[Closed] the xfusion gravity enduro today...

I found the Declaration forms at registration kept blowing away, that was a tad annoying. Other than that it all seemed fun.

General feedback was a usual mix of hate/love.
I think the terrain caught a lot of riders out with it's technical level on the timed stages.
Section 4 wasn't rated, but old snaggletooth hasn't been ridden in years and to be honest, i think it added some old school ride a stoopid trail for giggles to to event. Then again, i've not seen the state of it after 100+ riders. I'll see it tomorrow whilst clearing the route of tape and signage.

The results are being tallied up through the night and will then be passed onto HQ to be uploaded to the main site.

Lets hope the FC can see these events are a good thing and lets many more events to be run over the coming years.

snaggletooth? i thought that had been overrun by the rhodys a long time ago.

Yeah, I have to admit, I can understand why stage 4 wasn't the most popular, very off camber and slippy. I dint mind it though, even though I did crash right in front of drop offs camera. The top was great though. I wasn't expecting the stages to be as technical, but they were great for me as I was worried it would all be a bit easy. I'm guessing some people found them tough going?

We are all ready talking about another trip to the area for some xc and dh. There were some very tempting looking tracks we went past.

Was it only drop off and debs(?) Taking the pictures?

On the whole, I enjoyed it.

I think some of the track choices let it down a little, as they were trashed & I was in the first third of people to go. Some of them clearly hadn't been ridden in a long time (or ever?!) & were a mess.

For something that is an entry into enduro racing too, some of the sections I would imagine would have had the sport riders terrified. As much as I love the steep tech stuff, I can see the negative to it.

I only hope it hasn't put those riders off.

Lucky break on the weather too. One of the muddiest rides i've ever done however.

Yeah, I was number 89, and the tracks were suffering a bit, I wouldn't have fancied being last to go

anyone gps track it? be interested to see what else they used.

Jambo. Duncan cleared Snaggle tooth, with i think a slight alteration due to it being near a monument.(An ancient settlement site near the top). But imagine 100 odd riders slipping down it's of camber course. As you can imagine it got interesting. They also brought back the trail that comes out near the bottom of 'car wash'. Starting at the gate at the top, drop through the trees, across the forest road and down, with a slight detour to avoid the bottom of DWD(another protected area).

From there they hauled up the forest road opp the bottom of car wash, looping around to drag up the sloppiest of trails, eventually dropping down to Davids Well. You know, the trail that i went OTB on the night ride when we first rode together. At least that's my understanding of the route.

iridebikes. The area of stage 3 has around 40 DH runs, giving loads of options. For xc, it's best to clear off out of the forest and head north of the top of stage 1.

I took some high speed low res videos. And a couple pics in stage 5.

Stage one. As i said, the little used run from the top gate, to the bottom of car wash(there abouts)
Stage two. What we made, but the top was sightly altered due to forestry work last year. Timed right to the end by the chinmey.(They then pushed up the chimney lol)
Stage three. Pretty much from the Slades down to the bottom of the Triscombe DH trails. The most direct route from the grass push up i think.
Stage four. From the top of Slade down the forest track and snaggle tooth.
Stage five. What i call Sam's track(where you lost your tools) from top to bottom, bottom section was ssssslick!

I quite enjoyed that, technical level was about right for me (apart from also sliding past the cameraman on stage 4 on my arse). I'd finally got my eye in by stage 5, really enjoyed that one.

Felt a bit sorry for the sport riders if that was their first taste of this type of racing. Some of the trails were slippy when I got there let alone with another 50 odd people down them.

Sharki, good news on Snaggletooth, I had it on my to do list 'cos as Jambo says, it had become almost impassable due to the Rhoddies. Do you anticipate it being a regular 'XC' section for a good while? I'd intended using it on our thurs night jaunts. Nice and Spooky, you know.

Glad you enjoyed it Burchy. Though it was pretty much like Haldon's slickest and you can mince round them pretty well.

I said you should've ss it. 😉

Pooley. It might need Bench cutting a bit now and then continued assault on the Rhoddies. You could always go straight on down the the back of the FC hut, but that's a touch straight and featureless. 😉

When I got to the cameraman on stage 4 he looked like he'd just had to run away from the previous rider 😆 Had it been dry that would of been an awesome route. Shame they didn't use the chimney as a down though 🙁

Shane, we've done the descent to FC hut, interesting in a no grip in the mud kind of way, but as mentioned I was keen to clear Snaggletooth. I'm out the country for a bit, I'll check it out in a few weeks. Cheers fella.

