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Sport will be fun - main difference is that there's more people set off at the same time and it can be a bit more crowded coming down / bottlenecks at the tricky sections
Hopefully it'll not be too bad tho - also in for sport btw
sat enduro sold out in a second apparently 😯
Sport will be fun - main difference is that there's more people set off at the same time and it can be a bit more crowded coming down / bottlenecks at the tricky sections
This is what will frustrate us I think!!
Was in the top 10 hard-tail category last year, and would have liked to have improved on that (mainly through better gear choice - chain device and dual ply tyres!)... don't want to be 'argy bargy' but also want to push ourselves..
DrP
Aye, it's a battle of the fastest internet connections. Hurrah for town life.... 😆
In for the Saturday enduro 8)
This is what will frustrate us I think!!
Was in the top 10 hard-tail category last year, and would have liked to have improved on that (mainly through better gear choice - chain device and dual ply tyres!)... don't want to be 'argy bargy' but also want to push ourselves..DrP
The marshalls were really chilled about letting you have a bit longer to let rider in front get away last year.
Not quite - system allowed you to reserve tickets - so all got reserved immediately. Then as people paid / released then it freed the spares and re-released em
That's why there were the odd 1 or 3 popping up. Then every 20 mins you'd get the reservations releasing again.
Didn't sell out til about 7:40 or 8:00 but just got harder n harder to get em bought
Nice one Si - well done!
We're in... 6 of us doing the Enduro and 3 others doing the sprint... New bike build in progress. 🙂
It was like play Daly Thompson's Decathlon on the ZX84, I kept hitting the buttons that often..
Still didn't get in tho. 😥
In for the Sunday.
Looking at the positive....
I'll look into doing a decent local loop on the saturday whilst the 'lucky ones' ride the course..
Being a soft southerner it's a chance to gaze at some real hills! Any lop suggestions? (I'll start a new thread anyway!)
DrP
Thanks for getting up Doc, sorry for the stroppy reply at 7am, I had no idea what you were going on about... 😳
on the waiting list. 😥
Jokes on you..I've entered you, ASBO, and the ACC lot.
You're driving 😉
DrP
😆
local loop will be spiffing. 8)
In on the Sunday which is still cool.
Will be billy no mates as buddies all scored Saturday Enduro places, damn you slower than slow internet connection (shakes fist in general direction of the exchange).
Anyone know any local loops for a Saturday spin? I'll repay your kindness with strained out of breath conversation and beer.
In for Sunday
I'm in for the full enduro - signed 6 of us up. Other mates could only sign up for the sprint.Never done it before.
Are the uphill sections timed as well? are dual plys the order of the day?
13 of us in for the sport.
Tried the Saturday but failed.
I didn't have the stress thankfully - 2 others of our group had the mess to cope with!
I've given it a miss this year as I'm after doing some other events that aren't bang after 4 days of hedonism at a local festival, plus 62 quids is a jump from last year.
As to the post above, no, only the downs are timed, that said the are very pedally in parts so you need to keep your fitness up. We proper pootled this year to save the gas for the downs and it was just over 5 hrs 15 for us.
Sunday was littered with mincers which made it very tricky in parts for the quicker riders, you don't really expect to come to a down section where 3 chaps are having a chat about the best way forward 😯
No, that was odd. Quite a few of the chutes had people trying to walk down. Some of the timing was terrible. Walking into the top of a chute just as I was coming into view. Hopefully the 'intro' event will catch some of those next time.you don't really expect to come to a down section where 3 chaps are having a chat about the best way forward
Saturday sorted 🙂
Are the uphill sections timed as well? are dual plys the order of the day?
The transitions between stages aren't timed. Yes you will need tough ass tyres.
Sunday was littered with mincers which made it very tricky in parts for the quicker riders, you don't really expect to come to a down section where 3 chaps are having a chat about the best way forward
It's a tough one that.
I observed last year that a LOT of riders were out of their depth..walking down chutes etc.
I think this causes major safety issues for other riders as you say, and perhaps there should be a seeding lap/'entry requirement?
Anyway, not my "do" so crack on..
DrP
We managed to get our group of 6 into the main event - well happy!!
Maybe the organisers are advertising the Sport event all wrong. The description specifies it's for those who just want to complete the course and not compete, and that it's all about the fun and atmosphere, which is why I chose to ride it rather than the enduro. The theory being if i'm slow I'm not going to annoy anyone because no one should be taking it too seriously. That said, I am capable of riding down rocky chutes and didn't experience any traffic jams last year as I had a 7:45 start. In for the sport again next year!
Im in for the full enduro saturday. Not taking it seriously just getting round and then hitting the beer.
Just hope i survive.
Cant wait.
The climbs are horrible. Something like 2000ft in about 6 miles from the start, I seem to remember. Practice your climbing, children, even if it's just walking up steep, rocky horrible tracks, pushing your bike.
i pushed 50% of the last time.
Im in for the full enduro saturday. Not taking it seriously just getting round and then hitting the beer.Just hope i survive.
