We've been riding in Kielder the last few days, the course is well marked and does give you the option to choose distances as you come back into the north end of the water - 65, 130 or 200.
Reckon that's going to be a tough choice!
Had hoped to at least pack the car in the dry and kid myself that the weekend could be OK but its puring down in Brum. I'm motivating myself with the thought that the cold and wet will impede all the 10st skinnies and my more robust frame will be better suited.
After changing my mind about 20 times overnight I have opted for a hard tail XC machine.
Rationale….the route is back loaded with hills so having very easy gears might not be a bad thing.
As it’s wet, any extra grip will likely be welcome and if it’s a bit greasy on the downs after 100km it could be really hard work if I am having to really carefully pick lines down the fast descents.
I will have moments tomorrow where I will wish I had drops to got down on when the wind is blowing but I also doubt I will complain about being too comfortable at the end of the day!
Currently navigating from Surrey across to King’s Cross to jump on the train.
Had hoped to at least pack the car in the dry and kid myself that the weekend could be OK but its puring down in Brum
Dry from Manchester north at the moment according to my rain radar app. I'm on a work call, my colleagues (all further south/east than me) have said that it's raining. I told them about the nice blue skies up at mine. 🙂
Bloody windy though!
We’re on the M1 at the minute 🚐 💨
Bike choice vid:
I'd much rather spend all day on that too 🙂
How many dogs? 🙂
Anyway, looks a good choice. The only thing I would add would be a marsh-guard type mud guard or one of those neoprene ones to keep the spray off your face. Have a good ride.
On M1 too - just met another fellow rider (and seen a fair few cars with bikes mounted up).
We’re in a Black Disco with 3 bikes on the back and tent box on the roof. Give us a wave if you pass us! 😁
We’re in this bad boy. Stuck in a queue at the min 🚐 🚐 🚗 🚛
Damn, managed to get to King’s Cross and all trains to Newcastle have been cancelled until at least 4pm. After waiting for a couple of hours have been sent to Doncaster to change so hope to still make it but was very close to going home!
Standing room only so not the restful day I had hoped for!
Just been a preview of the event of Look North (NE & Cumbria edition).
Chris Boardman will be there. Have a good one all.
Will see if it appears on iPlayer later and post a link.
Preview about 16 1/2 minutes into Look North.
Hopefully iPlayer link works:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001l6wt/look-north-north-east-and-cumbria-evening-news-21042023
Good luck to you all. My mum messaged me this morning about this, hadn't heard of it before so I suspect she'd watched the Look North piece.
Echoing others, Kielder is a lovely place but the one time I've been on a bike, I'll quote my mate "I'd have been drier if I'd gone in the bath". Looking through the FAQs, taking a mobile phone is a good idea, if not a tad optimistic, there's not much in the way of signal.
Hope everything goes well
https://www.rootsandrain.com/event11795/2023-apr-22-dirty-reiver-dirty-reiver-kielder-forest/photos/
Pics look like everyone is enjoying it
🤔🤔🤔🤔
Ooft, closest I have ever come to taking a shorter route in an event biy managed to plodnon and finish the 200. Think it was about 11.30
@crosshair think you came past me about 110km but I didn’t have the legs to catch up.
Good effort! We ended up doing 130 - lost on of the team when a spoke went on his front wheel.
Some cracking riding!
Well that was fairly epic. I see the point about the grinding paste now 🤣
Will write up more later.
XC bike was definitely a better choice for me personally. Had an ongoing battle with gears. Was longing for di2 🤣
Had a puncture for the first time but plugged successfully with two plugs.
Executed my plan to ramp up the last section. Haven’t even uploaded to strava yet though.
Fitness was, it’s the best I’ve ever felt after one but not sure I felt much better in the middle 🤣
Nice one @alansd1980, well done.
I hope I was polite 🤣🤣
How did the weather hold up for you? I was up in North Yorkshire at the in laws and it turned out to be a lovely day with not a drop of rain.
Was dry at dawn then damp then wet then lovely!
Average power 196w, moving time 9:37.44 but my chip time will be slowest ever thanks to loitering in queues at aid stations 🤣
The chat in the van is whether I went too easy!
I basically spent 8.5hrs in Z2 whereas Rich was mostly in Tempo 🤣
I think I’d trade how fresh I’m feeling now though for a few extra minutes off of my moving time on Strava 🧐
It’s hilarious looking at chip time finishing percentiles. In 2021 I was in the top 41%. In 2022 I was in the top 53% and this year I was in the top 78% 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
So much for 12 hours a week of structured training 🤣🤣🤣🤣
where are the results?
More analysis going on down the motorway (it’s nice having a driver this year 🤣).
If I want hard evidence that my Z2 based training has worked- not only was my power 20w higher but my decoupling was just 7.8%!! Last year, it was 17.7%.
Rich is saying I didn’t try hard enough but because he didn’t run a power meter, maybe his tempo HR was only buying him Z2 power by the end…
Thanks,
I was about 30 minutes slower than last year. I thought the course was harder. Back loaded with climbing and the Toll road at 130km nearly bought me to a standstill. Big stack on the way into the 100km feed station scared me. That muddy bit! Left the track and ended up in a ditch and a fellow rider had to help me out. Faffed loads at the feed stations stopped time was >30min. Group pulled into no. 1 which I didn't really need to stop at but wanted to stay with them. No. 3 I was gone so I needed 15 minutes for a coffee, change of gloves and "normal ish" food.
