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Evening,
I signed up to the Gorrick in Deepcut this coming weekend…has anyone raced it or ridden it before? What’s it like in terms of technicality and mud? It’s the one starting in Alma Gardens.
Thx, Rich
Brass Monkey Round 1? I'll be there, first time for me at this series but really enjoyed the 3-6-9 earlier this year.
I haven’t raced it for a while, but I do recall when I used to race Gorrick regularly that Deepcut was one of my favourites: not massively muddy, nice balance of tech & easy areas to refuel in. Certainly less twisty than Area 51 & with better overtaking opportunities.
Short video (not mine) of last year
and a full lap
It drains well with no clay and doesn't tend to get too mucky even after a load of rain.
Personally I don't think its particularly technical, lots of exposed slippery roots though. If dry it could be a fast race. I've raced it for the last few years and as said above more places to pass or get passed (;)) than area 52.
@natrix We're you slugging around at 180bpm for the whole 2-3 hours!? What's your threshold HR?
@dhague Not my videos, its my son that races, (they're not his videos either). I've ridden round there, quite a steep climb in one place.
I last rode Porridgepot (G2) about 2 weeks ago and it was riding very well apart from the humpy bumpy part down by the Basingstoke Canal which was totally covered with a deep sea of leaves. I don't know what it it is like now after BERT but I imagine the Gorrick team will have a lot of trail clearing to do. When I was there I bumped into John from Gorrick who was doing some route planning.
The problem there is that the MOD are closing it off for army trainng so much of the time now that the trails aren't getting ridden enough (other than from those doing a cheeky one in from the canal).
Good to see the footage, thanks for posting. I am looking forward to it. I got into gravel and out of MTB about 4 years ago, so today was the first XC/trail I did in ages! Very rusty on the descents!
A couple of updates on this.... from the Gorrick Pre-Event info email that my son received (he's coming down from FOD to race) there are a couple of things to consider.
1. The gates will be locked between 10:00 and 12:00 due to MOD restrictions on the site. Apparently there may be a possibility to get in/out briefly around 11:00.
2. They are saying and I quote " We’re sorry that the course is a bit ‘wilder’ than normal, this is because of restricted access due to military training." This ties in with what I said earlier on this thread... access to Porridgepot has been much restricted by the MOD over recent times than normal.
Btw, if anyone wants to get a more general impression of the area here's me pottering around on a couple of the trails,
Rode there last night
Its obvious which trails will be in the race, they've been leaf blown and are clear. Running nicely if you like slick roots (its rained yesterday morning and it was about 0 degrees, sunday should be better). A few puddles which I hope will get sorted. In general, good soil conditions with ample grip in between the roots. A few nice bits of singletrack bypassed, but I get that it would be unsuitable for the "everyone off together" marathon format of the brass monkeys.
The problem there is that the MOD are closing it off for army trainng so much of the time now that the trails aren’t getting ridden enough (other than from those doing a cheeky one in from the canal).
(scroll down to area G2) It was open 10 days this month with another 9 evenings open on top of that. Not as nice as in summer where an evening ride is in day light I grant you.
I don't think thats any worse than at any time since the gates went in?
Please don't break in at the canal when its shut - we need them to not shut that gap off so we can use it to link up with tunnel hill on the days when it is open.
Well, how did people get on? I’ve never seen porridge pot so muddy! It was grim in places! Loved the race, not raced for months and not that fit at the moment, but got 3 laps done in the 2 hour cat. Was doing 30 min laps so right on the bubble for a fourth, but was knackered! First race on new Epic, great bike - faster than me!
https://flic.kr/p/2qxkimk
https://flic.kr/p/2qxpSFH
https://flic.kr/p/2qxroAJ
Tried to imbed some video but no joy
Yes that was a mucky one. What did I say about it draining well :))
22nd for me in 2 hour vets +. Knew on the first hill it was going to be a matter of survival for me.
There was a guy who had a nasty pedal stick on the first lap that threw him some distance into some saplings. Saw him at the end, he seemed OK. Might be a bit sore this today.
....that was a pedal strike ....
.
I was there supporting my son. Yeah, it was muddy one! But everyone said the course rode well and it looked really well attended. Almost tempted to enter the other ones myself... if I can get bike fit in month..!