Sounds like the Sport would have been the better event for you. I think that this is one big flaw with the current setup. People enter the Saturday Enduro even if they don't want to be competitive, just so that they can get pissed on the Saturday night. I'd switch the Enduro and Sport events, now that the Sport has all 5 stages. I think that would be the way forward to separate competitive and non-competitive riders as much as possible. As it is, there are a load of non-competitive riders in the Enduro, and a load of competitive riders in the Sport because they couldn't get a place in the Enduro - unfortunately, I think that's likely to end up in some problems on race day.
I'd echo the above literally 110%...
Dr 'superlative' P
Id agree as well tbh. Id be more happy doing the sport with its more relaxed format. However people complained in the first years from what i understand and they switched to the current format.
The enduro used to be sunday with the timed loop/practice Saturday. I'd hazard the returns on the bar are much better now they've switched days. Also the practice being Friday and not the same day as people are doing a full loop will improve crowding.
People enter the Saturday Enduro even if they don't want to be competitive, just so that they can get pissed on the Saturday night. I'd switch the Enduro and Sport events, now that the Sport has all 5 stages. I think that would be the way forward to separate competitive and non-competitive riders as much as possible
would make sense to put the more relaxed event on the Saturday as I would hazard a guess that it will be these riders that are also more interested in the après ride and potentially spend more at the bar / stalls. however hoepfuly still shouldn't be too much of an issue as I believe there are less riders in the enduro on the Saturday which will help crowding and you still have to grade yourself from 1 (top 10%) to 5 (just hoping to survive) on entry, with the faster riders being given earlier start times to avoided bunching up. also if you leave enough space before setting off after a vaguely competent rider shouldn't be too many overtakes
it is however a couple of years since I last did the event so sheer weight of numbers may still cause bottlenecks. personally I've entered the Saturday as I aim to ride a quick as I can and be competitive (for me), i'll still safely be bottom 1/3 but fairly confident with a later start time and enough of a gap at stage starts that I won't be holding anyone up
I think the easiest thing would be for anyone who comes below me in the finishing times does not get allowed entry to the Saturday next year 🙂
I'll be elbowing all these mincers out the way when I schralp my gnar on the Sunday*
The enduro used to be sunday with the timed loop/practice Saturday. I'd hazard the returns on the bar are much better now they've switched days. Also the practice being Friday and not the same day as people are doing a full loop will improve crowding.
That was when the Sport was only 3 stages - made sense to switch it then. Now, with 3-stage Intro and Sprint events and 5-stage Enduro and Sport events, it seems like having the competitive Sprint and Enduro on Sunday would be the better option. I'd wager that it would lead to more people being entered in the events that they really want to/should be in, less issues with riders of disparate ability on course at the same time, and higher takings at the bar.
For those doing the Sunday race, do we get to practice on Friday or is it totally blind (which I prefer)?
Both BB - You can practice on Friday, but not the course you'll be riding on Sunday.
Yeh, they are being very cute with their answers to that one! Someone else contacted them and asked the same question and got the reply 'Yes there will be routes for the Sunday riders to practice on the Friday and Saturday.'
This year only Sat riders could practice the 3 stages on the Friday.
A group of 5 of us got in for the sport ,, did it last year and got round in 4h21mins time of 23.04 looking to go sub 20mins this year and fingers crossed no wind. God awful last year and really caught me out on the first drop ... found a penny though
I'm in for the sprint (on my own) because at 6:31 there were no spaces for the Saturday event that most of my mates are in. Oh well, three stages will probably be enough on a hardtail.
bspoked - Member - Block User - Quote
Both BB - You can practice on Friday, but not the course you'll be riding on Sunday.
Eh? So you can practice something you wont actually race? 😕
in for the sport on the sunday, distance and climb wise i feel its ok,
how steep, techinical have the main sections been. i tend to ride offroad rather than trail centres. so used to the rough stuff of yorkshire/ dark peak etc.
i'd consider myself more XC, will i die 😆
be fine,
lots of people riding it on 90s hardtails and living.
thanks andybrad.
i wondered why it asked me to enter bike frame details,
I entered 'tesco value appollo' hopefully have a new bike before then
in all seriousness might dig out the trek 800 from the garage then..
lots of people riding it on 90s hardtails and living
See above about people walking down chutes and holding people up 😉
DrP
how steep, techinical have the main sections been. i tend to ride offroad rather than trail centres. so used to the rough stuff of yorkshire/ dark peak etc.
They are steep and very [b]very[/b] rocky. In comparison to a few years ago the stages are getting tougher. Can't really think of any trail in Yorkshire to compare them too to be honest but needless to say you'll be out of your comfort zone on some of it and whooping with joy on others.
Got into for the main event again. Which I'm happy about. Just hope they don't up the tech for next year as much as they did this. I was OK riding everything, but it wouldn't take much more gnar to see me mincing a bit...
Eh? So you can practice something you wont actually race?
There are only 5 stages Bob in the whole shebang, you'll get to practice a combo of these, not a different area/trails....
