Merida Brass Monkeys winter 2016/17 race series...
Discussion
neenaw said:
Is everyone still up for this on Sunday?
Fingers crossed it won't be subject to another last minute cancellation.
It seems to be on. Several people I 'follow' on Strava have been up to take a look at the course, or so it would seem... https://www.strava.com/activities/803294570Fingers crossed it won't be subject to another last minute cancellation.
I've got to be honest and say my heart REALLY isn't in it this weekend. Toilet leaked upstairs Monday, ceiling damaged, now my 'Home Emergency Cover' provider can't seem to get their own contractor to come out to repair the toilet, despite assuring me that the repair IS covered, and I'm sat at home waiting for phone calls that never come. Plus, my 'mental health issues' (long standing issues with depression and anxiety) have sapped me of all motivation, both to chase the contractor and to ride my bike. If I do turn up and ride it'll only be because I've paid and am too tight to waste the entry fee. The "Festive Season" isn't looking too festive from where I'm seeing it right now...
I'll be there!
Am I looking forward to it though? That's a different story! Barely done any riding over the past few weeks due to illness/weather/logistical issues, so I know I am going to be blowing out my ass by the end of (just) two hours. The fact it shouldn't be raining and *shouldn't be* excessively muddy is keeping me slightly optimistic.
YJ - cant help with your broken s
tter, and don't have any way to magically motivate you, except to say out of all the people that I ride with and/or follow on strava, I don't know anyone that just ploughs on when the going gets tough like you do, and I'm sure tomorrow will be no different.
If all else fails, you can just jump the queue like you did two years ago at Windmill Hill, yak yak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVioxq9GzEk&t=...
Am I looking forward to it though? That's a different story! Barely done any riding over the past few weeks due to illness/weather/logistical issues, so I know I am going to be blowing out my ass by the end of (just) two hours. The fact it shouldn't be raining and *shouldn't be* excessively muddy is keeping me slightly optimistic.
YJ - cant help with your broken s
tter, and don't have any way to magically motivate you, except to say out of all the people that I ride with and/or follow on strava, I don't know anyone that just ploughs on when the going gets tough like you do, and I'm sure tomorrow will be no different.If all else fails, you can just jump the queue like you did two years ago at Windmill Hill, yak yak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVioxq9GzEk&t=...
yellowjack said:
It seems to be on. Several people I 'follow' on Strava have been up to take a look at the course, or so it would seem... https://www.strava.com/activities/803294570
I've got to be honest and say my heart REALLY isn't in it this weekend. Toilet leaked upstairs Monday, ceiling damaged, now my 'Home Emergency Cover' provider can't seem to get their own contractor to come out to repair the toilet, despite assuring me that the repair IS covered, and I'm sat at home waiting for phone calls that never come. Plus, my 'mental health issues' (long standing issues with depression and anxiety) have sapped me of all motivation, both to chase the contractor and to ride my bike. If I do turn up and ride it'll only be because I've paid and am too tight to waste the entry fee. The "Festive Season" isn't looking too festive from where I'm seeing it right now...
It would be a real shame for you to miss the event, especially as you've already pre-entered. Maybe it's worth contacting Gorrick to see if they'll let you switch the entry to another round of the series?I've got to be honest and say my heart REALLY isn't in it this weekend. Toilet leaked upstairs Monday, ceiling damaged, now my 'Home Emergency Cover' provider can't seem to get their own contractor to come out to repair the toilet, despite assuring me that the repair IS covered, and I'm sat at home waiting for phone calls that never come. Plus, my 'mental health issues' (long standing issues with depression and anxiety) have sapped me of all motivation, both to chase the contractor and to ride my bike. If I do turn up and ride it'll only be because I've paid and am too tight to waste the entry fee. The "Festive Season" isn't looking too festive from where I'm seeing it right now...
Hopefully I'll see you there tomorrow, maybe getting out for what will hopefully be a good, dry-ish course will kick start your motivation and get you back out and about again.
Well. I went. I rode two laps, had nowt left, and folded. Then rode 'the long way home' for 22 miles. How the F*** does that work?
Anyway. No sign of neenaw. If you were there - Sorry! But met Mr C again, he kindly let me stash a bag in his car, and I ferreted off again at the start, which left him behind for a while. I may even have stayed ahead longer than I did two years ago, so that'd be a slight improvement?
No idea how I did out on the course, as no results are up online yet. Garmin has me lapping in 47:56 and 55:07 - Mr C's Garmin shows 47:05, 46:38, and his final lap (which sadly didn't count) of 51:37. I'll be well down on his result I think. But it was a victory just to get to the start line, given the week I've just had.
