Merida Brass Monkeys... with customary tyre question...

Cj83

Anyone doing the first round on the 28th? I'm hope to have a go at the 2hr and if i cope ok with that might do the 4hr in the january one.

Anyone do this last year? Apparently it lashed down. The reason I ask is that I still have summer tyres (conti race kings) on my mtb bike which doesn't get ridden much at the moment because i'm working in a city. Just wondering if I would get away with these tyres because a) im skint and b) i use stans tubeless and i would be too lazy to redo them for a couple of winter races if i can get away with it. Is the course a complete mud bath or did the surface stay relatively compacted even in the rain?

Cheers

rus6

I did the Brass Mokey series last year.

The first round was grim, just driving to the course there were lakes on the roads so the conditions were exceptionally bad. So somewhat unsurprisingly the course was a complete mud bath which I found incredibly tough going. I was running full mud tyres, but even they were struggling with the conditions as there was no firm ground under the mud, just more mud!

Most of the courses tend to take place on sites that drain well, so normally they are ok with some rain, but if it rains a lot in the week before expect mud and go for something like a Mud X or Storm tyre would be my recommendation.

Cj83

cool, cheers for that, guess i'll have to keep an eye on the weather leading up to it and go from there... but from that sounds unlikely i'll be getting away with race kings unless its really uncharacteristically dry in the weeks running up... *rechecks bank balance*

Phicon

was my first ever bike race. the conditions were pretty appalling! Deep deep mud, get some Mud X or Maxxis Medusa tyres if its raining that weekend, conditions are a mix of deep rutted trails which turn to mud, or sandy mud! Which wreaks havoc on the mech, lots breaking last year, scoring disks and wearing out a set of pads in one race - take some spare if your pads are well used.

Cj83

i've since read a race report on last years and yeah it sounded absolutely horrendous. people using trees for brakes because they had no pads left and all sorts... i'll just hope it doesn't rain this year as you can't decide and enter on the day...

Legion748

wow !!! I look forward to this then as I and a mate have entered the 4hr event !!

Cj83

just signed up for the 2hr then read on the gorrick site they've changed the location to 'porridgepot hill' for anyone doing this. with that name it sounds like it could be near the 100 acre wood or piglets house but i'm assured it isn't ficitonal and is infact near the deepcut army place.

eitherway i've decided i can't justify 40 quid for mud tyres for a 1 off event so am racing my summer tyres come rain or shine...

DirrtyBird

PorridgePot and its trails are looking fantastic, absolutley NO danger of last years mud-fest and some fun new tweaks to the courses seen at previous events - looking forward to what should be a cracking race!!

frogstomp

Snow tyres perhaps!?

Cj83

:shock: this could be interesting, guess they don't call it the brass monkeys series for nothing...

miss notax

Is anyone doing the January event....?

I have never entered a MTB race before but quite fancy trying one this year. A friend is doing the 4 hour event but i'm not sure :?

How technical are they? And are they 'out and out' racing events, or do you get people (like me) who just want to complete it and finish rather than going to the win?!!

njee20

Not very technical, there may be a few bits with chicken runs. There's a very wide range of abilities, from proper racing whippets to weekend warriors. Just look at the spread of times from the previous results.

2 hour may be a better idea than 4 for a first time. Particularly if it's as wet as the last one!

miss notax

Thanks

I might be brave and give the 2 hour event a go then.... I'm pretty competitive so didn't want to enter if it was ALL racing whippets where I would probably do myself an injury trying to keep up!

frogstomp

Definitely recommend going for the 2 hour event first.. did my first last month (round 2) and although the course was pretty straightforward the addition of several hundred cyclists going over the same damp track at the same time churned up the mud and made it harder going than it would normally be. 2 laps and I was thankful to see the finish line!

As mentioned, it's not particularly technical but the mud made some of the descents pretty treacherous..

miss notax

frogstomp wrote:

Definitely recommend going for the 2 hour event first.. did my first last month (round 2) and although the course was pretty straightforward the addition of several hundred cyclists going over the same damp track at the same time churned up the mud and made it harder going than it would normally be. 2 laps and I was thankful to see the finish line!

