Dirty Reiver 2023

Re: Weather – yeah, sorry about that. Actually, it’s my riding mates’ fault. They’re known for bringing the crap weather, usually resulting in getting through a set of brake pads rather quickly.

If it turns out to be an awful grind, then we might change to the 130 on route (I think you can do that, can’t you)?

We’re camping at Boe Rigg – just down the road. Bike wise, it’s a Giant Revolt, Camino Ti and a S-Works Epic FSR (2011) that’s just been brought out of retirement… give us a wave as you (undoubtedly) pass us!

Hmmm. I am absolutely gutted about the forecast. I hate rain, and after my last 100 mile mountain bike race round Kielder that destroyed the bike I vowed never to return.

Seems I should have listened to myself. I’ll be switching to the 130 (at best) if the weather doesn’t buck its ideas up.

TAKE SPARE BRAKE PADS.

I went through 4 pairs last time and still finished with the backing plates worn through on the last sets.

@tlr what pads are you using? Shirley some sintered or Kevlar jobbies would be in order

4 sets of pads in one ride? You’ve got me paranoid now, mine seem to last forever.

Nothing lasts forever in wet Kielder grinding paste. But tbf, the race that I recall destroying everything was one really wet Kielder 100, from bitd (I wore through 3 pairs of pads then failed to finish anyway… Only 20% of the starters actually finished that year!) But that was a mountain bike race. I also recall a rider with a new carbon bike wearing a hole in the frame with a wobbling water bottle.

You lot, ahem, should have less of the destruction in a gravel race. Have a good one everyone.

How do you manage that with 4 sets of pads 🤯

I did two Dirty Reiver’s and the 6 months of training in between on the same set of GRX pads 🤣

If I’ve spent 40mins grinding up a hill- I want all that potential energy back again, not costing me money 🚴🏻 💨 🤣

Yak
Full Member
Nothing lasts forever in wet Kielder grinding paste. But tbf, the race that I recall destroying everything was one really wet Kielder 100, from bitd (I wore through 3 pairs of pads then failed to finish anyway… Only 20% of the starters actually finished that year!) But that was a mountain bike race. I also recall a rider with a new carbon bike wearing a hole in the frame with a wobbling water bottle.

Yep, that was the race, 2011 I think. I finished, but had zero brakes for the last 30 miles, which was fun. I remember the guy who wore through his frame with his bottle. A couple of others went through their carbon chainstays with foot rub.

I don’t remember which pads I was using, they normally last me ages even in the Peak District, but that fine Kielder paste destroyed everything.

Despite cleaning my bike after the race, a day later not a single bearing on my bike worked, wheels, headset, suspension, bottom bracket – all seized utterly solid.

I hate Kielder. No idea why I’m going up there again! I think it was the blue skies and sunshine in the pictures – false advertising I reckon.

^ Yes 2011 seems about right. No one will forget that. I was on a 26er scandal. I think the headset bearings survived but not much else.

But I have been back a few times and it is a stunning landscape to ride in, rain or not. It was the Kielder 100 course + weather that did the damage. You’ll be ok this weekend I think.

Still take spare brake pads though…

I’ve just looked up the original thread from that 2011 race.

If anyone thinks we are exaggerating about it, it’s worth a read. Quite funny with 12 years of hindsight…

Pad Armageddon

Reminds me of “that” Gorrick Enduro at Swinley (2009?), I avoided DFL by not bailing on lap 1 like the sensible people, by the time I got back on lap 2 just about everyone had given up on the concept of brake pads and was just running down the descents.

Wow! That sounds insane 🤣

I don’t have any spares in stock so better just not brake 🤣

If it turns out to be an awful grind, then we might change to the 130 on route (I think you can do that, can’t you)?

I did the first DR in 2016 in a mix of hail, sleet and temperatures that didn’t go much above 3 degrees the whole day.

Bailed at the 130km mark.

It took a hot shower at the campsite, the 2hr drive home with the heather on full blast and a hot bath to actually feel warm again.

What made it worse was the early stream crossing that we had to wade, my feet simply never recovered from that. If the phrase “you will have to wade across a knee deep stream” had been in the rider briefing, I’d have taken some industrial strength bin bags to put over my feet and lower legs but that info was sadly lacking which in those temperatures, was pretty unforgivable.

Good luck to everyone this weekend! I’m working on a UCI race from the comfort of a car. My kind of racing these days – drive a Commissaire around in a nice sponsor car with a lot of snacks on board!

Spare brake pads. Hmmmm. Nope. I don’t have any, unless GRX are the same as slx?

Clothes-wise I am taking a right old mix and choosing on the morning. Currently thinking of leggings and overshoes, to be honest.
Also tried my old crud guards on the bike yesterday and they fit – so they are going on.

So….watch out for the green Camino with LOMO frame bag and black crud guards. It’s gonna be a strong look! Oh. I’ll be somewhere near the tail end I reckon, and definitely only doing the 130.

Does anyone have the 2023 GPX file that could be sent my way. I’m planning to take photographs on the route and upload to Root and Rain/Social Media

It’s beautiful up here at the moment!

Regardless of the wet it looks like its going to be pretty chilly so think clothes will be easy.

Long bibs with Gabba up top and arm warmers. Gore jacket and shorts in case it’s really wet. Will probably bring winter boots as well to keep the feet warm.

@tlr I was there, great thread, horrible race.

I’ve been stressing about this since the forecast went shit at the start of the week. I stopped doing endurance events for a year after that. This will probably be the first time I’ve ridden Kielder in the rain since then and I only live in Newcastle.

Had been considering taking my mudguards off, but they’re staying on. Longs, over shoes and a waterproof jacket is what I’ll be starting in. The north easterly wind’s going to be cold!

I’ve just loaded my bag up with almost all the kit I own 🤣

Always forget about my long sleeved CX Speedsuit. That with a light raincoat could be ideal.

Tempted to stick dry socks in my half-way bag.

I’m assuming you can drop dow as the routes are the same. You just take the 135 sign at some point?

Looking quite likely.

We’ve been riding in Kielder the last few days, the course is well marked and does give you the option to choose distances as you come back into the north end of the water – 65, 130 or 200.

Reckon that’s going to be a tough choice!

Had hoped to at least pack the car in the dry and kid myself that the weekend could be OK but its puring down in Brum. I’m motivating myself with the thought that the cold and wet will impede all the 10st skinnies and my more robust frame will be better suited.

After changing my mind about 20 times overnight I have opted for a hard tail XC machine.

Rationale….the route is back loaded with hills so having very easy gears might not be a bad thing.
As it’s wet, any extra grip will likely be welcome and if it’s a bit greasy on the downs after 100km it could be really hard work if I am having to really carefully pick lines down the fast descents.

I will have moments tomorrow where I will wish I had drops to got down on when the wind is blowing but I also doubt I will complain about being too comfortable at the end of the day!

Currently navigating from Surrey across to King’s Cross to jump on the train.

Had hoped to at least pack the car in the dry and kid myself that the weekend could be OK but its puring down in Brum

Dry from Manchester north at the moment according to my rain radar app. I’m on a work call, my colleagues (all further south/east than me) have said that it’s raining. I told them about the nice blue skies up at mine. 🙂

Bloody windy though!

We’re on the M1 at the minute 🚐 💨

Bike choice vid:

I’d much rather spend all day on that too 🙂

How many dogs? 🙂
Anyway, looks a good choice. The only thing I would add would be a marsh-guard type mud guard or one of those neoprene ones to keep the spray off your face. Have a good ride.

On M1 too – just met another fellow rider (and seen a fair few cars with bikes mounted up).

We’re in a Black Disco with 3 bikes on the back and tent box on the roof. Give us a wave if you pass us! 😁

We’re in this bad boy. Stuck in a queue at the min 🚐 🚐 🚗 🚛

@yak We’re down to ten of our own dogs now and have a couple of friends ones staying 😀

Thanks, feeling a bit daunting in this rain 😬

Damn, managed to get to King’s Cross and all trains to Newcastle have been cancelled until at least 4pm. After waiting for a couple of hours have been sent to Doncaster to change so hope to still make it but was very close to going home!

Standing room only so not the restful day I had hoped for!

We’re here
Just got our numbers and unpacked and then ridden round to the visitors centre in glorious sunshine to get signal.

Heading back for supper now.
Good luck everyone, see you on the other side.

Just been a preview of the event of Look North (NE & Cumbria edition).
Chris Boardman will be there. Have a good one all.
Will see if it appears on iPlayer later and post a link.

Preview about 16 1/2 minutes into Look North.
Hopefully iPlayer link works:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001l6wt/look-north-north-east-and-cumbria-evening-news-21042023

Good luck to you all. My mum messaged me this morning about this, hadn’t heard of it before so I suspect she’d watched the Look North piece.

Echoing others, Kielder is a lovely place but the one time I’ve been on a bike, I’ll quote my mate “I’d have been drier if I’d gone in the bath”. Looking through the FAQs, taking a mobile phone is a good idea, if not a tad optimistic, there’s not much in the way of signal.

Hope everything goes well

https://www.rootsandrain.com/event11795/2023-apr-22-dirty-reiver-dirty-reiver-kielder-forest/photos/

Pics look like everyone is enjoying it

🤔🤔🤔🤔

My images are being uploaded to Roots and Rain now.

https://www.rootsandrain.com/event11795/2023-apr-22-dirty-reiver-dirty-reiver-kielder-forest/photos/filters/photogs2589/

Ooft, closest I have ever come to taking a shorter route in an event biy managed to plodnon and finish the 200. Think it was about 11.30

@crosshair think you came past me about 110km but I didn’t have the legs to catch up.

Good effort! We ended up doing 130 – lost on of the team when a spoke went on his front wheel.

Some cracking riding!