8h55 and given my thoughts on riding through the week were DNS/135/65/Don't die I'll take that.
I was Z2 and 3 all day which is about right. I ate enough calories but maybe not well paced. Struggled with cold hands to get things out of my pockets so tended to grab loads at one point.
I was running a 40t chainring and a 36t cassette. My Cross setup. I think I probably need to get a bigger cassette if I do it again. I ride a low cadence but had to stand up on the steeper bits and it probably took it's toll.
Was the video on here about "aero" I am wondering if I should ditch the bar bag and go top tube+ small frame bag. I have that as an option already. I probably should have worn my aero helmet too - mainly to keep my head warmer and the rain off.
As previously I think I enjoyed it? Apart from a very low point on the toll road the first 135km were actually fun, even with the rain.
Hold on, this sounds like I'm already thinking about next year and I can barely walk up stairs.
Well done that’s awesome!
We’re discussing- whether they should neutralise the aid stations with timing mats so you don’t get penalised for actually stopping and getting your moneys worth 🤔
Having never stopped at one before- it was insane how bad the queuing is.
Interesting close up from a pic of me. You can see how big tyres, low pressure and suspension help even on relatively small stones. A 30-40psi 40-30mm tyre would have had to go up and over that one!
@jonba It’s a bit southern softy but fearing the worst, I put hot hands chemical heat pads between my shoes and shoe covers. I also wore latex gloves first, then my long sleeved winter gloves with more hot hands between the two on the back of my hands.
I also then put fresh pairs of each in my half way bag and swapped them out.
I was then able to just wear normal thin Castelli socks and am pleased to say hands and feet were toasty all day 😀
We’re discussing- whether they should neutralise the aid stations with timing mats so you don’t get penalised for actually stopping
Why? As they tell you, it’s not a race.
If you want to challenge for the FKT, do it unsupported when there are fewer people out there.
We were discussing the possibility of not allowing people to pass marshal points until a specific time to stop some of the stupider overtakes on the early sections…
Why does elapsed time matter so much anyway? Bragging rights about how many people you “beat”?
Then why bother having timing at all?
Nobody would turn up otherwise.
The reason for me (in the top 3/4 🤣) would be for personal growth. What incentive is there for me to come back try and beat a time when a really badly designed aid station layout has cost me 30 mins on the chip time?
@stealthcat If you have contact with the organiser- then I’d definitely appreciate you feeding back that it felt like it was stretched to the seams this year.
Like an event with a budget to cater for 50 people where 1600 turned up 🤣
The expo was lame, the pasta ran out at 6pm, the layout was chaotic, the advertised bike wash non existent or so hidden/poorly sign posted that it just as well have not been there, the guy said he was going to do a Bobby Wintle and shake everybody’s hand at the finish personally but was nowhere to be seen at the end 🤣, the queue for one hose at aid one was crazy, the one portaloo at feed two ‘optimistic’ to be polite and as I say- the timing rendered pointless.
I loved it because I love Northumberland (my wife’s family are from there) and I love the atmosphere of a big event but I’d definitely say it was in spite of anything the organisers did.
Almost home after an extended ride round London due to train cancellations and the marathon blocking all direct routes!
The first 2 feed stations were poor. I couldn’t even find food at the first one and managed to get water from the red bull stand. To have 1 water station was never going to be enough with the route. If the first 50k had been really hilly it would have split the field so maybe not so many coming in together.
Feed 2, got my bag really easily but a massive queue for drinks. At that point I was convinced I was chucking in the towel at 135 so didn’t bother to refill.
Feed 3 was great - loads of food and drinks, hot and cold as well as soup.
The event is probably now almost too big for Kielder castle as a starting point from what I saw. Having starting pens on one of the roads would probably make it less of a free for all.
Route marking and the route itself were all great which is the main thing and the organisers did make a point of saying the stations were to supplement so if people had nothing then they have to take the blame themselves. The amount of frame bags I saw makes me thing there was plenty being carried.
At the end I literally rolled over the finish line and had to go pack my tent so didn’t see the food or was so can’t comment
Every event has some positive sand negatives but this was good. Not sure I would do it again but glad to have done it.
Well done mate @alansd1980 👏🏻
I had a bowl of the finish line curry but binned it as it was frankly awful. (There was a lot of curry in the bin already 😔)
Were you pleased with the bike choice? 😉
Another year marshaling for me. Weather just about held off - I was glad I'd taken a last minute decision to chuck a tarp in, which I rigged off the car at both my checkpoints and gave me a bit of shelter. (I was just after the muddy bit about 5-8k before Food 1). I'll admit I was slightly glad my missus missed the 200k cutoff, as it meant we were in the car and leaving just as the weather broke in the evening, not still stood out in it clanging a cowbell.