Oh, and this smartphone Pokemon hunting? Over rated I'm afraid. I picked up a real Pikachu part way round lap two, and stuffed him behind my brake hoses. Feckin' useless mascot though, and it didn't confer any magical powers upon me.
While I'm at it, after I posted up my ride today I was reminded by a Strava using friend of this topical link to some classic Beastie Boys...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2D-7o2IBCI
Anyway. No sign of neenaw. If you were there - Sorry! But met Mr C again, he kindly let me stash a bag in his car, and I ferreted off again at the start, which left him behind for a while. I may even have stayed ahead longer than I did two years ago, so that'd be a slight improvement?
No idea how I did out on the course, as no results are up online yet. Garmin has me lapping in 47:56 and 55:07 - Mr C's Garmin shows 47:05, 46:38, and his final lap (which sadly didn't count) of 51:37. I'll be well down on his result I think. But it was a victory just to get to the start line, given the week I've just had.
Oh, and this smartphone Pokemon hunting? Over rated I'm afraid. I picked up a real Pikachu part way round lap two, and stuffed him behind my brake hoses. Feckin' useless mascot though, and it didn't confer any magical powers upon me.
While I'm at it, after I posted up my ride today I was reminded by a Strava using friend of this topical link to some classic Beastie Boys...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2D-7o2IBCI
Me: http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Rac...
daddy cool: The link to your picture goes here if that podium picture ever surfaces!
daddy cool: The link to your picture goes here if that podium picture ever surfaces!
yellowjack said:
Well. I went. I rode two laps, had nowt left, and folded. Then rode 'the long way home' for 22 miles. How the F*** does that work?
Anyway. No sign of neenaw. If you were there - Sorry! But met Mr C again, he kindly let me stash a bag in his car, and I ferreted off again at the start, which left him behind for a while. I may even have stayed ahead longer than I did two years ago, so that'd be a slight improvement?
No idea how I did out on the course, as no results are up online yet. Garmin has me lapping in 47:56 and 55:07 - Mr C's Garmin shows 47:05, 46:38, and his final lap (which sadly didn't count) of 51:37. I'll be well down on his result I think. But it was a victory just to get to the start line, given the week I've just had.
Oh, and this smartphone Pokemon hunting? Over rated I'm afraid. I picked up a real Pikachu part way round lap two, and stuffed him behind my brake hoses. Feckin' useless mascot though, and it didn't confer any magical powers upon me.
While I'm at it, after I posted up my ride today I was reminded by a Strava using friend of this topical link to some classic Beastie Boys...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2D-7o2IBCI
Glad to see that you got out in the end.Anyway. No sign of neenaw. If you were there - Sorry! But met Mr C again, he kindly let me stash a bag in his car, and I ferreted off again at the start, which left him behind for a while. I may even have stayed ahead longer than I did two years ago, so that'd be a slight improvement?
No idea how I did out on the course, as no results are up online yet. Garmin has me lapping in 47:56 and 55:07 - Mr C's Garmin shows 47:05, 46:38, and his final lap (which sadly didn't count) of 51:37. I'll be well down on his result I think. But it was a victory just to get to the start line, given the week I've just had.
Oh, and this smartphone Pokemon hunting? Over rated I'm afraid. I picked up a real Pikachu part way round lap two, and stuffed him behind my brake hoses. Feckin' useless mascot though, and it didn't confer any magical powers upon me.
While I'm at it, after I posted up my ride today I was reminded by a Strava using friend of this topical link to some classic Beastie Boys...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2D-7o2IBCI
I was there, I think I saw you before the race heading away from the toilets, I noticed the PH jersey through your jacket but I was otherwise engaged so couldn't catch up with you.
I think i might have seen you out on the course as well but not certain. Speaking of which, it was a great course, really enjoyable.
I was singlespeeding in the 4h race, I came in at 3h30 and there was no way I had a 30 minute lap in me. I couldn't have done it at the start so no chance at the end
Overall I really enjoyed it today, it was a bit chilly by the end but not too bad.
Hopefully I'll catch up with you guys at one of the next rounds.
Results are up...
http://www.timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPO...
I managed 2 laps, in 1:43:45 for 52nd out of 62 riders. So not quite last! 9 minutes down on daddy cool, though...
http://www.timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPO...
I managed 2 laps, in 1:43:45 for 52nd out of 62 riders. So not quite last! 9 minutes down on daddy cool, though...