I think Dropoff had to run away from lots of riders.
When i met up with him, he looked like he'd been running all day. 😆

😉

This was the first gravity enduro type event I have done and thought it was good, thought it was hard due to my lack of fitness and the muddy conditions.
I did think it was a little bit to much pushing/hike a bike, even if it was a lot dryer and I had the fitness from my XC days I still think there would be a bit to much pushing.
Some tracks was cutting up, I think the "fresh/new" tracks were worse compared to tracks that been used before.
It a lot was steeper than I thought it be.
thought it was signed well apart from one bit that I think help me miss a start time by a few secs.

Stage 4 yes well it was deffinately a love or hate thing 🙂 I guess about 1 in 4 riders actually rode the drop (?) where I was most fell off before they got to it and judging by the language being used as they tried to ride the off camber section a bit higher up they weren't enjoying it. I didn't think girls knew those words 🙂 oh and I only got hit by one bike and I didn't take any pics of the fallers as there were too many. On a more serious note does anyone know how the chap is that got the stick in his eye ?

The chap with the sticky eye got away i hear with just bad bruising of the eyeball, but mm from a severe injury.

That was the only attended injury. 🙂

On a more serious note does anyone know how the chap is that got the stick in his eye ?

I was marshalling at the end of Stage 5 and chatted with him for a bit. He was shaken up but fine, it was actually quite a small cut. Props to the chap behind him on the Identiti hardtail who stopped to help, even though (judging from the way he was pinning the bottom section) he was one of the quicker riders.

And good to see you again Sharki, as well as lots of other familiar faces. It's a small world we inhabit! 🙂

Hellooo, likewise great to see you out of brizzle.
You're only over the hill from me tonight, i walked to Spaxton last Sat night across the fields, only takes 20mins, incuding of camber, mudfest paths.. Hmmm! Familiar?

I've got various pics of random riders and HS vids of random riders goooing ssssllllooooowly and flicking mud sllloooowly about. So if any riders want to know if i've got them. Ask yeer.

🙂

Was an interesting day! I was racing as part of the MB Swindon Gravity Team and think we did OK - at least we'll have a podium spot! Was surprised at the technical ability needed to get a decent run, worried that it has put off several of my friends - I'm now trying to convince them that FoD will be a bit easier and more fun!
Couple of videos I got, forgot to film our team chase stage! nevermind eh. And apologies for the swearing during/after my crashes!

If you have any pics or vids of 88 or 89 that would be great

no.46 if you've got any Shane?

Dbiker100 just watched them on the clubs face book page, don't worry about the swearing I was doing a bit of that too, as well laying down a bit as well. 😳

You're only over the hill from me tonight

Sadly I jumped on the train back to Bristol, so any "special hugs" are going to have to wait until next time. 😉

Burchy. Just a wee clip of you rocking the lil jump on S5. Real time too.
Shall i youtube you? 😉

aye go on then...

Hey Sharki, anything for riders:
131 / 148/149/150/151 or 196?
Many thanks.

That looks brilliant. Shane: are those trails starting near the hill fort?

151 with a bit of a gurn on. Nowt special(the pic that is)

Buzz, Stage 4 was near the hill for above cockercombe yes. 3 was further west up cockercombe(south side)

None of 89 or 88?

NO 88 89 with a visable number board. One possible 88. Silver FS, maybe a Orange 5?

Burchy weee plop!

First go at any form of gravity assisted racing for me. Loved it! Any pics of number 140, 141, 142 and 143 all wearing blue bath uni kit? Ta in advance!

Ah yeah, the silver one is my mate. Would be good to see. I was straight after on a red and white bike...

ha 151 is me, and I'm slowly realising that I'm incapable of riding without a gurn. any chance of seeing it? email is in profile. Pretty please?

I'll have a proper look tomorrow once i've laid some turf up there in the forest and cleared all the tape and associated gubbin's from today. I also need to plan several potential routes for a proposed Quantocks Quake. A Exmoor Explorer styled event for July. Using more of Heath and combes.

Pics i can't put up here, unless i've hosted them on FB as i don't used other hosting sites at present. But anything can be mailed over.

But now, i'm orf to bed.

Was my first time at an event like this. I'm still knackered after a good feed and sleep! I was surprised with the amount of uphill pushing involved, and probably did a fair bit of downhill on my backside too!
Good fun but really muddy which made it tricky to get some good speed on the steep downhill runs.
Sharki... If you got any pics of 168 or 169 I'd really appreciate it mate.
I thought the atmosphere was great, well done to the Marshalls.

Sound's great, shame i was busy for this one. Looking forward to round 2 at FoD.

My first race in 18 months, and possibly the most technical enduro stages I've ridden in the UK. Personally I was struggling a bit after two weeks off the bike and a week of illness.

I struggled on the second half of stage 3 and the steep bits of stage 4 - was cursing my size and weight, 16 stone is hard enough to bring to a halt when travelling forwards, let alone when sliding sideways down a 45 degree slippery, loamy slope. Cue lots of swearing and dragging bike from under tape.

