Just start coming into the office in a suit from time to time… This normally gets the rumours starting…

(only works if you don’t normally wear suits!)

You feared the worst, so adrenaline and endorphins probably helped as well. I doubt that if you tried the same ride again next week and did exactly the same things, the result would be the same as you would be in a mentally different place…

As much as I would be happy undoing without issue, assuming it got a bit harder to undo over time.

Viewranger – download map (I use Open Cycle maps which are good enough), research, plot route, follow… Simples. No need for mobile signal (I usually turn off mobile data to save battery) and my phone is waterproof. Pack a spare battery, or even a spare phone if you’re worried.

Once you’ve done a new loop once, you can then go back in future and explore at points off that loop, with the aim of rejoining your original route further along. Means that the amount of time you spend exploring can be matched to the amount of time you have, and you can explore a really wide area.

At about 10pm at Torq in Your Sleep, mate and I looked at each other and commented that we need to do some fun riding soon, after what we consider a pretty successful season for our team.

I feel very similar to you adsh, and I like the structure and focus that regular training gives me, but I can feel that I’m reaching my limit and I need to focus on some other life bits for a while. I’ll be taking a couple weeks off, having a quiet autumn and then begin thinking about targeting the Gorrick Brass Monkeys.

I use a garden sprayer… nice to be able to take it to events.

I used Gear Club, and was pretty happy with the final result.

Their design support was OK/average (I suggest you work up clear design in advance), but they always turned design amendments around pretty quickly.

We ordered 10 items to get first level bulk discount, and I think the final price was around £40 for a short sleeve jersey with zipped key pocket, delivered, including ‘extras’ of hidden full front zip and silicone gripper waist. Material and build quality is good (much better than a corporate jersey I got recently on a work jolly for example).

Fit a smidge tight around the arms, and the rear pockets are on the high side – just need to pull the jersey down at the back if you need to get anything out one handed while riding – not a big deal.

Weather gods were smiling, for sure. Couple of light showers, and the cloud cover meant it stayed warm into the night, so I wore a short sleeve jersey for all my laps.
Course was good fun, bit sketchy with ‘hidden’ roots and some washed-out corners at night, but overall a really fun, well run event.

WOAH! – just noticed, that this ‘new’ BB has already been fitted!!!

SO tempted to name and shame the store, but will give them a chance to rectify…

Thanks – I feel a bit stupid asking the question as it seems so obvious, but I just wanted to double check, this being the second time…

4 hour Brass Monkey at Minley last winter?

[shudders]

OK, OK… The course held up reasonably given the conditions, but they did close some sections off in the last hour (to the organisers credit), that was only after 2-3 hours of racing… And there were some pretty boggy sections that weren’t closed. The last lap was trending toward sole destroying, for me. I passed on a fifth lap…

Got the Beavers on…

Going 1x if you’re not already…

Transponders were used for all race timing.

Mass starts each day apart from the first/prologue day, where people were set off at 20 intervals based on their randomised bib number to spread people over the short 10k course. Mass starts were pretty relaxed ie no formal grid, so you could start where you wanted really…

EDIT

The linking stages were generally so long after the start, that even if you started at the back, you could pull through to the front pretty easily if you wanted to with a bit of effort. There was the occasional bottle neck, which spread the field out a bit, but as this was not in timed sections, it wasn’t a big deal.

@chakaping

If I say that the racing for overall position (rather than targeting the gravity sections of the Trail King/Queen) was probably aimed towards a short’ish travel (say 100/120mm) full suss, then that probably gives you a flavour.

If you cycle a loop, you generally make more time on the ups, than you can regain on the downs, and this is where the course design for an event like this is critical, and was so good here. It balanced out the up vs down such that a bike at any extreme (ie xc hardtail or enduro) was unlikely to be the most competitive overall. In other words it’s neither an XC race, nor a gravity Enduro. Even the downs had some reasonable sections of up in them!

You have to be really fit (ie xc racer fit) AND pretty competent going downhill if you want to be up there, and that’s what make it so enjoyable to me. Often, xc racing is pretty limited from a technical point (for good reason) and you don’t get long descents to let rip, but this had plenty of it, which was great fun.

Overtaking was not really an issue, as the length of the linking stages created ‘self ranking’ through the field. The faster guys were faster on the linking stages and therefore when they got to the timed stages didn’t have slower people ahead of them. The guys targeting the Trail King / Queen probably had to pick their moments, but I don’t think anyone had any major problems.

The racing was great, but it was also the great riding, the friendly rivalries, meeting new people (including some MTB ‘celebs’!), the chatting/banter with those around you – at the end of timed stages, during the linking stages etc – and the scenery which was a major part of the enjoyment.

