Merida Brass Monkeys winter 2016/17 race series...
Discussion
Just spotted an email from the Gorrick chaps regarding the Merida Brass Monkeys winter MTB races this year...
So. Anyone thinking of signing up this winter? It's a great little series, and something to keep you riding through the coldest months as you train for the races themselves.
Races are two or four hours long (you choose) unless you're a 50+ Grand Vet, in which case you get stuck with three hours of racing. Prices look like £30 for the four, £29 for the three, and £28 for the two hour races. Juniors pay £18,and it's strictly pre-entry only, I believe.
Get your entries in folks! (click through from the "Let's Monkey Around" panel on the right hand side of... http://meridabrassmonkeys.com/ ...to get to the online entry button)
I've ridden in sloppy Somme-like mud, mildly damp, and cold, frosty conditions. It's a been a hoot every time, and even met a couple of PHers racing them too. Easy for me really, as I can ride to every round, no need for the car. Entry fees and keeping bike components replaced will be a slight stumbling block this season, but I hope to get to at least one of them. Probably my 'home' round at Minley Manor if I can only afford the one...
Gorrick MBC said:
As lots of you have already noticed, entry is open for the upcoming 3 Round Brass Monkey Series, headline sponsored by Merida and supported by a raft of other generous sponsors. The hugely popular Series features some outstanding venues especially chosen for their suitability for mountain bike XC enduro racing on 5-6 mile laps. The superb courses are set and prepared by our very experienced team and go through heath and pine woodland with flowing and testing singletrack mixed in with swooping trails and stone fire roads.
Round 1 – 27 November 2016 at Caesar’s Camp, Aldershot, Hants. GU11 1PZ
Round 2 – 18 December 2016 at Windmill Hill, Deepcut, Surrey GU16 6TU
Round 3 – 8 January 2017 at Minley Manor, Yateley, Hants GU17 9U
Each event will have full facilities, including a heated HQ marquee and trophies to be won at each round and also for the Series. There’s always lots of goodies as spot prizes too.
All you need to do is choose how long you want to ride for, and then complete as many laps as you can before your time is up.
Registration opens at 08.00 and the START TIMES are:
10.00 (finishing 12.00) All 2hr riders including Juniors (aged 14-17). Podium: about 12.10.
10.10 (finishing 14.10) All 4hr riders. Podium about 14.20.
10.20 (finishing 13.20) All 3hr Male Grand Vet riders and Fat Bike riders. Podium about 13.30.
In the past year there have been several changes to the administrative process by which military land becomes available and can be hired for events. These have been followed now by a very significant increase in the cost of using the land. After a lot of discussion we decided that, despite this, we would go ahead with the Series. Although we have done our best to minimize it, we regret that we have had to increase some of the entry prices.
Full details and online entry are at www.meridabrassmonkeys.com and you can see regular updates on The Brass Monkeys Face book and on Twitter @Gorrick
These events are PRE-ENTRY ONLY and are limited to 300 riders only.
MBM Team
...so after months of "TBC" for the event location, it seems that, despite the best efforts of the MOD to put off MTB event organisers, the series venues have been confirmed, and they're all local favourites that have regularly hosted races in the series. Good news indeed!Round 1 – 27 November 2016 at Caesar’s Camp, Aldershot, Hants. GU11 1PZ
Round 2 – 18 December 2016 at Windmill Hill, Deepcut, Surrey GU16 6TU
Round 3 – 8 January 2017 at Minley Manor, Yateley, Hants GU17 9U
Each event will have full facilities, including a heated HQ marquee and trophies to be won at each round and also for the Series. There’s always lots of goodies as spot prizes too.
All you need to do is choose how long you want to ride for, and then complete as many laps as you can before your time is up.
Registration opens at 08.00 and the START TIMES are:
10.00 (finishing 12.00) All 2hr riders including Juniors (aged 14-17). Podium: about 12.10.
10.10 (finishing 14.10) All 4hr riders. Podium about 14.20.
10.20 (finishing 13.20) All 3hr Male Grand Vet riders and Fat Bike riders. Podium about 13.30.
In the past year there have been several changes to the administrative process by which military land becomes available and can be hired for events. These have been followed now by a very significant increase in the cost of using the land. After a lot of discussion we decided that, despite this, we would go ahead with the Series. Although we have done our best to minimize it, we regret that we have had to increase some of the entry prices.
Full details and online entry are at www.meridabrassmonkeys.com and you can see regular updates on The Brass Monkeys Face book and on Twitter @Gorrick
These events are PRE-ENTRY ONLY and are limited to 300 riders only.
