suspect rich is very fast / fit if he can go up there on a ss.

Rich got to disagree regarding the first climb. In my opinion its considerably tougher than the old coldean climb.

I guess these things are to some extent subjective but i found the new climb very hard indeed.

Unless i went up the wrong hill of course!

Anyone else had a crack at it.

The BBC are predicting dry till Sunday.

Bring your mud tyres then :?

Doing a quick scoot around of the new course on Thursday PM with Paceman – will let you know my findings.

Assume the word tough will be in there.

Amazed there will be downhill fire road sections – must be some good reason.

ok me too. will say hello. probably know you already.

ok will have something up here soon, hopefully of someone going up for comedy value.

would love to see the top guys flying up there as im sure they will.

nb am putting a new chain on as it was making alarming sounds on my test run up the cliff!

suggest you do the same if you have any concerns about your chain or too many magic links!

wwaswas – im like you, flying the flag for the over 45’s.

are you in brightonmtb?

will try and get a vid for your viewing. not sure how to post it though.

have struggled with pics on here in the past. may have to recruit paceman!

shoud be on friday all being well.

Just think 10 foot wide chalky / clay cliff with trees each side with vertical rut in the middle and a few roots thrown in (it is stanmer!), guessing 30-35 meters before it flattens (relatively speaking)out.

legs felt like jelly for most of the ride home!

chief, let me know how you get on.

Mike where is the fall line descent – the stanmer wall (steep sharp descent after chalky gap) wasnt in it last year so not sure which bit you mean. is it the bit down to the bottom of badgers?

Mike you must show me the new trail that’s been cut from Big Dog. Very curious.

was annoyed i didnt have my phone.

if anyone is riding it tale a pic and post.

Had a quick look at the new killer climb in the first third. If you dont know its the vertical chalk wall going into the sky.

Its a bit damp, very steep (unclassified in road parlance)with a f******* great big rut in the middle.

First attempt failed about one third up, second cleared it just sitting on the nose of my saddle and peddling like a clown. It will be a classic for the spectators and the pub afterwards but not sure i would classify if as fun to ride. Never thought i would miss badgers climb but this is worse.

As paceman commented no one ever does this climb in a normal stanmer ride.

you never know it may become a classic.

Nice and sunny – should be dry for saturday.

If you stand up in today’s conditions it will spin out, may change as it drys out

Lovely sunshine darn souf! :-)

Think the weather gods are on our side this time round.

Not sure about the course director though thinking about that new climb near the start.

No badgers though – that’s a shocker.

It mentions a drop about half way in on the new course – anyone been down it?

mattig. thats about right. its a chain breaker.

paceman. see you thursday. big dog reccy or brighton mtb?

yeah no way they will change it for the worse. nervous too.

just got a sore throat today. bang on schedule.

hmmm – just showed a small group round the old course.

assume most of the elements are similar just re-worked with a few add ons.

anyone want to show me the new course thursday night at 7.00.

Jesus – that is a b****!!!. Why on earth would they start on that – other than to give the crowd a good laugh.

Shit worried about that already.

Mattig – we didn’t cover that one off. sounds like the course has been reworked more than i thought.

It’s raining but the rest of the week look good.

That said the bbc said we would miss the rain that is now hitting my window. :|

five days to go – what’s your final prep / tyre choice / bike / clothing.

Final prep: Train right through as didn’t do enough when i should have. Go in a bit tired and hope the legs hold out.

Tyres: Rubena Kratos front and rear. Very nice indeed.

Bike: Niner Air Nine – scandium

Lycra top, baggy shorts.

Food: Energy drink, gels, bananas and jaffa cakes, block shock things.

My daughter has a pink angelina balerina bike and is ripping up the grass bank in stanmer park. Just proves it’s 90% rider 10% bike.

That said I have a rather nice niner air nine and half a yeti asr5 in the shed.

Don’t worry about the Albion, Lewes are the number one team in Sussex :wink:

Just take them back.

End of, anything else is just a waste of time.

If he sends you a crap pair report him to e-bay and raise a claim of your own.

In my experience if they have extensive good feedback this is normally a good sign.

Tip – read the comments in the feedback, dont just rely on the score, they dont always tally.

Just checked the forecast – dry all the way if you believe the bbc. should be spot on.

you can pack away the mud tyres :-)

if the race was today ralphs would be sketchy in a few places but generally ok.

personally i prefer something with a little more grip on the front – but that’s me being cautious.

bit of rear spin on the damp grunty climbs as you go over roots. if its really dry no problem. fingers crossed.

Trails running well. badgers a little greasy but should be good assuming no more rain.

Coldean in reverse is quite brutal – another long climb to deal with.

A little bit of mud hear and there but generally good.

ok will do.

trails will be good as lots of sun today.

cheers nick

Not sure who the last post was aimed at but i will be in the park till 12.00.

happy to meet up with anyone who comes late.

number is 07813947674.

will check phone during the ride.

lots of other stanmer trails to ride as well as big dog loop.

mattig, see you there at nine. its right at the top of the park. drive in through the main entrance. follow the road all the way up past stanmer house. turn right at the junction and then first left. the t rooms are 100 yards on the left.

Been with the kids all day, roasting by the Pells pool in lewes.

Very boring but the flip side is the trails will be drying up.

Did a scoot around the internet but not that much chatter about Big Dog. I guess there are other things going on in the world.

Like new wheel standards – wonder if there will be any 650b’s at the race.

Also will there be a mystery guest like in some of the previous years.

thats what we need :wink:

tom the point is that we get outraged I.e baby p, move on till the next outrage , while all the time kids are dying on a daily basis. sorry if you feel there is no connection.

what was that critter on ground hog day. was it a goffer?

really shocked by this one. sparea thought also for children in syria, iraq, afghanistan etc etc.

dog!!!!! :wink:

big dod daily weather check:-(

As per previous note anyone who wants to look at the course few of us setting out from stanmer cafe, 9.00 sunday morning

Sounds nice paceman. long steady taper! :wink:

Any ideas on who the winner might be. Any past winners shipping up.

weather is now very hot and news is that its drying out quickly.

Tim – we will all be judged on the day!

You will be fxxxxxed after six hours on the ss.

cant wait!