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don't forget to set your alarms - entries open at 7.00 am tomorrow morning.
Can't make my mind up this year. But always been fun and well organised event
I'll be in and hoping for slightly less mud this time!
Rode it last year on my cx bike , id say the perfect bike for the course, cant ride it this year due to work 🙁
Silly question perhaps but how hard is it for those who ride for fun rather than train (or regularly commute and have better base fitness)? And best suited to CX or MTB?
Its a fun event so no stress , ride as fast or as slow as you feel u need too, there will always be someone slower than you , its usually me 🙂 ... suitable for both so take what you got
over the years ive rode it single speed, full suss, hard tail and my crosser last year, doable on all
Silly question perhaps but how hard is it for those who ride for fun rather than train (or regularly commute and have better base fitness)?
Not hard at all. You can do the 50km route rather than 100 and you've got all day to do it. Only a couple of big climbs usually, and nothing technical.
And best suited to CX or MTB?
Depending on the route and conditions, either/or. Can get pretty beat up on a CX bike if it's dry and bumpy, some years there's more road than off road though which is where the CX bikes win out.
Can't go far wrong with a light 29er HT on fast tyres. Certainly a FS bike is overkill, and leave your super tacky dual plies at home!
Silly question perhaps but how hard is it for those who ride for fun rather than train (or regularly commute and have better base fitness)? And best suited to CX or MTB?
I rode it for the first time last year. I'm a Sunday cyclist and really enjoyed it - great vibe, all very friendly.
Have done it for last few years and I'm entering again this year, albeit don't have the appropriate bike anymore!
Silly question perhaps but how hard is it for those who ride for fun rather than train (or regularly commute and have better base fitness)? And best suited to CX or MTB?
as part of one of the organising club i tail-ended the route last year, the speed differentials are great. and you do have the option of the short route. You can make your mind up on the day, you will also be advised to take the short cut back if you are going very slowly (marshals do want to go home not that i am trying to put anyone off)
If it is dry it is easy, if it is muddy, cotswold dust is soul destroying!!!
This might give some ideas, this is the first half of last years long route, and how fast people are.
https://www.strava.com/segments/11793571?filter=overall
I'm in!
#61.
Clicked 'proceed' at 0705... 60 people beat me to it: must have typed faster!
Entries open!!!
I'm in. Just need to find a bike now!
I am in , number 262
Wow im entry number 9, if only my riding was as quick as my typing!
484 😀
I'm in with wife and son, 201, 202, 203.
I 'm in, no. 57 this year! Just one thing, I think I need a new bike for it! 😀
106. Not ridden in the Cotswolds before, looking forward to it.
The first rider home last year in the 100km was on an MTB if that helps anyone, he managed to gap the second placed guy by about a minute purely on the last descent.
A decent HT with fast tyres (Thunderburts) works well usually for me but CX bikes do have advantages in some areas as there is a reasonable about of road involved.
Overslept but in at 592.
I'm in as well, 621 after a couple of hours open. Just hope it's a bit less claggy than last year
Help. Registered at 7:02 and spotted confirming email but seem to have deleted it. Can I get into entry central to check? Living in seems to need a password which I didn't get asked to do.
I lost mine last year and emailed the organisers who sent me a copy.
Mattscom, on the entry central website there is a tab to see the 'sign ups' where you can check if your name is in, winchcombe cc will have no problem confirming this, they are very helpful.
I'm in! It's a great event that I've not done for a few years. It's going to be the first time on the cross bike.
Number 719 here
I've entered but have just informed by management at home that we have a wedding that weekend.
Do the organisers do refunds?
In at 108, hope to not fall in the river this year, a very wet and cold last 20k last time 🙂
Got up early for #81. Haven't done this for 6 years as we've always been away over Easter, but did loads of the previous ones. Ridden in everything from blazing sun to blizzard.
Don't suppose I'll be getting round in under 5 like I used too 🙁
I'm in!772
Do the organisers do refunds?