MBM Team
So. Anyone thinking of signing up this winter? It's a great little series, and something to keep you riding through the coldest months as you train for the races themselves.
Races are two or four hours long (you choose) unless you're a 50+ Grand Vet, in which case you get stuck with three hours of racing. Prices look like £30 for the four, £29 for the three, and £28 for the two hour races. Juniors pay £18,and it's strictly pre-entry only, I believe.
Get your entries in folks! (click through from the "Let's Monkey Around" panel on the right hand side of... http://meridabrassmonkeys.com/ ...to get to the online entry button)
I've ridden in sloppy Somme-like mud, mildly damp, and cold, frosty conditions. It's a been a hoot every time, and even met a couple of PHers racing them too. Easy for me really, as I can ride to every round, no need for the car. Entry fees and keeping bike components replaced will be a slight stumbling block this season, but I hope to get to at least one of them. Probably my 'home' round at Minley Manor if I can only afford the one...
I've chickened out of entering so far.Too soggy for me at the moment. I'm getting flashbacks to the Minley round in 2014 I think. Worst (riding) weather ever and I came home with borderline hypothermia. Not sure how well Caesar's Camp area drains after such a soaking. Maybe I'll 'man up' before the Tuesday entry deadline.
The other 'issue' for me is my inner tightwad! It's only a few quid difference between the 2 hour and 4 hour entry prices. So it makes the 4 hour race far better value for money. But whilst I know I can ride a MTB for 4 hours straight, racing for all 4 of those hours is a whole different ball game. The 2 hour race makes the most sense, but I keep being drawn back to the 4 hour race. No pit crew means I'd have to carry extra fluid and tools to be self-sufficient too. I can't persuade the wife to tag along right now, even just to hand me a bottle and an energy bar on each lap...
OK. Late in the day, maybe, but I too am in for Round 1.
Much the same as daddy cool, really. 2 hour vet category (40-49), bit of a lightweight, PH jersey, etc.
It was 2323hrs before I got the password reset email from the XCRacer website and confirmed my entry. Talk about last minute dot com! Fortunate that the entry list wasn't full, I suppose. But then I've not known one of these Brass Monkeys races to sell out.
Maybe I'll grow a set and go for a 4 hour race for one of the other rounds, but I'm not sure I've got the stamina required to race for four hours straight...
...bike is booked in for a new bottom bracket on Friday. Have to hope it's all race-worthy by then, or I'll be sniffing round trying to borrow a bike from somewhere!
Much the same as daddy cool, really. 2 hour vet category (40-49), bit of a lightweight, PH jersey, etc.
It was 2323hrs before I got the password reset email from the XCRacer website and confirmed my entry. Talk about last minute dot com! Fortunate that the entry list wasn't full, I suppose. But then I've not known one of these Brass Monkeys races to sell out.
Maybe I'll grow a set and go for a 4 hour race for one of the other rounds, but I'm not sure I've got the stamina required to race for four hours straight...
...bike is booked in for a new bottom bracket on Friday. Have to hope it's all race-worthy by then, or I'll be sniffing round trying to borrow a bike from somewhere!
Cheers, neenaw! Most stuff has either been replaced recently (chain, cassette, jockey wheels, freehub body, tyres) or is sitting in the garage ready to fit (resin brake pads both ends).The bottom bracket started grumbling late last week, and got worse on a VERY wet ride on Monday. I'm pretty sure everything else is at least "functional" enough to race on. Front and rear suspension forks/shock could do with a service though. 2,200 miles on them from new...
...beginning to wish I'd bought a lightweight hard tail now (for racing, at least), but hey? It's a smashing bike, and I'm still loving every minute I'm out on it!
The bottom bracket is now in the hands of the shop, as it's a Shimano push-fit item and there at at least 4 variants on the one shop's website - plus I don't have a (even a ghetto) bearing press or proper drifts to knock it out. I kinda wish it'd have started grumbling earlier so I could have gotten it swapped in plenty of time to ride on Sunday...
Edited by yellowjack on Wednesday 23 November 09:38
Wow. Who'd have thought it, eh?
No such email for me (yet) but then maybe I'm further down the list to be contacted? Nothing on the XCRacer.com or Brass Monkeys websites yet, either.
And the 18th December? I thought that round 2 was planned for the 11th??? Unless I wrote that down wrong.
I'm tempted to take a spin up on Sunday to see what "other purposes" mean a booked and paid for bike race can't take place. Local MOD mandarins sticking their oar in to discourage MTBing full stop, I'll bet. It's a wonder the Gorrick/Brass Monkeys organisers can summon the will to carry on booking MOD training areas for these races when they repeatedly get f
ked about like this.
