Brass Monkeys Rd2 - 14th Dec - Tunnel Hill
Discussion
yellowjack said:
No chance of that, Mr Yonex, sir.
I only managed to place 61st out of a field of 76 for round 1, and 11 of the chaps I 'beat' appear to have bailed after one lap. 8 of those 11 were actually faster than me round lap 1 too. As per last time, I'm going to be happy just to finish the race. I'd be absolutely over the moon if I managed to score even a single point, but I'd need 40th place to do that so I'm not holding my breath. If I'm being honest, the only reason for entering these races is to motivate me to ride during the week in preparation for them (I won't dignify my riding with the description "training", because, quite frankly, it isn't). Otherwise I think I'd succumb to lazy-itis over the winter months and not ride as much as I should.
I'm very much looking forward to meeting a few more PHers on the day. Even if it's limited to a quick chat before or after the racing. I've met, and ridden with three other PH riders recently, and they've all been really nice (and all fitter, more capable riders than myself
). I think that maybe sometime next year, as the weather warms up, we should try to arrange a (larger) informal gathering at a decent riding venue or perhaps an organised event, in the spirit of the road cycling 'Circuit Breaker'.
P.S. - the list was only a bit of a giggle, an 'homage', if you will, to the PistonHeads forums, home of "let's make a list!"
Well I about took a crap on that course last time so it is really a case of kill or cure (hope those words dont come back to haunt me). I have bought the feckin thing now and whilst I do love riding it I have several limitations off road which all appear to be in direct proportion to my total lack of skill. I hope my 'ok' fitness gets me around and I finish. If I don't cry on the day that will be a bonus I only managed to place 61st out of a field of 76 for round 1, and 11 of the chaps I 'beat' appear to have bailed after one lap. 8 of those 11 were actually faster than me round lap 1 too. As per last time, I'm going to be happy just to finish the race. I'd be absolutely over the moon if I managed to score even a single point, but I'd need 40th place to do that so I'm not holding my breath. If I'm being honest, the only reason for entering these races is to motivate me to ride during the week in preparation for them (I won't dignify my riding with the description "training", because, quite frankly, it isn't). Otherwise I think I'd succumb to lazy-itis over the winter months and not ride as much as I should.
I'm very much looking forward to meeting a few more PHers on the day. Even if it's limited to a quick chat before or after the racing. I've met, and ridden with three other PH riders recently, and they've all been really nice (and all fitter, more capable riders than myself
). I think that maybe sometime next year, as the weather warms up, we should try to arrange a (larger) informal gathering at a decent riding venue or perhaps an organised event, in the spirit of the road cycling 'Circuit Breaker'.P.S. - the list was only a bit of a giggle, an 'homage', if you will, to the PistonHeads forums, home of "let's make a list!"
Re: a local meet - well up for that. Lets get this race out of the way, then i'll suggest a meet up at Swinley in a couple of weeks.
(Currently there are diversions at the start and end of Blue, and the new "Newt" section is fairly boggy, so will be good to let it dry out a bit). Theres some extra non-trail bits we can do to make it a bit of a longer ride than just Blue/Red.
(Currently there are diversions at the start and end of Blue, and the new "Newt" section is fairly boggy, so will be good to let it dry out a bit). Theres some extra non-trail bits we can do to make it a bit of a longer ride than just Blue/Red.
I've found you on Strava, Benji. I think I may have briefly held you up (sorry!) on lap 1 of the first round, at the southernmost point of the course where we went through the young woodland strip (Banksy/Highline) and you passed me just prior to the little ditch and the left turn onto the wide gravel road. I was being unceremoniously dropped by all and sundry, even at that early stage...
http://labs.strava.com/flyby/viewer/#222530929,H1d...
...I'm hoping to do a little better this time round. Even if my result isn't great, so long as I feel more human afterwards I'll be happy.
http://labs.strava.com/flyby/viewer/#222530929,H1d...
...I'm hoping to do a little better this time round. Even if my result isn't great, so long as I feel more human afterwards I'll be happy.