I was really stupid yesterday - i just wasnt 100% certain about the rules being changed (that only full laps completed in the time limit count) so i ended up doing a 3rd lap despite the fact there was no way i could complete it in ~30 mins. That last lap i was fooked!
The more i think about my achey knees and back, and look at the pictures of other people on their bikes, i think i need to review my bike geometry and/or the way im sitting - seem to be much more upright than everyone else... or my bike (medium) is too small for me.
http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Rac...
Did enjoy the course though, some really nice flowy sections, and no mud either (just a few damp roots that were a bit slippery)
Neenaw - congrats on the time, 41 min laps is seriously impressive on a singlespeed, i dunno how you can do it!
Im wondering if i should get myself a 29'er and take this racing lark a bit more seriously!
Video to follow, but i just couldnt be arsed editing it yesterday.
The more i think about my achey knees and back, and look at the pictures of other people on their bikes, i think i need to review my bike geometry and/or the way im sitting - seem to be much more upright than everyone else... or my bike (medium) is too small for me.
http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Rac...
Did enjoy the course though, some really nice flowy sections, and no mud either (just a few damp roots that were a bit slippery)
Neenaw - congrats on the time, 41 min laps is seriously impressive on a singlespeed, i dunno how you can do it!
Im wondering if i should get myself a 29'er and take this racing lark a bit more seriously!
Video to follow, but i just couldnt be arsed editing it yesterday.
daddy cool said:
The more i think about my achey knees and back, and look at the pictures of other people on their bikes, i think i need to review my bike geometry and/or the way im sitting - seem to be much more upright than everyone else... or my bike (medium) is too small for me.
http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Rac...
Some of it might be the angle of the photo - but you definitley look to be riding a bike thats too small from that photo! A longer top tube would help straighten your back out I bet. http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Rac...
I'm 5ft 10 and spent years riding 'mediums', usually a 17" frame in mtb terms, thinking that as an average sized bloke, I must be a medium.
Past few bikes I've gone for bigger sizes, and try and go for the longest top tube possible - it really has made a difference.
I'm 5'10 too, and have also gone for "mediums" on principle, but on my other bike (the new Boardman F/S) i followed advice recently and went for the 19"/Large, and it feels spot-on, so i think you might be onto something...
Think i will try to move the seat back and get a slightly longer stem in the meantime...
Think i will try to move the seat back and get a slightly longer stem in the meantime...
daddy cool said:
I was really stupid yesterday - i just wasnt 100% certain about the rules being changed (that only full laps completed in the time limit count) so i ended up doing a 3rd lap despite the fact there was no way i could complete it in ~30 mins. That last lap i was fooked!
The more i think about my achey knees and back, and look at the pictures of other people on their bikes, i think i need to review my bike geometry and/or the way im sitting - seem to be much more upright than everyone else... or my bike (medium) is too small for me.
http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Rac...
Did enjoy the course though, some really nice flowy sections, and no mud either (just a few damp roots that were a bit slippery)
Neenaw - congrats on the time, 41 min laps is seriously impressive on a singlespeed, i dunno how you can do it!
Im wondering if i should get myself a 29'er and take this racing lark a bit more seriously!
Video to follow, but i just couldnt be arsed editing it yesterday.
I was a little confused myself after crossing the finish line after my last lap. The clock by the finish line wasn't working properly and the sign at the end was for 3h riders to finish and no mention of 4h riders. It was by luck that I saw a mate who'd been in my race at the sidelines so knew it was time to stop.The more i think about my achey knees and back, and look at the pictures of other people on their bikes, i think i need to review my bike geometry and/or the way im sitting - seem to be much more upright than everyone else... or my bike (medium) is too small for me.
http://www.kevinsheldrakephotography.com/Cycle-Rac...
Did enjoy the course though, some really nice flowy sections, and no mud either (just a few damp roots that were a bit slippery)
Neenaw - congrats on the time, 41 min laps is seriously impressive on a singlespeed, i dunno how you can do it!
Im wondering if i should get myself a 29'er and take this racing lark a bit more seriously!
Video to follow, but i just couldnt be arsed editing it yesterday.
I was pretty happy with my lap times but I reckon I could have only made up a minute or so per lap if I was riding my full sus with gears. I think I might need to go up from an 18 to a 19 on the back for the next round though.
Just looking at your photo there, you do appear to be very upright on the bike. I'm 5"11 and my hardtail is a medium but my full sus is a large. It will depend very much on the geometry of the bike as to whether you can get away with a slightly smaller size frame. See how you get on with the saddle moved back or possibly a setback seatpost if you need it and try playing with stem lengths. I find that getting the sizing right with MTB's can be hard work compared to road bikes.
