks to stay on though will you!
It's rare to meet someone (walking) in the other direction asking "have you seen my crank?".
Especially 15 minutes after one has commented "your bike's right creaky"!