XC in kent- Any willing volunteers!!!

pittpony

Oh yes! Maybe we can make a long weekend of it and ride in the peaks too? I already have a guide book...

Bmjboy

All my mates are interested, good time of the year too.

Not much time for training in the Enduro though..... :?

pittpony

If its the end of May that gives us nearly 6 months to train! The 'SDW veterans' amongst us have had the best part of a 12 hour day riding before and while it was hell on earth i think this time we'd be better prepared for it. Even by the second SDW trip our fitness was miles better than it was then - by May we'll be competing to win

deadpool2e

Well count me in the team, will have to book the weekend off.

Bmjboy

Ive found no info on team sizes (assuming its a team event????)

It is 6 months, but Im technically several years behind in the fitness stakes!!

Im setting my goals on doing the Bontrager 24/12 in June (for fun!), so I "would" be training anyway.

As for those who have met me will vouch Im no lithe sportman, so I need to up the effort.

Entering something like this will give me something to focus on, our recent Afan trip did just that, its good to hear "have you lost weight?" when you go out!

pittpony

Bmjboy wrote:

Ive found no info on team sizes (assuming its a team event????)

It is 6 months, but Im technically several years behind in the fitness stakes!!

Im setting my goals on doing the Bontrager 24/12 in June (for fun!), so I "would" be training anyway.

As for those who have met me will vouch Im no lithe sportman, so I need to up the effort.

Entering something like this will give me something to focus on, our recent Afan trip did just that, its good to hear "have you lost weight?" when you go out!

I fancy doing a 12 hour event as a pair rather than a team as otherwise you'd only get 3 hours riding per person. That said i'd be happy to go with a team and we'd still be fresh to enjoy another days riding. There are a couple of routes i rode round that way that i'd LOVE to see some of you guys attempting to get round without dabbing! Clearly I didn't manage it - would be good to see if it can be done though Anyway it doesn't have to be the only Endurance event we ever ride

I think a few of us know the feeling about losing weight Ben. Andy has lost a stack and at one point I had nearly 3 stone on my current weight :oops: I could show you pictures... but i won't

Bmjboy

pittpony wrote:

I think a few of us know the feeling about losing weight Ben. Andy has lost a stack and at one point I had nearly 3 stone on my current weight :oops: I could show you pictures... but i won't

Wow, thats great going, I was losing it nice and steadily on the run up to our Afan trip and feeling really good - my fitness didnt suffer at all at Afan, only my arms did! (lesson learned)

Since we got back and the nights drew in, Im suffering from the usual issues of cant be bothered syndrome, and the pub beckons me a lot more at the moment.

I need to get out of my comfort zone and simply enter one of these (or both) events - when Im focussed, I do better.

We need a team of 6 for Bont' 24/12 as we want to do "Fun" category, if we wanna be a fast team I think one lap each is the preferred method of riding. For the serious teams, its a 4 man team, Im not sure if I could do that on my first event.

Might aswell put our names forward for the BR-Live event though, should be fun!!

stevet1992

Papa Smurf wrote:

I've been there a few times.. Last was about 12-15 months ago.. The XC track was non existant and what fire road type stuff I could find was full of ditches and generally a pain in the ars*.
The downhill was great, but then it apparently went abit crap, supposedly they've sorted that now though.. With your brakes you'd have to watch it if you went down that though.

The 4x track would be good for you.. Reckon you'd like that (personally I cant keep off it)

Tis a big place though so you may get lucky with a decent track, but I very much doubt it'll be miles and miles of half decent riding.

:shock: are you trying to imply my brakes are rubbish well maybe they are just a lil bit :roll: i shall have to have a look at the 4x track dont have to worry about mud now as im relying on the bu**ucks i mean brilliant public transport we have right now to get to school 8)

forks really seem to be on there way out now :? im assuming its the seals being caped in crap and just stay locked fully up feels like im riding a rigid right now

Legless

I'd be up for a team event next year, although i am pretty unreliable as i never know where i will be. The missus, as a surprise, told me to book a day off work as she had got me a surprise... turns out it was tickets to see Hot Chip. I was stoked, except someone else had a surprise and flew me to Morocco for ten days to cover a kite event there. She was not impressed!

