The blogs from Dave Haygarth and Alan “Cross Junkie” Dorrington are decent places to start if you want to get a good feel for what it’s about and the kind of training people do.

Lots of pictures from this year here

are they cool with people racing on cx bikes then?

(hey that was me beeping last night Simon if your wondering)!

Yeah, no probs on that score.

Ah, one of life’s little mysteries cleared up then! ;0)

sefton – you’re probably in the ballpark. Pick a really poor route up Rivington/Winter Hill and ride/carry your cx up, then see how you feel.

sefton – you’re probably in the ballpark. Pick a really poor route up Rivington/Winter Hill and ride/carry your cx up, then see how you feel.

Did that last Sunday http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/25mile-cx-ride-to-the-pike-pictorial-post 😆

was grim – but that made it strangely better 😐

went for a quick ride yesterday – thought I’d climb upto the mast from the belmont side (same climb as the belmont winterhill fell race)

was ok.

the cx bike is great – I feel I can go anywhere on it!

and back down to coalpit rd (which was a techy little decent)

When?? You must have had better weather in that there Lancashire.

I did the Mary T yesterday and was hailed on twice, changed in and out of waterproofs four times, socks twice, and ground off my brake pads in the mud so I did the last 2 miles home on the road due to brake-less terror!

this was about 6 o’clock, it was very nice (I even sat & enjoyed some buttered Soren at the trig point) 😀

Nice! It was just raining on me over Blackshawhead around 6pm. The hail storm had gone elsewhere by then. Not that I’m bitter, or anything. 😀

had a ride around Holcombe moor last night:

Bull Hill to the left and Manchester city center in the far right


going down to the Horse shoe


the Horse Shoe trail

climb upto to Pilgrims Cross

Peel tower in the background

don’t touch anything!

Pilgrims Cross (all four sides)

Wind turbines over on Rooley moor

If you want to really M(W)TFU ride the 3 peaks cx singlespeed

<Silly double post deleted>

Bull Hill trig

vast moor land

Ellen Strange memorial

Robin Hood’s well

upto Peel Tower

Back home (Winter Hill in the distance)

Tough ride when your lowest gears 36/26 – big up for the cx bike again though 😀

sefton – Member

Can I suggest doing some of the Yorks mtb challenge rides on cx as a bit of prep? The Colne Valley one is next month:

hmmm…

are they cool with people racing on cx bikes then?

(hey that was me beeping last night Simon if your wondering)!

Yes, we’re cool with it. The more the merrier for us, and we’ll look after you ok too 🙂

great I’ll check the diary 😉

Sefton – Has no one told you that you need at least 6″ of front and rear travel to ride on moorland like that ! 😆

Sefton – Has no one told you that you need at least 6″ of front and rear travel to ride on moorland like that !

funnily enough I think that’s what my arse was trying to tell me after the ride 😆 (don’t be fooled though…I did push/carry the really rough or boggy stuff) 😉

..I did push/carry the really rough or boggy stuff)

None of that allowed on the 3 Peaks CX 😉

None of that allowed on the 3 Peaks CX

I only have a 26 0n the back though 😐

what gearing do most use?

I think I went to 28 on the back last time (30/50 on the front). That helps for the track up PyG.

There’s at least 5 miles needs carrying hence my 😉 Last year I managed to get round without falling off, mainly from having practiced riding up and down steep stuff so I could know when to get off. Even some of the boggy bits off Ingleborough require a dismount IME.

does anyone make a 12-28 cassette? I can only see 11-28’s or 12-27’s

Nevermind a 12-28, go for a 12-32 MTB cassette. You’ll be able to ride much more of the course.

Helps a lot on the upper parts of Whernside and PYG.

I ran a 34/46 front with 12/32 rear last year, was fine but might go for a 34 rear this time.

I attempted the fell race last sunday but pulled up with a sprained ankle.
Might have to get a cyclocross bike sorted and have another bash at this instead.
Its true though you will love or hate it and the same goes for the fell race.
Classic racing whichever way you choose to get round. Personally i think riding is harder, it takes me roughly the same time whichever course/race i do but the bike works your arms with the carry a bike sections and hanging on, where for me the run is all about the legs.
Love it.

