Bristol Bikefest
Ashton Court: 9-10/06/07
Mountain Trax had a small presence at the Bikefest this year; Ben and Calum paired up in the 12hr enduro and were leading for quite some time until Calum had a big off injuring himself and damaging his bike beyond use. Lorraine teamed up with good friend Jenn Hopkins to claim victory in the 12hr Womens Pairs, and Paul Howard arrived on Sunday after a few days riding on Exmoor to kick ass in the UK Singlespeed Champs claiming 5th place despite enforced beer drinking!
12 Hour Enduro - Is two better than one?
by Lorraine Staley
If anyone ever thought Swinley Forest was rooty then they should take a trip to Ashton Forest, home of the Bristol Bikefest. I decided to give it a go this year and with Mountain Mayhem in mind, myself and my good friend Jenn Hopkins (Minx/Kona) cooked up a plan to have a go at riding pairs together. Jenn herself has a huge amount of experience of riding at a competitive level in all forms; teams and pairs, but is at her best when riding solo, all on her trusty and beloved singlespeed.
Jenn and Lorraine stayed awake just long
enough into the night to get their
medals and hard earnt prizes
[ Photo courtesy of: Lisa Rowledge ]
This was to be my first foray in the world of pairs riding. I was told it would be harder than riding solo due to the start/stop nature of having to go full steam then stop, then go again, and all this for 12 hours on what has to have been one of the hottest days this year so far. Add in to that 5.5 miles of fast, relentless, root and rock infested singletrack. Now stir in a few cheeky climbs with a sprinkle of an infamous feature known as the scaffold bridge, and you have a recipe for a sweat and dust encrusted ride with hugely fun descents where you can practically throw yourself down the racing line (as Calum did, hurting his shoulder) lots of tree hugging singletrack and bone jarring, bike clattering fun. Oh, did I mention the breathing out your ****?
The plan was to go out there and have some fun and see what we could do. We opted to start on double laps, but keeping it organic as to how we felt and how the race was progressing. A Le Mans style start saw Jenn use her pointy elbows and singletrack skills as she picked her way through the course and riders to swing back round after 2 laps to hand over to me. My first lap was horrid, with a lot of riders still bunched up on the course the initial singletrack was full on, often vying for a good line with other riders with yet more hanging on your rear wheel. My second lap, thankfully, was more settled and I really enjoyed it. It soon became apparent that our biggest enemy on the day was the hot sun, by noon it was baking and both Jenn and I were finding it hard to eat and drink the required amounts without it coming back up on us as we rode around. With this in mind we switched to single laps after each completing 2 sets of double laps.
By the 7th or 8th hour the sun wasn't as fierce and it became a real joy to go out and try and blat around the course, although I visited the granny ring for the climbs I tried to keep the pace on when going through the singletrack.
Our final laps left us with 33 minutes to get round, and knowing I wouldn't be able to do this before the deadline we called it a day after completing 19 laps, happy, dusty, sweaty and winners of our category.
The finish deadline of 9pm meant that any rider completing their last lap after this time would not have it counted. This is great cos it stops the lurkers all congregating before the finish, or if you are pushing for an extra lap you have to be dead sure you can finish in time. (Ed.)
Was racing 12 hours in a pair harder than solo? Yes, decidedly. It's like riding at a fast solo pace as you only ever see your partner for a brief second at the start/finish but you know you have to keep at it as you're racing for two, and the full array of solo emotions are there.
Highlights: going kick arse fast in the big ring with no more gears down a long rooty descent, being told by Jenn we were first when I thought we were third, catching my mate up in the singletrack, the blissful ace lap where everything feels right - the line is spot on and you just feel the flow, going out on my last lap, sharing it with Jenn (awe).
Lowlights: stomach cramps and repeating rice pudding, the busy first lap, Jenn's puncture and lost minutes (her lowlight and much to her annoyance), the heat for us both, the lap where it feels like your legs have nothing in them and all speed has gone and you hit every root and rock like a beginner.
Was it hard? Yes bloody hard. Would I do it again?...most likely!
Calum and Ben also rode in the pairs but had to pull out due to a nasty full on wipe out Calum had (caused by another rider swerving into him) which not only bent his rear mech and hurt his shoulder, it also left him with no front brake lever! Thanks for sticking around and giving your support guys ;o).
UK Singlespeed Champs - The 3 B's
by Paul Howard
Biking, Beer and Burgers... The atmosphere at the Bikefest was very chilled (like Glastonbury on bikes) and even more so on Saturday night as the live bands rocked up and drunken bike jousting took to the arena. What a contrast to the emptiness of a National race where everyone's in bed by 9pm!
A 9am race start is very keen for a bunch of singlespeeders more intent on partying than racing but somehow approx 200 riders lined up in the field for the Le Mans start. Riders more used to "the race will start in the next 10 seconds" signal kept focused on Shaggy (the race organiser) downing a beer and holding the bottle aloft, the signal for us to run to our bikes. Shaggy promptly got bundled and a few riders couldn't find their bikes as it's customary for some 'handlers' to move them around. Lined up with George Budd (wearing his full West Drayton MBC team kit, I had opted to ride incognito in baggies and plain t-shirt so as to not look too racy) we got off to a flyer in the top 8 or so with clear singletrack ahead. I'd only preridden the first half a lap early in the morning to get a feel for the course, so riding most of it blind required some quick reactions and hasty line changes through the unrelenting rocky and rooty singletrack. But what a blast, a perfect challenge with only one gear to spin or grind and a huge grin factor to reward your effort. Completing lap one I was handed a Carlsberg in the "feedzone" due to being in the top ten, a few swigs downed and lap two follows with another tinnie thrust into my hand, I'm starting to enjoy this lark!
I fight out the final lap with a RAF rider. The beer must have started taking effect as he hugged a tree and lost his bike down a steep hill much to the spectators and my amusement! I held 5th postion to the finish where Shaggy handed me a full pint to down on the spot. I knew I could be "overtaken" now as my drinking up ability is legendarily rubbish. But the thirst of racing and post race gasping for breath somehow aided necking the pint. There were plenty of grins all round as riders sprinted in their single gear to the finish where post race recovery was aided by free burgers and yet more beer. I'm really getting to enjoy this now! Lorraine had opted to just ride one lap on her rigid singlespeed and was happy to call it quits after the exertions of the Enduro but her luck would come good later.
In typically slack fashion the prizegiving eventually got underway once George who won had completed his first lap riding Pairs in the 6hr enduro, a glutton for punishment! The prizegiving was almost the main feature of the day - the race being an incidental aside. Where else would you get a prize just for being called Dave, Nick or Rob? Or win a new Cotic frame for having the "shittiest bike"? The owner of which was visibly shocked and not at all offended by the sentiment! Or a wheelie competition for a Charge bike, after the four competitors each downed a pint of local cider of course. But the highlight for us was the call for riders wanting to win an entry to the Singlespeed Worlds in Aviemore in September. Lorraine was encouraged to get up along with 9 others, none of whom were prepared for quite such ritual humiliation. Chipps (of Singletrack mag) was to judge a frenetic dance competition to the sounds of "Tiger Feet". Cue the crowd falling about in hysterics as they showed their moves. Lorraine's rabbit dance obviously caught Chipps' attention and shouts of "GIVE IT TO THE GIIIINNNGGGERS" swayed his decision as she and a ginger haired chap won whisky laced cake and their Worlds entry.
So there you have it, a great fun weekend away; racing, socialising, fantastic warm weather and great trails. If only all events were this cool!