Whinlatter Challenge today- how was it for you?

Well that was my most enjoyable race so far (only done 2 😀 ) after 10 months off the Bike in 2009 and hardly any training during 2010 and to come in with a time of 4hrs 39min and 294th i was more than happy.

Anyone knows who was doing the photos today?

I managed 2hrs 45mins for 17th place which I'm decidedly chuffed with. Cheers to some of you faster lads for dragging me along with you. 🙂

Brilliant event, well organised and lots of great descending as reward for the punishing climbs.

Last time I road race the day before an enduro though, empty legs after 2hours.

178th in 3hrs 55mins which I'm pretty pleased with, could of done better if I hadn't cramped up so much half way round the second lap…

😀

Hey Boxelder ❗ did i speak to you on the start line?. and what was your time BTW ❓

I'm not too confident with Google docs but hopefully this link:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ap4vMf-dBFTkdEVjbEJ5c0VfY1RPclY1eV92LWw0Z0E&hl=en

will take you to a spreadsheet version of the full enduro results (only showing finishers) that you can copy and paste into Excel and then analyse to your hearts content 😀

I`m with you on that 1 Jackal ❗ 😥

Hey Boxelder did i speak to you on the start line?. and what was your time BTW

T'was me – you left my "haven't been out much…..kids…baby…" excuse in tatters!
Cramped big time (again), but pipped you I think, with 3.17.

DanEvs – Member
I managed 2hrs 45mins for 17th place which I'm decidedly chuffed with. Cheers to some of you faster lads for dragging me along with you.

i didn't happen to be riding with you did i when you stated that your legs have just given up as we were going up the climb just aftern the fireroad crossing on lap 2( just before the kMB juice stop van) ? White n red o'neill top, raceface shorts?

did a bit better than last year with 2.59 and 46 th(so one better than my age), my 15 yr old beat me by 6 mins and got 31 st overall and 2nd in the U18's

sure i talked to you son at the finish, he said he crashed on the start line when the guy in front didn't move when everyone else did and crashed into him and fell off

T'was me – you left my "haven't been out much…..kids…baby…" excuse in tatters!
Cramped big time (again), but pipped you I think, with 3.17.

Hmmm……… My missus gave me the "What are you whinging agout… you`ve got 5 kids and still get to do a bit on your bike… I dont…" thing 😉 when i was telling her about it…..I got bad cramp as well as the left crank arm coming loose twice!

Good effort BTW….and where did you pass me ❓ I was 3.28.

EDIT… Ive just remembered…. I was behind you on the start line…. 😳

For info: 1350m of climbing this year (compared to 1650m last year)

Meant to add respect to the guy that did this on a Jones. That must have been interesting in places.

adoggair – Member

did a bit better than last year with 2.59 and 46 th(so one better than my age), my 15 yr old beat me by 6 mins and got 31 st overall and 2nd in the U18's

sure i talked to you son at the finish, he said he crashed on the start line when the guy in front didn't move when everyone else did and crashed into him and fell off
No must have been somebody else. He got away well and was with the front bunch for the first 10 miles or so but faded a bit towards the end. (He was in a blue Lichfield City top)
Cracking time you did. Looks like I need to train a bit harder

Good effort Stoney – I see Michael and Ms Morris came in just over four hours…Anne 3.54 (was Roly riding ?). Not sure about YH Dave, although he did text me to say he wasn't sure he'd survive until his Sunday shifted ended at midnight !

I'm also another convert from the darkside but with a slightly less impressive time than kingkongsfinger. Finished in 4.09 after a crash on the bridge on lap 2 where the front wheel just lost it's grip completely. Many thanks to the 2 Manchester Mountain Bike Lads who got me back on my feet. Massive bruise this morning and can hardly walk but enjoyed it all the same.

I didn't have any problem going uphill (probably the roadie in me) but suffered with anything technical. For next year I think I'll learn how to descend and get some grippier tires. I didn't have much confidence in my Rocket Rons at all. Think I have too much air in them too, 35ish at 75kg but was reluctant to let any out with all the punctures.

Still, great day out, will be back next year.

rp, my front wheel slide from under me on that wooden bridge as well, fell to the right and ended up under the bridge like a frickin Troll, dont thing any tyre could grip on that wet mudy wooden bridge at speed. Learnt the second time and took it really steady.

BTW that last climb at the end was steep, I took my granny ring off about 3 months ago, it would have been nice to spin up there rather than stood up all the way, legs were burning a tad. Did a ten mile time trial the day before which didn't help. 😳

I took my granny ring off about 3 months ago

I knew you would regret it.

kingkongsfinger – Member

rp, my front wheel slide from under me on that wooden bridge as well, fell to the right and ended up under the bridge like a frickin Troll, dont thing any tyre could grip on that wet mudy wooden bridge at speed. Learnt the second time and took it really steady.

BTW that last climb at the end was steep, I took my granny ring off about 3 months ago, it would have been nice to spin up there rather than stood up all the way, legs were burning a tad. Did a ten mile time trial the day before which didn't help

I ended up in pretty much the same place but took a really hard smack to my hip & hamstrings. At least I did't make the granny ring mistake, I used it on every climb I think. Just sat down and twiddled.

Anyone have tyre recommendations for that sort of course? Not too slow but after yesterday I value 'confidence inspiring' above outright speed.

Forgot to ask, can anyone recommend similar events in the NW / Midlands, within a daytrip of Manchester.

Thanks.

rp, i was told from two MTB guys I went up with, whom both beat my the best tyre is Maxxis cross mark, the tread looked a bit "lean" to me but they said they worked well and have tried ralphs and nobby nics and the Maxxis are better, the Maxxis almost look semi slickish to me???????

