It might have been me that held someone up whilst following someone on stage 1, once they over took me I followed though. Had a theatrical off in the woods at the bottom also, did anyone notice if anyone was taking pictures there?

The transition from 1-2 was like the Somme by the time we got there and it was hike a bike for most of it due to the amount of people using the trail and one person at the front of the pack holding up 100’s on the single track parts.

The showers worked with the new style pound coins!

Brill weekend.. Raced the Enduro on the Sat with 5 mates, all finished in one piece too.
No punctures this year and finished 83rd with a 23.04 , happy with that on such a great set of trails… Favourites were 4 & 5 with 6 being an absolute hoot flat out finish.. Some new drops this year too which were a nice surprise.
Great atmosphere and worth all the effort and prep.. Ard Moors next.

Trouty..was that you at the top of three? With the radio covered in chainrngs??!!

We did say hi at the top and had a bit of a disco boogie, but I image lods of people did!!

We had a great ride on the sunday – weather held out all day 🙂

Got round in 21.43 on the hardtail (all air remained in the rear tyre, running an unimaginable 34ish PSI!!) – that would have put me in (I think) 4th for hardtail on the saturday (all things being equal!)

Will really aim for the saturday for next year..but riding the trails on ANY day with your buddies, IS awesome!

DrP

couldn’t ever seem to scrape together the 3 old pound coins required for the showers.,They wouldn’t take the new ones.

They wouldn’t take the old ones, someone told you fibs.

They were cold on Sunday anyway, you didn’t miss much

They were cold on Sunday anyway, you didn’t miss much

And it’s not even that impressive in the warm, so you REALLY didn’t miss much..

DrP

I slept rough for two days in the back of a transit, couldn’t ever seem to scrape together the 3 old pound coins required for the showers.,They wouldn’t take the new ones. Some git liked to start his or her generator at 6am. I had no phone signal so my other half was worried sick/really angry at once, im not sure which

Must’ve been in same field as me, generator guy nearly as selfish as the bellend that brings the huskies every year….

had a great weekend. Was on my own but everyone around my tent was super friendly so was all good. Never seen so many punctures before! I held back a bit on the really rocky stuff to try and avoid getting one. Slightly conservative approach, but better to loose a few secs here and there than have to fluff around fixing a flat – in my opinion anyway. Legs were cooked at the end. I prob over did it on Fri doing each stage twice. I was a little excited to be riding on such cool trails! Will def be back next yea if I can get a ticket – this time with mates! 23:05, prob could have got early 22’s or late 21’s if I went balls to wall but anyway I had lots of fun!

Had a cracking ride on Sunday (sport) but full of cold and having barely ridden for two months meant i barely made it round. Crumbs those transitions were tough.

Every single person to tee seemed to be having a great day.

24:58 for me, the epitome of mediocrity. Crashed on stake 5 trying a silly overtake on an off camber gravel section. Glad had my pads!.

Going to get a bit of training in for the ard moors next month.

Shouty marshall at the top of 1, cooked in the sun, but had a great time, the relaxed vibe makes marshalling a doddle and a joy. Interesting selection of bikes this year. Big increase in the hardtails which was nice to see.

I think the generator guy is The bloke who comes around to clean the toilets, the generator on his truck is bigger than you’d use for camping. I suppose they need to be done after the Saturday night but before everyone needs them again Sunday morning. I took it as an opportunity to use a freshly cleaned thunder box

Yep, toilet pump out was what woke us up at around 05.40 Sat and Sun morning

And the showers I used were a quid for 3 mins and did take new pound coins.

Yeah there was a genny nearby by but that was pretty soft and didn’t run at night.

Edit: double post, sorry.

Shouty marshall at the top of 1,

Did I get a yell of “Yeah! Dialled Bikes!” from you on Sunday? Thanks – made me grin 😀

What a hoot. Ardrock Virgin no more. Hopefully be back for next years. I did the Intro and had a whale of a time, tackling stuff that was well above my skill level. Come off at the start of stage 6, nice bruise on the calf, few cuts and scrapes. Brilliant atmosphere. I hope the lad who had an OTB ad landing on top of a photographer on stage 5 was ok!

Did I get a yell of “Yeah! Dialled Bikes!” from you on Sunday? Thanks – made me grin

Yes you did!

Yes you did!

Awesome, thanks for that. All the marshalls were fantastic. Such a nice vibe from competitors too – top event 😀

I had the utterly pointless achievement of riding the whole 6-stage loop in the 29th-fastest time according to Strava (despite waiting 20 mins for a pal at the bottom of Stage 1 after he punctured), but coming about 1700th on the bits that actually matter with a woeful time of 34min. No crashes, I was just about 2 minutes off the pace of most riders on each stage as I clattered down on my hardtail.

Marshal at pedally bit start stage 5, shouting PEDAL! at some very tired legs 😆 (if looks could kill). I have some OK photos (not pro) to post up for riders. Is roots and rain the place for these, can I put them for free download on there? M
Mosh pit on Saturday was Rowdy.