As other have said, unusually muddy for that area, I guess the deluge at the start of the races didn't help - there were a couple of sections later on that had smal streams runnning down them.
Saying that, great course and would have been truly brilliant if it had ben a bit drier. Feeling it today though.
As other have said, unusually muddy for that area, I guess the deluge at the start of the races didn't help - there were a couple of sections later on that had smal streams runnning down them.
Saying that, great course and would have been truly brilliant if it had been a bit drier. Feeling it today though.
Before the start they re-routed some sections to avoid the mud, good job they did otherwise it would have been even worse....
Natrix junior enjoyed himself and managed a decent position despite a small crash and mechanical.
Before the start they re-routed some sections to avoid the mud, good job they did otherwise it would have been even worse....
Natrix junior enjoyed himself and managed a decent position despite a small crash and mechanical.
Great fun despite the weather. One observation from me is that I think the general event gets less serious and more friendly/fun once the mud appears.
Just pulled some mud out of my ear despite having had 2 showers since.
A very surprising 9th place in 2 hr old man cat, very happy with that! Some good photos online too, worth a look…
Well done to everyone who raced today at round 2. Proper destroy everything wet. Think my son got 2 laps out of a set of well bedded in brake pads, but went for a third lap anyway and just missed the 2hr cut off. Turn out looked good and the course looked fun. Big clean up now.
Yes that was a wet one alright. Decent result for myself, probably because the numbers were down abit :)))
Practice lap destroyed my front pads so a frantic pad change ensued just before the off. What I hadn't realised was that the brake pistons were not releasing properly and dragging all the life out of the new pads too. Spent the whole race trying not to use the front brakes as the lever was getting closer and closer to the grips
All good fun though and we'll done to all who raced.
It was horrendous today! I sacked it off after 2 laps as my brakes were ruined and I could feel the whole bike grinding away to nothing. It’s a new bike and I couldn’t face any more destruction!
Then my car wouldn’t start so the AA had to pay a visit! Not my finest day on a bike, in fact that might be the worst conditions I’ve raced in over my 30 years.
https://flic.kr/p/2qDMbxe
https://flic.kr/p/2qDKTkx
Respect all those that raced today.
Popped over to cheer on some friends who was racing on the gravel bike only to find out two stayed home lol..
Got some ace photos in some of trails and got to cheer on some very muddy wet mountain bikers..
Not sure if I can do this but here's a link to the photos I took today.
Will delete later in the week. But might have a photo of some of you who raced today.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/K5KDbaEbxjzHCwmu9
Great photos there! Sadly I don’t feature, but they capture the essence of the day!
I think I probably spoke to masterdabber and bigdaddy at the race, Natrix junior enjoyed it.
Some great photos Jay, maybe you could send one to the Trail Action Group for their photo of the week?
(The Trail Action Group has been set up by a group of local mountain bikers that would like to retain mountain bike access on MoD land and are concerned about the potential for loss of this access due to both the disruption to army manoeuvres and environmental impact. If anybody else would like to send in a photo, please do.)
Sorry no photos of you bigdaddy.
Natrix I think we saw your son riding gave a big cheer and well done keep going green hardtrail if am right.
Know the trail action group well to Natrix ?
green hardtrail if am right
Blue hardtail, but underneath all the mud probably looked green 🙂
Anybody racing Gorrick this Sunday???
I have a small chance of racing, but looks unlikely, I have grown up jobs to do rather than race my bike ?
Anybody racing this Sunday? Looks like better weather than the last two Brass Monkeys......
Yep, I’ll be there in the 2 hour old man category as usual. Definitely praying the forecast is accurate and we get a drier one!
Apparantly, Jason Streatham is filming in Minley at the moment, lets hope they wrap by Sunday!!
Apparantly, Jason Streatham is filming in Minley at the moment, lets hope they wrap by Sunday!!
Yup. They're filming. I went for a ride over there this morning and was stopped by security guys (all very pleasant and helpful though). They wouldn't tell me what was being filmed but car chase type stuff I believe. Managed to circumvent a lot of the restricted bit and get a decent ride in though. Thought it was riding pretty well in most parts... bit rooty and slippy in bits, many of the traditional trails look like they've recently been cleared. Some fire roads a bit muddy and, of course, still boggy in parts.
