Dirty Nocka (Cannock Chase)

Take a few spare brake pads, the soil is very sandy and abrasive and add some water you'll be through a set of pads quickly

Thanks, as bad as Kielder?

Trails are just xc so nothing tricky but it was really muddy, wet and sloppy today so you will want some mud tyres and spare brake pads if it stays wet this week a d there's lots of standing water.

if it stays wet this week

The local forecast is not especially dry, showers most days

Im doing the 6h pairs.

Dont currently have a MTB so will be doing it on a gravel bike!

Currently looking at mud gravel tyres!

Jonba, don't do the mistake i did and look on the OS map and think there isn't much climbing. Yes there isn't a massive altitude gain and there are no long climbs like you will be use to up at kielder. But there are lots of very short ups and downs, some steep in places. It felt hard from the constant changes in elevation, couldn't really settle into a nice rhythm.

I did it last year and I'll be there again this year.

I've only ridden there once, and it was dry, so can't say what it's like in the wet.

Thanks, as bad as Kielder?

Absolutely no where near IMHO, unless you're on your brakes constantly or you've got shit pads I'd say one decent set will last the race, I've certainly never had cause to change pads, didn't at Kielder this year, in fact never had in a solo 6, 10, 12 or 24hr race before.

I'll be there, I've done the last 2 editions one was a bit damp, one was dry. The worst thing about Cannock is the icy pebbles of death that make up some of the trails, perfectly shiny non-grippy stones, figure them out and you'll be fine. It's based around the Takeroo campsite so avoids pretty much all of the man made trail sections, it might be muddy, it will be slippy and it will be hard work.

A typical lap in the XCO races they run there is just shy of 5k and 50-60m of elevation, last yeah the Nocks lap was 8.4km with 81m of elevation gain, no long climbs, but they can feel like a slog when repeating them, I reckon it would make a great 24hr course - if the forestry would let them have it - the trails are mainly good under wheel, with a bit of potentially muddy stuff.

Tyre wise I'm on a Conti Cross King up front and a Race King out back, they worked perfectly well in the slop 'fest that was Sherwood pines at the weekend so they'll do for Cannock.

Sounds like 2x Barzo would work then. I may leave my now single Front Mavic and it’s ForeKaster in the feed zone just in case.

Definitely (definitely) need mud tyres - everything at Cannock is as slick/greasy as it gets.

The top layer of mud/grass/dirt was just sliding off due to the combination of hard sub-ground and all the snow melt/rain at the weekend. Front wheel skids for days.

With rain forecast for most of the week, I'd probably sling the wetsuit in the car, too.

So I only have choice of Maxxis Aspen or Schwalbe Ray/Ralph. Neither sound ideal choice for this coming weekend 🤔

What is good in terms of xc race mud tyres?

Maxxis Forekaster

I'm doing it for the first time. 3hr Solo.

Will be using Forekasters.

Anyone know if there's showers there?

Last year there was no showers, portaloo's were the only facilities on site.

I've currently got a mezcal on the back. Maybe I'll change it to a Barzo to match the front.

Slick and slippery is fine, claggy and sticky is more a concern and may be better on a hardtail.

I find Ralph's ok in the mud. Ray is similar to the Barzo. But my main discipline these days is cross and the concept of grip is relative. I get by on intermediates for 90% of the season. I rode a 2.35 Ralph on my enduro bike briefly in the mud. It was better than I expected.*

I've raced all over. I prefer the simplicity of big climb, big descent but don't underestimate rolling courses. In many ways harder as its short bursts not controlled efforts. Anything for 6 hours is tough.

*I expected to die 😂

I’m sitting near the NEC right now watching the Snow come down and thinking I don’t know if a 5hr return journey from London for a mud bath feels very appealing….

Had a quick pootle up there - a bunch of yellow course markers have appeared. Assume they are to do with this event, but stand to be corrected.

Didn’t have time to follow them over to the campsite side of the road, but the entire course on the other side is fire road. It’s wet, bumpy, gravelly, rutted fire road in places, but it’s quick going.

Would have been much more fun on a light XC bike with speedy tires than my loam-friendly lump.

I’m going to DNS. A 5hr round trip doesn’t fill me with joy, so I’m swapping for a long Zwift race today and a lengthy MTB ride tomorrow. I should have stayed local in hindsight but glad my entry fee supports a race for other riders.

Good luck everyone, have a great race!

That was a great race. Very muddy but a great course and lovely weather.

Realised I need some better glasses to stop the mud getting behind them.

Anyone know who the official photographers were?

They are here. YOu can search for bib number as well

https://mickhallphotos.photohawk.com/galleries/dirty-nocka-mtb

Well I DNF'd not due to lack of brake pads, but lack of jockey wheels! I didn't realise how worn they were before I started and after 5 laps the chain was starting to hang up and make some horrendous noises, oh well, new ones on the way.

It was a tough day out!

Started near the back of the grid which was a big mistake. I was the one running through the undergrowth on lap 1 to get round people.

Bike held up ok. Took a bit of a beating but the wear wasn't that bad at all, certainly nothing to be worried about. How did everyone get on. I managed 7th in the 6hr solo so pretty happy with that. On to the DR next. Fingers crossed for a dry day!

Not looked at the results yet but managed 4 laps in the 3hr solo. Started right at the back tooand first time there. Happy with that and the Whippet did well. Could have done with some sus forks on the last lap though. So many roots appearing.