Stage one was all too short, but a good one to get your eye in. Stage 2 was great at the top, and a good test of fitness (I failed) with a bit of a slog at the end.

I imagine everyone will quote stage 5 as their favourite. As with others, I felt I'd properly got my eye in by then, but I also think it had the best flow of any stage.

If anyone has any photo/video of number 61, would be great to see.

Really good to get a taste of some of the apparently myriad downhill trails in the area. Planning a trip down to co-incide with watching the BDS at Combe Syd in April, so combined with an all day route around the rest of the Quantocks on the Saturday, should make for a good weekend.

I hope the Sport category riders who were following the 150 competitive riders weren't completely put off by the mess they found - bit of a shock for your first race, I imagine.

I went off at 171 and yes, it was proper slippy and cut up by then! Pity about the muddiness really, it made sections of stage 3 and 4 pretty much unrideable (for me anyway)and made the tranistions much tighter than they would have been otherwise. Think alot of people on the sport class were struggling, with quite a few dropping out. Must admit I was surprised how stteep and technical it was, I guess in the dry it would have been alot easier.

Still, great day out and its amazing how fast you can run downhill with a bike in mud when the stopwatch is running. Think I stacked it 5-6 times in all but only OTB once so happy days! Worst moment for me, taking a chicken run round a drop on 5 and then stacking it into a tree stump on the chicken run! Also managed to come flying out the side of the tape at the bottom of stage 5, hopefully wont get any penalties for that!

Looking forward to doing one of these in the dry!

Oh, and big thanks to 169 for being so helpfull when I was overtaking, especially as I stacked it into a tree just after going past on the off camber section on 4!

I now ache in all kinds of strange places. 🙂

Great day - loads of fun and some pretty sketchy stages to say the least, but to my mind, that's how it should be, nice and technically challenging or else you may as well go "round a field" XC or CX racing.... 😉

Really good organisation, great atmosphere and only had a little lie down on stage 4.

Sharki - any chance you got pictures of rider 96?

🙂

ha ha! what a chore! I loved it.

3 & 4 got a bit silly and by the time i got to them (132nd rider) they looked like someone had been round with a six foot wide rotavator…i kid you not! Technique to get through these was via a vaguely controlled fall down the hillside whilst trying to hang onto your bike.

Carving down stage 5 ski-style was a blast and all in all i'm chuffed i made the effort after doing a couple last year. Massive respect to all the volunteers for making (most of it) happen and to Carlos for making it happen at all. So she do we get live timing Carlos? 😉

See you all again at FOD. 😀

So I noticed a few people snapping pics at the weekend on the stages (sharki?) are these on the web to view anywhere?

Why don't Roots & Rain do these events?

It's listed on there, so I imagine images/results will appear in due course:

http://www.rootsandrain.com/race1747/2013-mar-17-x-fusion-enduro-1-1-great-wood-quantocks/

🙂

Why don't Roots & Rain do these events?

Just checked and it IS listed (> http://www.rootsandrain.com/race1747/2013-mar-17-x-fusion-enduro-1-1-great-wood-quantocks/ <)

…but nothing uploaded (??)

EDIT: beat me to it! 😳

Why don't Roots & Rain do these events?

Just checked and it IS listed (> http://www.rootsandrain.com/race1747/2013-mar-17-x-fusion-enduro-1-1-great-wood-quantocks/ <)

…but nothing uploaded (??)

EDIT: beat me to it!

Pics going to R&R tonight, normally do them on a Sunday night but I was a bit knackered after riding the course Saturday and then walking most of it to get pics on Sunday 🙂

Photos are up - some crackers in there!

[url= http://www.rootsandrain.com/race1747/2013-mar-17-x-fusion-enduro-1-1-great-wood-quantocks/photos/ ]http://www.rootsandrain.com/race1747/2013-mar-17-x-fusion-enduro-1-1-great-wood-quantocks/photos/[/url]

Some good pics!

Any of the sport riders anywhere?

page 3, 4 rows down, far right. Rider 102.

About sums it up!

10:39:16 - no idea who it is but cracking photo!

Cheers for the pics. Here are the ones of me looking panicked

http://www.rootsandrain.com/photos/423172

And

http://www.rootsandrain.com/photos/423212

I'm glad I found this thread. I was one of the last sport riders (10 from the end) and thought I was well out of my league on the descents. I bottled all the big drops and managed to crash into a few trees. My fitness is good so that was ok, just had no faith in my tyres or skills on the timed stages! Looking on Strava I'm not last on any sections, so that was my achievement for the day ;-). The mud by the time we rode it was pretty much unridable, especially stage 4.

Reading this thread though may have convinced me to enter the FOD event but we'll see.

And if anyone has photos of 190/191/192 then they'd be gratefully received!

