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am going to be doing riding with some guys from setting a scene forum (in the slowest team category) am really looking forward to it (although i haven't ridden my bike since a week thursday/will have to do a few miles before saturday 😳 anyone else doing it? :-)p.s forgot link for anyone who doesn't know what i'm on about http://www.erlestoketwelve.com/ 🙂
yep, riding solo 12 hr
amt27 good luck to you.am not fit enough to do that 😳 ,but plan on trying something like it next year :-)maybe i'll see you there (i'll be the long haired hippy/hobo/unkempt geezer riding an anthem x2 🙂
Four people here doing it. 😉
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/erlestoke-12-roll-call
MidlandTrailquestsGraham apologies (didn't see your post 😳 🙂 hope to see you all at the event (if you see an unkempt hobo looking 60's throwback,riding a 2010 giant anthem x2 at a super slow speed that'll be me 😉
Yes will be there for this one 🙂 crossing fingers it doesn't rain this year... interesting course in the wet!
Ill be there with the MuleBar guys
yep i'm doing this one as a team of three.
Never riden down that way before, so whats the terrain like.
i'm guessing it's chalk based, rolling hills. Not much rain forecast this week so i imaging evrything is very dry and running fast.
Fisherboy - it's a fantastic course. Mix of woodland, open field tracks and a bit of fire road. Really excellent course. I died last year mind.
A sunny day will be fantastic but cant do it this year 🙁
I'll be doing the 6hr on my old Giant XTC. I was out this evening with me mate getting in some desperate last minute training miles and we rode through Erlestoke woods on the way back (we're local). We met some of the SPAM lads who had just finished marking half of the 7 mile lap, so we rode it. It was almost all singletrack, some familiar flowing bits, and some really tight and technical, up and down and all over the place. It'll be great fun, but there was no rest. You'll need good legs and lungs to keep lapping for 6 or 12 hours. I might manage 3 slow laps and then have a nap.
For anyone thinking of entering I'd recommend they use a very sturdily built (around the 40-45 pound mark) singlespeed dirt jump bike with 8" forks, a 1m wide bar and slick tyres. That will improve my chances greatly.
See you Saturday - I'll be hanging out in the tractor tent.
What was the condition of the trail after the rain yesterday? Mud tyres required?
Mrs julian and I will be doing it as a pair 😯 so expect to see me stamping around the transition area looking at split times on my watch and telling her off when she gets in 90 seconds late. 😆
2nd time for her and 3rd for me, even in the mud last year it was a huuuuuuugely fun course. Not much in the way of rocks, most of the climbing held up well under rain (they shut off and rerouted one 300m bit last year) and just loads and loads of fun slidey/dusty (depending on weather!) rooty singletrack. I think the year before last (when it was 100% dry and dusty) was still the best race course I've ever done. Ever. Lots and lots of space between riders after the first lap, as there are enough long doubletracky bits to string riders out, and the number of 'riders per km' of lap is still the best out there.
Proper looking forward to it 😀
1m wide bar
oh, and there is a bit near the end of the lap which you will really struggle to get through with bars wider than 700mm. Especially if its wet.
Really looking forward to it, it's the first race I'll have done since the late 90's. I'm doing a 4 man team entry (oo-er) so I guess it's a case of smash it for an hour then rest for 3. How hard can it be?! I'll be on bright orange Giant Anthem X1, probably looking knackered after one lap.... Will be hanging around afterwards with beer and burgers so should be a laugh.
I'm in the 12hr Pairs. Look for a fool on a pink 29er in a pink [url=www.blackcanoncollective.co.uk]Black Canon Collective[/url] top.
Really looking forward to it. Going to be an excellent craic.
😀
See you there Chas, now also on a 29er.... SPAM / BCC race on! Let's get some local club rivarly going! (off to shed to fit Boudica style wheel apendages)
Am I missing something, what's weird then?
SPAM / BCC race on
I think we outnumber you, mate. YOU GOIN' [b]DOWN[/b] !!!!!!!! 😉
(first linky thing didn't work)
Was planning to do the 12 hours either solo or with the Bertie Maffoons slacker combo, but screwed up my dates and I'm running a 10Km 🙁
Have a good time, it's one of my favourites on the calendar.. I may try and get along to throw beer cans at y'all.
Should be there with my tallboy and long socks. Doing the 6h solo. Will be going steady as I'll be at the bikefest 12h next week.
Looking forward to getting my 710mm bars through the course 😉
[Envy] The twisty dirt singletrack in Erlestoke Woods is really good fun.
Just back from the 6h. Left the 12h folk to it! What a great course. Really felt like the twisty singletrack went on for miles and miles! Wide handlebars didn't feel like much of a handicap. One tree got me, but I could have had 400mm bars and still been in trouble.
