[Closed] Bristol Bike Fest Oktoberfest. Roll call.

I may do but I will enter on the day if available ...ss 8hrs as well prob ....but due to doing the run rider the next day ......I may just do 4 hrs

Yep, part of Team Hommestrong, a group of very elitist athletes gunning for mid-table obscurity!

Hope the weather is kind 🙂

Yes, I'm in a pair doing the 8 hour event.

The guys and girls from Loco Racing will be there, however I won't be coming as we have a baby due very soon so need to be local.

Will actually be racing in pairs at Bikefest next year though 😯

I think I'm doing the 8hr 'normal' solo. Depends how I recover from D2D.

GB

Yarp, I'll be down, riding in a pair.

yep im doing the afternoon 4hr solo......

8 Hour team of 4, Charlie the Bikemonger and the Fat 3.............

I'm in for 8 hours as a pair. First bike race, getting nervous now! Haven't had any joining instructions, is that normal?

Yes, in a pair: Team Emptybeers.

Not doing the jump at the end though 😳

Thebunk, I'm not sure what you mean by joining instructions, but as long as your name's on the entry list, don't worry about it. There will be a rider briefing before the start.

I Was half tempted to do singlespeed 8hr again, but luckily (unluckily) i have a stag do to attend and a week after D2D is too soon to repair....MT graham FTW 🙂

Not doing the jump at the end though

There's jumps? I'm out then.

In as an old gits pair. Probably the most under prepared I have ever been (Not that i am ever 'well' prepared). But should be fun anyway

Wonder if they are doing anything with those big heaps of 'soil' on the dirt track climb before the final descent.

David B - one optional wooden ramp at the end. Wheels on the ground all the way round if you so desire.

I'll be there with the other half of "100% British BFe" in the 8 hour race, we're riding um, well, BFes.... 🙂 I was up there on Saturday morning and it was ok, a bit wet in places but it still seems to drain really well. I'll ride up there one evening and see if those mounds of dirt are there, thats going to make that climb interesting for sure...

Mounds still there.........

im in 8h solo will be bimbling near the back of every pack untill they decide to drop me 😆

Hello! I found some friends this time! Sorry to say I won't be soloing this time… Cyclist No.1 and Velocite bikes have teamed up for a mixed team of four in the 8 hour.

Course is looking alright, with it mostly dry Friday and throughout the race according to the forecast, it should be running quite nicely most of the way round.

[b]The Bad[/b]
The campsite will be a little bit of a slog, the birdleway at the bottom is a bit 'icky' but it's solid rock underneath so it won't turn into a bog fest and runs quite quickly, so it's just splashy. Otherwise you've just got the bottom of the Barn Wood climb (pic below) and the short field section before the climb back up to the arena that are a bit mucky. Otherwise it's all well drained stoney singletrack or solid fireroad.

As always, don't bring mud tyres, you don't need them. It's fast rolling and singletrack traffic will negate any benefit from running big, tacky trail tyres too. Just bring something made of rubber, whatever you've got fitted will do.

[b]The Good[/b]
Rode up there tonight, it's mostly fine and even if it rains on the day, it'll be fine. Best all weather course in the country! The stoney singletrack can be a bit slick to the uninitiated, so take your first lap steady if it is wet. But otherwise, my bike was just a bit splashed with spray and remarkably clean considering it was pissing down tonight while I was up there.

[img] [/img]
If it is wet, this will claim some victims. It's not hard but under racing conditions, someone will bin it hard down here. I think one guy managed it quite badly in the dry this summer so you've been warned! Running wide offline in the mud isn't easier and more likely to cause crashes, so tackle the rocks head on!

[img] [/img]
This was about 5:45pm, if we have a grim day it really could be a case of lights on for the last lap!

[img] [/img]
There's lots of this. Bit greasy when wet but fast and reasonably clean. It's gentle on brake pads too it would seem.

[img] [/img]
This is probably the worst bit of the course right now. Looks worse than it is, the ground is again very stoney underneath so once you reach the bend up the hill in my shot, it's cobbly stone rather than mud.