I can't remember where the next round is but I think I'll have to get a pre-entry in for it as I'm off work that weekend so might as well make the most of it!
Next round I'll try and get there in better time and try to catch up with any PH'ers floating about.
Updated schedule for the Brass Monkeys series...
? Round 1 – 18 December 2016 at Windmill Hill, Deepcut, Surrey GU16 6TU
? Round 2 – 8 January 2017 at Minley Manor, Yateley, Hants GU17 9U - **Entry Closing Date 03-January-2017 23:59:00**
? Round 3 – 5 February 2017 at *TBC
All three rounds are on line pre-entry only. No entry on the day.
According to the chap giving out the prizes at the end of the 2 hour races, Round 3 will be held at "a privately owned venue that we have just secured but have yet to announce publicly". I take that to mean somewhere fairly local to the Aldershot/Bracknell area, and which is eminently suitable for MTB racing, but where the owners would rather not have that fact announced to all and sundry too early, to avoid riders going there beforehand to suss the terrain out. He was also quite dismissive of the MOD, but I'm not sure what he meant by "training area bookings are down 90%"? Possibly that the MOD are rejecting more bookings for civilian event use of the training estate. I think another event was pulled last minute recently, possibly a 'tough mudder' style run.
Minley Manor is my local riding area, so I'm fairly likely to sign up to it. I'll have to wait until my wife gets paid and we sit down together to work out our outgoings over this house insurance claim, but initial signs are good. Even if I can't afford to pay the entry fee I'll probably scoot up on the day anyway to get the course committed to memory for riding at my leisure later. I got too obsessed by the Torq lap from August, and an Army MTB race lap from later in the year, riding both laps repeatedly. It's why I've kind of drifted away from riding Minley for a while, so I'll be really happy if they come up with a few twists on previous incarnations of Minley race laps. Hopefully it'll 'freshen things up' for me and renew my interest in riding there. I'm even trying to persuade my wife to come up with me for Round 2, but that isn't going so well at the present time...
The biggest issue now is the weather warning that the BBC are currently talking about. The jet stream is apparently going to get quite "lively" between now and Christmas, and beyond. Driven by extremes of temperature clashing over the USA, it'll be whipping across the Atlantic stirring up significant low pressure systems on the way here. The end result is going to be windy, changeable weather with plenty of rain, sometimes disruptive. If I've read it right. I have horrendous memories of Minley as Round 1 in 2014 when it was as wet as I've ever ridden in. As a result, I'll probably hold my fire on entering until closer to the time anyway, just to see exactly how bad the weather is forecast to be on race weekend, and to give me a chance to explore how well (or poorly?) the area is riding in the lead-up to the race.
Edit to add a link for online entry to Round 2... http://www.xcracer.com/raceentry/chooserace.php?ev...
? Round 1 – 18 December 2016 at Windmill Hill, Deepcut, Surrey GU16 6TU
? Round 2 – 8 January 2017 at Minley Manor, Yateley, Hants GU17 9U - **Entry Closing Date 03-January-2017 23:59:00**
? Round 3 – 5 February 2017 at *TBC
All three rounds are on line pre-entry only. No entry on the day.
According to the chap giving out the prizes at the end of the 2 hour races, Round 3 will be held at "a privately owned venue that we have just secured but have yet to announce publicly". I take that to mean somewhere fairly local to the Aldershot/Bracknell area, and which is eminently suitable for MTB racing, but where the owners would rather not have that fact announced to all and sundry too early, to avoid riders going there beforehand to suss the terrain out. He was also quite dismissive of the MOD, but I'm not sure what he meant by "training area bookings are down 90%"? Possibly that the MOD are rejecting more bookings for civilian event use of the training estate. I think another event was pulled last minute recently, possibly a 'tough mudder' style run.
Minley Manor is my local riding area, so I'm fairly likely to sign up to it. I'll have to wait until my wife gets paid and we sit down together to work out our outgoings over this house insurance claim, but initial signs are good. Even if I can't afford to pay the entry fee I'll probably scoot up on the day anyway to get the course committed to memory for riding at my leisure later. I got too obsessed by the Torq lap from August, and an Army MTB race lap from later in the year, riding both laps repeatedly. It's why I've kind of drifted away from riding Minley for a while, so I'll be really happy if they come up with a few twists on previous incarnations of Minley race laps. Hopefully it'll 'freshen things up' for me and renew my interest in riding there. I'm even trying to persuade my wife to come up with me for Round 2, but that isn't going so well at the present time...