Totally superb ride. Did the 6 hour solo. Just miles and miles of superb singletrack.
Reckon it'll be tasty in the dark!
Just back from the 6 too and wow probably the first course I've ever done that felt like it had more down than up!
I was the guy that snapped his chain twice on the first lap- first time I've ever been dead last and not the nicest feeling 😥 Thanks to everyone who gaving me a sympathetic smile.
So +1 to the great course but I'm glad to be in bed and not still out there now!
SPAM SPAM, so good we named it twice! Start pedalling at midday, stop pedalling at midnight! Best event name not to be used 🙂
Anyway, great event & superb lap. I got 8 laps in before helping to sort out the mountain of prizes from Charge. Was tempted to go out for a dark lap, but by that point I'd eaten too much stuff from the Drop Off Bus. Best moment was at the 12hr prize-giving seeing Nick Larsen of Charge frisbeeing tyres into the crowd!
Hope you all enjoyed the event.
http://timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPORT.aspx?eventid=168Erlestoke28/05/2011
Looks like the results are in. There was some confusion around the staggered start time of the 6h event. With a whole load of people setting off at 12 rather than 12:15, well looks that way anyway from their sub 30mins first laps.
Would make any difference to my position but it I can see it make a big difference to some!
Yes, I noticed that....we'll have to get a louder megaphone for next year and shout it out a bit clearer!
I was pitting/feeding for 2 mates doing the 6 hour and was sat on the concrete track just down from the arena-I think a few 6 hour riders missed the briefing and started with the 12's as I saw quite a few green 6 hour number boards come through with the black 12 hour ones in the first bunch.
A good event on the whole from trackside-my mates really enjoyed it and I got wetter travelling there and back from Wales on the moto than I did sat watching for 6 hours
Being a sad geeky type I did a quick fix in Excel (added 15mins to all the obvious quick first laps) Only person it makes a big difference to is James Bovey in the 6h solo who moves up from 7th to 5th. So no big drama 🙂 still a fantastic event and one I'll remember!
Perhaps I'll try the 12h next year ...
I was racing in the 6hr but missed most of the briefing and started with the 12s, however as I was in pairs my mate realised that there was a second start and after a chat with the marshals, when I came into transition he was held back 15 mins to compensate. A few others teams did this too.
Great course though, which got faster as you learnt which corners you could hold speed through and weave through the trees. Only got held up once in a train of riders off the fields down the final long singletrack as there was nowhere to pass, but it wasn't a issue on other laps as people were mostly spread out.
woop, finished 3rd in 12 hr solo male, well chuffed
Ran in 12hr pairs .
Really good course , technical tight and twisty . The double track and fireroads gave overtaking opportunity without the need for barging through on the singletrack sections. Struggled to keep the bike from launching up into the trees out the bombhole , scary stuff in the dark. I really enjoyed the swoopy gully section , alot of potential for kissing trees at speed.
Saw MidlandTrailQuestGraham briefly , but didnt stick around as the clock was ticking .
Glad it was a 12.00 cut off, as my last lap finished at 10.50 , then 85 mile drive home .
Thanks to Paul for going first and last . Good work for your first enduro event.
As my first race in over 10 years, got to say I loved it. My team mate was the guy who crossed the line 10secs after the close - gutted. However, we would not have moved up a place if the lap had counted and got a load of stuff as a sympathy prize! Brilliant event, glad to be back racing.
9th in 12hr Pairs. Awesome event. Well done SPAM! Not just the best 12/24hr course I've ever ridden, but also some of the best singletrack.
Didn't even notice the bad weather... All the singletrack in the woods stayed dry!
REMINDER: If you want to see the venue used again, don't forget to drop SPAM an email saying how good it is.
And I was the lucky winner of a Frisbee tyre. Stuck my arm up and caught it stylishly like a hoopla. Also caught a 'S' t-shirt but not being a 'S' kinda guy I gave it to a nearby yoof 😀
Managed 2nd place but then there were only 3 in my class!
What class is that in solo?
Only three solo women entered and MuddyPuddle was older than the other two put together. 😀
She'd have won the women's pairs on her own.
anyone got any pics? official ones will take a couple of days
only ones of me that the wife took - not a pretty site to be fair. I had a bit of a shock in the woods when the flash guns went off as it went dark!
Thurman Merman.- We came in 14th in the 12 hour pairs .
Think I might have done a lap in the dark with MuddyPuddle. A lady rider was quicker than me on the climbs , but i could make up ground in the woods . Advised said rider to speak to Jedi about stringing together singletrack, coz if she could nail the snigle she would have been alot quicker .
Me too!
10th/36 solo male with 13 laps.
