how do you actually enter these events?
Entry on the day will be available for all races, except the Scottish Championships. I'll link our list of events to the relevant pages on Scottish Cycling's calendar in the next couple of days. Think some organisers might allow you to enter in advance by Entry Central[/url], but there's a cost involved in that.

I take it you find out your race position later though?
Yup. We're pretty close to getting an electronic system sorted for this season which will be a big help to organisers.

(survivor of the night-time Plean CX)
Now THAT was a race!

got a bodge in mind to make a sternum mount, just need to find a cheap camera bag.

would be interested to see bike mounts.

only briefly mucked about with mine on a tripod.
quick, crappy edit – http://vimeo.com/13772504

we're a right clarty species.

i once found a dildo amongst the flotsam here:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=317908&Y=677551&A=Y&Z=115

Chamois Butt'r
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=51374

through which opening?

had one up wee marty. wasn't too bad.

Another one added – East Kilbridge RC are planning a CX on 17th October, venue TBC but likely west central Scotland.

path from Luibeilt to Creaguaineach Lodge is a bit indistinct in places and there's quite a lot of off/on/off action due to bogs and burn crossings. Rode it as KLL>Luibeilt>Creaguaineach>Gleann Iolairean>Blackwater>KLL which is a good day out in the hills.

Have only ridden Ossian>Trieg path once (and it was a long time ago), but IIRC the treig end is pretty rough and steep, better going after it crosses the railway. suffered a ennormous bonk on that ride, so memory a bit hazy…

Just updated the events bit of the website with all races currently on the calendar. General refresh coming soon along with news of some developments for 2010/11 season.

http://www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk/

roadie_in_denial – great fun events, very accessible way of getting in to racing.

FC place small counters on key sections of trail to count rider passes on the trail, there will be an element of eror for wildlife passing but egnerally this seems like a pretty accurate way of checking mtb visitor numbers.
Pretty much, depends on the counter used. At CV we had pressure pads that only triggered if two wheels passed – sorry municyclists you didn't count – were pretty accurate. Tricky bit is taking trail counts and extrapolating out to visitor numbers. Visitor numbers that take a trail counter data converted 1:1 to visitors are meaningless IMHO.

Here's the report we wrote on Carron Valley usage (with methodology) – http://www.carronvalley.org.uk/pdfs/counters_and_research.pdf

more surveys that you can wave a shitty sitka at – http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-5PGAZZ

hora – there are a number of ways of counting visitors. try not to worry about them.

clubber – just making sure you know that it's not just a cardboard cut-out of mel gibson and a few sheep up here… 😉

Practical based on where population numbers are high enough to support something like a lift…
Quite a lot of people live in Scotland too y'know. 1.2 million within an hours drive of Innerleithen*.

I "support" it, but haven't seen anything to suggest it's any closer to reality now than at any point since idea was first floated.

* http://www.carronvalley.org.uk/pdfs/2005/12_05_trc_report_forestcyclingandmountainbiking.pdf

surlys used to come with a shorter canti hanger. not sure how much (my crosscheck isn't handy), but would swap for my lightly used* one.

* well, six year old.

racing is prohibited
is it just me, or should singlespeeders be able to race AND drink. not good enough at either? then train harder dammit!

jon's photos here – http://www.flickr.com/photos/drj0n/

not ridden jocks road, believe callater end is a bit of a humph?

no major damage, just don't make me laugh…

would have met you two near the wasps, fall on the kilbo path the day before meant that my mountain craft* kicked in and i spent the day mooching about the clova hotel (mmmm thrappledouser, mmmm) instead.

* snigger

Two great rides at the weekend.

Made it to Cademuir on Saturday before popping fairly spectacularly on the climb, probably rattled the windows in Peebles. Limped back along the road dreaming of cake.

Yesterday's road ride was lovely – 45 miles of traffic-lite roads. Wish my commute was as pretty as Caddonfoot to Cardrona.

back away AJ. the special ones have appeared.

[draws curtains]

actually, having had a look at a couple of emails on the issue:

"Major events are usually of a relatively short nature (e.g. one day's rally driving) and infrequent, therefore they generally cause limited long-term disturbance to capercaillie when taking place outside the most vulnerable periods of spring and early summer. Control of spectators, or bystanders, at major events, to prevent them spreading their influence through the forest is important to avoid disturbance."