As mentioned, it's not particularly technical but the mud made some of the descents pretty treacherous..

Thanks, looks like it's 2 hours (if at all!) then!!

The big question.... Did you enjoy it?

njee20

Certain courses hold up to the wet better than others certainly. R2 wasn't too bad, but did get pretty sketchy! All remained rideable though.

Last year Caesars Camp was less technical, but had more climbing. It was surprisingly unmuddy too, so fingers crossed it'll be fine.

frogstomp

miss notax wrote:

The big question.... Did you enjoy it?

Of course - in a pain/reward kinda way! Although most of the photos of me on the official photographer's site seem to emphasise the former!

As njee20 said the range of abilities is pretty wide, with lap times ranging from 30 minutes ( :shock: ) to 90 minutes..

miss notax

Cool, I am very tempted to go for this....

The photos look like a mix of bikes too, or is everyone on light-as-a-feather carbon racing machines? I am a one-bike-only girl!

I'll see if I can persuade my other half to give this a go too (although he will be off with the other fast chaps :? ), and I think i'll put in for it!

frogstomp

miss notax wrote:

The photos look like a mix of bikes too, or is everyone on light-as-a-feather carbon racing machines? I am a one-bike-only girl!

Yup, anything and everything.. a fair few Orange 5's in attendance from what I remember..

miss notax

Cool, thanks

njee20

Remember you need to pre-enter, they fill up. You'll be fine on any bike, as above there'll be a bit of everything.

For a bit of whippet-ish inspiration here's my best elbows out/race face from R2. I was pleased with my effort.

miss notax

njee20 wrote:

Remember you need to pre-enter, they fill up. You'll be fine on any bike, as above there'll be a bit of everything.

For a bit of whippet-ish inspiration here's my best elbows out/race face from R2. I was pleased with my effort.

Good photo!!!

I did my first 10 mile run last year and the photo as I come over the finish is hilarious - I can't decide whether I look like i'm about to start a fight, faint or cry (possibly all three). Hopefully any mtbing photos will be better....

Thanks for the encouragement!

frogstomp

njee20 wrote:

For a bit of whippet-ish inspiration here's my best elbows out/race face from R2. I was pleased with my effort.

And here's mine.. and if proof was needed about the range of abilities - my laps took 50% longer than njee20's!

Looking to improve in the next round.. and I think for the 'non-serious' racer that's what it's all about!

(Note to self : buy some non-black cycling gear!)

njee20

I think it's a running thing, any photos I've had during triathlons I look horrific, you just can't look dignified!

miss notax

frogstomp wrote:

njee20 wrote:

For a bit of whippet-ish inspiration here's my best elbows out/race face from R2. I was pleased with my effort.

And here's mine.. and if proof was needed about the range of abilities - my laps took 50% longer than njee20's!

Looking to improve in the next round.. and I think for the 'non-serious' racer that's what it's all about!

(Note to self : buy some non-black cycling gear!)

Another great photo!!

miss notax

Well, entered the 2 hour event last night :shock:

If anyone is also doing this and spies me (small blonde on a sparkly blue Orange 5!), please bear with me - i'll be doing my best!!

Mr Smooth

If you want some competition, try talking Mich into doing it!

miss notax

Mr Smooth wrote:

If you want some competition, try talking Mich into doing it!

Competition? I wouldn't stand a chance!! :shock:

panterpop

Well best I make it more technical then! I finished the cse prep today, all fully rideable and the Cse track via Garmin will be up 2 Friday.

njee20

Just sort some better weather out Pants, at least the bike won't be brand new next time!

wobbem

Hah a 4 hr slogger myself, getting slower n sloowwerrrrr every lap. Wasn't my favourite course but signed up for the next one.
Theres also shot of me just having an off at that bl**dy puddle which by tha last lap was getting to be a bit tricky as was that steep down hilly bit worn into a rut by locked up wheels. :?
http://joolzedymond.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=127418&q=4295&ingals=1