But i trust these lads judgemnt as they did well on em.

Was there any official photographers taking pics?

Another great event. I had lots of sketchy moments. Glad to hear that those who ended up under bridges were OK and carried on. I really enjoyed the bits on the blue run. At 4.25 I think I was 72th in the MV40s. I must have chatted to a few of you along the way. Next year I need some more skills/courage to beat this year's time.

Yep Mr.Joolze was the official photographer for the event. Images will be ready in a day or two:
Whimlatter Photos

I also had a troll moment under the bridge, had panaracer fire xc's which just wouldn't shred the glupe making me have a squeaky bum in certain places. Well done you chaps with the amazing times, only managed 4:17 next year I'm going to aim for a sub 4hr.

boxelder – i saw that guy's tyre explode too – thought somebody had been shot! Weird place for it to happen – just plodding up a fireroad climb.

Think i might have been chatting to you just after that – about the Kielder 100? I was riding a old version carbon epic.

Finished in 3:00:50- slightly disappointed not to sneak under the 3hr mark but generally happy considering i got there late (how far was the walk from the parking!!) and started from near the back.

rp – I rode a new pair of Racing Ralph's – 2.25 on the front, 2.1 on the back, 30psi – they were perfect.

Pippalarge – Member

rp – I rode a new pair of Racing Ralph's – 2.25 on the front, 2.1 on the back, 30psi – they were perfect

Do you know the difference grip-wise between the Rocket Rons and Racing Ralphs. I've seen lots of good things about the Ralphs but not the Rockets. It could all just be down to me being cr@p though.

Would I have noticed a lot of difference between 35 and 30 psi?

Ton,

I did wonder how you'd pulled 40 mins on us, but we did seem to spend a good bit of time off the bike.

No problem on the hill climb mate, I actually felt quite good at that point.

You doing any of the other ones, Mayhem, Sleepless, Kielder etc. I'm down for all 3 – solo on the first 2, should be an adventure 🙂

@action dan – I had fire XCs last year – they were horrible on the ups and downs *shudder*

Troll moment here too on that slippy bridge. Came off in a comical stylee cracking my gonads on the stem 😕

Not so comical was the bent mech hanger as a result of the fall which I had to try and bend back – that wasn't happening so had to adjust the mech to allow for its new position.

I had a nightmare.

First ride on a new bike and had shock, saddle height issues etc. that I had to sort out on the course because i was held up on the M6 and only just made it.

Then I managed to blow through my spare tubes…..no punctures in nearly two years and then four in one day!!

Then I blew up in a big way because I'd left my bars etc. on the kitchen table. But hey, at least the shakes and light-headedness took my mind off the cramp.

Finished the first loop and decided enough was enough and pulled out. So I didn't even get a mug to show for my trials and tribulations 🙁

And just to round off the day nicely I left my new glasses on the table at the cafe.

I shall be back next year….me and this event have unfinished business!!

Think i might have been chatting to you just after that – about the Kielder 100? I was riding a old version carbon epic.

Finished in 3:00:50

Yep, that was me. As expected I had an engine failure – looks like I lost 15 mins on you over lap 2, finishing 17 mins down overall – still cramping at 9pm and stiff hams today.

Do you know the difference grip-wise between the Rocket Rons and Racing Ralphs. I've seen lots of good things about the Ralphs but not the Rockets. It could all just be down to me being cr@p though.

Would I have noticed a lot of difference between 35 and 30 psi?

Never ridden Rons so no idea on that – IMO 5 psi can make quite a difference, might be worth trying them at a bit lower pressure and seeing how they go.

Yep, that was me. As expected I had an engine failure – looks like I lost 15 mins on you over lap 2.

For once i managed to pace myself!

radoggair – Member

i didn't happen to be riding with you did i when you stated that your legs have just given up as we were going up the climb just aftern the fireroad crossing on lap 2( just before the kMB juice stop van) ? White n red o'neill top, raceface shorts?

You did indeed, had a wee chat at the finish as well (after you'd dropped me). 🙂 You were going well in fairness, thankfully I perked up a bit after the juice van and managed to get to the finish in one piece. Man I hate that 2hr slump I get. 🙂

How's the back?

@ RP Rons are great i rode with Ron front ralph rear. however 40psi was lethal on the slate!

@ DanEvs you shouldn't have done that road race the day before! But thanks for pacing me on the first lap 🙂

dan_cube – Member
@ RP Rons are great i rode with Ron front ralph rear. however 40psi was lethal on the slate!

@ DanEvs you shouldn't have done that road race the day before! But thanks for pacing me on the first lap

No probs buddy, think we were working quite well as a team right up to the point my legs fell off at the start of the second lap. 🙄

Did you beat your mate?

yeah just, caught Andy (KMB rider) and Phil then blew on the last climb beat team mate charlie by 15seconds, Andy dropped me again.

Pretty happy since haven't raced like that for at least 6 years.

This was my first mtb race and oh how I suffered on every climb! Its ladies week so thats what im blaming – anyone dare to argue with that? 👿

Did it in 4hrs 34mins and came 280th which im really happy about. After the horror stories from last year (and i feel for you all) i just hoped i would complete this.

I was having a mess around with shutter speeds whilst panning here are10 or so riders, not the best photos but some of you might be on them

link to photos
whinlatter[/url]

Twas me on the Jones, It was fine with the fat tyre, I think I missed out on all that great singletrack though, I started off near the back and despite making progress on the climbs I seemed to be in 'traffic' on all the single track, gutted really as it made the whole thing feel like one long climb 🙁

I had a big 'off' down a steep bank where someone in front decided it was all too hard and slammed on their anchors, I put my foot down, but on the wrong side!