Set2Rise 2010

[Birdman]

Anyone else out there doing the Set2rise in a few weeks? One of the best courses I have ridden / raced on , lots of singletrack and not too many riders on the course to trip up over.

http://www.spambiking.co.uk/eventsOpen.asp?eventID=21

I'm riding with Mr Heathy in a four, if the volcano doesn't stuff my flight up that day. :shock:

 

[Neil G]

Yes, signed up for solo a while back having done the last 2 in a team and a pair

Not sure what bike I'm doing it on yet as it depends on the weather...if it stays like this though the Hei Hei is coming out.

Is there going to be a Retrobike stand/area?

 

[Birdman]

No formal Retrobike presence as far as I am aware, we've got a Gazebo for shelter if required, keep an eye out for Heathy's van (big white transit with White Horse Furniture on the side) and we'll be close by.

I'll be racing my Pace whatever the weather, though I really hope its as good as last year! Best bit was the dawn lap with all the mist in the meadows, worst bit was taking a wrong turn in the middle of the night and going the wrong way down the big descent at the top of the second climb and having to ride back up it again to find the course

 

[Neil G]

I'll have to come and say hello.

Think ekiborter (Luke) is doing it on his Hei Hei as well.

 

[ekiborter]

Hi fellas sorry I didn't bump into too many of you folks at set2rise.

I had a right blast on the Hei Hei. V-brakes stood up impeccably to the sloshy mud.

I only managed 5 laps of the course as I didn't start riding until 8.15pm ragged myself until about 1pm and then decided to stop for some food ......and went and got comfortable in the awning with a blanket hot tea and biscuits and just didn't go back out lol.

The course was excellent and was getting faster in the woods as the water drained (but got more slimy and sketchy down in the lower wood section) really fun time!

next year I'm going to take the day off work (it's always sooo busy at work as we have our spring bank holiday sale on the Saturday and Monday at AvonValleyCyclery) so as to arrive on time and and not just eat a doughnut for lunch!

NeilG you looked good and fresh in the morning when we were chatting... did you put out 8 laps?

I feel fairly stiff now and have a nice wolverine-esque chainring gash(es) on my calf.

I was really impressed by the general attitude of folks out on the course all very swift to let you past and or very thankful to be let past if they were flying, and as we left the site looked pretty tidy very little-to-no litter around.

 

[Birdman]

Got there just in time to see the start, having been told our team wasn't going to be pushing too hard, out first rider came round in 4th place after the first lap :shock:

Come 6 am and some great riding from the guys and we had managed to bag 3rd place in the Male team rankings, result!

The course seemed to vary between a bit claggy / gloopy and then dry lines would appear and be gone again, apart from the final wooded twisty stuff which was lethal until the end. Lots of good singletrack and descents with the ever welcome field blast back down from Peartree Hill to test your nerve and lights through the darkness.

official pix up here http://www.photo-it.com/index.htm

 

[Neil G]

Apologies as well for not seeing many people, kind of got there and once I had started tried to bash out as many laps as poss so I wouldn't have to do too many in the morning! Quite pleased with doing 8 laps on my first attempt at a solo ride and definately got the food intake right (no bonkage like last year!).

Good to catch you in the morning Luke, I did feel okay in the morning (apart from the chaffage!)...next year I think some long distance training is in order to discover any problems before the race.

Course was good and did get much quicker/easier as the night went on...bottom section of singletrack never did dry out as much as the rest as was crazy slippery, kinda reminded me of riding on slush over ice at the beginning of the year when we had that cold snap!

 

[ekiborter]

The nice folks took a couple of cool pictures of me...
http://www.photo-it.com/photos/spam/29- ... /index.htm
picture 13 and 45 in the unknown riders set.

 

[Neil G]

Cool, I do take my hat off to you for riding the Hei Hei in those conditions!