[Closed] MTB XC RACE - HAIGH HALL - FEB 28

The point is that the rules are sensible, somebody is making up something that isn't in the rules

Having read the British Cycling rules for races, I couldn't find anything to define what was or wasn't a mountain bike for the purposes of an XC race either.

The subject seems oddly 'political' at times, a bit like the 3 Peaks Cyclocross being definitely [b]not[/b] a 'Mountain bike' race -due to historical landowner concerns(?) about mountain bikes, although that is run under different rules to XCO.

In the case of an XC race, frame geometry and top tube angles don't really seem that important in the grand scheme of things, especially as they are not defined anywhere -It's not as if they offer an unfair advantage, disadvantage or safety concern either. If the course is relatively technical, then there probably is no advantage.

In this case, it looks as if I'll be trying to spin fast on my chunky hardtail with its fat tyres and hoping that it isn't too muddy.

I'm sure it will be fun anyway.

Not sure if this is of importance, but just been up to Haigh Hall with my brother, who has done Hurt at the Haigh last year I believe, so we could get a possible taster for the course for weekend. On one part that would be a nice speedy slight 'downhill' section, someone had put a lot of big branches all across the trail at various points all the way down.

Either the dog walkers union have been out, or could it be the organisers keeping it as unused as possible before weekend?

I think it's a different course to last year

Anyone know what time the main / senior race starts, or even general timings on the day?

Info from BC re timings:

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/125721/Haigh-Woodland-XCO#entry

It is at the organisers’ discretion. So whatever they say goes, no matter how much you gnash and wail. If you don’t like it organise a race yourself.

From my own experience the first HTN (12 hour) was MTB only and we got some right whinging when we said no to cross bikes.

After that we made it open to any bike with two wheels* and I think that is what “made” the event as we got all sorts of contraptions showing up.

Interestingly, at HTN2 (8 hour re-mix) the cross bikes suffered badly as the race time went on. Never mind eh 😉

*Unicycles were still banned right through to the end. Can’t be doing with all the associated beards, silly jester style hats and propensity to start juggling. Gits.

Hi all does anyone know what to do on the day, as in registration etc I signed up in January and have had no correspondence at all apart from my receipt.
Thought I might have had an e mail or letter telling me when and where to register, pick up numbers etc.
And I was up there on Sunday was really muddy in places, I also spotted trees across paths, this is definitely common place in haigh but half the time makes it more interesting as you can jump the logs.

I've just got back.

Well, it was a quagmire for the most part. I quite liked the technical parts, many of which saw a lot of people walking them.

I put in a lot of effort and was passing people on the downhills, but my tyres were initially all over the place and would then hardly turn when the whole bike was clogged with mud. Pushing the bike was difficult too. I was heaving hard on the bars and pedals then my chain snapped on lap 3.

Whilst a chain device and 2.5" tyres are good for my more usual gritstone riding, there isn't enough mud clearance or grip for a muddy park.

I think I'm going to build up an XC machine, although as a reintroduction to XC, I'm not convinced that I enjoyed it as much a good trail ride. I'll give it another go, though.

Blimey that was tough going, good course and really challenging in the conditions. It rode better than I expected because the volume of traffic cleared a path through the mud most of the way (with a few horrible exceptions).

Never before have I done an XC race and wished for less singletrack (so that I might get the chance to neck a gel).

Paced it just about right, felt strong in the last 30 mins but ruined by the end. Look forward to seeing the results.

Well done WLCT.

🙂

bugger, completely forgot it was on, I was gonna come and cheer you all on 😕

I managed 3 laps was really tough in places, the grass up to the hall was soul destroying, did really enjoy though will defo be doing another.

Hope they do another one in the summer, believe it or not it's really good round there in the dry.

That was ****in grim, 5 laps of pain.

Ye, it was a tough slog, but a good turnout, hopfully it will become a regular event.

Thanks to all involved.

Bolt

As I suggested earlier, narrow spiky mud tyres would have made a massive difference, especially if your frame has big clearances.

I'm a bit disappointed that I was stopped by a mechanical though. I was hoping for 5 laps at the start.

Is that course typical of modern XC? I do much prefer rocky, technical terrain to quagmire.

That was pretty tough - hard yards. Felt like there wasn't 10 yards of dry singletrack on the entire course. That last bit back to the start was bollox - throwing the coal down to go 4 mph.
Did seem to ride better as time went on - did 4 laps here and almost enjoyed the fourth one.

Tyres are not a massive issue TBH at our level,people get to worked up about them and obsessive, its about technique a lot and how you move your weight around and tyre pressure. My mate did it on Conti mud king tyres and I did it on Bonti's XR2 which are a summer tyre, we both struggled massivly with traction and clogging but I was well in front at the end.

kingkongsfinger - Member

Tyres are not a massive issue TBH at our level,people get to worked up about them and obsessive, its about technique a lot and how you move your weight around and tyre pressure. My mate did it on Conti mud king tyres and I did it on Bonti's XR2 which are a summer tyre, we both struggled massivly with traction and clogging but I was well in front at the end.