Email them, pretty sure they do.
Alternatively there'll be lots of people who missed out looking for entries on here tomorrow!
Come on ps44, just because you've reached retirement does not mean you can't go under 5 hours!
Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement especially mrmo
I have signed up - 832.
See you there. 😀
True Iain, but I'm not going to get much riding in in the next two months which won't help. It'll be interesting to see the impact But as you know, HONC timing is totally dependent on the mud factor !
Yes Paul, conditions always the factor, can vary the front end finish times by up half an hour. Still think a sub four hour is possible if conditions were perfect for someone (probably Marc....).
I'm in. #502.
Looking forward to it.
Dogsby
Must have done it for the past 10 years or so on a mtb.
Was gonna give it a miss this year but a mate has bought a new cross bike so decided to do it with him.
First time riding it on a cross bike but I am really looking forward to it again!
Max
Likewise until last year had done the last 5 or 6 times on an mtb. Last year did it on a cross bike and it was much more fun. Doing it with a mate who has just got a cross bike so should be a hoot!
Found my email! #49 at 7:02
Got a couple of virgin mates riding who are all worried about distances already!
Tell me, if I remember, (didn't do 15 or 16), the 100 and 50 routes come together then go their separate ways at the feed stop. Would this allow knackered riders to start with a 100 but then save a few Km by cheating a bit? Or start the 50 at the normal split but finish the 100. Poor little lambs want 75. 🙄
Must admit to not noticing the 50 joining the 100 as by then I am usually knackered trying to do a 100 in 6.
The 50 and 100 routes split before the feed stop at Guiting Power. If you want a 75ish route you can do the long route to Guiting Power and then take the short route back to Winchcombe (or the short route to Guiting and the long route back to Winchcombe).
That's what I was on about. Ta
Anyone in the area. Is it all bone dry for this weekend?
pretty much 😀
It is the Cotswolds however , I am sure there will be at least one patch of our special "dust" somewhere .
I am preparing for a warm dry ride overall .
Yeah, conditions in the 'Wolds can be described as 'chuffing lovely'.
Wish I'd entered now 🙁
It's going to be dry and fast 🙂
Looking forward to it! Looks set to be hot, so make sure you pack the water!
Looking forward to fast & dry conditions, especially after last year's mud!
Entry going spare if anyone wants - see my other post. Mail in profile.
pretty muchIt is the Cotswolds however , I am sure there will be at least one patch of our special "dust" somewhere
I have been told the very end might be quite special.
After much fuss fitting tubeless Cx tyres I am tempted to chuck the 30mm tubeless road tyres on. Used road tyre previously in dry years.
Just back from putting signs up on part of the route.
Its dry out there, a few damp patches and the odd puddle, otherwise just dust.
How does the route fare this year grahamh? More road or off road? If you had the choice of 29er HT or CX bike, which would you chose this year?
It's about 50/50, what you should be worried about is the amount of climbing
😆
I'm guessing the climbing can only be 50/50!
what you should be worried about is the amount of climbing
Done 35-40km on the full sus bike @ Staunton the last 3 weekends... Between 1200-1400m of climbing (on a 32lb bike with slow rolling tyres!) each weekend.
Considering I've only got time for the 50k tomorrow, I'm more worried about getting beat up on a CX bike or not! 😉
I rode over the 100k course on Thursday, there were still a few puddles but conditions were as good as I've ever seen, apart from the horrible last section where instead of ending on a grin inducing descent down Cleave the route goes through a series of fields and gates, up a leg breaking climb, along a properly muddy track and down a small descent - very odd choice for the last section..
Should be good fun though, lovely weather here today. I've also got the pleasure of riding with 5 other team mates who will probably rip my legs of. If you see an old bloke hanging on the back of a fast moving group in bright orange kit, that's me!
Ah well , it's the HONC .
It's not meant to be easy .
It's not a race .
It's not an MTB event .
