Dirty Reiver: 200k UK Gravel event

[Ray Young]

I hope to be up for this, maybe we could have a Beartbones gathering at the campsite. Be good to put some faces to names.

[GregMay]

Entries are live.

[adjustablewench]

£45?! and no cake - what sort of crazy event is this?!

....still tempted though

Edit - i take that back there are cake bars at feed stations

[GregMay]

It's a race. Someone needs to make money. Rather Steve than CRC.

[adjustablewench]

it says it isn't a race - the whole bridleway issue again i presume. I appreciate people like to make money . . . just a bit of shock to the system when we are used to the benevolent daddy bearbones, where we dont pay much and often a chunk of what we pay goes to the air ambulance

edit - and this isn't a grumble - i do realise there is a lot more support on this ride with feedstations etc!

[GregMay]

It's a race just like the GL200, HR550, LL200 and everything else aren't a race.

I'll be at the front in lycra full of gels either way.

[mikehowarth]

This promises to be a cracking event, I know Paul is working really hard to bring this together.

Given his experience having ridden many of the big gravel races in the states I imagine the event will be pretty dialed and will become a firm fixture in the calendar.

[ton]

rode 40 miles on kielder tracks in august.............to say they are the most mind numbingly boring in the whole of the UK is not far from the mark. 200k of them would be the cycling equivalent of a Dostoevsky book.

[ianfitz]

it says it isn't a race - the whole bridleway issue again i presume. I appreciate people like to make money . . . just a bit of shock to the system when we are used to the benevolent daddy bearbones, where we dont pay much and often a chunk of what we pay goes to the air ambulance

edit - and this isn't a grumble - i do realise there is a lot more support on this ride with feedstations etc!

It will be interesting to see how this goes, it should be a great event. but...

For me one interesting bit is just saying its not a race doesn't make it not a race. If you start 400+ cyclists in a group start and have awards based on the finishing times then it sounds to me like it meets british cyclings criteria for being, erm, a race. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of everything that BC do and how they work, and I'd really not like seeing Stuart in a BC blazer and clipboard checking our bike over before the start of the BB200, but they are the governing body for cycling. They have a set of rules and requirement for bike races and events, and while its possible to diverge from these a big event brings greater scrutiny,organisation and infrastructure. So potentially organisers could be in a situation where they need to justify why they are not following the guidelines/requirement/rules of the national governing body.

I had a very similar experience in fell running race organisation where the governing body reacted, in my opinion, poorly to a situation which led to me spitting the dummy and refusing to organise any more races under those rules.

Also if its using forestry land (and lets face it it would be hard not to from kielder) then there will be charges from them for access so some of the cash will be heading that way.

[adjustablewench]

I really wasn't grumbling, clearly a lot of work has gone in to this.

I suspect it is the presence of a designated bridleway or two that prevents it from being a race - surely an issue that needs sorting. Events should be allowed to call themselves what they are rather than dodgy around various loopholes just to exist? I imaging fell runners can be times on bridleways - so why can't cyclists (correct me if im wrong!).

As for charges - yes i can see loads more input and expense compared with a BB event - the shock was merely from a grumbling miser point of view Timing equipment, feed stations, medical support and signage all cost and i do think people should be able to make some money from the time and effort they put into these things.

[Dan_K]

Not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a simple, unsupported arrangement similar to BB200 etc. This is basically a full on sportive and not really my thing.
By the time I factor in petrol and a couple of meals, it's verging on £150, which could be a return flight somewhere nice!

Good luck to those who enter.
Enjoy!

[Bearbonesnorm]

I think the entry price is pretty much in-line with the majority of sportives, which given the mechanical back-up, feed stations, signage, etc is pretty much what it is. Prices for events that have a proven format will generally be dictated by what the market are willing / already paying. I don't think BB events make a good pricing yardstick ........ we do it 'cos we love you all

[Dan_K]

Yeah, I understand that Stu. I'm not saying that the price is unreasonable for what is on offer.
I wasn't expecting it to be a sportive.

[adjustablewench]

I think the entry price is pretty much in-line with the majority of sportives, which given the mechanical back-up, feed stations, signage, etc is pretty much what it is. Prices for events that have a proven format will generally be dictated by what the market are willing / already paying. I don't think BB events make a good pricing yardstick ........ we do it 'cos we love inflicting suffering on you all

fixed that for you stu

[Scattamah]

@AW - it's only suffering if you want it to be :)

Greetz

S.

[adjustablewench]

maybe - but i'm not sure it was optional on the BB200 2014

[jameso]

It's not a race, it's a sportive surely? ; )

[Bearbonesnorm]

Yeah, I understand that Stu. I'm not saying that the price is unreasonable for what is on offer.
I wasn't expecting it to be a sportive.

No, I'm with you Dan. I too expected more of a self-supported / bikepacking / ITT type vibe. I was a little surprised by the level of outside assistance given that the 'Gravel' scene in the US largely works on the self-supported ethos.

I suppose it's catch 22, having more organisation in place means that the event will appeal to many more riders, which in turn makes it viable to run. I think the more rigid a structure something has, the more mass appeal it holds. Telling people, 'okay, you're on your own, off you go' is a difficult thing to sell ... in 7 years, the highest number of riders at the WRT is around 150, most event organisers would view that as a complete failure that's unsustainable ... I think it's ace

maybe - but i'm not sure it was optional on the BB200 2014

For most, that's probably true ... although I do recall the lad (sorry, I never knew your name) who was a serving Para, having a great time

[Moder-dye]

Mmmm... decisions, decisions. Need to persuade a mate up here he wants to do it too to share the ridiculous cost of getting down for it.

Any thoughts on suitable tyres for a 29er hardtail? I'm thinking some slimmer, not too aggressive ones??

[GregMay]

Mmmm... decisions, decisions. Need to persuade a mate up here he wants to do it too to share the ridiculous cost of getting down for it.

Any thoughts on suitable tyres for a 29er hardtail? I'm thinking some slimmer, not too aggressive ones??

Perhaps worry about training rather than tyres.

[ianfitz]

Mmmm... decisions, decisions. Need to persuade a mate up here he wants to do it too to share the ridiculous cost of getting down for it.

Any thoughts on suitable tyres for a 29er hardtail? I'm thinking some slimmer, not too aggressive ones??

Perhaps worry about training rather than tyres.

train on swamp thing super tacky special edition or minions and fit maxxis ikons or aspens for the race

[Moder-dye]

Don't worry I am worrying about training, I'm always worrying about training

Just thinking for the distance if it's CX/gravel road type thing that something a little swifter than the 2.3 tyres I just wrangled on to the bike might be in order.

If my mate can make it he'll be on a CX and leaving me for dust anyway, finishing before the cut offs will be my aim.

[Bearbonesnorm]

train on swamp thing super tacky special edition

I actually do all my coaching on these - stupid, stupid tyre that allow you to take some real liberties

[Ray Young]

They can close roads to allow bike racing, they can close town centres to allow bike racing, the Three Peaks uses foot paths in parts for bike racing so why oh why can't we race on bridleways occasionally, its just dumb. One xc race I did many years ago crossed a bridleway and the marshals made you get off your bike to cross it, all three feet of it!

[ton]

did we used to be allowed to race on b-ways?
I am sure I did a karrimor 50 mile race, years ago, on welsh b-ways.