SSUK 2018 IOW

[gordonbennett]

Not strictly a bike packing event but wondered if there were any Boners attending this year?

Having only just fitted a cassette and the other bits for the SDW last weekend, I'm single again — ladies! — in time for the weekend bash in a couple off weeks.

I'll be heading down from Lewes so should be touching down in the afternoon sometime.

Anyone else have it in their diary?

Is it as boozy as I'm led to believe?

[Lazarus]

too far for me to travel ,and the other folk i usually attend with, which is a shame as we love it generally

Yes its a pretty boozy affair but I am sure you will love it

[sean_iow]

I'll be there but not sure I'll bother camping.... the site is only a 10 minute ride through the woods from my house

It's the first one I'll have been to so looking forward to it. My wife is coming as well but due to back issues she's not able to ride a singlespeed I did assemble one from the parts box for her but it was too much of a strain. Is she likely to get much stick for having gears?

[Lazarus]

she wont be able to "race " on it and in the past they have just taped up the gears on bikes that do have gears

Given there are riders in fancy dress, the half way point by tradition has a bar that it is mandatory to stop at and imbibe , its a pretty leisurely affair - except for the fast people at the front

I dont think she will get anything beyond a little bit of banter for gears - I took a geared bike to last years for riding in the lakes on non "race" days and no one said anything to me

Its good humoured and whilst i am sure there are some singlespeed till i die types there its essentially a field full of people who like bikes and enjoy the crack.
I think i have done about 6 of them iiirc

I say "race" as only a very limited number of people are actually racing the rest of us are just there.

[sean_iow]

She definitely won't be racing I think the plan this year from the organiser is a ride out to the beach from the campsite, 2 routes, one harder and one 'family and child friendly' and then the actual racing will be on the beach, so flat, with a handicap to favour those who went on the longer/hillier ride to the start.

She does have Jones loops (the riser type as well) so that might distract attention from her rear mech. I'll probably be 'racing' as a local should try and put on a good show but given the race is on the flat and likely to be a relatively short duration I'm not sure my riding this year will have prepared me for it all that well

[gordonbennett]

Oh great, looking forward to this even more now! I've spent a lot of time on the IOW but not much riding.

How many people turn up in fancy dress then? Are we talking about a handful of people or do most people make an effort? Got a couple of ideas up my sleeve…

[Specialist Hoprocker]

Yes I'm booked up for both nights. Thoroughly looking forward to spending the weekend with a bunch of other oddballs.

What u riding @gordonbennett? I'll keep and eye out for you. I'm on an orange Pinnacle 29er with Jones bars.

[Lazarus]

Are we talking about a handful of people

yes t perhaps 10-20 - its not required,

[gordonbennett]

What u riding @gordonbennett? I'll keep and eye out for you. I'm on an orange Pinnacle 29er with Jones bars.

Green Stooge with plus size wheels and a couple of anything cages ghetto clamped to the front forks.

See you on the island!

[Specialist Hoprocker]

See you on the island!

Careful now.... i think they call it the mainland over there!

[sean_iow]

Careful now.... i think they call it the mainland over there!

Nope, we're on the Island and you lot are on the mainland, or North Island as some of us call it

As you'll be here on holiday you'll be grockles, but if you moved over you'd be upgraded to an overner

We've had a bit of here rain today but it's needed to damp down the dust on the trails, should be a cracking weekend.

[Specialist Hoprocker]

Nope, we're on the Island and you lot are on the mainland, or North Island as some of us call it

.

Thanks - I don't want to upset the natives!

[sean_iow]

If any if the Boners going would like my mobile number then drop me a PM. I'll be at the event anyway but if you need to contact me for assistance/local knowledge then texting/calling me is the best chance of getting a response as I probably won't be looking at the forum much over the weekend.

I live just over a mile from the camp-site so if for instance you break your bike/need a tool you didn't bring I might be able to help from my reasonably well equipped shed

[belugabob]

Well, I've discovered that riding from Ryde to the campsite without going near any of those tricky 'moderate speed, but lots of blind corners' type of roads is harder than you'd think.

I think I've got it cracked, though, so I'll see any of you 'Boners' (Ooer) who may be attending, there.