I'm riding Billy no mates too; if you are anywhere near me in the line up, I'm always keen to talk to strangers I meet in the woods at night 🙂
The flints seem particularly bad at the moment. I've torn a continental protection tyre and a maxxis exo sidewall over the last two weeks at QECP. Could be the dry weather is exposing them, or could be that I'm a bit crap. Got a Bontrager on now, but I'm not that hopeful!
Either a Shorty or Minion, it's been so dry it's loose as hell on the off piste.
With no rain, you need a unicorn tyre there really.
As Hob Nob says it's bloody dry right now and little chance of rain.
You can see how dry it is below..
[img] 
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Yeah I'll be putting a chunky monkey on and the shorty off, probably if I get the time
[url= https://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/hub/events/qe-cyclefest/ ]More info about the weekend including the demo range, free camping and kid races[/url]
Video of last years event:
Cheers Scott. On that Hargroves link it lists the rider briefing at both 16.30 and 17.30 - which time should i make sure i turn up for?
Looking forward to it 🙂
I'm probably going to make it 4.15 in final email instructions. But its a very similar set up and rules to any of my enduro. Only real difference is the race is in the dark.
Biggest changes from previous years are fun go first, pro's go last and its 5 stages instead of 4
boom!
whos ready?
has it rained there today ?
I'm not far away and it rained on and off all morning. Mostly on.
But I've been out riding just now, not at qecp though, and the ground is just sucking it all up right now. I'd be surprised if it's not running well. [awaits flaming later and takes blame for the massive forthcoming mudfest 🙂 ]
has it rained there today ?
I work about 10 minutes away & it poured down last night & has rained a little today but nothing of any note - it's surprisingly warm & sunny right now.
Given just how dry it was, the volume of rain & subsequent heat, i'm thinking it's still going to be dry, just slightly less dusty & loose - some of the work they were doing for the race was seriously in need of some water, so it should be great.
I'm so excited..and I just can't hide it...
Yak - you racing?? or turning up? You'll get to see me in 'enduro gnar' guise, not jsut 'XC lycra' mode!
DrP
Haha - no i'm 'xc lycra' only. I don't even have a suitable 'enduro gnar' bike anymore. Think i'd be firmly dfl in the fun cat if I had a go 🙂
But I'll be there helping out in a kids club session for Pedal 2 Pedal. Then getting as many as possible racing later. I'll look out for you in practice.
Oi Scotty, You got any entries/cancellations ? I'm almost tempted... but the details are vague on the link on post 1 now, if you do, can you fill me in with more info please.
Yak just mailed you regarding my lad.
Yak- Im assuming the pedal 2 pedal session is for kids, is it members only or can others join? I'll be doing the race but bringing the brood down for the daytime part.
Can't wait either! First ever race for me!! I rode the red and the blue on Wednesday and it was super dry and slightly sketchy in places. Hope this rain had dampened things down a bit.
I'm looking forward to upping my sarcasm levels for you on the start again this year.
@johnny - unfortunately we are full tomorrow, sorry. The tempting idea of parents demoing bikes whilst the kids did a session meant a good sign-up! Get in touch via the website if you are keen for other sessions.
Weeksy lots of spare places, will send you an email
Personally I am less than confident of even making it round twice. Just seen that the route is 14 miles (23k) so a practice lap and race is 28/46k. I last rode 46k in 2016 and my longest ever ride was 60k 🙁 I haven't been on the bike at since October ....
It'll be strange starting a race without a hangover.
I'm fully prepared, out of shape, carrying an injury, probably have the wrong tyres on and my brake levers are leaking (replacements in the post)
It can only go well.
I last rode 46k in [s]2016[/s] 2015
Corrected myself, its going to be painfully slow and painful 😐
i'm looking forward to it - decent 40km + afternoon.
It can only go better than the last time I did this race a couple years ago when my lights stopped working on the 3rd stage & flickered for the rest of the race.
something else will probably break this time 🙂
Personally I am less than confident of even making it round twice
I did the red twice and blue once on Wednesday just to check out QECP as I've never been. I am going to be knackered after 28 miles of that 😯
Race well y'all!! Gutted I can't make this year - really enjoyed racing down the Red Climb on St4 last year.
.Weeksy lots of spare places, will send you an email
Thank you, but I didn't get a mail early enough and I'm just back from 55km trail ride with a mate, so won't be out tomorrow night as well.
Good luck to all who are racing!
Sadly I'm looking unlikely - tendonitis has flared up in my right quad and I want it to be right for the Tweedlove International next month. Will see how it feels tomorrow but have fun and ride safe everyone.
I shall be there! Bright orange helmet, probably have my rad retro sunnies on and a moustache to boot and will either be on a purple Genesis hardtail or if I butter Scott up enough he might let me use his Transition. See you all tomorrow!
