[Closed] QECP Day Night Enduro and cyclefest, who's going ?

Yes, my first (and probably last due to the impending arrival of Mini-Guru #2) race of 2015! I look forward to vying with you for supreme enduro mediocrity. 😉

I will be rocking up with my son.... his first enduro, I am nervous for him, he is just excited.

I think we have met before, at a Red kite jobbie I think.... I am average on the bike but mustard in the battle cruiser!!

Fingers crossed it is reasonably dry after yesterdays deluge!

I'm not, but you are in for a treat 😉

Yep, in sport for the enduro, on a borrowed bike! Hopefully it'll be OK, I want to beat Chiefgrooveguru......

Another first timer after a late entry this week. Forecast looks drier than the Dyfi so thats a good start 😀

I'll be there setting you off at the start of stage 1&2

I only live a mile away so the comfort of my own bed wins over camping!

Weather looks fair so it'll be a fun weekend

Yep. Trying not to come last in Pro (thanks Scott!).

Only ever done one night ride in my life before & I have no idea if my cheap Chinese Ebay lights will last the loop - what could possibly go wrong? 🙂

Not camping, as i'm only 30 minutes down the road anyway.

I'm racing Fun & my wife is doing her first Enduro too.
Bit greasy up there at the moment, could be a bit tasty!
Camping despite only living 8 miles away as it just makes it more of a fun weekend.

I'm in.. plumped for Fun as I'm scared of / crap in the dark and need all the help I can get! 😐

Yep, in sport for the enduro, on a borrowed bike! Hopefully it'll be OK, I want to beat Chiefgrooveguru......

The ancient battle of age vs beauty... No borrowed bike excuses if I turn the tables this year! 😉

Yep, in the fun category along with a couple of other forum members who will no doubt be along in a bit.
Racing(ha-ha) under the “More crash than dash” team name.
Should be a good laugh, looking forward to it and meeting up with other forum regulars.
I’m on a HUGE bright green(Enduro green) Cube with matching bright green Bell helmet 😳
You will not miss me..

Not racing as I buggered my wrist a few weeks ago. Couple of mates are though and I'll be marshalling.

Hob nob - you're welcome to borrow my cheap Chinese lights if you want back up. They've been reliable so far, got a solar storm x2 and an x3

All the best to you.

My wife is from Petersfield and when visiting the in-laws I'll have a blast round QECP. After the last horrendous wet suffer-fest I vowed I'd only put up with the South Downs chalk faff in the height of summer.

The locals must be made of sterner stuff than I.

deluded
After the last horrendous wet suffer-fest I vowed I'd only put up with the South Downs chalk faff in the height of summer.

The locals must be made of sterner stuff than I.

We prefer riding gods if it's all the same

Or just ride where there's no chalk 🙂

m0rk,

I was run ragged on it. My average speed according to Strava was 3.8MPH! I was livid on the ride (that I abandoned) and moaned like a bitch when I got back to my completely disinterested wife, thanking God I haven't got to put up with that sh1t, back home.

All a reflection more on me than the trails of course 😛

Just remember if it's wet the roots are the grippy bits!

Gutted to miss this year. Sadly I'd already booked into the Castle 100 on Sunday.

I was the idiot on the white Heckler who had a tubeless explosion on St2, and only had a 29er tube in my pack. Tied a knot in it and got it semi-inflated, but only enough to limp back to race village, pick up a free beer, and Heckle at the stadium finish!!

Last year the campsite party didn't finish until dawn!!!

Yep, I just got a late entry in HT category, will be rocking a home repaired C456, looking forwward to it, felt a little over biked on the Covert last year!

Dead slippy up there earlier. Hope Saturday brings dryness!
See you there fellas 😀

God I hate race nerves... 😐

I did a lap after work last night, it wasn't too bad, a few puddles but it will keep you honest 🙂 I like to think that all my riding around qecp with no grip, will make me a riding demon once I ride round a place with grip 🙂

I lost count of the number of volunteers putting out tape last night, I am not racing, but they all deserve a huge thanks for being out there setting up the fun for others, whilst people like me were just bimbling around the red route!

Taped out stage #3 last night.

Its was still a touch slippery and muddy . Summer tyres wont do , simply too much loam, big nobbly ones or maybe a wider mud tyre? I would almost say Mud X 2.0 , but skinny and the roots....God, the roots.