No worries it's nice to have a rest, the nice thing with endurance racing is it is far more friendly than XC. If you feel human afterwards you weren't trying hard enough, you should have what i know as Monday legs, you know they are otherwise you wouldn't be stood up, but they just don't feel like your own. Be interesting to see what the weather throws up, the mud made Rd1 a total grueller, so if you finished you did well, there was loads of people packing and having mechanicals.
That flyby thing is cool.
That flyby thing is cool.
Forecast update for 0900hrs Sunday 14th December 2014 (as at 1000hrs Wed 10th Dec '14)...
Light Cloud
Temperature - 5°C
Humidity - 91%
Visibility - Good
Pressure (Millibars) - 1014
Wind Direction - SW
Wind Speed - 8 mph
Friday is set to be mostly dry, and Saturday sunny and dry, so at the moment it's looking like a good day for it...
Light Cloud
Temperature - 5°C
Humidity - 91%
Visibility - Good
Pressure (Millibars) - 1014
Wind Direction - SW
Wind Speed - 8 mph
Friday is set to be mostly dry, and Saturday sunny and dry, so at the moment it's looking like a good day for it...
BadgerBenji said:
gazza285 said:
You mean you didn't bin it on the single track Benji? Progress is being made...
Big change round on the tyres, much better, and constantly telling myself the bike goes where you look, so stop looking for comfortable places to crash.
Forecast seems OK. 2°C at 0800hrs, rising steadily to a heady 8°C by midday. Wind SSW 8 to 10 mph. Light cloud with potentially a few sunny intervals, and a falling barometer.
So, to sum up, new cone bearings, which may need minor adjustment after settling in, and I bashed my shin on a pedal putting the bike away.
Well. That's the pre-race excuses covered, apologies in advance if I fail to make it to the start line...
I've not decided what I'll be wearing yet. Although a PH outer layer of some form is likely. Bike is a black GT Avalanche 3.0, à la...
BBC Weather website said:
Forecast Summary - Sunday
Mostly dry with bright spells, but increasingly windy. Turning cloudier later with a few spots of rain possible...
...milder than of late.
I've had a terrible day's preparation for tomorrow. Had to rebuild my front wheel hub bearings. It was complicated, GT (or whoever builds their 'no brand' boggo wheels for them) decided to use oversized bearings in the front wheel, which meant that a standard front quick release axle wouldn't fit (cone nuts too small for the bearing cups). Cue a debate in the bike shop over how best to proceed. Three of us brainstormed for a while, and I ended up buying a rear axle and a packet of bearings. As predicted, the new cones wouldn't fit on the old axle (wrong thread diameter/pitch), so I had to cut down the new (rear) axle to match the length of the front one. It took two attempts to rebuild it, because I knocked the bearings out of the cup on the first attempt, and I finished the job by the light of a head torch in the dark. Then the front caliper needed realigning due to pad rub, and after cleaning the faces of the pads, it needed a couple of sprints up and down the street (to the amusement of my neighbour) to bed them in again.Mostly dry with bright spells, but increasingly windy. Turning cloudier later with a few spots of rain possible...
...milder than of late.
So, to sum up, new cone bearings, which may need minor adjustment after settling in, and I bashed my shin on a pedal putting the bike away.
Well. That's the pre-race excuses covered, apologies in advance if I fail to make it to the start line...
I've not decided what I'll be wearing yet. Although a PH outer layer of some form is likely. Bike is a black GT Avalanche 3.0, à la...
If I decide to ride up, and bring a bag along (small Camelbak style rucksack), would any of the other fine PHers attending be willing to stash it in their car for me while the race is on? I may yet drive over if its very cold in the morning, but I do fully intend to ride over on the bike, as a sort of a warm up...
yellowjack said:
If I decide to ride up, and bring a bag along (small Camelbak style rucksack), would any of the other fine PHers attending be willing to stash it in their car for me while the race is on? I may yet drive over if its very cold in the morning, but I do fully intend to ride over on the bike, as a sort of a warm up...
For sure, homey.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff