I'm doing the 100km at HONC on Sunday, Mrs Militant is doing the 50km.
Mrs Militant didn't feel able to do the 100km, but wanted a bit more of a challenge than 50km, so was disappointed that there wasn't a 75km option.
Looking at the routes posted on http://www.honc.org.uk/ the routes diverge at three points, with one small and two big extra loops for the 100km.
Would it be possible for her to just do one of these big loops for an approximately 75km route ?

Just do the first part of one route, and then the second part of the other.

you could do the first 100k loop to the food stop( nice cakes) then take the 50k rout from there . or the other way round 🙂

I did the '75k route' a while back when I was really knackered come half way.

OK, thanks. I guessed it would be possible, I just wondered if it she might get the marshals at the splits shouting at her that she's gone the wrong way.
Also, if she does just the second big loop, she'll be arriving at the start of it at about the same time as the fast guys who have done the first big loop. Will that cause confusion, or will there be a few other people doing the same thing ?

She will not get shouted at by marshals for going the wrong way.
There is no indication to tell what route the rides will be following,
from their numbers or anything.
If she is caught by the back markers then a short cut will be
suggested.

My suggestion would be te first half of the long route, and the second
half of the short route. Reason being that we have had to make a couple
of detours on the first part of the long route, so its a bit less than 50km.

Thanks Graham, I didn't realise you were part of the organising team.
I didn't mean I was expecting the marshals to shout in an angry "Oi, you can't go that way" way, more a helpful "Come back, you've gone the wrong way" way.

if you do the longer ones i wish you look.
the whole course is very dull infact mind numbingly so at stages.

i rode it once 3 years ago never again ,id maybe consider it on a cx bike but thats it.

Big-Bud – Have you ridden since ?

I was pretty bored three years ago but really enjoyed the two years since – also find it one of the friendliest crowds on any event.

Anyone who goes to HONC expecting a traditional mtb Enduro event is always going to be disappointed. Mtbs with narrow fast tyres or for me a cx bike are the order of the day and it's about having a good ride rather than one full of technical challenges. HONC is always one of my favourite events of the year.

Well I'd like to put this in the route.

But the won't let me 😕

That'd be great on a cross bike 😉

Well, I've never done it before, it's half the price of the big commercial events sponsored by Kona and CRC, yet they still manage to make a donation to charity at the end of it, so it's got to be worth a go.

I've ridden it for the past two years (actually, 7 out of the past 10 years) and it's still good fun – great atmosphere, great crowd to ride with and a lovely area to boot! Personally, I'd prefer a fully way marked route because I'm rather lazy and prefer to ride without thinking much, so I bought a GPS and I hope that saves me the hassle 😉

Oh, and did I mention that the weather forecast is pretty good???

Anyone know what the ground conditions are like for the off-road parts of the course? Did it last year with High Rollers and could have done with something faster given all the road sections but currently have a BG/Advantage combo and wondering if I can get away with running something faster rolling (at least on the rear), either an Aspen or SB8 as have those lying around already. Would prefer to drag a bit on the roads though than spin out all the time off-road.

Is it true the route is all signposted this year?

hey Grahamh, is that Rodborough common? one of my old local spots )

"i rode it once 3 years ago never again ,id maybe consider it on a cx bike but thats it. "

well to be fair it is a cx ride, it's on the the hell of the north weekend… clubber's right, it's a good fun event and not meant to be all 'grr'. the number of people i saw on FS bikes a few years back was suprising but they all seemed happy, it's basically a good rough-stuff ride rather than an MTB enduro and i've seen tourers rattling down the byways happily enough too.

Warning: Shameless plug 😉 Sorry.

If you enjoy HONC. Perhaps you'd be interested in the Bucks Offroad Sportive? Same idea but in Bucks on May 16. Fully sign posted, food and refreshment stops along the way. Chance for a pint afterwards. 121km, 100k, 75km and 35km routes. Max number of riders is 600 and we've filled 200 spaces already. Take a look at http://www.bucksoffroadsportive.co.uk

Shameless plug over 🙂

trickydisco, it is true that the route will be sign posted this year.
james-o, no thats Cleeve Common, not far from where the route will go.

don't know cleeve so well, but that's the spitting image of rodborough bombholes.. same kind of fun lines anyway.

could also be minch or painswick i guess )

Any tyres will do I reckon. Even in the muddy years I've been ok on an mtb with semi slicks pumped up rock hard.

Signed! Seriously?!

Yup, seriously…
Rather glad too, just had to amend the course again 😕

Yay for signage!

i saw on FS bikes a few years back was suprising but they all seemed happy

I did it last year on a Cannondale Rush, with semi slicks pumped up to 55psi it was great, In fact it was probably lighter then some of the CX bikes, the only let down was my rear brake blowing up halfway round.

Yay for signage – does away with the need for my Garmin this year 🙁 I was looking forward to using it too…

Please also check on grahmh's post regarding the route changes for GPS's just in case! http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/honc-gps-files

boooooooooooooo for signage.

i love seeing people heading off in the wrong direction then half a dozen sheep following. makes my day. my brother in law did an extra 7 miles last year, when i quizzed him about map reading he admitted his map hadn't come out of his pocket for the whole 100k. muppet.

Well I'm taking my Full-Suss as it's that or the road bike 😉 Tyre Choice has been carefully thought out and I'm going with "the ones on the rim". it's not like I'm trying to win or anything.

I would have liked to try it on the cx bike, had I not sold it in a moment of stupidity.

It's a nice ride in the sunshine really.

flatfish, we can always organise the signs to point the wrong way…

mrmo – Member
flatfish, we can always organise the signs to point the wrong way…

now that sounds like fun…

grahamh – Member

Well I'd like to put this in the route.

But the won't let me

That's a shame it was a laugh on the tandem the other week. 😉

Alex
I'm with you all the way.
Singlespeed road bike or full sus. The tyres i've got or buy some new ones.

I have some new tyres. I'm just not wasting them on the HONC 😉

thats Cleeve Common

Indeed – I know exactly where that is, and it would presumably be very easy to make the route go that way – can't be more than half a mile diversion (what happens if we ignore the signs and do that bit anyway?) Not that I've ever biked it, but I've orienteered through there (is pretty hard work doing fine nav through all those earthworks).

Kind of sorry about it being signed – part of the appeal has always been that you do have to navigate yourself, though I suppose with widespread GPS use now that's no longer actually a challenge. I remember on my first ever HONC catching up the Barry Clarke lead group who'd gone the wrong way when I'd navved my group the right way. OTOH in a way I'm glad this year as I don't have much prep time, so won't have to worry so much about the maps.

I have a CX bike, but will be on the full-sus – a decision made ages ago since my 6 month old wrist injury still sometimes hurts on the road bike. Not only that I don't fancy rough stuff on rigid forks, but I don't get the same discomfort on flat bars. Mind you I do have full remote lockout for the road bits and fast tyres (RRs) – do plenty of tarmac in the races I do, and it's certainly not slow on that, so I don't think it will be a problem. It's also probably just as light if not lighter than the CX bike (and indeed most people's CX bikes and hardtails). In the same way I'd enjoy passing people on MTBs on the downhill bits if on the crosser, I plan to overtake lots of crossers on the road sections 😉

Another who will be riding a full-sus using the one set of tyres I have. Done it the last two years in same format and really enjoyed it.

Does anyone know what the trail conditions are looking like for Sunday. Not that it makes any difference to my tyre or bike choice, just I'd like to know!!

Well I'd like to put this in the route.

But the won't let me

You want to put a picture of me in the route? 🙄

Oh and that bit is on my route 😉

Try and take a few unsuspecting CX's with you 😈

Oh and that bit is on my route

i'll be following you on your route then wokboy.

Will do Graham! Maybe do the scree slopes after too save a climb!