If it makes you feel better finbar, i got a time of circa 22minutes for stages 1 & 2 only before i pulled out, think I’d have actually thrown my bike down the hill in a hissy fit if I’d have carried on.

Absolutely cracking weekend for us. Got up there Friday with a mate. Met up with some other folks from CMBC and got drunk on Friday night. Struggled round the Saturday with a time of 28 mins and a poorly tummy. Had a great day though. Spoke to Ian who was on his hardtail who gave us some great support up the hills (hes always smiling 🙂 ) and saw Richard fixing his punctures on a couple of the stages (poor lad on a full ridged but boy can he ride). Stage 1 was my fave. Off the bike on 2 and only held onto the bike on 3 by smacking my testicals off the stem. Stage 5 was a great addition (apart from the guy in the red top who tried to overtake my mate mid jump and whipped him out!) and it was nice to have that horrible transition from last year shortened!

Not sure what was the best bit. Getting around alive? Having one two many beers? Watching my mate (who was very tired) fall off his seat in a del boy style after a few beers?, Seeing my mate some back from the sprint on Saturday beaming after a completely shit Friday? The hecklers corner on Sunday morning with “panman” or the chap on Sunday who broke his mech on hecklers corner and threw the cage into the woods (yes you with the tear offs) who then told his SO that he wasn’t sure of he should carry on as he wasn’t going to win it now….. no mate you weren’t you absolute knobber 🙂

All in all a top top weekend. Just don’t know if I should do it again as it really was that good!

I have some OK photos (not pro) to post up for riders. Is roots and rain the place for these, can I put them for free download on there?

Roots and rain is a bit more “pro” and they charge for downloads.
I Flickr (or similar) album would probably be best.
Still not spotted any decent photos of myself yet, just nasty gurns on the pedal on 1

some random snaps (mainly of the start of sunday)
https://goo.gl/photos/tR99thdctPvLrKFj6

Wished I’d paid more attention when entering and put myself in the hardtail category – I was faster than the official hardtail sprint masters winner. Balls.

Bloody good fun and planning to try and get in again next year.

Rode on the sunday, track were awesome as always, stage 5 was a really good edition, flat out and fast. Front brake hose mount came detached on stage 6, had to stop and put a cable tie on. Pretty happy with stages 1-5 otherwise, fair bit quicker than last year, shorter travel bike felt quicker for sure.

Quite a lot of traffic on the stages, which is fine given the huge number of people, some of the taping could little wider in places to make passing safer.

Had a few near misses and close calls finding people walking sections of track with little regard for those approaching from behind.

Had a few near misses and close calls finding people walking sections of track with little regard for those approaching

Aye, I think a lot of folks are race novices and as such race etiquette is not their priority.

Sometimes rider doesn’t suffice, I find a gruff Scots dialect ‘oot the **** road!’ works a bit better….

I find a gruff Scots dialect ‘oot the **** road!’ works a bit better

I certainly got one of these when i got stuck in the swamp on stage 3.. was out the way sharpish as a large beard on wheels flew past me!

I thoroughly enjoyed it despite doing almost everything slightly wrong. Forgot I live on the South Coast and it’s not mid teens centigrade at night in the dales. Wore everything I owned and spent the whole night awake freezing listening to the F-inch church bells all night long. (Why?)

Raced on Sunday because we could get in Sat so had to ration 4 beer so out all aftenoon and evening. Missed out on the party somewhat.

Had a 7:50am start which combined with the lack of sleep and the somewhat ‘welcome to the ard-rock’ vibe of stage 1 and the first transition climb left me a bit out of sorts mentally.

Finally got my eye in on 3 and loved the last 4 stages, absolutely fantastic. My time is humiliating, kept forgetting I was ‘racing’ and too much freewheeling and enjoying myself. 😆

Only a couple of times coming up behind people walking sections as we mixed with the sprint and intro categories. Ended up having to run up a couple of sections as riders were stood at the bottom of the obstacles. Such is life.

All in all, would do again, but the 700mile drive for one ride won’t be happening again, next time I will ride AND party…

awesome trails and weekend..

Did the sport in Sunday and all was going well until some impatient idiot slammed into the side of me on stage two in a skinny bit of the trail with no obvious passing place..

Nearly snapped my.thumb off in the resulting crash and then couldn’t hold on or brake properly for the rest of the stages..

There seemed to be a lot more I didn’t get into Saturday and I’m fast so I’m coming through regardless type riders in the sport category this year.. It’s the fun class.. Wind yer neck in a bit and be patient ay!

That said 99.9% of people either moved out of the way in a safe place or where patient and sat behind you until it was Safe to pass..

The events got and is getting more and more popular every year.. And it needs to keep its all inclusive skill levels mantra as that’s what sets it apart and makes it so awesome to ride for me..

Maybe the stages could do with a few signposted wider passing areas.. Or double line choices to.make it easier and safer for people to pass each other..

Can’t wait for next year!

listening to the F-inch church bells all night long. (Why?)

I have never ever come so close to lobbing a molotov into a church before.