I spectated at the ruuning race last week, and I was amazed how much pain alot of the finishers were in, much more so than I have seen cyclist at the end of bike races. A mate of mine came 31st, was fine on the day itself, but saw him yesterday and he can barely walk.

Might attempt the cyclo cross race next year, anyone one want to lend me a bike 😆

Also with the amount of carrying, hasn’t anyone rigged up some kind of harness to attach the bike to their back rather than having to carry it, or is that against the rules?

Your maybe right, i watched the first 100 finish at the last road crossing on saturday..
Joe Symonds looked like he had done an easy jog but some of the other high finishers looked dead on their feet.
I just remember the cramps and leg, back and arm pain from riding and jarring about esp down pennygent. Riding does work everything over, although i suppose it depends how hard you run it.
I did 4.05 on my running attempt last year.
Fastest ride was 3.56 2 years ago.

I’m doing the Colne mtb challenge on the cx bike next week to see how I fair.

yesterday I did the 3 towers ride (well five if you include Turton tower & the Pigeon tower. it was around 33miles and took around 5hours (with sandwich breaks at each tower) 🙂 – I’ll get a route & more info once I download my garmen. here’s some pics

peel tower in the distance

looking back at Jubilee tower

looking back at Winterhill from Holcombe moor


its hard work on the cx bike, every muscle is aching!

just completed the Colne mtb challenge – 30miles 3800ft of climbing. it was a great event and I’ll certainly be looking out for similar events in the future.

I’m worried about the rd sections of the peaks and think a sportive or two would be good for me. can Anyone suggest any ideally in the north west?

got my self some tough wheels – 32 Open pro rims & Ultegra hubs (£180 ebay) very stiff, nice and quiet. look great too 😀

need some chicken levers and a 34 ring and I’m done (might get a saddle with a little more cushioning)

Despite swearing that I’d never do it again I seem to have accidentally entered this year. Bugger.

Sefton, any chance of a GPX of the 3 Towers route – like the look of that for training for this year…! Email address in profile, ta…

Just subscribing to the thread. Will be my first peaks this year.

Indeed, my first one too. I’d like to go under 4 hours as I can’t be bothered to ride for 5 😉

We’ll need a top tips thread.

So far a lower gear set up than I’d normally cx race on 34:27 is what I plan to save buying a mech

Pipe lagging has been “acquired”

Working out if I want to put things on the bike or in a camelbak (camelback is winning so far as it will be easier to carry)

Tyres will be my standard ones – maxxis raze

No chicken levers as I can ride down steep stuff on the drops
Looking for some steep hills and steps near my house for some training.

Bike fitness wise I should be fine, its the bits where I have to get off that are causing concern, that and canti brakes if it is wet, normally the mud slows me down in races.

So far a lower gear set up than I’d normally cx race on 34:27 is what I plan to save buying a mech

That’s my normal CX gear (although admittedly, I don’t race CX, I just use it as an all-rounder) but for the Three Peaks you want a 1:1 low ratio. I put my MTB cassette and rear mech on it to give 34:34 low gear.

file sent mate 😉

I’ll get a map up here soon.

wow there are loads of us 1st timers 😯

where are everyone from then?

North Bolton myself, gearing 34/46 – 11-28 (hope thats OK)

Found these two articles which are very informative http://3pcx.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Advice

Tips would be good!

I’ll hopefully get the obligatory Land Cruisers soon, anyone know if there are different types?

Pipe lagging check.

Any suggestions for shoes? I’m needing a new pair soon and wondered if a more racey pair or hikey pair would work best? Studs? needed?

I think I’ll go camelback, I’d imagine carrying and some of the descents would be problematic with bottles.

I got this yesterday http://www.salomon.com/us/product/xt-wings-3-set.html

its not long so I’ll still be able to use my jersey pockets. only 1.5L (but don’t want to be mugging much more around).

are there drink stations along the way?

35mm Landcrusers I think and some big tubes I got some conti 32-47.

anyone going to raise some money?

I went from flat bars and land cruisers to drops and Crossblasters last year. Also ditched the pipe lagging and never used a camelback.
Training is my achilles heal.

what do you do for fluids boxelder? you got support?