The 2011 Welsh Ride Thing is GO!

e-mail sent…absolutely can’t wait 😀

Have you seen the Feb issue of Singletrack? Good article on Doethie Valley and the local area. For me one of the main reasons to keep you pack weight down is so that you can fully enjoy single track sections like this.

I’m sorry to say that if someone finds themselves heading down the Doethie valley this year … they’ve made a terrible navigation error 😀

I was going to speculate that we wouldn’t be heading south this year.

With an abundance of bothie’s in that direction it’d all be too easy, surely?

Not much in the way of bothies this year … people were spoilt last year, I mean 3 bothies all within reach. Who’s stupid idea was that? 😉

Four bothies?

/pedant mode off

😉

Email sent…

So…not down south eh, looks like my collection of OS maps of the welsh area is going to have to increase this year!

Is it wrong to be well excited already..? I’ve sent Stu an email when do you hear anything? As for Os maps, got most of the uk 1:25 now 😉

i love the sound of this event…i know my route planning has big impact on this but what sort of average mileage would i be looking at per day? just working out whether my current fitness level would allow it.

We did about 120 mile in the 3 days, I think that was about the average.

But of course you can plan for more or less

Depending on the terrain and your fitness, 15-30 miles on the opening day, 30-50 miles second day and 15-30 miles the last day, but there’s no time limit as to when you bed down for the night, 5pm? 9pm? midnight?, you choose.

Having never done this event before how does it really work, Do you all set off at the same time? Do you just rock up and crack on? whats at the check points? so on and so on?

You all set off together.
You have to enter in advance through email to Stuart – and then some form filling.
You have to answer a question or take a photo. Take them back to Stuart who glances at the answers and then puts them in a bin…..

Mass start (sort of more like mass wobble then mass stop at 1st junction to look at map)

Checkpoints are buildings or bridges or ruins or anything with questions to be answered about them

Saw everyone at the start then hardly anyone all day till the bothie at night

Set off noon-ISH, emphasis on the ish bit.
Ride for a few miles along your pre planned route to your first checkpoint.
Get answer to the question Stu has asked, write it down/take picture.
Ride to the next, etc. etc.
Stop for the night, tent, bivvy bag, etc. etc.
Repeat.
Repeat again.
Have a brew at Stu and Dee’s house.
Go home and sleep lots dreaming about riding in the back of beyond.
Plan for next year.

That sounds great, Email already sent so keeping everything crossed for reply email (any isea when that should arrive). So you ride 130k and he bins ya hardwork…nice..)))
Do most people have beam racks/backpacks? It all seems a bit underground event I cant find any pics on the net from last year?

I had a seatpost mounted rack with drybags strapped to it and another dry bag on the handlebars

Normal camelback with normal stuff in it, all worked ok, mate had everthing in a 25l sack, he was happy enought as well

Matt, I did it it last year and it is by far the best weekend on the bike I’ve ever had. Before this all my riding have been XC racing/enduros/normal biking weekends away at trail centres, but this was completely different.Just head off when you’re ready with a plan in your head and a map on the bike and keep going with the only objective being to get back sometime on Monday before all the Welsh cakes are gone. The scenery we rode over last year was just stunning. I’ve posted my shots from last year’s event here if you fancy a look:-

http://picasaweb.google.com/paul.pomfret/WelshRideThing2010#

Bigface…I hear you…it’s still 3 months before Stuart releases the checkpoints and I am already fired up.

Mass start (sort of more like mass wobble then mass stop at 1st junction to look at map)

😆

Bigface – I posted some pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15512491@N08/sets/72157624168123844/

It is a bit “underground”, which is all part of the fun IMO.

Some good pics there alfa.

I’m counting on finding a friendly publican with a tumble dryer, a shed to sleep in and good food and beer, again 8)

Great pics they’ve got me right in the mood)

Morning folks … now, just so no one panics, if you’ve sent me an email then you’re on the list. Don’t expect the hear anything for a few weeks though. If you’re concerned that I haven’t had your email, free free to send another and request a reply.

I never really thought about it before but I suppose ‘it’ is a little underground … it’s not really meant to be but as IanB says, perhaps it adds a little something. The WRT certainly isn’t a mainstream MTB event, I imagine it only appeals to a very small percentage of riders (even on here, with our larger than usual niche quota). The easiest way to keep in touch with what’s going on and the rubbish in my head is to visit the WRT blog from time to time http://welshridething.blogspot.com/

For anyone who hasn’t done it before then I think all the descriptions above are a fair view of how it works / what goes on. Just remember, it isn’t a race but it should be a challange.

Oh and this year I’ll be making plenty of flapjack to go with Dee’s Welsh cakes 😉

Has anyone got last years gride reference’s, just wondered what route I would of taken and its always good to expand your knowledge of the area?

