Brass Monkeys anyone..?!!

miss notax

First one this Sunday 8)

In an attempt to beat 3rd in the series last time (basically for turning up and riding them all and not being too rubbish ) I have entered all 3 again this year! Anyone else?

Any thoughts on how muddy Sundays course will be? I am torn between the Santa Cruz (faster) and the mud clearance propeties of the Orange.... :?

njee20

Can't make the first (or 3rd one), which is lame! I'll be at the second one though!

Reckon it'll be alright, never had muddy conditions there before.

miss notax

Ah well, see you at the Christmas one then!

I seem to remember one fo them being really muddy before but I can't remember which venue it was :?

njee20

Not that one! It was (I think) Ash Ranges.

andi1363

Will be there doing the 2hr event.

agg25

Doin the 4 hours on Sunday, hopefully the weather will be nice to us. I did a Gorrick last week and although everyone said it was dry, no need for mud tyres, there were still a few bit where I had no traction at all on me Racing Ralph on the back so may go to a Mud X on the back this time. Would be nice to know what others are going to run...
Oh, good luck Notax, maybe a silver this time?

miss notax

Thanks!

I'm not sure which bike i'll be on - so it will either be a Minion / High Roller combo or Fire XC Pro for me

Probably the first set actually (on the Orange), as i'm riding Saturday so will probably go for my comfy bouncy bike rather than the racey one

benpinnick

If you want to know the conditions post in the London calling Mtb group on Facebook (and here). Someone on there will have been this week (probably).

Mccraque

what is the Aldershot course like for those that have ridden it before?

i rode the Deepcut one last year, and although I enjoyed it retrospectively - was a wheezing, crumpled heap of snot and sweat on the finish line - much to the amusement of my mates. And that was dry...

So how bad is this one in the wet? Bizarelly I dreamt I was doing it on my zesty rather than my hardtail on Monday...odd...

miss notax

Mccraque wrote:

was a wheezing, crumpled heap of snot and sweat on the finish line

Are you copying me?

I can't actually remember this venue last year (which is probably a good thing as I would remember anything too nasty!)... Sorry, not much help actually am I?!

Mccraque

I think I saw you last year, Miss Notax....not as a ball of snot and sweat - you were off the bike looking quizically at your blue orange...there can't be too many ladies on such a machine...half way around lap one at Deepcut.

miss notax

Ha ha, yep, that would have been me. Actually I think I remember this one now - I came off on some roots and it twisted my saddle around (hence the confused expression). I was probably also looking grumpy and swearing at my bike, I find that helps too

Mccraque

OK I'm in...

Next Question....

Hardtail or Zesty!?

miss notax

Zesty - but then again I am old, with a bad back, and can't be done with any of this hardtail nonsense

agg25

Looks like we're going to get wet on Sunday...maybe we could petition it to be moved to Saturday! Thinkin I might take off the Ralph and whack a Mud X on the back.

grenw

Sunday might be a better day. Forecast is for heavy rain overnight Thursday/Friday and only a chance of light rain on Sunday. An extra day to dry up from the heavy stuff sounds better to me even if it could be changed (which it won't)

It rarely gets bad enough for mud tyres around here either.

miss notax

Ah, so GrenW you reckon not too muddy? (Or not 100% muddy to justify mud tyres?)

Mccraque

I'm leaving the Mud X on!

njee20

It's hilly - it was the last one last year (and in 2011), quite a lot of wide fireroad climbs, a couple last year were really windy and unpleasant! Good fun course though.

Mccraque

I prefer fire road climbs to mudfest climbs.

wind/rain/3 hours of driving.

Why did I enter this again?! :shock:

grawp

It'll be fine.
Before every event the forums fill up with panic stricken talk of mud tyres, then after the day a chorus of how Ralphs were fine fills the pages. In my experience Gorrick are pretty darn good at laying on an all weather course.
As for wind and rain, well most the time you'll be in the trees so no wind and you won't notice the rain because you'll be steaming with sweat!

(I seem to be in a very positive mood tonight. Off out for a ride in a minute; trying not to look out of the window.)

miss notax

Looks like this event is full now!

A friend of mine is still after an entry - any idea if there is a 'reserve' list or similar? Worth emailing the organisers (in which case, who are they and what is their email address?!)?

Thanks

njee20

Si Panter is the organiser (Pants on here), worth firing off an email, you never know.

miss notax

Thanks

agg25

OK, Mud X's definately going on today, I've got one with more tread on than the other, question is...should I whack the better one on the front or the back??

miss notax

I had been resisting the mud-panic up until now... It just keeps on raining!

Trailraker now fitted up front (Cinder on the back).

I don't see how the course can possibly NOT be muddy after this much rain and 100's of riders. It's not like we're in Wales with well draining rocky trails is it? That's my logic anyway!

miss notax

Well, i'm bloody glad I put the mud tyre on the front...!

How did everyone get on?

I only managed 2 laps and came in 4th overall (apparently). I really enjoyed it but found it quite hard work at times! Spent my second lap chasing my very fast friend which was good fun All in all a brilliant event and I can't wait for the next one 8)

Mccraque

Great event and given the rain, I am surprised at just how good the course held. Save for a couple of really boggy sections that pretty much everyone ran up, most of it was perfect. The Mud X's were a good choice for me....and especially by lap3 as things cut up a little.

Drove home and the heavens opened. Thankfully not an hour earlier!

Does anyone know if the chap who ploughed full tilt into a tree is ok? Right on the downhill singletrack section near the end. He lost control and hit it at one hell of a speed.

Mccraque

and well done on 4th, Notax...that'a brilliant. Think I managed 47th in my category....!

miss notax

Mccraque wrote:

Does anyone know if the chap who ploughed full tilt into a tree is ok? Right on the downhill singletrack section near the end. He lost control and hit it at one hell of a speed.

Crikey, I rode past this pretty soon after it had happened I think. Did he slide out on the mud at the bottom? Hope he's ok.

Mccraque

He never looked in control from the moment he started the descent and ploughed straight into it. Not good.