Brighton Big Dog Chat 2014

My Curtis is still ss if you can’t sort the brake out Tim. It’s got mud tyres on too.

Big Dog forecast by South Downs MTB Skills[/url], on Flickr

I think it’ll be OK!

That’s good because both nobby nics in the garage have big holes in so racing Ralph rear it is!

Last year i did 3 onederdog laps on 3 different bikes…2010 intense tracer, my mates kinesis ff 29 and my other mates 2006 specialized epic fsr.
This year im doing a few laps on my rigid karate monkey. Cant wait…

Just wondering how strict the sign on time is…. I’m in a relay team of three and the Mrs has booked the vicar in at 11am….. Which is typical. I’ve only just been told and will likely be murdered if I don’t stick around.

Sun shining, mud tyres on. Napalm has been on the go since 5:30 this morning. Massive thanks to you and all the others involved. See you shortly!

Tough old ride. Not my best effort ever, next year then!

Awesome day, gutted not to be racing after an injury (ironically gained in stamner) but my mate got 20th in male solo on a Santa Cruz Bronson with 1×10 and 160mm pikes!
Cracking atmosphere, great course and can’t wait for next year! 😀

It was the first competitive thing I have ever done. First lap I wanted to go home. Second lap loved it.

I have got to say I got passed a lot. But was amazed at how courteous and friendly everyone was towards me.

I’ve never spoken to so many friendly people (off the race track) in a short space of time in my life. To be honest this made the day for me and has restored my faith in humanity.

Never again though….

Brilliant day out – 4 laps as part of a pairs 8, 5 cups of tea, no crashes, 1 burger, no beer (queue too long), plenty of cake, 1 new T-shirt, a new wallet from beerbabe, and about a million grins.

Thanks to all who help to put it on, and to the marshalls for looking out for us while we pinball off the trees!!

Your mate must be pretty handy maybe he should get himself a proper bike?! (I was 21st / 8 laps in solo on a scale…)

Really good day, first time there for me, route was excellent, even by the end I still wasn’t entirely sure of what was round each corner… Wide bars were not a good idea and I was gutted to put a massive side wall tear in my ‘snakeskin’ nobbly nic on lap6. Luckily I gambled with a tube and boot and it held up for the next 2 laps but had to be super careful with line choice.

Once again I’m amazed by the guys at the sharp end. 10mins a lap faster than me…I’m about as fit as I’ve ever been, training upto 15hrs per week…no idea how I can find another 25%!!

Great vibe. Reckon I’ll be coming to next years instead of Torq (sorry Torq, your a great event too!)

That was brilliant – really really nice course, although those climbs got a bit spiky on the singlespeed!

9 laps – 12th vet. Rehydrating now 😀

Sounds like it was good, but 2 days in Moorfields this week meant that it wasn’t going to happen. There’s always next year.

Great day out, really enjoyed the course and chilled out atmosphere. Any idea wwhenthe results are likely to be avaliable?

It’s the best event for atmosphere & friendly faces, IMO. So much hard work to make it happen & everything ploughed back in, amazing.

aP – Hope all’s ok….

Results are up already, on timelaps

Cool will go check it out 😉

Superb event as always. Course was great,couldn’t believe how much it had dried out from Thursday’s slippery slop.
Roll on 2015.

First Big Dog for me and I was really impressed particularly at the course; that was a great course and far better than I’d expected…well done to the organisers 😀

Just looking at the result lap times: fair play to anyone who did sub-30mins 😯 …in fact sub 35mins is damn good

Really pleased to have done my 3rd Big Dog and happy with 4 laps…could not have done more! Best thing about the race is the atmosphere and friendly people. Good after party at the velo too although I only lasted long enough to drink a couple of ciders and gobble half a pizza! Will I put myself through the pain and torture next year? I reckon so!

It was brilliant as usual. Rode round having a few chats, listening to my (trail friendly) headphones and doing a bit of singing along-sorry anyone who heard it.

I dropped in for a OneDerDog and enjoyed it. Course was much better than last year, though still not as good as it used to be 😉 . Great vibes all round as ever. Nice one MoDog!

Anyone seen any OneDerDog times anywhere? They were on Timelaps last year…but nowt there this time.

Loved the course and the day as a whole. Only binned it once on the roots! We managed 12th in the gents team cat. Really pleased with that.

Such a friendly event too. Looking forward to next years!