Apparantly, Jason Streatham is filming in Minley at the moment, lets hope they wrap by Sunday!!
Yup. They're filming. I went for a ride over there this morning and was stopped by security guys (all very pleasant and helpful though). They wouldn't tell me what was being filmed but car chase type stuff I believe. Managed to circumvent a lot of the restricted bit and get a decent ride in though. Thought it was riding pretty well in most parts... bit rooty and slippy in bits, many of the traditional trails look like they've recently been cleared. Some fire roads a bit muddy and, of course, still boggy in parts.
2 hour regular category for me
Boy was that cold!!!
Yes a tad nippy. But DRY at last!!:))
It was a good day for masterdabbber (Junior - not very junior)..... 5th in the 2 hour Open Class and 2nd Overall in class in the Brass Monkeys Series. Good course and in amazingly good condition given the recent weather. Interesting to see the badly damaged stunt car near the course on a fire road towards the bottom.
Gutted I missed it - suffering with manflu and feeling rough so stayed in bed! Was really looking forward to dry racing for once!
I rode yesterday. First one in a couple of years due to lots of surgery and injuries. Was so nice to be involved again. Really enjoyed the course.
Well done masterdabber, that was a good result.
the badly damaged stunt car
I did a practice lap on the Saturday with Natrix Junior and we had a look at the car. Apparantly there were three identical cars, but the crashed one had to be kept in its original crashed condition for continuity (they were paranoid about cyclists / passers-by writing their name in the dirt or something). Don't know what they would have done if it had rained and washed it clean.
Well done masterdabber, that was a good result.
the badly damaged stunt car
I did a practice lap on the Saturday with Natrix Junior and we had a look at the car. Apparantly there were three identical cars, but the crashed one had to be kept in its original crashed condition for continuity (they were paranoid about cyclists / passers-by writing their name in the dirt or something). Don't know what they would have done if it had rained and washed it clean.
Thanks @Natrix... btw, just for absolute clarification the masterdabber I referred to was our son .... not me.
Interesting about the car. When we there on Sunday we walked past the car and wondered what the person sitting in another car (not a stunt car) was doing a few meters away. Presumably guarding the crashed car.
also, the police car that was just ahead of you as you went over the bridge (and then visible again in the flat singletrack section a few minutes later)... was that a police officer guarding the set, or was it a car used in the filming?
Couldn't tell if there was anyone sat in it.
The police car was there on Saturday as well, I assumed that it was used in the filming as most film sets have their own private security. They often have private ambulance and/or fire engines on standby, but I've never seen a police car before. (Not even when they were filming a zombie film at Minley - just imagine if the zombies broke free of the set and roamed the local area!!!!!)
When I rode over there on Thursday I had to avoid the various area closures but did end up riding through their compound down at the bottom near the fields. There was a police car in there parked up but I never saw any actual police.
I've no idea if this embed of video will work or not given the current status of the forum but here goes....
Btw, not the greatest bit of video as my GoPro 8 kept freezing video (not audio though) and I lost a load of footage I thought I'd recorded.
OK, so embed didn't work.... how do I do that? Anyone?
Did anybody race the Gorrick Spring Series on Sunday? Great weather and a cracking course 😎
Nice course, nice weather. I did well for about 1:05 of my 1:10 race, couldn't quite keep it up for the end and ended up quarter of a minute off the group I had been with. Up until that point I dont think I had been more than 10m away from someone either ahead or behind for the entire race - XC is more fun with others!
One tiny bit of mud on the entire course, which inevitibly ended up on my bottle mouthpiece.
I'd been over there with the Gorrick team over the last couple of weeks doing some trail maintenance.... some resurfacing plus drainage, so that plus some dry weather made for nice conditions. I'd ridden the course back last Thursday and thought it was really nice.... I liked the new "downhill dippy" bit that came into play after the initial uphill climb. By the time of the race it had bedded in a lot.
Dabber, I think I saw your video on youtube. Pity you can't improve the drainage at Swinley..................
Yep, I was there, struggling in the vet + cat! What a beautiful day, and the course was great - the Strava trace shows just how many trails get squeezed into that space!
I didn’t eat properly and racing at midday didn’t suit me at all, properly bonked out of energy, didn’t complete the 4th lap which was disappointing, but loved the racing… Some nice official photos too