Battle on the Beach

bendertherobot

Normal x-one for me.

bendertherobot

Everyone alive?

tgotb

bendertherobot wrote:

Everyone alive?

I had to bail; real World got in the way :-(

How was it? Weather looked even better than previous years!

bendertherobot

Stunning. Not quite as much tailwind as you might think but I'd not be keen on going the other way into it.

Better course overall. Laps 1 and 2 pretty much the same with a few tweaks including a not CX friendly gnarly bit. Lap 3 took you on a different second half of it to take you away from anyone still doing lap 2 and sparing you the dune section.

I definitely can't see me using a CX again though. It's just too hard. An On One carbon 29er with rigid forks and Big One tyres would be my choice I think. I might even use one for CX

devhads

Really enjoyable weekend, helped by the fantastic weather and bonhomie at the campsite (although the bonhomie went on rather late)

My first time doing it so took my rigid 29er and cross bike. Only had time for one lap on Saturday afternoon (on MTB) and was unsure if the BITD would go Lap 1 or 2 or Lap 3 route. Plumped for lap 3 and was a bit unnerved to be told it was Lap 1 or 2 on the start line. The Lap 3 route was pretty straightforward so opted for the cross bike so the dune section and gnarly woods section were a bit seat of your pants in the dark.

Stuck with the cross bike though, for the race, mainly as the gearing was better. The dune section and bumpy double track after the beach were lowlights, and riding along the beach highlights. Joined up with an Eastern rider at the start of lap two who dragged me to a guy in front and formed an echelon, picking up those who wanted to jump on. 7 or 8 rider echelon spread across the beach was great fun. Was glad to not do the dunes on lap 3 and finished in 1.51.

I think the optimum bike for me would be a cross bike with massive clearance for 45mm beach tyres. Mine doesn't have that clearance so might give it a go on the MTB if I do it again.

Final observations, people on MTBs don't seem to like it if you try to run past them with your bike on your shoulder and singlespeeders seem to think you should yield on inclines because ' I've only got one gear'

bendertherobot

There can be a few thorny exchanges. Usually there's one (or more) tw@ts on lap 1 on the logjam section. And so it proved this year as one bloke rode up the outside to gain a mere 3 places and push in. There was no shortage of people reminding him that he was a tw@t.

Optimum for me would be whatever can take Schwalbe Big One. So I guess that's something like an On One Mccatskul thingy. With a rigid fork?

devhads

There can be a few thorny exchanges. Usually there's one (or more) tw@ts on lap 1 on the logjam section. And so it proved this year as one bloke rode up the outside to gain a mere 3 places and push in. There was no shortage of people reminding him that he was a tw@t.

A bit harsh. It is instinctive if you're used to racing cross, if there's a queue then run past. I did think the whole event had a more sportive feel than a race feel so understandable that people would get @rsey if they perceive that someone is 'pushing in'. Must be the great British obsession with queuing.

BTW the guy who came second started about 4 places behind me in BITD and came past me like I was standing still, very impressive.

RallyBiker

My mate Dan Evans got 4th. and was first Brit home! Man of steel!

bendertherobot

devhads wrote:

There can be a few thorny exchanges. Usually there's one (or more) tw@ts on lap 1 on the logjam section. And so it proved this year as one bloke rode up the outside to gain a mere 3 places and push in. There was no shortage of people reminding him that he was a tw@t.

A bit harsh. It is instinctive if you're used to racing cross, if there's a queue then run past. I did think the whole event had a more sportive feel than a race feel so understandable that people would get @rsey if they perceive that someone is 'pushing in'. Must be the great British obsession with queuing.

BTW the guy who came second started about 4 places behind me in BITD and came past me like I was standing still, very impressive.

It isn't harsh at all. There is no space. Wherever you meet that queue, you wait. Besides he wasn't on a CX, far from it. Baggies, camelbak, 29 er. This isn't a British queue. It's a queue because there's no space to pass.

bendertherobot

RallyBiker wrote:

My mate Dan Evans got 4th. and was first Brit home! Man of steel!

Lush bike too. Schwalbe Big One tyres.

devhads

bendertherobot wrote:

devhads wrote:

There can be a few thorny exchanges. Usually there's one (or more) tw@ts on lap 1 on the logjam section. And so it proved this year as one bloke rode up the outside to gain a mere 3 places and push in. There was no shortage of people reminding him that he was a tw@t.

A bit harsh. It is instinctive if you're used to racing cross, if there's a queue then run past. I did think the whole event had a more sportive feel than a race feel so understandable that people would get @rsey if they perceive that someone is 'pushing in'. Must be the great British obsession with queuing.

BTW the guy who came second started about 4 places behind me in BITD and came past me like I was standing still, very impressive.