Steep is subjective, if you ride SES, it's not particularly steep, if you're not used to that kind of riding, then it is....
ard rock entry system proved useless again. There was no problem with si-entries or is the broadband too slow here in the Dales ?
Either way I won't bother again
It wasn't sientries, was event brite. It's a mix of supply, demand, and broadband speed.
think it was si-entries year before last,which is the last time I got in the main event.If broadband speed is a factor there is no point me bothering or perhaps I should move south then I can enter events in the area where I used to live....
I live 200 miles north of you, and managed....
Saturday main race for me 🙂
How many people rode the main event last year?
Just trying to gauge how far back I'll come.
@csdandy, I probably have the crappiest broadband connection around, but just kept hitting tickets, then refresh from 06:28 onward and eventually got the result I was looking for.
2 mates and I Got in the sprint with 6 mates in the full lap. First time for all of us except one.
Think the entry system should be a ballot it should'nt be down to who has fastest internet speed,also think it would be better on si-entries last 2 years ive got on then thrown back out when i started entering details,eventbrite website is piss poor.should also be one entry at a time not 6 if folk cant be arsed entering themselves then tough crap..
Done the last 2 but can't make 2017, anybody know when Ard Moor entries opened last year?
A mate got 4 of us in for the sprint on Saturday. So - how tough do your tyres need to be, and any recommendations for trails to try to get a feel for the stages?
If you're comfy riding lakes/peaks stuff, you'll be fine. I'd advise tyres around the 1kg mark, more so the rear.
I did it on Hans dampf/rock razor tubeless combo last year no problems
1st March last yearjaylittle - MemberDone the last 2 but can't make 2017, anybody know when Ard Moor entries opened last year?
So - how tough do your tyres need to be, and any recommendations for trails to try to get a feel for the stages?
The trails are a mixed surface, grass/rock/dirt/gravel in varying ratios. I would recommend non trail centre riding and also riding trails blind, as you won't get chance to pre-ride the tracks and really have to look ahead and ride accordingly.
I ran Maxxis Exo, Minion Front & Minion SS Rear. If its dry you can get away with a semi slick on the back (Minion SS, Rockrazor) if its wet, would want something with more tread on the back (Minion, Agressor).
Can anyone tell me which mag edition featured the ard rock enduro?
Tried searching for "ard" "ard rock" in the mag archive section and it returns too many results
Tyre choice won't really matter to a good section of the entrants. Just get out there and try to get round. I've had high roller 2's on every time I've rode it with tubes and not had a puncture.
I ride out of Reeth pretty much every Sunday so know the trails well. My tyre choice is currently 2.4 Continental Der Baron with full apex protection. Mate uses High Rollers with the full protection version on the back.
We both run the same tyres year round.
No issues to date. I moved from Trial Kings (2.3) to Der Baron after a split in the Trail Kings gave me my first puncture for about 6 years (running tubeless) this was a manufacturing flaw rather than a normal puncture. Despite being larger they roll really well and I've been pleased with the choice.
I've run minion front and Rear last 2 years.
trusty trailboss (TFR) and vigilante (THG) combo last 2 years. faultless.
I've done it twice, both times on HR2's, even the papier-mâché EXO Protection sidewalls held up under the courses cragged conditions. It's mainly hard pack with the majority of offending sharp edges off piste,
I've had high roller 2's on every time I've rode it with tubes and not had a puncture.
Well you've got very lucky. Having seen the amount of people fixing punctures at the side of stages, tyre choice really does matter, even if you are just hoping to make it round
hans dampf here. Would run trail kings as well.
tbh I only saw guys with tubes running or running low pressures having issues.
It's not really all about the tyres, I reckon some folks are just not used to riding that kind of terrain - ragging it on a really fast section of singletrack into a rock garden frinstance.
Classic example - the 2 big pile of stones at the lower end of stage 2, straight off a really fast chute into them. I saw a fair few folks at the side fixing puncures, probably come into that pile on the brakes instead of staying light over the top of them.
I run spesh butcher/purgatory rear all year round. Are people really running dual plys for the ard rock?
I haven't done, but I am always amazed at how much quicker I am when I'm not worried at all about punctures.Are people really running dual plys for the ard rock?
Basically what nobeeer said,
trickydisco - Member
I run spesh butcher/purgatory rear all year round. Are people really running dual plys for the ard rock?
I was Protection Butcher/ Grid Slaughter at 'Ard Rock this year. All was fine except for the big rocky chute halfway down Stage 3 when the Butcher explosively decompressed at the bottom of it.
Have replaced with a Grid Butcher...
If you aren't bothered about scoring forum points about how you can do it on lightweight casings with no problems and punctures are the riders fault :p , tough tyres are a good idea, there are quite a lot of sharp rocks on the trail and off it, which get knocked onto the line, and you have to go off line to pass or be passed, etc etc. There's often comical numbers of people lining the trail with punctures. Having seen someone have a double snakebite at 30mph on a rock they didn't see I ran butcher grids this year. Have previously sliced an exo but have also been OK on exo/controls other times, personally I'd rather take a little weight penalty and reduce risk of flats.