Bigface …2009 grid refs are here http://welshridething.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-03-04T12%3A25%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7

It’ll give you an idea.

more photos[/url]

I had dry bag on the bars, drybag on a rack. frame bag and a back.

would like to cut a lot of weight of my back this time…

what to leave out; some clothes. what not to leave out: suncream. 😳

Alfa: Had a look through you photies. I take it that’s your bike in the pics?

I have been considering going SS for this but can’t decide whether I’d be doing too much pushing once I’d got a load of mediumweight kit strapped to the bike.

How did you get on SS, what gear did you use and did you gear down for loaded welsh riding?

Dyffers, think you’ll find it was IanB who was SS … I’m sure he’ll be along himself at some point but I do recall him saying he’d dropped his gearing and was surprised what a difference the added weight made.

I rode down to SSUK last year. It was around 80 miles (bivvied in the Doethie valley on the way) I was running 32:18, seemed ok, as I don’t recall much pushing 😉

I do recall him saying he’d dropped his gearing and was surprised what a difference the added weight made

A good summary actually. I was on 32:20, having previously run 32:19. If I went SS this year, I’d probably keep the gear the same but try and reduce the weight of kit. Bike weight all up was something like 34lbs, iirc.

However, I’m fitter now than I was then, and on a recent bothy trip I rode up a climb on 32:19 that I pushed last year with 32:20 – bike weight was pretty similar. Depends what you’re used to, but my advice would be to try a medium length day ride with your kit loaded to see what it was like. I didn’t do this, and consequently, the first climb was more of a grunt that I expected.

Thanks Ian.

I usually ride 34×18, and have been considering a 20 or maybe a 22. I’m mindful of how much I already hate spinning down road sections on my current gear though.

I’ve got a kit-test weekend around the Elan Valley planned for March to see how I get on on SS. From this I was going to make the decision from what I learnt.

With my heavyweight Inbred, I doubt very much I could thin my kit down enough to manage 34lb… 🙁

Wondering if ‘North’ is the way I may be able to include ‘My own Bed’ as a sleeping spot and if this is in the spririt of it 🙂

Has anyone used a Altura Fusion day pack, Ive just got one seems not a bad size managed to get my tarp and poles in it with room to spare… 8)

Best tell the mrs to expect a few other bodies round your gaff if that’s what your planning! 😉

I’m mindful of how much I already hate spinning down road sections on my current gear though.

Me too, which is why I’m inclined not to go shorter than 32:20 and concentrate on kit selection and fitness.

Forgot to add to my previous post that Alfachippy was also SS, so perhaps he’ll be able to give some insight into his gearing for 26″ wheels and how he got on with it last year.

Don’t worry Tiger, I’ll make sure there isn’t the slightest chance you’ll get your own bed 😀

@ dyfers” I have been considering going SS for this but can’t decide whether I’d be doing too much pushing once I’d got a load of mediumweight kit strapped to the bike.”

I normally run 34:17 pretty much everywhere when I ride locally (Rolling hills / bumps of the South) but for this event last year I sought some advice from Stuart who suggested a 19 or 20T on the rear. I figured that if I was to make a change that it should be a significant one and so I went with 34:20 which was absolutely spot on. (A fraction longer than Stuart’s 32:19).I rode with a few guys over the event and could ride everything they could. I was more concerned about being able to climb rather than spinning out as none of the routes are flat you’re always either grinding up or coasting down. I wouldn’t change the ratio but just reduce the weight of my kit, I had a dry bag on the rear(6-7kg), a bar bag (3kg) and a 4kg back pack. 30% or more of the kit I carried I didn’t use.

Excellent idea regarding practice weekend, that’ll tell you everything you need to know.

One thing I am changing for this year is my bike, I hope an extra 3″ in wheel size will make it even better. Check it out, just finished today! 😀

http://picasaweb.google.com/paul.pomfret/NewSIR9#

Nothing stereotypical here me thinks!

Sorry to ramble on so…. 🙄

Very nice, I shall look forward to seeing it in the flesh and giving it a stroke 😉

Alfa: all good info, thanks!

Just don’t mention those extra inches – I’m really sore I bought my 26″ Inbred just because I had the wheels salready hanging in the garage spare. One day I’ll crack when an XL Singular appears on the classifieds, then the missus will utterly crucify me… 😳 Very jealous of the Niner.

I think I’ll spring for a 20T sprocket for the March ride and see how I get on.

I can already sense the dreaded 9spd cassette/rear mech/thumbie smirking at me from the parts box. 😆 Doesn’t help that my SS-til_I-die mate I’m doing the WRT with has already 1×4’d his 29er!

Very nice Alfa. You should get one of those frame bags to go with that I reckon 😉