Do it if you get the chance peeps. It was awesome…

The Ardent Race is worth a look. The love child of the Ikon and Ardent, and I think it’s great front tyre to an Ikon rear.

EDIT – you can also stick it on the rear, with something more grippy again up front, if you feel the need to go more ‘Enduro’

Just deciding what/how many spares/bits to bring…

I unpicked most of the stages last night, and I’m sticking with the Anthem 29 rather than swapping to the bigger bike. I was leaning towards the xc anyway, and a spin around BPW last weekend proved it pretty capable.

I don’t think they’ve dropped the XC sections, they’re just shorter than first suggested. The maps released don’t make it explicit where the XC and DH are, but there is a ‘Stage Split’ marked, which is likely to be the XC/DH split, but I’m guessing.

@Captain_Sponge – It’s not the overall distances that have changed, but the amount that falls into the timed racing stages. The original blurb said 40-50% of the riding will be timed, but in fact it is going to be 10-20%, probably closer to 10%. That’s probably a bit harsh – it is likely around 10-20%

This won’t bother many people, but the race was billed as two races in one – an xc/’up and down’ race, and a gravity biased race. Make your choice, and go for it. I was hoping for a longer distance xc race (40-50% of the riding being timed) with fun downhill sections, and selected kit for that.

Now that there is going to be much less xc racing and more pootling between timed stages, I need to look at the stages in detail to see if it’s worth taking the bigger bike. I just hope it’s not going to be a 5 day Enduro – that’s not really what I signed up for – but whatever, it will still be fun, and better than sitting in the office!

@philwarren11 – you should have received a ‘final information’ email yesterday evening, with a link to the rider handbook. Route is in there…

Route has been released. There’s significantly less racing distance than was originally publicised – ie 40-50%.

Not quite what I was expecting, so need to digest it and see if bike selection is going to change… I’m fortunate to have a choice!

Peanut butter and banana and sandwich.
Nutella and marmalade sandwich.

FTFY

My best day riding ever was La Varda in the morning with Double Header after lunch, in the sun, with my best mate. Good times… Sad if I could never repeat it…

My battery is about to die… Can’t decide whether to plug in now, or risk the wait until bed time.

It’s not cheap, but Snowcard has some of the clearest guidance I’ve seen re what is and is not covered, especially WRT off piste skiing and ski touring.

What cost for peace of mind on holiday?

Yes – feels so long ago now that I signed up, and the anticipation is starting to build. Equally intrigued as to what is in store!

What bikes are people doing it on? I’m leaning towards the up and down times so will be on my (slightly battered) Anthem 29, with 120mm up front…

I’m not exactly gnaaar, so don’t wear pads that often, but I’ve injured my elbows far more often from crashes than my knees, as it’s often what hits the first/hardest when falling sideways off a bike.

I’m surprised that knee pads are worn more often than elbow, or is it the consequences of knee injury which people are more worried about?

SA is a more abusive version of STW, but for sailorers…

£80m… For a boat race…

Not quite a ‘boat race’… This is billionaire willy waving…

I’ve got Tower Pros as well. Bought them at the beginning of the year but only just built up the bike, so only ridden them a few times. I think they’re great, really impressed.

Initially a bit too linear in compression, I added 5ml of oil (release pressure, unscrew cap, add oil, replace cap, pump up – simples!) to increase the ramp, and it made a marked improvement in reducing brake dive. Spot on now…

Gave me the confidence to go Manitou (which was a new brand to me before) again to replace my aging RP23 shock with a Mcleod, which has also been great…

Beware the in growing hair as well…

People should also says which size tyre and wheel size, no?

I use my phone – gives me mapping (I use Viewranger), HRM and cadence via Bluetooth 4.0.

Got my first ride of a new build this afternoon… Fingers crossed!

On paper all should be fine, but I don’t ride paper.

the reality is, FOR ME it’s fractionally quicker up hill… more slower than that gain downhill though.

FTFY

You’ve heard about e-bikes, right?!? 😉

nickc – nikk is right…
Have to be able to compare apples with apples, innit?

I have an outstanding email query with OO/PX on just this topic. Will post back their response.

…and ‘when you’re ready’ often means minutes being lost!

I use different calls for different situations, depending on the rider you’re trying to overtake. You can tell someone’s ability by how quickly you close the gap and how they’re riding. “Hiya – when you’re ready. Thanks!” is a nice call when you’re overtaking someone who you reckon is experienced, but are going slower than you (eg soloists) or passing someone only a bit slower than you, as they will make a predictable move to allow a smooth pass ASAP. You give them an opportunity to control the pass that’s efficient for both and low risk.

Overtaking a less experienced rider, I tend to be more direct – “Hiya-just coming up… passing on your left… Thanks!” You take control of the pass.

Had a great time, despite the rain… Looking forward to the pics too!