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I would be happy with a one hour lap!
But then I am old.
If its wet than an hour will be good. Last year's results are probably still on Timelaps to get an idea of dry times. It was a lot slower than that 2 years ago, but that was a course designed in the dry.
I've gone for a Dan/Ron combo, it's only Swinley after all, there won't be any horrendously slippery technical descents!
Have just ridden swinley today, as my local club visited Berks on Bikes. Now, we cycled 34k in 4 hrs, with a few mechanicals/injuries/faff stops, and there were 30 of us out in train, so no speed contest, and half of us were visiting for the first time.
I had X-King rear/Nobby Nic front set up tubeless, and I was happy with my grip levels.
There are a few puddles around, but nowhere as bad as my local trails in East Sussex. I'm sure it may cut up a little, but it won't be a mudfest, if conditions stay as they are!!
Oh, and my sintered pads look the same now as at the start of the ride!!!
Live from the venue, course marking now complete and I must say it is in great shape with only a couple of muddy ish sections. The Sun came out and a little bit of wind will hopefully dry it all out some more. All good.
In a break from tradition (I usually do Enduro6) I did the Gorrick 100 at Swinley Forest today - a 7 lap 70mile mtb race. In the days leading up to the event I got a stinking cold and my head felt like it was going to explode. Felt a bit better this morning, dosed up on the Lemsip and hit the race...
I rode with Ben Thomas for the first 5 1/2 laps which was a real surprise - I felt ok and the legs finally had some energy! I think I overtrained a bit in March when it was sunny and have had a couple of easier lower volume weeks to recover and it seems to have worked. After about 55 miles Ben took off and I had nothing left for a response - in the end he won by about 4-5mins I think.
The ti Ala Carte felt fantastic with the 650b wheels - I really rate this size for racing as it feels so much quicker to accelerate and turn than the 29er, and as there were loads of brake/turn/sprint sections I think it was a good choice. Horses for courses... I've finally got the position spot on too. Given the recent rain, the course was in fantastic condition. There was about 20yards of bog in a 10mile lap - the rest was hardpack or firm loam. Numbers seemed a bit down on normal - I guess people were put off by the weather but they made the wrong call!!
A brilliant day out and, realistically, I'm never going to beat Ben so I was extremely happy with 2nd.
GB
dantsw13 - Member
Have just ridden swinley today, as my local club visited Berks on Bikes
Glad you enjoyed the day out yesterday dantsw13 - come & visit us again soon
Boltonjon - on the Silver Zesty!
Thanks Bolton Jon!!! Everybody had a great day out, with lots of tired bodies!! After all the tales of brake pad eating monsters at Swinley, I was pleasantly surprised to see mine relatively untouched last night!! No braking possible trying to keep up with you two on the downhills in the afternoon!
Definately love to arrange another day - hopefully a few of you can make it over to our patch for a return match, if our local bogs ever dry out!!!!
nice one gee,
I came 15th in the 7 lapper, I think you and Ben overtook me at the beginning of the twisty berm section on my 5th lap,
I found it really hard especially 5 and 6, my first full on event on the 29er,
what the heck happened to that guy on the first straight after the start, he looked a mess and his bike was 50 yards away from him?
what the heck happened to that guy on the first straight after the start, he looked a mess and his bike was 50 yards away from him?
yeah that was me, turns out the puddle i tried to ride through was a hole, i guess the front end vanished, was tanking it so went flying, knocked the crap out me and my face, 5hrs in a neck brace...... lush
I think I hit that puddle yesterday - top advice from the local lads was never put your front wheel in a puddle, lift every time!!!!
c_klein, glad you're ok enough to be posting on here! Healing vibes...
Didn't see you crash, or the aftermath, you were in the ambulance by the time I reached the scene. Helped shove the ambulance backwards up the muddy slope, that took a few attempts, can't have been that comfy for the patient :-s
pretty high still i think, i learn not to make that mistake again, thanks for helping the ambulance, was a bumpy trip. just need a good plastic surgeon!
ouch.....were a few dubious looking greasy bits right in the saddle of descents, not surprised someone had a spill. Hope you feel OK tomorrow.
That was my first Gorrick event, really enjoyed it. Course was incredible dry considering the weather we've had. Good course selection me-thinks, lot of hardpacked singletrack the trail fairies have been nursing for us.
Me, I didnt feel all that fast but didnt lose a lot of time in the later laps, did 3, will do 5 laps next year.....7 looked like purgatory. Spoke to a couple of lads who were on 5 of 7 and they "just want it to be over now".
I reckon 50% or more were on 29ers......and close to 100% of the really fast guys. They just look "right" for racing on dont they? The shock on my race bike let me down again so I ended up riding my Ti456 in all mountain build with a big 140mm Talas fork on the front. Wasnt light but didnt feel too bad and I was glad of it on the downs.
Great day.
c_Klien - glad your ok buddy - looked nasty
It did however give me a [i]Nam[/i] flashback with the Saffa shouting 'MEDIC MEDIC MEDIC'
not that the Saffa's were in Nam of course - neither was i to be fair - more DebhaNAMs 😀
Tough old course but managed 44th from 88 starters in the 7 laps of hell
Top event though - top marks to Gorrick again
Had a great day out. I've not 'raced' for ten years or so and have just lost a shed load of weight to get me into any sort of form.
I'm just dead chuffed to have finished and hats off to the guys doing the long distances. Chatted to some of the 7 lappers on course and thought they were all nuts!
Thought I was going pretty fast in the 5 laps (and the results seem to back this up) when Gee and Ben Thomas came past me. Tried to stay with them for a bit and discovered what going fast is really like 😐
I was busy pissing against a tree when Ben went past - without that piss, i'd never have been lapped!! 
Great fun! Good course, amazingly dry, and still had some good singletrack. Nice weather on the day, lovely.
C_K, was that the puddle on the fireroad after the first descent, when you turned right through the gate? That claimed someone in the 3 lap race too, he went down really hard!
Entered the five lap race. Three laps in my wrists were suffering (rigid SS), so I called it a day. Should have entered the four lap race! Well done to Gorrick for a great event. Should be called hilights of Swinley (labyrinyth, seagull, tanktraps...).
And well done to the guys on seven laps. Especiall the one on a singlespeed who must have wrists of steel. Or tinosynovitus.
EDIT: forgot to say I saved a maiden in distress and comforted a child wwho had lost his dad out on the course. Hence the slow times - honest
Get well soon c klien87. Typical racers eh? Instead of shouting for an Ambulance, the cries of 'medic' filled the air.
Got 40th place in the 7 laps and was well pleased as I've never ridden that far. Very worn out today.
Great course wasn't it.
Entered the five lap race. Three laps in my wrists were suffering (rigid SS), so I called it a day.
Or the 3 lap race... 😕
And well done to the guys on seven laps. Especiall the one on a singlespeed who must have wrists of steel. Or tinosynovitus.
Lee Imrie did the 7 on a rigid SS, imagine there were others. A bloody good effort for sure! Extra hero points if any of them rode the wall!
Pictures are up
http://joolzedymond.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=1299#page=1
I'm 376 (the guy in the blue on a push bike, not the johnnie in dayglow on the motorbike).