Me and a few buddies are doing it up to now.

I’m torn between ‘short’ and flat out or long and a cruise with a mate…

I think to a great extent the weather may decide my plans.

not entered, kind of thinking about. Probably not fit enough.

Does anyone know how much climbing there is on the long route?

i get the impression… quite a lot LOL.

I’ve done it for the last couple of years ..signed up for this Year’s as well …but due to lack of fitness this year may just do the short

Send your Yelli frame over then mate, i’ll give it a run out 🙂

5230ft climbing on the short course

I did the long route last year and there was “only” about 1800m climbing, which really isn’t that much for 80km in Wales. Due to quite a lot of road and flattish stuff in between climbs. That said, I was really knackered by the end.

Will be singlespeeding the short route flat out this year, making sure I line up early and start front row rather than halfway back – the road lead-out was very crowded and slow last year.

Really enjoyed last year. Last two descents were magic. Hope weather stays dryish.

What rubber are people running?

Something strong or light and fast?

Same as always Racing Ralph…..no need to change tyres …

6000 ft or so of climbing, so not a great deal really considering the distance, my 20 mile local loops tend to include about 3000 ft.

Looking forward to it, I might not get there until about 9pm on the Saturday though, anyone know if I will be able to get into the campsite at that sort of time? If not it’ll have to be an early start from home.

Campsite is just a field opposite the sports centre …you’ll be fine

great, cheers!

I am doing the long route, does anybody no the positioning of feed stations, bottle hopefully but dont want to dry out !!!

What rubber are people running?

Not doing it this year but in previous years I have always used maxxis ignitors.

Same tyres most of the year around

Nic up front ralph out the back

All very dry over here at the moment, I’d be going for something that rolls well!

Everyone ready ?

Horribly wet over that way ?

Still dry!

Latest is its still dry but looks like they’ll get rain in the early hours. Seems the extra k’s on this years route are going to be in the back-lanes between the gap descent and Brecon???

Did this for the first time today, took the short loop. Pretty featureless ride, lots of winching uphill but enjoyed the challenge nontheless. Good atmosphere and a great effort from the marshalls.

Gap descent is fun though.

Gap descent wasn’t even in it! The course was awful. First event I’ve regretted being on a singlespeed. So much road…

Pretty much back tp the original course. Bit of a step backwards over last year’s IMHO. Still a good event, I’ll be back next year no doubt. 😀

I was dissapointed the Gap descent didn’t feature (unless it was in the long route?). It was my first Beast event and I’m not sure if I’d consider another as there was too much road. Still had fun though

The “Gap” featured in the long route. But going up rather than the traditional descent. Not as much fun but after you’ve pushed or carried your bike to the top, the gap road is pretty good. Have to agree the short route this year was a bit roadie.

First time for me, really enjoyed the short route, but then I am a closet roadie. Thought 3:13 was a decent effort with current fitness levels

3:13 is awesome! I was chuffed with 3h36 but would have been better if I could ride faster down those mental rocky stretches.

Think the first man home for the short route did about 2.55. There wont be many in front of you alwillis.

More importantly, how much air did you catch on the jump in front of the pavilion at the finish 😀 ??

would have been much better if the same loop was reversed, don’t know what imbecile decided to make all the decent descents climbs, what a tool.

I dunno- a lot of those rocky channels would have been impassable going up?

I liked going down the loose rocky sections

no cake 🙁

100km in 5hrs

@Alwillis- you were 6th fastest out of 374 and should be well chuffed 🙂
I was only good for 29th 🙁
8/129 in my age cat though 🙂

(Not that it’s a race of course 😉 )

@b45her
“would have been much better if the same loop was reversed, don’t know what imbecile decided to make all the decent descents climbs, what a tool.”

Perhaps you should mention it to Jason @ Biped cycles and all the others who give up their time to put on this event – tool.

I enjoyed it, yes a fair bit of road but some cracking trails too. Must say thanks to the two blokes who gave me puncture patches, saved my day.

I should add that my eagerness on the day down the “easy” descents has me in a wrist brace with a suspected broken scaphoid. So I think the course was tough enough! Will be back to try the long next year though, and I thought bananas and apples were much better than cake at the aid station.

Crosshair. Did I have a chat with you waiting for the traffic to pass just coming back into Brecon ? Finished just ahead of you on the Scott Scale.