[Closed] What's the course like at Torq In Your sleep ?

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/torq-in-your-sleep-whats-the-course-like

Also driving 100 miles plus for this, cant see it being as bad as MM as the soil type is very different. After MM I am just hoping for a dry (ish) weekend!!!

Thanks, although that discussion is about the hills.
I wondered if it really is an all weather course, like Ashton Court.

I've entered anyway, I'll take a chance on the course conditions.

One other question I should have asked first though, is it OK to take dogs on the site ?

The ground near the berkshire surrey boarders is much more sandy than the rest of the SE.

Similar to cannock chase but not so gravelly.

It should nt be the same as SIT/MM where the mud will clog and your tires wont turn.

But the gritty nature of the soil can cause havoc to drive chains if it rains hard, can quite quickly destroy disc brake pads and bottom brackets if it gets in.

I remember on one Gorrick Enduro very few people managed to complete the whole 6 hours (even the good riders) because their drivetrains/disc brake pads were destroyed after a few hours.

Im not completely sure the land near minely manor is quite so sandy as in Swinely.

Shouldn't be anywhere near as bad as Swinley as they won't have put the sand on the trails to reinforce it. Last couple of times I rode TORQ it was dry and very fine dirt, got quite loamy in places. It should cope quite well in the wet.

Had a friends Vizsla with us last time, dogs are fine on site.

Fantastic course - even when very wet it's still rideable as the mud isn't the sticky sort you get at Eastnor or catton. Plus, the singletrack is way better than either of those two. plus a disco under the bridge to nowhere, and free beer, and (probably) the tunnel of light.

Do it. you won't regret it.

Don't think there is a problem with dogs. Just pick up after them.

It never gets like Mayhem, SITS etc. you should be able to ride between 95 and 100% of the course even if we have a monsoon lasting the next 10 days.

It was running well up there in Monday evening.

I remember on one Gorrick Enduro very few people managed to complete the whole 6 hours (even the good riders) because their drivetrains/disc brake pads were destroyed after a few hours.

The 2010 one, not a single rider completed it, mental.

It's neither Ashton Court (it's not rocky) nor Eastnor/Catton (it's not claggy). If it gets wet it'll just be a bit splashy. There have been a few wet ones there, and they're fine, the ground is so loamy it can absorb massive amounts of water without becoming a bog, and you're not allowed to ride there normally, so it's not too cut up.

It's a great course, fairly flat, very fast, lots of brilliant singletrack.

Rode it last year MTG, rerally good course, and that was with heavy rain for about 2 hours during the event.
Not massively hilly.. but great sweepy singletrack.

as per the linked thread, I rode a past course a few weeks back and reckoned on about 250m of climb per 8 mile lap. It's not massively hilly but you always seem to be either going up, or down, or where it really is flat, it's twisty singletrack that's more knackering than either.

Just to confirm the other comments that it does hold up to the weather really well. I have raced it solo a few times now and even in years when it has rained it has stayed rideable. A few cut up muddy bits do appear, but no sticky mud. Some sections of trail have now been armoured slightly too. Also it is no where near as sandy as Swinley, I have found that brake pads hold up pretty well even in the wet, I have never had to change them - although I did have to switch bikes mid-race last year due to my drive chain self destructing!

The course is 100 times better than Mayhem/SITS. Plenty of fun singletrack to keep you entertained.

Ok, the trail conditions seem to be pretty stable throughout the year so I'll ask the question then...what tyres?

I've got the choice of two - Bonty Mud-X or Conti Race something! (29er)

fairly flat, very fast, lots of brilliant singletrack.

gritty nature of the soil can cause havoc to drive chains

I'll be the guy in the Vegan Cyclists kit on the hub geared belt drive 29er [s]looking smug[/s] praying that single another tiny stone doesn't destroy my expensive drivetrain

FTFY

Hey, it wasn't a single stone, it was a wheelbarrow load of mud and grass. 👿

Just out of interest, how many of the riders who smashed a rear derailleur at SITS posted about it on the SRAM or Shimano Facebook page and got an offer of a free replacement ?

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