Also went down the pikey light route this week and got some of the tesco torches. I am working on the logic that i am terrified of the dark and i would rather spend 30 quid to find out i sh!t it in the woods, as expected, than £250...

Going out with the GF on friday evening round a local route i know really well. No doubt will be eaten by monsters, possessed by spirits and scared by ghosts into never going out after dark again. Either that or i might actually enjoy it... Will keep you posted...

stevet1992

Legless wrote:

Also went down the pikey light route this week and got some of the tesco torches. I am working on the logic that i am terrified of the dark and i would rather spend 30 quid to find out i sh!t it in the woods, as expected, than £250.../quote]

pahhh just ride normally and let the fear drive you faster :P

andyturner28

pittpony wrote:

Bmjboy wrote:

Ive found no info on team sizes (assuming its a team event????)

It is 6 months, but Im technically several years behind in the fitness stakes!!

Im setting my goals on doing the Bontrager 24/12 in June (for fun!), so I "would" be training anyway.

As for those who have met me will vouch Im no lithe sportman, so I need to up the effort.

Entering something like this will give me something to focus on, our recent Afan trip did just that, its good to hear "have you lost weight?" when you go out!

I fancy doing a 12 hour event as a pair rather than a team as otherwise you'd only get 3 hours riding per person. That said i'd be happy to go with a team and we'd still be fresh to enjoy another days riding. There are a couple of routes i rode round that way that i'd LOVE to see some of you guys attempting to get round without dabbing! Clearly I didn't manage it - would be good to see if it can be done though Anyway it doesn't have to be the only Endurance event we ever ride

I think a few of us know the feeling about losing weight Ben. Andy has lost a stack and at one point I had nearly 3 stone on my current weight :oops: I could show you pictures... but i won't

I'll show you some of my fat pics if you show us yours Yeah keep at it Ben and you'll get there in the end. I think the best way to do it is get into a regular routine that you will not deviate from, and as long as your eating properly too you can't go wrong. I used to do 20 miles after work 5 days a week without fail, and lost neerly 4 stone in just over a year How much have you lost so far?

I'm interested in the enduro too. Been thinking of trying some of the Fowlmead races in the spring after i step up my training a bit.....been really lazy lately :roll: Actually Russ you'r probably right, i am obsessed with fitness! But mine has dropped off a bit since SDW 2 i think as i have been struggling on the hills for months now. Dosn't mean i am going to become a roadie though

stevet1992

you got me all excited andy and then to come on here to find nothing :evil:

as you can tell im bored right now :roll:

Legless

@ Steve...

Don't worry, I will be going like a bat out of hell. I have already agreed with my GF that she can follow me, as it is always the one at the back that gets killed first. She asked if i would stop to help if something happened to her... Not bloody likely, I'll be heading back to the car in a most unchivalrous manner...

stevet1992

Legless
sounds like a plan :P

just carry a M4 carbine with you into the woods and go COD 4 style that should sort out the odd weirdo 8)

RussAlf

24/12 hour event sounds fun but im not sure if i would rather spend the money going somewhere more "extreme" if you know what i mean? Count me in, aslong as its a technical climb ill be quick, if its fire road i might aswell take a book to read while going up.

Id really like to do one of the big mountains next summer (away or home), the descents look super fun. Like this video of Mount Snowdon Here

paul_f

Snowdon is awesome, but you have to do it before the end of April.

We did the Llanberis prth on a Friday, the ranger path on the Satuday and then Penmachu on the Sunday

breezer

On a different note, have a paste from an email I just said regarding those Tescos torches and a near miss whilst out testing one on the road :shock:

---

Just been out testing one of the 3W led torches that Tescos are selling for £8

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12588492

They use the same led's as in the £40+ Fenix torches that some of the armed forces use I think. Not quite as bright presumably due to the reflector. Pages 22 and 23 in the above link have some good shots

Quite shocking really for £8! One on the bars is just about enough for road use. Two on the bars and one on the helmet as a spot would I believe be fine for off road. I could use that despite having bad night vision. Ok its not as bright as my 30 odd watt halogen setup but for the money....I am going to get a lower wattage bulb for that therefore longer run time and also make sure its a wider beam spread for a better flood then run two of these on my helmet as spots. Having used the C size version (same led, yes I have a torch fettish) as a spot last time out at bedgebury, it made quite a difference despite my main light already being very wide spread.