So maybe there is a good reason to "control" access through soft measures?

Dave – http://www.cairngorms.co.uk/parkauthority/publications/results.php?publicationID=58

>Oh and then there is the Caper issue.
Red herring with regards to this discussion*.

A trail centre in that area was knocked back due to Capers, but you can't build a trail centre without heavy machinery and you wouldn't be able to carry out construction during breeding. Race course maintenance has been done outwith breeding season and by hand.

IIRC the research paper that dangerousbeans mentions, found that cyclists were the least problematic user for capers as they tend to stick to paths and capers can avoid them. (Again IIRC) orienteers and dogs-off-leads are the biggest threat as they tend to roam throughout forest, away from main paths.

* although others seem desperate for an argument as usual…

Above in reply to Sanny.

It would have been useful if you could have written that in your initial posting, instead of the Fight Club-esque response you did make.
mainly reacting to your suggestion of hidden agendas for keeping the race course on the QT.

Definitely over and out.

You'd have to be pretty naive to think that sharing route online or in magazines is always a good thing.

For example, I know of a really nice bit of trail in a country park just outside Glasgow. I didn't build it. Cuts through some private property and the landowner isn't too keen on it. Perhaps you know it. I still use it and I might show someone else it, but I wouldn't tell people about it on the internet.

Over and out.

does the lower path still exist in it's entirety? chunks had been washed away in a winter storm a few years back.

where's Norris McWhirter when you need him?

I asked for the link to be taken down last night.

GeoffJ originally wrote> Presumably you have FC's consent to run races on their land?
You have to apply for consent for each event. When we "borrowed" the course for SSWC we ran into opposition from FCS, it was only with help of locals that we eventually got permission.

Trails built as race courses often aren't built to cope with big numbers, year round. I can think of a number of "low key" trails that have been ruined by overuse after being shared on the internet. I can also think of at least one race course that a club can't use for events after people turned up in numbers, behaved irresponsibly and pissed the landowner off.

If visitors have to ask locally (bike shops or other locals) then they might be asked not to ride if it isn't in condition or needs work.

To address your edit: not the reason for it not being a good idea to publish details of a race course on a public forum.

I'd listen to what those who have spent considerable time building and maintaining that race course tell you.

Bikelove

> When I worked in a shop those were the main trade days!
Why don't you work in a shop now? Having to work on weekends / public holidays? 😉

after lithotripsy for kidney stones.

my partner in crime had gears on, which is possibly he was OK when i bonked horribly* coming into kirkcaldy on the first attempt.

keep your eyes open coming through tentsmuir for singletrack distractions.

* took two cans of irn bru to get me the final 1/2 mile to the station…

yup. some nice bits, some trudging along beaches and methil.

fail[/url]
win[/url]

My photo of Italspark would reveal his identity.

The truth is out there…

bon!

https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/cps/general/PPDisputeResolution-outside

They should move it back to Fort William where it belongs on the best XC course that Britian has to offer!
have you ridden the World Cup XC(O) course?

IIRC at MM security was only when it was at Sandwell. Scaffolding bikes racks inside a fenced off tennis court. Entrance to tennis court controlled by a terrifying security guard (Rocky?) who'd only let you collect a bike when number board matched your rider number (sticker). Seem to recall it not being very well used.

Realistically, there's very little an event organiser can do against a well drilled gang.

on ITV player on demand if you miss it on telly.

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=147943

i was at tour med and vuelta murcia – it was generally two cars in the convoy, plus another car ahead to feed zone with swannies – some teams sent 2nd car off to the feed. cars run in convoy in order and the order changes each day. very busy place to be cars constantly moving up and back. dreadful view of the action unless you get lucky and have to cover a rider in a break. race radio lets you know what's happening and when you're required to come forward.

overall numbers of support varied – at tour med astana were running two coaches (one converted for mechanics), four team cars and another couple of cars. most other teams had a coach plus a truck and a few cars. smaller teams had camper vans, vans and cars.

lots of motorbikes and other vehicles. lots.

neutral service – couple of cars loaded with wheels and bikes.

stretching it to this year:

thought i'd try to be more helpful…

how about arm warmers? stick them on in the morning and if you have to stop in a midge-y spot – whip 'em off when you get hot. something under your helmet to protect your scalp – that's what normally does for me.

just keep moving.