Merida Brass Monkeys Round 2

So, who’s racing this Sunday then? Gunna be a slightly muddy and cold race!

Can’t wait to race on my new Yeti AS-Rc for the first time since it’s build!

New bike… Sandy course… Loads of mud… You sure??!!

GB

Well… what else am I gunna do with it? Hang it on the wall??

I bought it to race on.. so.. i’m gunna race it.. 😀

I rode my (then) brand new Top Fuel at the second round last year. Baptism of fire.

I’d put lots of helicopter tape on it though, it will be utterly trashed if you’re not careful!

I’ll be there, hopefully nearer the front than R1!

Fair enough. I’d just wait until a race that matters before you trash it! Sounds like a lovely bike…

Well the components on it are from my old race bike, only the frame is new, so i’m not worried about the components as they’re due for renewal anyways.. but the Yeti frame has lots of clearance, so hopefully there won’t be too much rubbage!

Every race matters for me anyways as I now ride for Cycles UK.

I was out drinking the night before round 1 for my birthday so I finished 46th out of 99! OOPS!

Every race matters for me anyways as I now ride for Cycles UK.

I was out drinking the night before round 1 for my birthday so I finished 46th out of 99! OOPS!

Those two statements don’t really go together…

I’m in 2 minds, might take my 456 with Alfine, might stay home – either way it’s gonna be 2 sets of pads @ £15 per pair – minimum!!!!!!!!!!!

I will also be there on my brand new bike, baptism of mud
Doing the four hour

Those two statements don’t really go together…

Sorry, i’ll explain. I only just started riding for them last week!

I’m looking forward to it, the more people that wimp out the better, equals a better result for me! 😀

either way it’s gonna be 2 sets of pads @ £15 per pair – minimum!!!!!!!!!!!

£15 per pair of pads? Where do you get your pads from?? Swear I can get mine alot cheaper than that!!

£15 per pair of pads? Where do you get your pads from?? Swear I can get mine alot cheaper than that!!

Uh…………yes Brake Pads – even from the lovely Merlin People

Good luck everyone. I’m heading over to Tunnel tomorrow for a little look and will report back on conditions…

Try these.. if they’re the same thing.. which they look to be. almost the same price and you get 4 times as many!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Pairs-Shimano-XT-Disc-Brake-Pads-BRM-755-XTR-Saint-LX-/140656847940?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item20bfcd2c44

GB, appreciate if you can lie to folk on here, and drop me a text. Just in case any of them are quicker than me 🙂

I missed the first one as ill, down for the four hour (hopefully!), still undecided weather to take the full sus or SS. Um decisions decision.

The course was looking pretty good yesterday. Few puddles and. Couple of firm sandy bits.

1 set of pads lasts a lifetime up there!

Looking cold!

Mrs Kilo and I are both doing the 2hr, having missed the first one due to injury, first mountain bike race for either of us and looking forward to cold, mud, sand etc 🙂

Please can anyone let me know whether a pair of Rocket Rons will provide enough grip or do I need to put the mud tyres on? Thanks

Rons will be adequate I’ll wager, but I’m gonna fit the Dirty Dans, as they’re not much slower. Depends on your mud tyres, I’d not want Trail Rakers round there.

Looking like a crisp, dry day for tomorrow.. fingers crossed!

I’ll be in the 2 hour race, looking to improve on round 1 – mainly by paying attention to where the course goes (not the rider in front) and not taking a 3 mile re/detour… 🙄

Somethings wrong I have to bikes complete and ready to go alfine ( with stange noise) and my SS , off for a quick spin on the freshly built untried alfine bike, so it could all go wrong in the next couple of hours

Just rode a lap, good and firm mostly. A couple of short wet sections but these are only 200-500m or so. The rest of the 7.5 mile lap is pretty dry. A lot of the lap is on old, previously ‘lost’ trails so isn’t cut up at all. Rons a good choice, bit slippy for Ralphs. I rode the singlespeed with Nics fitted and they were good and grippy. Not too hilly, one big hill but it could have been a load hillier. Probably 35-40min laps or thereabouts. I imagine I’ll do 4 in the 2hr.

GB

Gutted I can’t make this one:(

I can’t be arsed to change back to Rons now, Dans it is!

I’m gunna be on FireXCPro’s as i’m confident on them and they are a do-it-all tire.

Is it rooty like the last race? It’s not an XC race without a hill or two 🙂

The trails are rooty, yes.

Glad i’m on a full susser this time and not a carbon hard tail.. that nearly killed me last time. I remember doing most of the lap thinking ‘this IS going to break me or my bike.. or both!’.

Really?! It wasnt that bumpy, and as it’ll no doubt be muddier tomorrow a hardtail is even less of a hindrance. Sure it’ll be good fun!

Did you race it on a hardtail? Every single person I spoke to and saw on a hardtail was in pain.. People were walking like zombies across the car park at the end lol

Did you race it on a hardtail? Every single person I spoke to and saw on a hardtail was in pain.. People were walking like zombies across the car park at the end lol

My rigid ss will be perfect then! 😯

rigid single speed was fine last time but then they’re fine all the time…..

Did you race it on a hardtail?

Nah, I don’t do anything on a hardtail! 🙂

Didn’t slow Gee or Scott down though…

Yes – hardtail was great last time. I’ve still to find a full sus bike I like for racing on. I’m sure there are lots o great trail bikes for Wales etc but for actually racing on… I just can’t find one I like as much as a hardtail.

Just been out to scrape the ice off the car.. I think it’s going to be living up to its name today! Brr!

Was bloody cold today! How did everyone find the course?

I thought it was a great loop, tough but great fun and awesome twistiness!

Another great course and great conditions (if a little chilly!).. well done to the organisers!

8)

It was a great course, but at one point I used a phrase I thought I would never utter,

Please no more single track,

The new bike was great apart from a slowly slipping seat post which I didnt notice until the end, which was only two laps for me before I lost the will to continue, after. Cramp got me real bad,

Well done to all involved a good day

I did a practise lap and course was great! Unfortunately I bent my front wheel near the end and depite the best efforts of the SRAM tech guy never made the race. Gutted.

On the upside I was yet again impressed by course and organisation – and especially the support. And I went for a nice run instead. 🙂

Edit: nice to meet you Ade – the bike looked great!