That was great fun – just did one lap and timed it so that the proper entrants were already worn out when I went round – made me feel quite fast! 😉

Rich, I’m sorry to say that you beat me… The BrightonMTB onederdog showing was:

David 34:06 (10th!)
Andy 35:18
Rich 36:02 (17th)
Alex 36:45 (21st)
Matt 36:18
Tom 39:58
(out of 81 onederdoggers)

I thought it was a decent XC course though I do miss the manic final descent from the original course! I know us locals would rather have more interesting descents but it’s hard to stop the route crossing over itself and I’m not sure what level of technical challenge is allowed by British Cycling (I get the impression it’s much less than on World Cup XC courses). Great atmosphere as ever and we were so lucky the rain held off!

@cheifgrooveguru where did you find the onderdog times? I couldn’t see them on the website.

They were up on the noticeboard after the race, next to all the real race results – I took a photo of them. Were you no. 970? 58:59 if so!

Alec do you happen to have a time for #930 Onderdog.
Should be around 37 mins give or take.
Was awesome and I really enjoyed myself, Sorry to JimB for a blocking manoevere in the trees , then enaging roadie mode for the following climb.
And sorry to TimP for the last lap ‘encouragement’ at least I had some spares if you had needed them . PLus good skills on the decents, dropped me

I’m astounded, as always by some of the times. I’m a 45 year old fat lad, never had illusions of being quick uphill, but I’m OK going down. How do these ‘young’ whippets take 30% off my lap times?

Just musing – and maybe it’s a Brighton thing – but what are the rules for transgender athletes? If it’s not properly policed (think Lucas and Walliams style) then my mate and I might potentially sneak onto the ladies pairs podium next year? Otherwise – we’re miles off the pace……again.

Maybe 29ers aren’t all bad…maybe! 29er riders on the other hand…
Pretty broken today, but not as bad as my forks 😥
Seemed easier SS than last year but didn’t seem much difference in height gain over 6 laps. 37th male solo which I was pretty pleased with after blowing my forks halfway through.
When can we sign on for next year?

Hopefully this will work!

37mins give or take!

My fastest lap was 40:26 which as a weed on a fat bike I was quite pleased with 🙂

Top work yesterday from my team mate Wwaswas in the fat bike pairs. He narrowly beat me to our fastest lap by 5 seconds, I managed 40min31 … must have been the slow changeover on that lap 😉

Pretty chuffed with our 8 laps overall and averaging around 41-42mins per lap 😀

Chiefgrooveguru, you hit the nail on the head I think. All us locals would like some of the favourite downhills and techy sections to be included, but that’s just not gonna happen within the constraints of the limited land area and BC regulations. Under the circumstances I think yesterday’s course was pretty good. A big thanks again to all those involved in the organisation before and during the day.

Paceman

Thank you for all of your kind comments & general feedback.
We’ll have an event de-brief later this week – please post here if you have anything that should be considered for next year – BigDog 7th Edition.
We’re aiming for Saturday 8th August 2015 and that’s subject to Council approval in November.
Patience required.

Thank you all again – we wouldn’t do it if you weren’t all so awesome! x

Question…going to probably fail to describe this well enough for anybody to respond, but about half way round on one of the long fireroad drags, (not a steep, I was using to take on a gel most laps) it turned sharpish right into a tight twisty section. I swear, that on a least a couple of laps I saw riders joining the fireroad just before the turn rather than riding along the fireroad like I was. It confused me as I thought at least one of us must have taken a wrong turn? One time it was a pretty rapid chap in orange army jersey who cut me up nicely joining the fireroad and diving in front and then into the wooded section…

Anyways, could be completely mistaken as I was pretty knackered!

Anyone got links to photos yet?

I also read about a 15% discount on Morevelo kit, which I thought was in the welcome pack but when I checked this morning can’t find anything. Am I making this up as well?!

Mid-table obscurity in male pairs for me. Course was much more enjoyable than last year too. Super friendly vibe apart from getting the inevitable ‘race leader coming through’ call.

Apologies to the rider I made take a dab after a front wheel wash-out over roots on lap one! Felt a bit crap afterwards, so apologies again.

Can’t believe you were out there riding the route again this morning Paceman!

Was a brilliant day and riding with a great team mate meant predictable time between laps to chat to people etc.

Thanks to all the organisers and marshals for making it all happen – especially Rory for on course heckling 🙂

There was one point where a train of riders turned right in front of me into single track about 20 yards shy of the correct place. I blindly followed, spotted the error and turned back, but not sure everyone did. But would have cut a large chunk of the lap out (all the uphill through the trees after the carpark plus more) so I’d have thought pretty obvious on lap times

Thanks chiefgrooveguru, that’s most useful. Hmm, I’d best train a bit for next year I think, so at least I can beat Dave..!

Was loads of fun.

wwaswas – Member

Can’t believe you were out there riding the route again this morning Paceman!

It’s quite pleasant at a more leisurely pace 😀