Phew, don't need my excuses after all, event is full 🙂
I shall be there! Bright orange helmet, probably have my rad retro sunnies on and a moustache to boot and will either be on a purple Genesis hardtail or if I butter Scott up enough he might let me use his Transition. See you all tomorrow!
Didn't it get stolen?
Weeksy - you can have my ticket if you want as I can't make it....
Awwww thanks matey, it's no probblem anyway, my legs were not really in it and i've planned stuff with Mrs Weeksy and the boy now... but thanks tonnes.
Ah would love to be doing this, think it's the first day/night I'll miss (although the year before last when I marshalled due to a tree interface the week before doesn't count I guess).
Good luck all and remember- don't shit it, hit it!
anus Scott's bike was stolen 😐
Not sure I'll be there either. 46k in the time available not really possible for me at the moment and riding stages at night not having seen them seems a bit daft, may come just for the practice but probably not.
Have fun everyone.
Are you sure it's not 46km including a practice loop?
That's the problem with you bloody Brexiteers, no backbone! You wouldn't get this sort of cop out from staunch Remainers like kimbers....
You've been lining up your excuses for a while now jamba. You dont have to practice all the stages, i only ever practised a couple and it was fine. Stop being a fanny and go and do it, you'll be glad you did
46km including a practice loop?
Yes, 46k should be two laps.
I am to Enduro what Officer Hooks is to Police Academy driving tests so it's a good thing I have an early start time 🙂
His other bike was stolen, not the transition
Edit* realised both are transition, his hardtail not his fs
46k sounds a lot, but remember there's nothing stopping you from pushing up, both in practice and racing.
Ah b*llocks, think I might just come and ride and take it easy. Leg feels OK once it's warmed up a bit and it does sound like a lot of fun! Unsure the bottle of red and late night was the best prep but I was never going to be troubling the podium so it's all good.
I'll be on black Hightower and have an orange helmet so come and say hello (Chris, not Hugh!)
Racing blind is half of the fun so doubt I'll be doing a full practice loop. Come on Jamba - we can potter round together if you want.
Sorry guys I whimped out and at least offered Scott the chance to sell the place to someone else. My average ride is 25-35k and that takes 2.5 / 3.5hrs plus rest stops. My last ride was 20k in September. Yes as above thats 23k practice and same to race but I thought it essential to see the course in the light first. When I booked in March I assumed I would have ridden at keast once a week from then till now but it hasn't happened. 46k I am sure would not hav ebeen good for my knee, I'd wanted to do this race before the surgery as who knows when / if I'd be able to do it again. A bit depressing really not feel capable.
All a load of excuses I know.
Well, I really enjoyed that!
Great event and lots of good chats on the transition stages gave it a really friendly feel (even the heckling spectators). The mixed greasy/dry conditions and stages seemed to work well to me, for variety 🙂
Probably should have camped to have made the most of the beer van though. Maybe next year...
Thanks Scott and the organisers - nicely done.
Well done ! Can I ask how long the practice loop took assuming you rode the whole thing ?
All of the practice time, and that was a challenge!
Started practice around 4.30 ish and ended stage 5 bang on 6.30 when the course closed. I actually think it worked pretty well in terms of not dragging out practice, but completing all the stages including regular stopping and checking out lines etc etc would be a big ask without being too knackered!
Kept it fun and a bit more blind for the race, though! No complaint from me.
You missed a cracker Jamba! I am so pleased I decided to go at the 11th hour - was probably the must fun I've had on a bike for a long time!
I ended up parking next to johnny by accident so we rode most of it together (nice to meet you sir, and hope today's mate's race went well!) and another guy from vets joined us (looking at the results, we finished with 12 seconds of each other despite several crashes etc) which kept it a bit more fun and sociable.
We rode stages 1-4 in practice which came to just under 14km, and the race with all 5 stages was only 17.5km so only just over 30km. Stages 1 and 2 were quiet steep and techy so I'm pleased we managed to get a practice session in and then race those while it was still light. Despite a clean run in practice, I came off almost at the end of stage 1 on an off camber corner with the finish line almost in sight and went OTB. No harm done and thankfully that was it for the racing crashes.
Stages 3 and 5 were quite long a pedally which suited me quite well and I made up some time on those but I think stage 4 was my favourite with some great flowy sections.
Racing in the dark really is something else - I'd got dialled in a but more by stage 5 and was really enjoying the tunnel vision affect (although I did manage to totally miss an unsighted 180 near the bottom and went straight into the tapes).
Roll on next year - I wish I'd planned to camp as their was a great atmosphere and the journey back was a bit crap due to the M25 being closed at the A3 junction..
I think the smile says it all..
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4170/33842214663_27e97ef593_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4170/33842214663_27e97ef593_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TywcnH ]QECP Day/Night Enduro[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/cjk007/ ]CJK007[/url], on Flickr