Mostly it seemed pretty painless from my end. As always - the fast guys as always were a miserable bunch (to be fair most of the 200ers were more friendly when I saw them near the end); there's far more grins and banter with the midpack and slower riders who are enjoying the adventure and for whom just finishing is the challenge. I had a chat with a lass who was regretting not taking the 65k shortcut - hopefully gave her enough of a boost to make it the rest of the way on the 130 route - it's people like that I admire. There's a lot of riders who need to learn about mudguards. I spent a lot of the afternoon looking at red eyes peering out of a uniform ghostly grey rider/bike combo!
@crosshair - we've had this converstation before.
The reason for me (in the top 3/4 🤣) would be for personal growth. What incentive is there for me to come back try and beat a time when a really badly designed aid station layout has cost me 30 mins on the chip time?
One could suggest that your personal growth may be aided by kicking back a bit, chatting with other riders, heckling the marshals, enjoying the atmosphere, bonding with nature/the great outdoors, taking pics of the views for the 'gram etc. So what if it costs you 30 minutes on chip time? You've still got your "moving time" from your GPS for your own satisfaction. The only reason chip time is important is if you're comparing yourself to others. Which as its not a race, there's no need to.
Then why bother having timing at all?
Nobody would turn up otherwise.
I did the Frontier 300 last summer - partly because it was untimed. I was actually a bit disappointed/annoyed that they published times afterwards, because it then changed the nature of the event. I knew how long I'd taken, the rest was irrelevant (turned out I was in the top 1/8th, but, well, meh). The important thing was the beer at the end was worth it! Getting rid of timing might make the Reiver appeal less to you, but it would make it more appealing to a different type of rider and completely irrelevant to many others.
Another 200km finisher here, got round in an elapsed time of 10h 37m, my Garmin gave a moving time of 9h 30m and an average speed of a touch over 20 kmph, which i'm very happy with, and an hour or so of stoppage time over that distance is good for me!
Feed 1 was an absolute shit show! I only briefly stopped to put some air in my tyres as the 35psi I started with whilst comfy were squirming about too much for my confidence levels, it was really disappointing to see so many blokes pissing against every bush and tree in sight, could they not have waited until they were back off road and go there? I suspect the local residents wouldn't have been too happy.
Feed 2, whilst busy was fine got plenty without hassle, though it would appear OTE nutrition doesn't agree with me because I spent the next hour after that feeling really sick.
Feed 3 was like an oasis of calm compared to the others and it was super nice to get a cup of tea to go with my pork scratchings and Mars bar, which set me up very well for the final push and I felt great, also bumped into @slowboydickie there who was just leaving as I arrived.
Overall I enjoyed the route and the general vibe, my only real complaint is the lack of facilities at the overflow camping, whilst putting showers on might be a logistical step too far for a tenner a night for all the people that were camped there i'm sure they could have hired a mobile washroom with some basins to have a wash after.
I probably won't be rushing back, mostly because I have other things that I also want to do, and it is a bloody long way from Sussex.
6 weeks or so now until the Frontier 300 and i'm definitely feeling more confident about that now.
it was really disappointing to see so many blokes pissing against every bush and tree in sight,
Tell me about it! Every time I turned round at my first checkpoint there was another guy stood there, Johnson in hand, busy inspecting the scenery. It was like the Monty Python incontinent’s marathon sketch!
Feels like you could run a research project on gravel bikers with prostate issues?
Well done @Bazz 👏🏻 Great stuff. We were pretty close on both times.
@jonedwards I can’t imagine Timing Up North are cheap to provide coverage for such a big event- I’d happily do it with no official timing if it meant the entry fee was half 😉
I spoke to every Marshall I saw- said thanks to every single one.
I was there with a mate this year who had no intention of riding non-stop as I like to do.
Hence why I’ve now fully appreciated what an absolute s**t show the rest stops are 🤣🤣
The reason the chip time *is* important is because it gives you a percentile based comparison to gauge progress that accounts for weather and surface conditions (Ie everyone in a given year has faced the same conditions where as your personal strava time could be vastly different through no fault of your own).
It seems like a fairly shoddy middle ground at the minute- ambiguous timing that’s entirely dependent on luck at an aid station (which like you say is the place to chill and enjoy things and get some more value out of the entry fee) if the chip time stopped in and out as I suggest- it would actually do more to facilitate what you say you think the situation should be 😀
People would be less stressed not more.
I can’t find the photographer who I thumbed up this year but I’m always enjoying it, don’t let all my talk of power data make you think I’m a brooding old roadie all the time 🤣
I might be eligible for a reps job with “All Bodies On Bikes” with this set of pics mind you 😱 🤣
I wonder if setting people off in groups might ease the situation at the feed stops? Those doing the shorter routes could go off slightly later. Perhaps ask participants their expected time, as they do at some running events I have taken part in and then group accordingly, although as a first time entrant, I admit I really didn't know how long it was going to take me. I like the timed aspect and tried to my minimise the time I spent at the feed stops, carried enough food to see me through, though more availability of water could have helped everyone.
Perhaps ask participants their expected time, as they do at some running events I have taken part in and then group accordingly,
One problem with that, as there always is in running and biking events - people lie.