#1 and 2 are steeper, faster and muddier / looser. 3 and 4 drier, firmer longer and faster . Do not throw your toys out the pram if you feel a mincer after 1 and 2 , it will get better ( and darker and faster )

#3 is long , not sure how far exactly but over 1 mile easily. Its also fast and pedally at the top , fast and flowing in the middle with 2 off camber chalky sections that will be interesting if alot of dew comes down.

Racing ( hahahahahah ) in Vets off about 2040 iirc, ano black 575

Not camping as have to be at work at 0730 SUNDAY for the most awful Watercress festival in New Alresford.

Ride safe , Don't be a cock.

Argh, wish I'd not read singletrackmind's post, was nice and calm now proper pre-race nervy!!

Looking forward to it though, last year was ace (and dry...) - demo day on Sunday should be entertaining too.

In fun on minty green Spitfire.

After my wet Dyfi trip, I haven't managed to persuade the OH to camp, so I'll be without family.

Racing at about 8.30 on my very yellow SB66.

God have i done the right thing.... my lads first race, it sounds like it might be a baptism of fire or rather slippery, off camber mud and chalk!!

We are of at 19.47 for him, on a raw Covert and 20.38 for me on a Spesh enduro.... come and say hello.

Important question.... Is there a beer tent??

A massive beer tent, with free beer IIRC

🙂

It's fairly warm and sunny just down the road in Bedhampton so I'm hoping it will dry out a bit by race time.
Wife is walking the dog up there ATM while I load the van with bikes and beer so I'm hoping for a condition report shortly.

Trying to peel my arse off the sofa to get ready. Too easy to sit here watching the Sevens on Sky Sports!
Now where's that Mud -x and has it got any tread left?

Black old-skool 575. Grey-super-vet-sideys 🙂

Wife's report is that it's still pretty greasy/slippy.
Could be a bit fun in places, glad I rode their through the winter now so I know what to expect!

I've just been out for a little blat in the local woods to check i've put my bike back together properly from last weekend, and that was surprisingly wet still.

Its fairly warm & windy, so im hoping it will dry out a bit. Probably won't & will end up reminding me why I rarely ride at QE!

Sadly I had to cancel and give my place up. Bad news for everyone else as I cannot imagine me being anything but the slowest 😐

Have fun everyone

Does anyone know if the stages are fairly near the visitors centre? I was going to pop down and cheers some friends on, but if I've got to walk a few miles between stages it may not be practical. Thanks.

Well, the big berms at the end of the red run are in one stage, saw the tape being put up yesterday... dunno which stage though!

Stages 1 & 2 are over on the back of the hill towards the railway line & quarry, really steep bit. Not exactly sure what is/isn't being used though, although I've got a rough idea.
I assume that one of the other stages is starting from around the same place too as my wife saw tape up at the top of Never Seen It (climb on the red route just before Lumberjack) but no idea where it goes from there, and I'm hoping that some variation of the last descent of the red route is also a stage like last year.

Thanks chaps.

1 and 2 over the back dropping down the wall toward Burtion .

3 Starts from the highest point , the big green at the Red cross over point, reverse Never seen it , New Blue section back toward Junpier Car Park , then the really Old NPS short course Dh line to the botttom bend on the road.

4 Is sort of the last 1/4 of the red, maybe with extras .

So no , you wont have to walk miles , maybe a 1/4 mile at most.

super sunny on the south coast , just sorting out some bits and bobs and aiming to arrive about 1600

Good luck all!!!!

Bit dull this marshalling lark, sat in the woods on me jack. Be a bit more interesting when the riders start coming through. Someone save me a beer!

Even more dull now that I've realised the first rider doesn't start stage 4 until 9:20, doh!

Haha, only 17mins to go

I'd have taken a 6-pack up there with me!!

I wish I had, and a jazz cigarette. And a jazz mag come to think of it. 8 Ace and a copy of Razzle

Fun and 2 of the women have come through but big gap now. Hope everyone is ok

One of my mates stacked in practice and hurt his neck. He only rode st3/4 in the race.

Just had another look, quite a few non starters by the look of it. They were going down like skittles on stages 1 and 2 apparently. My hands are cold.

Was it harder than last year?

Apparently 1 and 2 were still really slippy so yep, sounds like it. 4 is super grippy though.

I watched the first 40 or so through stages 1 and 2 - I reckon about 60% came off on the steep switchbacky bit on stage 2! No one hurt though.