Should be good, fingers crossed for the weather!

Evening Gary.

Bunged up with the evil man cold, so desperately trying to rid myself of it before Saturday.

That said, I haven't touched a bike since last week after CyB enduro, Llandegla and Cannock, so should be fairly fresh ready for a serious outing for Team Hommestrong.

Just debating whether to use the Zesty or the Soul...

Hello boss! How'd you get on in Coed-y-brenin?

If you're team, I'd say Soul I reckon!

I'm fighting the lurgy right now, I'm actually in a pretty decent team so going to be proper annoyed if I get sick!

CyB was an awakening to just how much I have to go before I'm able to call myself truly fit.

93rd out of 266, and 5,33hrs - but this included a few hours in a dark place, a bit of pushing, a sit at the side of the trail to eat my flapjack and a lot of swearing at the course designers...

I'll stick to smashing out the short stuff around AC/LW 😉

We doing to beer thing every lap? Isn't that the done thing?

Full 60km I might add too.

>dead<

Depends how our race is going on the beer front I guess 😀

Good effort, I heard it was hard work!

And I know that area well now, looks like you did some of the WC2C route judging by the pics!

Thanks Gary, it's good to have an update from a local.

MT graham FTW

Yeah, yeah.

I'm going.

Racing in Steve Peats team.

You know, as you do.

I'll be there. currently solo geared, but may end up SS. may also end up in a pair too.

we'll see...

Might be tempted to go SS...

GB

I'll be there in the Singular team. Should be fun... will probably hurt.

As a first time racer, how does this work then?

Are team racers hammering the course as fast as they would on a one/two lap after work ride, or pacing themselves? If I'm slow then do I get elbowed off into the bushes? Do I do the same to people slower than me? 😕

What happens at the start? When does the beer tent open?

Edukate me!

I've now been selected for Martyn Ashton team... gonna (try) to kick Steve peat-shirts team into the dirt, sorry Neil....

Are team racers hammering the course as fast as they would on a one/two lap after work ride

The top 3rd probably are.

If I'm slow then do I get elbowed off into the bushes?

Probably not, it does happen still but Bristol's gotten much cleaner in terms of people knowing it's a sningletrack heavy course and traffic is something that affects everyone, so deal with it. Most will call which side and usually in a reasonably appropriate place. It also settles after about 4 laps. Oktoberfest has far fewer riders on course compared to BikeFest which helps.

Do I do the same to people slower than me?

Act as you wish to be treated ta 🙂

What happens at the start?

Le Mans style start, run like a bastard, expect a bottle neck if you're slow…

Edukate me!

You're welcome, see you there!

>showdownwithmonkeyboyjcsgayboytrialsteam<

showdownwithmonkeyboyjcsgayboytrialsteam

You know there are hills at Ashton court as well as downs...

True dat.

Only counts on Strava though.

>mustremembertogetStevetotakemyGPSinhisbag<

probably a stupid question, but i assume there will be readily available water there?

looks like i'm doing it solo unsupported.

no there isn't water, or there wasn't last year

really?!?! bollocks.

so i'm gonna have to lug all my drinks for the day from bedminster, up that bugger of a hill on my bike! (no car 🙁 )

In the briefing it does say [url= http://www.bike-fest.com/oktoberfest/briefing.php ]Drinking water and toilets with hot washbasins are located in the event village.[/url] 😉

I'm in and racing pairs with a mate who's never raced off-road before. He's horribly fit though so apart from stacking it on the rocks I think he should be fine...

oops 😳

if it helps anyone not local, we had close to an inch of rain in Bristol today, more expected overnight but its supposed to be dry tomorrow and saturday...

There was water last year. One of those tanker jobbies. Plus the tap on the side of the cafe is actually working..........at last

The tap on the side of the cafe is turned off outside of opening hours, apparently some hilarious types were leaving it running all night.

Look for the big blue tanker in the event field.

Racing as a pair here. Hope they bring back the finish jump so I can do my trademark "safety pencil". 🙂