The biggest issue now is the weather warning that the BBC are currently talking about. The jet stream is apparently going to get quite "lively" between now and Christmas, and beyond. Driven by extremes of temperature clashing over the USA, it'll be whipping across the Atlantic stirring up significant low pressure systems on the way here. The end result is going to be windy, changeable weather with plenty of rain, sometimes disruptive. If I've read it right. I have horrendous memories of Minley as Round 1 in 2014 when it was as wet as I've ever ridden in. As a result, I'll probably hold my fire on entering until closer to the time anyway, just to see exactly how bad the weather is forecast to be on race weekend, and to give me a chance to explore how well (or poorly?) the area is riding in the lead-up to the race.
Edit to add a link for online entry to Round 2... http://www.xcracer.com/raceentry/chooserace.php?ev...
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 20th December 08:50
yellowjack said:
According to the chap giving out the prizes at the end of the 2 hour races, Round 3 will be held at "a privately owned venue that we have just secured but have yet to announce publicly".
Last year they ended up using Checkendon, which is private land, so it could be that.Its flat as a pancake, and was pretty muddy last year...
https://www.strava.com/activities/433320065
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK-COKysys0
daddy cool said:
Last year they ended up using Checkendon, which is private land, so it could be that.
Its flat as a pancake, and was pretty muddy last year...
https://www.strava.com/activities/433320065
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK-COKysys0
Crumbs Chief! That's the other side of bloomin' Reading!!!Its flat as a pancake, and was pretty muddy last year...
https://www.strava.com/activities/433320065
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK-COKysys0
I'll have no legs left by the time I've ridden to get there. Even if I drove, I'd have to get up dead early too.
I'm in. It's so close to home that it'd be rude not to, really.
Reports on Strava from local riders who've been out on the course today are not great though. Unless there's an overnight heatwave it sounds like it could be quite a 'sloppy' race tomorrow. It was slippy-slidey enough in places on Friday up there, then it rained overnight. No real wind, nor any sunshine or warmth to dry it out today.
Any hopes I had of cracking 40 minutes per lap and squeezing three into the two hours seem to have evaporated now.
I've got a local Grand Vet friend coming too, for his first ever race. 3 hours for the 50+ category, so I'll probably hang around for him to finish after my 2 hours is up. Trying to persuade my wife along to spectate, but apparently I "didn't do a great job of selling the idea" to her. Something about standing around in a cold damp field not being able to compete with a warm duvet and back-to-back episodes of Father Brown!
Reports on Strava from local riders who've been out on the course today are not great though. Unless there's an overnight heatwave it sounds like it could be quite a 'sloppy' race tomorrow. It was slippy-slidey enough in places on Friday up there, then it rained overnight. No real wind, nor any sunshine or warmth to dry it out today.
Any hopes I had of cracking 40 minutes per lap and squeezing three into the two hours seem to have evaporated now.
I've got a local Grand Vet friend coming too, for his first ever race. 3 hours for the 50+ category, so I'll probably hang around for him to finish after my 2 hours is up. Trying to persuade my wife along to spectate, but apparently I "didn't do a great job of selling the idea" to her. Something about standing around in a cold damp field not being able to compete with a warm duvet and back-to-back episodes of Father Brown!
yellowjack said:
Reports on Strava from local riders who've been out on the course today are not great though. Unless there's an overnight heatwave it sounds like it could be quite a 'sloppy' race tomorrow.
On the facebook page, they have said "Ok, so the experienced course prep team say that tomorrow's course will be fast and sticky but not muddy. It will be about 5 miles of flowing Minley with some unexpected twists. See you there."However, we all know that means muddy!
Cant say I feel very motivated either, but will look out for you there just after 9!
How'd you get on Neenaw? That wasn't you that came up to overtake and said "you alright mate?" or something, rather than the typical "ON YOUR LEFT!" "RIDER!" "RACE LEADER COMING THROUGH!!!!" If so, apologies if I didn't respond, as usual I was blowing out my arse
Didn't trouble the podium as usual, with 41st of 54 in the Vet category. Liked the course, but started off slippery, and only got worse with the rain and the millions of tyre tracks.
Gonna HAVE to do round 3 now to complete the set...
Didn't trouble the podium as usual, with 41st of 54 in the Vet category. Liked the course, but started off slippery, and only got worse with the rain and the millions of tyre tracks.
Gonna HAVE to do round 3 now to complete the set...
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