It's a fine line to tread, with Fun/Sport/Pro , between challenging and too hard. I'm guessing the hard rain Thursday just tipped the scales a little.

I'm off the other end of the SDW, and we normally get axle deep mud for 6 months of the year, but our trails are perfect at the moment. In fact the recent rain settled down the loose dusty parts!!

Not long home from competing in the fun category.
Stage 2 was not nice at all, I was one of the 60% that came a cropper there, in fact I fell off twice within 10m in front of the baying mob 😆
Thursdays rain played a massive part on stages 1&2, coming back up the fire road after finishing 2 and we didn't see anyone coming down the stage for around 3-4 mins, probably due to crashes on the way down.
Davosaurusrex were you the Marshall setting people of on stage 4?
Finally a massive, massive thanks to everyone who's come together to make this such a superb event, from the QECP Trail Collective, all the sponsors, Marshall's and all of the supporters. The whole thing from start to finish has been great.
Cheers

@bigshep thanks for the post, look forward to hearing more tomorrow

bigshep - not me, I was at the last fireroad crossing on stage 4 shouting "sharp right, sharp left" a lot.

Took some mediocre photos during practice but a few came out OK. Anyone interested let me know your race number and I'll have a look through them

Awesome, loved it! Thanks to all the marshals, builders, organisers, etc, even Davosaurus.

Didn't get any photos of you CGG, couldn't set the shutter slow enough.

Enjoyed counting backwards from 10 400 times last night!

Quite a few people bailed after stage 1&2 which is a shame, as 3 was a beauty.

Looked like fun trails,hopefully I can get out later today and ride the course

1 & 2 weren't hard to ride, they were hard to race though.

I remember the guy shouting on the last fire road on 4, prompted me to go back an try a more ninja enduro line.

Well, despite experiencing a total light failure on 3, and riding 4 with one left on low power, I still didn't come last in Pro! 🙂

Not bad, for only my 3rd ever night ride.

Only a few guys came back for another go at it, there were a good few seconds to be saved. Were you in the white top Hob Nob?

Davosaurusrex, I don't suppose you got any pics of 30,31 and 32 did you?
I was 32 but riding along with the other 2.
I bet you surprised quite a few people who didn't practice the 4th stage and thought it went straight on as normal..
I managed top 10 in Fun on my first Enduro so really pleased with that considering all the time lost on my backside on stage 2 😆

I rode in the fun category - my first enduro and really enjoyable. Massive thanks to the QECP Trail collective in general and Scott in particular for all the hard work preparing for and running a really well organised event.

I hurt this morning. My 42 yr old body isn't equipped to endure 6 offs in one evening. I think the most impressive tumble was on stage 2 where I did a large number of rolly polly's, of which my children would be proud. The most painful was on the section of stage 3 just before you drop onto the fire road. Rode across some roots, just before the drop down, and whoosh, wheels slipped sideways from under me and my slightly overweight body thudded down onto the roots.
Bike was thrown down to the fire road in discust and I rode the rest of it like a pansy.

Most unfortunate thing was when my hired exposure light came loose on section 4 and suddenly I was blinded by the light as it swung round on the bars. Had to remove it and then put my back up light on, cost me 10 mins. Apologies to the rider who had my light glaring at them as I was trying to sort it, must've been annoying but no need to swear at me. Thanks to the one rider out of a bunch of them who asked if I was ok 🙂

On reflection it was a great event, well organised but outside of my skill set, I need to learn how to ride off camber!

Thanks to the guys who did all the hard work, the collective has done many top things at QECP and this is another example that should be applauded.

[quote=bigshep]Davosaurusrex were you the Marshall setting people of on stage 4?

That would be superfli.. cranking out the Megavalanche music at the top!?

[quote=bigshep]I bet you surprised quite a few people who didn't practice the 4th stage and thought it went straight on as normal..

Caught me out.. (no.3 - first one down the hill as it turned out!)

Excellent event.. good balance of flowy and tricky, well done to everyone involved in organising and everyone who took part! 8)

Rode across some roots, just before the drop down, and whoosh, wheels slipped sideways from under me and my slightly overweight body thudded down onto the roots

I spotted that bit in practice and stopped to see if there was a high line around it - there wasn't so I concluded it was one of those 'hit it fast enough and let the bike skitter sideways under you' sections. Survived it but I think it would have been carnage in the wet! 🙂

Having realised that I might stay on the bike around the A line on stage 2 but it wouldn't be fast, I went way high after the first big corner, up between two trees, to smoothly drop into the B line. Marshalls got out of the way (thanks!) but my plan for quicker than mediocre speed was foiled by my lace getting caught around a pedal pin and having to stop to untangle them...

