7a.m.

http://www.winchcombecc.org.uk/honc/

Likely to be in again, but going to go for a shorter route at a hilled pace me thinks

Nah, do the 100 Russel! Easier terrain than FoD!

Is this pretty much all bridleways and road ‘transitions’? Or are there decent singletrack type bits?

Is this pretty much all bridleways and road ‘transitions’?

Yep

I think I’ll do this again this year, haven’t done for aaaaages.

I’ve not done it for a while so Thanks for the heads-up 😆

I’m in at number 255, will be good motivationg for me to get fit, I have barely got out since becoming a Dad.

I’m in, 233.

Number 25. Blasted cat slowed me down by walking over the keyboard:-)

In again this yr,good fun weekend. Will try not consuming too many beers prior this time around. Wonder if it’s going to be suntan, snowman or traditional muddy mud skipper look at the finish

Number 6

In…number 440!

Will be the first time in about 15 years!!

#429

Looking forward to it already. Although not if they use that sneaky extra climb right at the end like last time.

Entered for the first time. What are people’s thoughts on using a Cross Bike vs Hardtail? Or do people wait until the route is announced nearer April?

616 at 9 o’clock – overslept. I’ve had dry conditions for the last to years so must be due a drenching sometime.

I used my cross (arkose) last year. Gearing was tough given I’m unfit and it’s very hilly. Few bits were quite tough (fields) as they were cut up and the constant bumps would have been smoothed by a rigid mountain bike. Overall not bad though.

773 at 11:30….

Just entered at 1500ish, so still places left.

I’ll just ride round at the back closing gates again and following the last riders in.

just remembered – 938

FS, hardtail or cross bike? Last year the first five in the 100k were: 1st – FS (Trek Top Fuel), then: HT, FS (another Top Fuel), Cross bike, HT (Trek Procalibre).

So, anything goes really but a trail or Enduro bike will be hard work

i seem to remember after finishing last year Ben’s hands were a mess and i am sure he was of the opinion that the FS bikes made things a lot more comfortable. Cross bikes are fast on some sections but you really suffer in other places. Even the fairly smooth farm tracks take there toll after a while.

I just went round on a carbon hardtail, which wasn’t too bad, but for most of the day i was just dawdling whilst escorting the last riders to halfway.

They could do with leaving out some of the chossy singletrack on the way back up to Cleeve Hill this year.

Munqe-Chick seems to have signed us up to it – we’ll be using CX bikes.

Is it too much to hope that I’ll find the Litespeed headtube badge that fell of my Obed HT the last time I did it, around the turn of the millennium?…

I’m in at 295 and not been on the bike for 3 years. Seemed like a good idea after a bottle of wine on the Sat.

Does anyone have any tips on how fit I need to be to complete this in a reasonable time i.e. what distance road rides should I be comfortable doing? Did 40 miles yesterday and now walking like John Wayne.

Also would I be better off riding a full susser (Cove Hustler 150mm f&r) or a rigid adventure bike (Trek 920).

Any help would be welcome. Oh and I’ve given up the vino until after the event.

Do 40 miles a lot. Rigid fine, probablt lighter and more efficient

It’s a very laid back event – just a reasonable level of fitness to see you around the short course. CX bike myself.

I’m in, although I cocked up the email address on my registration so I’m not sure what number (they’ve had the money though!)

It’s my birthday that day, I’ve not ridden for two weeks since a big crash. I’m currently ill and il probably be back training middle of this week. However I’ve got 2 leg tattoo sessions before HONC that usually mean 10-14 days off the bike. I’m not sure I’m going to be prepared.

It’s a very laid back event – just a reasonable level of fitness to see you around the short course.

This. If you can ride 40 miles easily, you’ll be able to do the short course (50km) without any issue. And the beauty is that the half way point of both courses is in the same place, so if you’re not in the mood for the full 100km of the long course, you can do the first 50km to the half way point and then do the second half of the short course, so 75km(ish) all in.

For those entering on a CX bike would you use 1x or 2x based on the split of road and off-road that is to be expected?

What ever you have and like. I wouldn’t use 1x for anything but CX. Proper CX that is. Others rave about it. What ever suits you, its not crossing the Himalayas. Just go for the fun.