It does make a difference, if your wheels won't go round because of the clogging! 2.5" tyres left almost no gap for the mud. -my problem, of course. I will be sourcing some XC tyres and fitting them to my old Hardtail.

As I pointed out earlier, though, my transmission and chain device was also clogged, which probably led to the chain lunching itself -and my monster powerrrr

With hindsight, I should have taken the stinger off.

Or I should have ridden my CX bike, like the other people that did!

I thought we'd established that you have a hybrid and not a cx bike?

😉

Does anyone know where results will be posted?

Ah yes, but I was requested not to ride my hybrid. In the events, there wasn't any obvious scrutineering anyway!

I for one didn't see any cross bikes..1st outing on a pair of maxxis beavers and believe me i wouldn't of even started with the 2.3 purgatory's i took off. Not raced for a long time and that was a tough one too start up again. You don't get many xc course's like that(thank ****!) Felt sorry for all the clogged up full sussers. 1x10 hardtail here and that was bad enough.

I was part of the team who organised it last year. The council decided they wanted to run it themselves this year (thank god). it was a well run event probably better than we managed and I hope they continue to run it but I won't be bothering again unless they lose some of the mud. I thought we had a good balance last year but it was grim today. The bit where they made us ride on the grass back up to the start was just depressing

Oh and it was no cross bikes allowed this year.

There were definitely cx bikes today a couple came past me

Well they said on the bc website MTB only and it's beyond me why anyone would want to round there unless they were just intending to jog 5 laps

Any results yet?

Noticed a few photographers out today, any links to the pics?

http://chrismeadsphotography.zenfolio.com/p683308745

nikxl - Member
Well they said on the bc website MTB only and it's beyond me why anyone would want to round there unless they were just intending to jog 5 laps

I think it might have been more suitable for that course than the bike I used today.

I saw a cross bike too, poor chap.

I also noticed about a zillion photographers out there including 2 ladies around the canal bridge / course cross over point, anyone know who they were?

one of the organisers said the results should be on bc website on Monday.

I have got up this morning with my shins covered in blisters, bit like bites anyone know what this could be I ride up there a lot never had this before.

I had never done anything competitive on a bike before yesterday. And now I know why ha ha. That grass drag was horrible. I noticed in the end people were riding up the tarmac anyway. One of the officials said she didn't know what was going on at that point.

I'd given up by then. clanged into a tree with my hand on lap 1. And my lower back just didn't want to play ball either. And a full suspension bike with 2.4" tyres was not ideal in that mud. I had to keep stopping to clear it all out.

Think I may keep my hardtail and not sell it afterall for riding like that.

Got a few massive mozzie type bits, very itchy.

I agree, it reminded me why I'd not done any XC for a decade! the last one I did was at Leisure Lakes and the sand killed my bike. The Mountain Mayhems were similar quagmires to yesterday.

Haigh XC was well organised and the officials were all friendly, but the course, in those conditions, wasn't good. I would never normally choose to ride around the bushes in a muddy park!

For me, it was a good early season learning experience. My fitness was ok, if not quite used to the getting off and running bits, but my equipment was totally unsuited to it.

As above, I do think it worth having a narrow tyred, light bike with a short fork (possibly singlespeed) specifically for such riding. XC racing isn't really "mountain trail biking".

Loved it myself, but I like stuff like tha'.

Hard going, having to stay vigilant on just about every section, lines changing/developing, trying to carry momentum much as possible. Fun - in a sadistic way 🙂

Having said that, that short section by the road at the start bit was horrid, glad for last few laps you could use the road 🙂

Wish I had a scale to weigh my bike at the end, from 23ish lb to about 35+ i reckon! My bike did seem to have a lot more on than others mind.

another shout here with the itchy bite thingy's

How strange, none of them for me, perhaps the build up of mid after 4 laps kept them off

I knew I made the right choice going for biblongs and long sleeves.

Still no results on BC site. Anyone seen them elsewhere?

Does anyone know at any other photographers who were there, they seemed to be all over the place.

I have to say that was my first and last time there, no fault of the race organisers but the endless clag and slop made anything even halfway interesting a big slithering lottery.. the grass start was daft

my hub died at the end of lap two and I was not upset at having to stop

edhornby - Member

I have to say that was my first and last time there, no fault of the race organisers but the endless clag and slop made anything even halfway interesting a big slithering lottery.. the grass start was daft

my hub died at the end of lap two and I was not upset at having to stop

It was very much like a muddy cross-country running course, one that would have required spikes. It wasn't really what I would normally consider mountain biking.

I assumed that riding along the grass section was to allow the surfaced track to remain mostly open to the public (other than the U-turn part), although might it not have been better to cross the track sooner and ride straight to the 'singletrack'?

I was actually disappointed to have to stop, though.

It took a fair bit of brushing, 'Pound-shop [i]Muc-off[/i]' and hosing to get the mud out of the rear triangle, transmission, bash-ring and chain device yesterday.

On the plus side, I have already begun building what was a pile of old parts and my old singlespeed into a budget XC machine.