My Garmin went flat after 10 hours, http://connect.garmin.com/activity/88843503
What a brilliant course. So much singletrack, yet still plenty of passing places.
Glad you all enjoyed yourself, the course was very good, brill and fun and I can't take the credit for it, another club member has that right!
Also sorry for the delay in 6hr prize giving as I/fuzzyfelt was still trying to divy it out, we got the prizes late as the charge guy was racing and enjoying himself to much! (and I was busy doing other stuff as well)
So big thanks to Charge for suppling the prizes.
Also thanks to guys/girls who are sending in emails, I had one at 0802 this morning, (30 sec after turning the blackberry on!) and it will help when we go into talks with the MOD. (and make the clubs effects worth while)
OK last bit, it is MOD land, so please do NOT ride at Erlestoke outside of events.
Thanks, for turning up and supporting the event,(and enjoying yourself) profit does go to charity and local community.
Rob
SPAM member
Team Loco-BM-Racing did well:
1st in Female 6 hour solo (7 laps)
1st in Female 12 hour solo (13 laps)
4th in Male 6 hour solo (9 laps)
Plus.... we annoyed probably everyone by banging pots, pans, and Luffy's 36 Fox steerer and crown fork assembly by the changeover are from 9pm to 12am 🙂
Well done to everyone who competed, it was a tough course and you all did amazingly well 🙂
It was great to have you guys going nuts on the start/finish line - good work peeps! Particually impressed at the send off you gave us at 11:15 as we headed out on the final laps!
Great course,one of the best. Come 14th in the solo 12 hour. First time there since 93 when Tim Gould won a nps there and Steve Peat won the sport cat! If anyone wants a quick return there's a southern xc there on 10th July
"If anyone wants a quick return there's a southern xc there on 10th July"
Sorry ou wrong, it is NOT been held at Erlestoke.
http://www.xcracer.com/Southern-XC-2011-Round-4-Venue-Change.html
Oops sorry . Took that off pedal-ons current advert in mbr as they're involved in the organisation. Didn't mean to cause a problem.
I've ridden most of the course at Perham Down and there's load of technical and flowing single track. A couple of very steep descents towards the end of the lap too, one with a nice drop off. 🙂
That's ok Pete68, just didn't want you or others to turn up at the wrong venue!
It was due to be held at Erlestoke, but MOD have pulled all events after Erlestoke 12 at the moment. So Southern XC have done well to find another venue.
[b]MTB Rob[/b] what can we do to help change MOD's mind? Happy to email etc. Does joining the club help?
Also someone else mentioned Jedi, and I must say his advice helped no end keeping my big wheels and wide bars flowing through the trees.
As a member of HM Forces and someone who thoroughly enjoyed the event, is there anything I can do to assist?
My 3 man team (was four but one dropped out on Friday) managed 25th in the 12h team event. 13 laps, and I was the one that got the 5th in the dark! We were chuffed as you like with that. Some of you heroes were absolutely flying - even in the dark. And you soloists... unbelievable! This was the first time any of us had entered an event like it and well... what an event it was. Great course, great crowd, great prizes and freebies (cheers Charge) - Hope it's back next year. I've been aching today mind.
[u]Big[/u] thanks to the guy who stopped to check I was ok, after braining myself on the low hanging branch as the route entered the woods after the ridgeline sprint... My head still hurts.
rickon - the pots and pans were most welcome coming to the end of the night 🙂
Cracking event but man that course was tough on the body!
Did pairs 12hr and managed 7th! Also got a spot prize at the end of the night 🙂
Sounds like photo's will be ready tomorrow night.
Excellent course as usual. That big bomhole and the curly bits after it were proper funny. No, actually the whole course was really fun.
-Did anyone else think the climbs were all a bit less 'climby?' Or am i just fitter this year?
Mrs J and I shouted midlandstrailquestgraham on with his shorter name (ie 'Graham') a couple of times, he looked pleasantly suprised that someone he didn't know would remember the Vegan Cyclist. I am sure mrs J will talk falafel with you (and animal rights 'at you') next year Graham.
OK last bit, it is MOD land, so please do NOT ride at Erlestoke outside of events.
Bummer, I'd always wondered about that though.
Gratz on another cracking event though SPAM, sounds like I missed out ;-(
Where are the photo's published?
gothandy-cheers for pointing out that i was actually 5th and not 7th in 6 hour solo. Would have tried for another lap if I knew that at the time!
Great event, never seen so much singletrack! Oh, and apologies to all those who had to listen to my screaming front brake for 6 hours (My rear break failed after approximatley 5 mins of the 1st lap)
[b]mudman3[/b] I'm not so sure now, apparently some riders were held for 15mins to compensate. So hard to tell where you came 🙂 anyway bloody good effort either way 🙂