Was very pleased to manage the whole of practice and the race without hitting the deck, achieve supreme mediocrity (87th out of 174 starters - that's high precision averageness that is!) and beat Hummerlicious. 😛 Roll on 2016!

I love these QECP races - so well organised and such a great vibe. And for a weekday evening warrior like myself they're a real test to ride fast. Was much less scared by the steep bits than last year so I'm getting better. Standing at the finish with beer in hand I was itching to ride the whole thing again - started to wonder if it would be possible to enter in both hardtail and sport masters next time for twice the fun...

Well, my result was commensurate with my preparation. Second last (edit: just checked the results again. Third last! Whoop! Whoop!) in fun.

Massive thanks to Scott and the QECP Collective. That was loads of fun. You must have put absolutely loads of effort into cutting those trails and the organisation.

Special mention also to the hecklers at the steep bit on stage 2. I managed to mostly stay on my bike down there thanks to the "Hear that? They are cheering someone that just fell off!" incentive.

BigShep, your nickname is pretty accurate.

😆 Johnj2000 - thanks for that post, superb

News Flash! I came last in the fun category. This is an all time low for me, I have never ever taken last place in any physical event ever in my life until now. I feel this achievement should be marked by something significant, I need to go to the tip, think I willl chuck myself in the skip marked 'Washed up old athletes, please remove all pride and self esteem before jumping in'

C’mon John, stop being so hard on yourself.
You lost 6-6.5mins on the final stage due to your hired light breaking, not your fault...
Anyway chin up, BPW next monday 😆

Too late for this I am writing to you from the bottom of a skip, I hear the crusher coming now, ahhhhhh the end is nigh!

BPW you say? *digs his way out of skip and jumps back on bike*

Results are online http://www.sportident.co.uk/results/2015/QECPEnduro/enduro.html

Interesting to see how few people didn't do all the stages - which is a good thing! Credit to the top runners - those stage times are impressive!

I'm off up there in a bit, so watch out for the blue Codeine!

Awesome fun. I managed 21st in Fun, which oddly enough would have been 21st in Masters based on times!
I was really nervous about stage 2 after practice but in my race run I just concentrated on staying on the bike.
stage 4 was my fave & I reckon those diversions should become the normal red trail route.
My wife did fantastically coming in 5th in Women's in her first Enduro race. 4-5 weeks ago she thought stage 4/red final descent was tough so to be riding all of stages 1 & 2 including the drops and the horrible greasy off camber into hip on stage 2 was a mega achievement.
Her only moan (not a real one I should point out!) is that she's been talking about doing a skills course & 6th place won one! She said she was almost torn between making the podium and being a little slower to get that.
Can't wait for the summer one, alarm is already set on my phone for entry time.
Great work by Scott and the whole Collective.

Brilliant stuff from yourself and your wife Mattbee. Was it you I was chatting with at the start of 3? Bit of a beard? Think you must have been number 28 or 29?

Could have been me in the White top Daveosaurousrex, went and re-rode that bit 2 or 3 times in practice, definitely worth a few seconds that. I was in white top and white bike (with artistic black bits...) in practice, any pics of me (131) would be good to see if you've got any?

I was 28, and I do have a slightly ginger beard so probably, yes. RivieraBike Jersey & a red Transition Bandit.

Got quite a few of you lbj, think a few of them came out OK. Will have a look through them all this evening, pointing brickwork at the moment. The fun just never stops....

It was you Matt, I was number 30 and you were waiting for your wife to make an appearance from stage 2 :-). Nice to have met you briefly.

And you John.
Just trawled through the pics on Roots & Rain, but none of me on there 🙁

I was walking up next to you Matt when you were being as quiet as you could so as not to make your wife fall off 😀

I was the utter mincer on the white Prophet - number 18

Cheers for the comments guys. It's a difficult line, when is hard to hard. We do have options, like fun cat not doing stage 2.

Anyway see you all at our summer enduro, with the new timing system I reckon we can we can change it up a bit 🙂

I wouldn't change anything Scott, racing is about pushing yourself, and being competitive, otherwise people wouldn't do it.