Heading over in a few minutes.
Enjoy everyone!
i suppose i better get up, meant to marshalling and tail ending.
Just a polite reminder, if a gate says please shut it, can you please shut it.
Sat in the car at the moment having got here twenty minutes ago (setting off at five to be here). How quick is the pace to ensure you can do the 100km? I'd love to but think I'll be pushed to do the 50. Either way weather looks great and I'm very excited.
No cut offs as far as I know , so as long as you can average say 10km per hr for 10hrs you wil be fine ( thats only 6.2mph , which considering its 50% tarmac will be easy - unless you have serious mechanical)
Good fun today and the course had dried up nicely from when I went over it on Thursday. Bit of family success also, my wife was first women back in the 50k, my son was first junior and 4th back in the 50k, I managed to drag myself round to 5th in the 100k and my slightly (a lot!!) quicker team mate nearly went under 4 hours to be first rider back in the 100k. Just about to crack open a beer and fire up the barby!
Hope everyone else had good fun and no one got hurt anywhere. Thanks again to the organisers for great organisation, signage was also good and nice they could also arrange the weather to be so good!
I had a great day, conditions were prime. Cramped massively in both legs about 5k from the end annoyingly. But cracking day none the less. Got some nukelear sheep shit stuck to my frame I cannot shift.
No cut offs as far as I know , so as long as you can average say 10km per hr for 10hrs you wil be fine ( thats only 6.2mph , which considering its 50% tarmac will be easy - unless you have serious mechanical)
Not strictly true, the long route was closed at about 2pm and all riders sent back on the short route.
Tough day on the cross bike being dry!
Normally take my 29er hardtail which would have excelled today!
Never mind,come back with sore knees,neck and back!
All good fun!
Great event!
Max
Also on a CX, felt massively smug on road but hard work on the downs...you earn them with the amount of climbing but couldn't relax as much as on the MTB.
What a great event though. I was super slow but did the 100, weather helped but best signage of any event I've been too and marshalls / volunteers who were really chatty and really enthusiastic. Most of the people riding were in good spirits too, not too competitive. Fantastic.
They could rename it Hills of the North Cotswolds though. Those climbs... 😆
My everything hurts. Dragged myself around it but having been on the bike about 3 times so far this year can't say I really felt the love after about 40k.. so I snuck onto the 50k after the lunch stop and got about 80k in. Back in 6 hours, slow but steady! Cracking weather though, and kudos to the guys and girls that all help put it on.
Brill day, the descents on the GT Grade were not the most enjoyable!
Fab day - I agree with above marshalls were all brilliant. 29er hardtail was definitely the way forward - must have been hard work on a cx bike. My first ride for a while so was chuffed to get round in a reasonable time.
I got to say it was good fun picking off the cx bikes on the more rugged descents. Especially after getting hammered by them on the road sections
Great day. Harder going on the cx even with 700x40s as the ground was so hard. Last one in on the 100k 😳
Great day, only did the 50 cos recurring knee injury is stopping from pushing too hard (and also meant I had to get off and push up that sod of a final climb which cost me about 5 minutes I reckon!). Sooooooo glad I didn't bother with the CX bike, just fitted some faaaaast tyres to 29er full sus instead. Lost out a bit on the climbs, but then I always do anyway, was oddly quick on the flats (even compared to the CX bikes!) and murdered people left right and centre on the descents... First time ever I recorded 50mph on a Mountain Bike today, and I recorded over 45mph on at least 3 occasions (including off road!) too...
So yeah, CX bike for sale, and it won't be getting replaced. HONC from now on is a case of watch the weather the week(s) before, if it's good then turn up with 29er full sus, if it's crap then just don't bother turning up.
Bit of house keeping, did any one one here loose a Garmin gps unit?
One was handed in and we would like to reunite it with its owner.
Event photos now live
[url] http://uksp.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/2017-04-09-HONC/C00009lVaKOqRK9k [/url]