Am I to take it that Round 2 now becomes Round 1, including the date and the Windmill Hill venue?
Still. It takes away any worries about not getting the bike back in time for Sunday now. Every cloud, etc, etc...
No such email for me (yet) but then maybe I'm further down the list to be contacted? Nothing on the XCRacer.com or Brass Monkeys websites yet, either.
And the 18th December? I thought that round 2 was planned for the 11th??? Unless I wrote that down wrong.
I'm tempted to take a spin up on Sunday to see what "other purposes" mean a booked and paid for bike race can't take place. Local MOD mandarins sticking their oar in to discourage MTBing full stop, I'll bet. It's a wonder the Gorrick/Brass Monkeys organisers can summon the will to carry on booking MOD training areas for these races when they repeatedly get f
ked about like this.Am I to take it that Round 2 now becomes Round 1, including the date and the Windmill Hill venue?
Still. It takes away any worries about not getting the bike back in time for Sunday now. Every cloud, etc, etc...
<scrolls back to top of page to read the OP>
You are so right! It was the 18th all along. So why did I write it on the calendar in the kitchen as the 11th? Doh!
Still no email for me. I'm beginning to worry that my entry wasn't received now. Although they appear to have taken the entry fee, or have at least said they will. Very annoying, not just as a rider, but on behalf of the organisers too. They get to have to put up with the flak and the fall-out from this, with refunds to process and such like. It can't be easy finding alternative venues at short notice and I'm sure no-one really wants to be cancelling or postponing events four days before they're due to go ahead.
Caesar's Camp is supposed to be the Summer Monkey venue (date TBC) in 2017 too. I wonder if the organisers will stick with that event, or look to move it somewhere more "MTB-friendly"?
You are so right! It was the 18th all along. So why did I write it on the calendar in the kitchen as the 11th? Doh!
Still no email for me. I'm beginning to worry that my entry wasn't received now. Although they appear to have taken the entry fee, or have at least said they will. Very annoying, not just as a rider, but on behalf of the organisers too. They get to have to put up with the flak and the fall-out from this, with refunds to process and such like. It can't be easy finding alternative venues at short notice and I'm sure no-one really wants to be cancelling or postponing events four days before they're due to go ahead.
Caesar's Camp is supposed to be the Summer Monkey venue (date TBC) in 2017 too. I wonder if the organisers will stick with that event, or look to move it somewhere more "MTB-friendly"?
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...
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!
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...
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
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!
Results link for those that want a peek...
http://www.timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPO...
45th from 54 for me.
44 seconds behind daddy cool at the end of lap 1, I dropped another 2 minutes 10 seconds back on lap 2, and my third lap? that didn't count because I crossed the line at 2 hours and 6 (yes folks, SIX!!!) freakin' seconds. Poo. Work harder next time, and make that extra lap count, FFS!!!
http://www.timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPO...
45th from 54 for me.
44 seconds behind daddy cool at the end of lap 1, I dropped another 2 minutes 10 seconds back on lap 2, and my third lap? that didn't count because I crossed the line at 2 hours and 6 (yes folks, SIX!!!) freakin' seconds. Poo. Work harder next time, and make that extra lap count, FFS!!!
yellowjack said:
Updated schedule GOSSIP 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 -
Round 3 – 5 February 2017 at *TBC**Entry Closing Date 31-January-2017 23:59:00**
Two down, and one to go - the rescheduled first round from November, hence the later series finish in February instead of January. This will be on line pre-entry only. No entry on the day.Round 1 – 18 December 2016 at Windmill Hill, Deepcut, Surrey GU16 6TU
Round 2 – 8 January 2017 at Minley Manor, Yateley, Hants GU17 9U -
Round 3 – 5 February 2017 at *TBC**Entry Closing Date 31-January-2017 23:59:00**
The gossip? Well, not so much gossip, as a wee 'announcement' about the venue for Round 3. It will take place at Bordon is all that's been released so far. It's apparently "private land, but formerly owned by the MOD", and speaking to the course designer today, he said "it's a blank canvas - no trails there to speak of yet" so he's going to take a stroll with his trusty leaf-blower to come up with a lap for the February round closer to the time.
I'm not sure I'll enter yet. Peter (Gorrick course man) was trying to get me to commit to the Spring series (Saddle Skedaddle I think) which begins later this month, but these events are piling up now due to the Round 1 Brass Monkeys postponement. I've entered Battle On The Beach in March too, so entry fees are becoming a bit of an issue for me. I might commit to Round 3 though, just to complete the series.
Edited by yellowjack on Sunday 8th January 21:22
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