Should get almost 3 hours or more out of decent AA's. Rechargeables are a bit tight to fit in the hole (ooer missus) and some people say you need to take the labels off but that can make them short out so the lights on the moment you push them in. I got a couple of these to mount them with http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Twofish-MTB-B ... 0308304268 fine for on the road but due to being rubber, the torch did move a little bit on bumps and I think off road it wouldnt work. Need something more secure like a couple of metal car pipe o ring clamp things linked together.

Now the second part of my email. Almost back, on the main A21 road briefly, long straight, truck goes past with loads of cars following, most indicating as they went past me, two of them carried on indicating as they were turning right just under 100m down the road, the second one got a bit close for some reason, weird as he was intending to turn as well. Anyway, the next car that came past was going at normal speed still.....I could see what was going to happen and about half a second later so did the drivers, sccccccrrrreach, BANG into the back of this old Hyundai at about 30 which I think then hit the one in front of that. This was only about 30 metres in front of me by then so I veered off onto the side verge and looked behind incase the next car was not paying attention either but luckily they were! About half a minute passed then the cars started driving slowly forwards and to the side of the road dragging bits of bodywork with them so clearly the drivers were ok(ish) so I rode off. Going to presume it was a woman driving the car at the back

Legless

Sounds nasty, also like someone was in "cruise mode" on the way home, and forgot the turning. Glad to hear it wasn't a near miss with the biker.

Those lights are pretty bright, i doubt anywhere near as good a s a proper set up, but i am hoping will be a good intro to night biking and i can see if i like it or not. They had some in Tescos in Margate and Whitstable, until I bought them all...

Will let you know how i get on, that is if i am not abducted, molested, or w@nked on dogging style, after all that is what happens in the woods after dark isn't it!

breezer

Yer a few of them should be fine. Im just used to my home made setup though which I normally run with a 30w bulb overvolted so more like 35w, cars are only 55w so you get the idea.... 8)

andyturner28

deadpool2e wrote:

andyturner28 wrote:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15071976#15071976Have you guy's seen this yet? I pissed myself laughing for about 10 minuits watching that

Nice one

Whilst there i found this compilation of Nick at Surrey Hills,Swinley,Blean etc.....
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?doc ... 9286&hl=en

Seriously imagine how bad some of those would be with out a full face helmet :shock:

lol only just watched that Ouch is all i can say. And is that Russ i can here in the background yelling "get your weight back"

andyturner28

breezer wrote:

Yer a few of them should be fine. Im just used to my home made setup though which I normally run with a 30w bulb overvolted so more like 35w, cars are only 55w so you get the idea.... 8)

So you made your own light did you? I'm thinking of doing the same at some point, what component's did you use for yours?

It's bloody frightening when you see a crash happen right in front of you! The only one i have witnessed is a motor bike veering off line on a roundabout and hitting a cirb at 90 degrees and landing on his side in the middle of a roundabout.

Russ- i'd definately want my new bike before even concidering mount Snowdon! How much travel do you reccon their bikes had? Did i see a Cannonday Prophet and a Marin BB7 :roll:

andyturner28

Your turn Nick

I actually don't mind showing my fat pics. Every time i look at them it's added motivation to get out on the bike on a cold wet evening when i feel i can't be arsed

pittpony

NO WAY is that you! Man you've done yourself proud! Mine may follow, depending on how humble i'm feeling at a more sensible hour tomrrow.

breezer

Andy: Well half made my own. I got the light off ebay and it seems the bloke is still selling them

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Powerful-Halogen-Bike-Lamp-Light-Lumicycle-Compatible_W0QQitemZ250336701102

You can then put 85p each MR16 bulbs in from Ricam. I use two RC car 7.2v battery packs wired in a water bottle, had to make the wire up, this runs the 12v bulb at 14.4 but in reality is higher than that. 1365 lumens when running the 30w at 14.4v, higher than anything ive read about for sale heh