There seemed to be a lot more I didn’t get into Saturday and I’m fast so I’m coming through regardless type riders in the sport category this year.. It’s the fun class.. Wind yer neck in a bit and be patient ay!

Compared to the likes of SES or PMBA, there is loads of space to get out the way on are rock, apart from Rocky chutes.

It’s quite simple, if I come up behind and call rider, I expect them to move over, the problems start when folk don’t shout and try to squeeze past anyway.

I had a decent ride on 1 and 2, but was pushing too hard on 3 and stupidly ploughed through that big puddle and struck a rock. Badly dinged my front rim and punctured both ends.
Chain came off on 4 (still not sure how or why, only time it’s ever happened).
Was loving 5 but got a bit carried away with everyone heckling and went far too quick through the narrow heather and had a big OTB.

Great day out and loved the stages. Hopefully get an entry next year and make it round mechanical free – third time lucky.

If you think you hit traffic, imagine how many people Emyr Davies had to pass. He finished 4th overall but was out after plodders like me.

There seemed to be a lot more I didn’t get into Saturday and I’m fast so I’m coming through regardless type riders in the sport category this year.. It’s the fun class.. Wind yer neck in a bit and be patient ay!

Puts hands up..

However…I was happy to overtake VERY widely, often having to battle huge rocks and grass piles to steer clear of the slower ride on trail who didn’t move.. I don’t mind – it’s part of the ‘benefit’ of being able to ride fast and free!!

I will say though…. I WISH there was a vetting process in order to separate the saturday ‘racers’ with the sunday ‘enjoyers’, purely because
a)I want to race competitively, have fun, and have it count
b)I DO feel a bit of a fanny ‘taking it seriously’ on the sunday event..However, I’m polite, make sure I make the effore to get past, rather than just barge through, and… I have also paid to enter and ride…!

DrP

I will say though…. I WISH there was a vetting process in order to separate the saturday ‘racers’ with the sunday ‘enjoyers’, purely because

Aye, works both ways though. Saw loads of groups of 4 or 5 mates starting in a group on the Saturday enduro. I get that some mates wanna ride together, but if you’ve trained hard for that race, and you catch 5 mates on a bit of singletrack, you will really struggle to get past.

Only a minor gripe though, on the whole the race is awesome, and organisers can’t stop **** entering…

A very steady pootle round the Intro for me, local so thought I best had! Stage 4 I thought was brilliant, was caught out by the drop off on stage 5 but clung on somehow!
First ever time racing which made me nervous!

Thankyou to the lady on stage 5 ” Please could I come past?”

From a local farmer point of view… Dad met a lot of riders on the transition before Langthwaite along the river driving to feed sheep and said that without exception they were polite and friendly.
That kind of thing makes a big difference to the future of event so nice one all you polite riders

yep.. I’m not sure how the vetting process would work though.. It’s a tricky one to do as for a lot of people it could be there first ever event..

Coming up behind someone quickly and shouting rider in the slower class is all well and good but they’re probably riding on their ragged edge on terrain they might otherwise have got off and walked on on a normal ride.. They will be trying to let you pass on the whole.. It just might not be as obvious to them where to let you pass.. Or where they can safely slow down or stop to,let you pass..

Patience and a make sure everyone is having fun and is ok should be the mantra if you are doing the sport class..

Aye, works both ways though. Saw loads of groups of 4 or 5 mates starting in a group on the Saturday enduro. I get that some mates wanna ride together, but if you’ve trained hard for that race, and you catch 5 mates on a bit of singletrack, you will really struggle to get past.

that was me 🙂

I go on the principal as if your faster then you will pass. One chap passed me mid chute on stage 1. That was a little scary. Others are shouting rider and they are no where near faster. I let a few guys through and then repassed them on stages 1 and 2.

It’s quite simple, if I come up behind and call rider, I expect them to move over

Not suggesting you’re guilty of it but the last half of that is a part of the problem. This year’s thoroughly aberrant performance aside I’m usually mid table fluff in most events so get passed and do some passing. There are a % of riders (usually the ones incapable of pedaling up a hill tbh) who seem to think shouting “rider” will make the person in front instantly get out of the way regardless, even when it’s neither safe nor possible to do so, and will force less confident less able riders onto a line they’re not willing to take themselves. (I saw one attempted pass mid chute, one coming over a drop and one forcing a chap, who already looked nervy, into the tape on the very edge of stage 2)*

Equally when there is room not pulling over is a stupid/inconsiderate thing to do.

Many moons ago i was told by a very handy chap doing a promo interview and photo shoot for some new tyres that, if there wasn’t room for him to ride round me, there wasn’t room for me to get out of the way either. He passed me on a line that I’m pretty sure to this day doesn’t exist.

*thinking about it probably the same people who tried to overtake 4 cars at once on the road by warcop round a bind bend.

They definitely need to work on the marketing behind the Saturday/Sunday events. Lots of people riding the Saturday race who should really be on Sunday one, and I suspect vice versa too.

Despite the wide openness of the terrain I didn’t think it was that easy to overtake as in general the speed was quite high. It is much easier to pass people on slower technical more twisty stuff..