It isn't harsh at all. There is no space. Wherever you meet that queue, you wait. Besides he wasn't on a CX, far from it. Baggies, camelbak, 29 er. This isn't a British queue. It's a queue because there's no space to pass.

Ok, I see your point, I do think were talking about two slightly different things. I was talking about getting off and running past where people are waiting to ride, where there is space to run past but it's single file if you want to ride.I generally find MTB etiquette a bit at odds to what I'm used to in cross. I do race XC and it takes getting used to people expecting you to yield your line when not lapping because they can ride a section faster than you or if you're running. In MTB it seems riding trumps running whereas in cross it's a case of getting round quickest by any means.

It does put me in mind of a section of road near me where two lanes go in to one. There's a sign that says to use both lanes and merge in turn as it's the quickest way of getting traffic through. Some people take umbrage though and don't think this should happen so straddle both lanes to stop people 'pushing in'. It's recently caused a nasty bit of road rage.

Are you talking about the first bit off the beach? There wasn't much of a queue on the first lap, the major queues were later on when it went up hill and people stalled.

bendertherobot

That bit yes. The stalled hill. Always the same there but never a problem after the 1st lap. We're halfway up the hill and he starts riding outside us.

Moonbiker

What bikes did the winners ride?

imposter2.0

Moonbiker wrote:

What bikes did the winners ride?

Same as last year I think - rigid flat bar 29ers (with cantis). Flying they were, too...

bendertherobot

As far as I can tell they might also have 'double' chainsets. Not sure, very small ones.

But it's the usual story really. MTB style frame, no suspension, big ol' wide tyres. Some concession to tread this year.

But, in 4th place, was a full sus (Dan Evans?) Cannnondale with schwalbe big one tyres. Weight penalty there. So he did bloody well.

bendertherobot

http://www.anthonypease.com/Battle-on-t ... -QS4wkKR/A

tgotb

Cripes! I didn't even know there was a thing as a canti 29er...

Moonbiker

Iv'e a rigid steel canti 26er about 20yrs old from halfords.

There bikes probably unnder 8kg mine is about 15kg though

ugo.santalucia

Imposter wrote:

Moonbiker wrote:

What bikes did the winners ride?

Same as last year I think - rigid flat bar 29ers (with cantis). Flying they were, too...

SO CX bikes being faster is a myth... :shock:

bendertherobot

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Moonbiker wrote:

What bikes did the winners ride?

Same as last year I think - rigid flat bar 29ers (with cantis). Flying they were, too...

SO CX bikes being faster is a myth... :shock:

CX bikes are faster on the beach generally. They lose out elsewhere, that's always been the case with this event.

What would be interesting would be to compare the bikes the dutch use in pure CX form.

I do suspect that CX is a test of how good athletes are on CX bikes rather than how good they would be given more choice.

But then CX just becomes XC.

In our winter league the lines are blurred. There's a lot of XC in addition to CX. Some races are pure CX. There's a few blokes who get close on HT bikes. But the CXs out.

BoB isn't CX. It's hardcore XC. That CX bikes can even handle it is testament to just how good they are. But you do get shaken to bits.

devhads

bendertherobot wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Moonbiker wrote:

What bikes did the winners ride?

Same as last year I think - rigid flat bar 29ers (with cantis). Flying they were, too...

SO CX bikes being faster is a myth... :shock:

CX bikes are faster on the beach generally. They lose out elsewhere, that's always been the case with this event.

What would be interesting would be to compare the bikes the dutch use in pure CX form.

I do suspect that CX is a test of how good athletes are on CX bikes rather than how good they would be given more choice.

But then CX just becomes XC.

In our winter league the lines are blurred. There's a lot of XC in addition to CX. Some races are pure CX. There's a few blokes who get close on HT bikes. But the CXs out.

BoB isn't CX. It's hardcore XC. That CX bikes can even handle it is testament to just how good they are. But you do get shaken to bits.

I'd probably still ride my CX again if I could fit something like the Big Ones on it but I can't so would go for my rigid 29er. Big Ones would fit in that, I'd fit narrower bars, slam the stem and bigger gears. Probably fit bull horns too just for a change in hand position.

The 3rd place in Battle in the Dark was on a CX with Grifo type tubs. He rode a Fat bike for the main race.

bendertherobot

Big ones would make it perfect. But I'm way off that on the CAADX let alone the SuperX.

I reckon I could, at best, squeeze 40c G-One up front and 35c on the rear.

I ran X-One this year and there was really no need.

ugo.santalucia

devhads wrote:

I'd probably still ride my CX again if I could fit something like the Big Ones on it but I can't so would go for my rigid 29er. Big Ones would fit in that, I'd fit narrower bars, slam the stem and bigger gears. Probably fit bull horns too just for a change in hand position.

.

You don't want to get me started on CX frames that take 27.5 inch wheels with big tyres do you?

Incidentally Planet X now make one...