Got a video somewhere, ah here it is looking out of an upstairs window. Have to bear in mind that this was my digital camera filming it and it was dark and not happy, the lights brighter in the flesh Even at Bedgebury with all its twists it gets enough width with a 24deg bulb but im planning on going to a 36deg with the two tesco spots on my head. This video was actually with a 30w Phillips, wrong file name but its not as much brighter than a 20w as you would think http://www.complexdreams.com/vids/mtb/35W24degPhilips.wmv

Bmjboy

andyturner28 wrote:

Your turn Nick

I actually don't mind showing my fat pics. Every time i look at them it's added motivation to get out on the bike on a cold wet evening when i feel i can't be arsed

Christ Andy! - You are my inspiration!

That's taken you how long to get where you are now?

You're right, I need to set a fixed regime, but as I said I need to really get out of my comfort zone to force me to ride (during the darker months).

I had a great regime of doing BBH twice a week with 1 road ride inbetween "pre-Afan" and it worked, I so need to get back to that routine, but my mate with the lights doesnt want to ride mid-week during winter, and my other mate rob doesnt have the funds to buy a decent lighting rig (essentially, Im not riding BBH on my own! :shock: )

I may try and convince my non riding buddy to hand his lights over to the one who wants to ride!!

Bmjboy

breezer wrote:

Andy: Well half made my own. I got the light off ebay and it seems the bloke is still selling them

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Powerful-Halogen-Bike-Lamp-Light-Lumicycle-Compatible_W0QQitemZ250336701102

You can then put 85p each MR16 bulbs in from Ricam. I use two RC car 7.2v battery packs wired in a water bottle, had to make the wire up, this runs the 12v bulb at 14.4 but in reality is higher than that. 1365 lumens when running the 30w at 14.4v, higher than anything ive read about for sale heh

Got a video somewhere, ah here it is looking out of an upstairs window. Have to bear in mind that this was my digital camera filming it and it was dark and not happy, the lights brighter in the flesh Even at Bedgebury with all its twists it gets enough width with a 24deg bulb but im planning on going to a 36deg with the two tesco spots on my head. This video was actually with a 30w Phillips, wrong file name but its not as much brighter than a 20w as you would think http://www.complexdreams.com/vids/mtb/35W24degPhilips.wmv

Good lightage there Breezer - How much would you say in total that rig cost you?
I wouldnt need one, but would be good to look into a homebrew solution to get my mate out riding.

No matter how bright a light is, Ive found that a helmet mounted light is most crucial, my Fenix L2D caters for that, but the tescos ones sound interesting.

breezer

Well say £25 for that light pod and couple of bulbs, £40 for a pair of batteries. £2 water bottle. £2 cabling. Then a charger of some description. I have an expensive £50 12v one rigged up to a PC power supply simply because it can charge 12 cells ie both packs at once but you could get away with just a pair of overnight chargers and do both packs seperately

My lights so bright ive been ok with just that on my bar but running the C size tesco light at Bedgebury did give a nice benefit, it was really weird at first with it following where I was looking heh

pittpony

Bmjboy wrote:

andyturner28 wrote:

Your turn Nick

I actually don't mind showing my fat pics. Every time i look at them it's added motivation to get out on the bike on a cold wet evening when i feel i can't be arsed

Christ Andy! - You are my inspiration!

That's taken you how long to get where you are now?

You're right, I need to set a fixed regime, but as I said I need to really get out of my comfort zone to force me to ride (during the darker months).

I had a great regime of doing BBH twice a week with 1 road ride inbetween "pre-Afan" and it worked, I so need to get back to that routine, but my mate with the lights doesnt want to ride mid-week during winter, and my other mate rob doesnt have the funds to buy a decent lighting rig (essentially, Im not riding BBH on my own! :shock: )

I may try and convince my non riding buddy to hand his lights over to the one who wants to ride!!

Beat this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7765767.stm

:shock:

Legless

I bet under that beard his neck looks like a vagina...

pittpony

Legless wrote:

I bet under that beard his neck looks like a vagina...

Its a lovely thought