I imagine the guy in the RAF jersey has been ordered to run laps of the airfield!

rocklord28 - Member
I'm glad I found this thread. I was one of the last sport riders (10 from the end) and thought I was well out of my league on the descents. I bottled all the big drops and managed to crash into a few trees. My fitness is good so that was ok, just had no faith in my tyres or skills on the timed stages! Looking on Strava I'm not last on any sections, so that was my achievement for the day ;-). The mud by the time we rode it was pretty much unridable, especially stage 4.

Reading this thread though may have convinced me to enter the FOD event but we'll see.

And if anyone has photos of 190/191/192 then they'd be gratefully received!

You will have passed me as I was last to but one to finish. My fitness is zero at the moment but I thought I would be ok and enjoy the timed sections. I could not get any speed up for the jumps or drops, the ones that were attempted I wished hadn't.
Gravity dropper would not drop, stage 4 with the seat full up was just terrible. But I booked a place for FOD when i got home.

The results and more photos are on the website now. I came 28th overall which I'm pretty happy about!

Amazing, I still managed to come well into the top 20 despite having an off the bike crash on 4 of the stages 😯

Not bad.

Well done hob nob. I'm similar I crashed on all except 1 and 2 and I came to a stop on section 2. Also had 2 crashes on section ?. So overall not too bad. My mate came in 17th

Ace I was last , oh well. My name is spelt incorrectly so it's not really me 🙂

Loads of people didn't complete it anyway, it was a tough race, to be honest I wasn't too bothered as it was a lot of fun.

It's difficult when the trails deteriorate, there's been a couple of innerleithen rounds where rider 150's basically riding a different stage to rider 1. Luckily rider 150 isn't usually competing against rider 1 😉

Why enduro is the best racing- you can do absolutely **** and still have a great day out. The top boys compete amongst themselves, the middle compete amongst themselves, the bottom are in it to survive, and everyone's achieving something on their own scale. Mint.

I had a very wobbly day - right from the off i felt way out of my comfort zone - off camber deep mud & roots. My excuse was that the course was cut up by the 130 odd riders who went before me. Unfortunately, three of the top 5 riders were also well down the running order. So, i'll just have to face up to my lack of skill 🙄 there's always next time ....FoD booked!

Wow! Some fast times in there, especially stage 2 (don't have much memory of that one :-)) ...getting there was hell!

Crashed on just about every stage, big off on 4 (I remember landing in some rhododendron bushes and trying to scramble up a steep muddy section to get back to my bike ... seemed like it all went into slow motion then) so well happy to finish inside top half.

That was a very tough event (for me) didn't expect it to be so hard, still very good fun tho' and looking forward to next one. (hopefully will stay on the bike more!)

Cheers.

What was the reason for all the crashes? Excess speed, or just inability to stay upright?

Hmmm, 50th - kinda what I expected, but not as good as I'd have liked. Relatively pleased with the times on the two stages (1 and 5) that I had the least issues with. Had a chain off and stick in the rear mech that cost me a lot of time on stage 2, and repeated stalls/excursions on stages 3 and 4.

Room for improvement, then. Already entered FoD, hopefully I'll have a bit more fitness then (expect it to be less tech than round 1)... but then so will everyone else!

For me the crashes were mostly because I hadn't really prepared myself, (can't really expect to just turn up and ride well without putting in some sort of training beforehand ...and I hate training and just haven't been inspired to ride out in this crap weather lately!)

I was going too fast (for me) to read the terrain properly and then being so fatigued (and leg cramps)from the transitions just made it worse, (could hardly hang on for stage 4 and 5) I was totally exhausted at the end.
The conditions (mud) made it pretty tricky and I wasn't expecting it to be so tough (up ...and down!)

I did the mini enduro at haldon and I found that hard enough.
This was a big wake up call!

Prepare yourself or suffer! Or take it easy? ... but how can you do that? 🙂

I've entered the QECP Gravity Enduro in July - hopefully the mudfest will have abated by then!!

What was the reason for all the crashes? Excess speed, or just inability to stay upright?

In my instance, a few reasons. Riding like a nob, trying to ride a trail blind & quick, some very steep & muddy sections that were horribly cut up from other people riding & crashing all over them and my first race in 6 months...

Frustrating as the big crash I had on stage 4 lost me nearly 10 places, as the times were quite tight. A top 10 would have been awesome, all things considered.

To be honest my reasons are the same as hob nobs really. Just read the trail wrong, and went to quick into the corners. I could have ridden any stage the second time, and got a full run in.

I was really pleased with coming 78th on such a tough event 😀 It was my first ever race and I did it on a 100mm travel xc hardtail.

After seeing the results I feel a lot better about the rider behind overtaking me on some of the stages as he finished in the top 10.