i'll do my quick review now then, well, longer than the previous "this happened and now i am off to the pub post!"
me and makster started at the back of the group at around 12.15pm, the 6 hour race starts 15mins after the 12 hour race. i like starting from the back of the race, you don't get the super keen race heads barging you and as a result the trail infront of you is less occupied which means it's way more fun!
my first lap was a learning curve, i hadn't ridden the Vit T2 in ages and i forgot how flexy it was meaning i had to re-learn to sit and climb as opposed to occaisionally get out of the saddle. the first section of the lap was the edge of a field then into some great single track that wound it's way down then slowly up and out on to a field which was a slight climb but seemed to drag then back into some more single track which again was great then again out onto a field which again, slog! then more climbing singletrack eventually out on to a private-ish road which is a very steep climb (this is approx 1/2 lap) then again more awesome in and out up and down singletrack all of which rolls fast, then across a field where luckily the wind was beautifully behind us on every lap and again back into the trees for one of the best singletrack in and out of trees descents i have ever ridden!!
after a little more single track and a blast through some more trees you were back at the (small) arena.
who ever the course designer was deserves a pint!
i was happy with my first lap which i think was about 54minutes but i was hot so i quickly stopped to remove a layer, had a quick drink and an energy gel and carried on, the second lap generally felt faster but the super keen race heads started lapping about half way through, i'd wait for slow bits and keep an eye out and pull aside so they could pass unhindered as i didn't want to hold any of the quick boys up.
on the 3rd lap it started to rain but frankly it was welcome, i was pretty hot so it helped me keep nice and cool, it then stopped and i finished my lap.
i had decided i would change bikes at this point, mainly because i knew i would be getting tired so changing to (cough cough) modern would be more upright and with suspension, so after a few energy bars and some more water i started out on my 4th lap, quite a difference on the 07 clockwork. the main thing i noticed was i could hit things harder and faster on the downhill sections but strangely i noticed one section i felt slower with less control, i am not sure whether this was because i was more tired or it was because the turns were very tight and the wheel base of the bike is longer :? either way i got round and decided to have a longer stop and eat then roll around one more lap.
the 5th lap was slow and i kept stopping to take breaks, i'll admit i was knackered by this time but then that was the point! go as far as i could and my goal was to do 5 laps in total and i had achieved this
i finished the 5th lap at about 5.30pm so by my working i think i averaged about 1 hour per lap which i am very happy with because it was a slow course, but in a good way, there were no 30mph open downhills it was all in and out of trees technical downhills so the average was never gonna be high.
having looked at the computers on both bike the details are:-
from the 3 laps on the vit T2
2 hours 37 mins, average 8.2 mph,21.75 miles
from the 2 laps on the clockwork
1 hour 47 mins, average 8.1 mph, 14.51 miles, max speed 24.4mph
i will defo look out for pics via the spambiking website.
haven't cleaned the bikes yet, they aren't too bad but i had other things to do!!