Brass Monkeys 5th Place Series Overall

Brass Monkeys Series official standings released. Even better than I thought.

Brass Monkeys Rnd 4 - The Finale

3 months, 4 venues, 17hours 45minutes and 168 miles of racing. The brilliant Brass Monkeys Winter Series is over for another year!

Before                                                                 After

Going into the final round on Sunday I was looking to consolidate my top ten position in the series. A similar situation as the previous two years, where illness and mechanical problems had twice conspired to leave me outside the points.

You will always need a helping hand from Lady Luck to navigate the best part of 18 hours racing spread over 3 months, without a mechanical, a puncture, injury or illness. You can help yourself with careful planning and preparation. So by all accounts I should have been in serious trouble come Sunday.

Exhausted after a hectic week at work which had included 6 hours on Saturday, when I finally got home all I'd really felt like doing was putting my feet up. Instead I huddled in a chilly shed checking over the bike. To my horror I discovered that I had clearly finished my last race with the cranks no longer attached to each other! A frantic dash for spares to the one local bike shop that was still open, enabled me to fudge a solution using some ancient old cranks scavenged from my wife's bike. Once this work was done it was too late for a sensible dinner, instead I settled for two fish fingers and a bacon butty before heading to bed. Hardly the food of champions!

The series has been quite spectacularly blighted by poor weather -the latest winter storm sweeping in just as the riders gathered for the start. The rain beat down on shivering bodies and soaked into the already saturated earth. I was wet; I was cold and that was pretty much how I remained for the next 5 hours, except I got considerably more muddy! The hilly course was already a challenge of endurance, the increasingly slippery conditions contriving to make thing much tougher; stealing all traction on the climbs and robbing you of control on the decents.

Days like this are all about survival. I entered my own little world, a cacoon of shivering arms and tired legs, just turning over the pedals and staying out of trouble. I have no recollection of people talking to me or offering encouragement from the sidelines. I lost count of the number of laps I had completed, crossing the line in a daze. Seeking comfort in the heated marque, warmth slowly seeped back into my limbs bringing me back to life. Focusing on the live timing screen infront of me I read - Ben Connor : 8th! 

This evening  nursing aching limbs and some bruises from a fall, I sat down to calculate my series position. (The official results will be published later in the week.) I am hugely satisfied to complete one of the grimest winters of racing 6th in the overall standings. All those hours of toiling in the mud and training in the rain have paid off. I'm genuinely very pleased with this positive and encouraging start to the year!

Review - Specialized Sub Zero Gloves

I am one of those who struggles with cold hands on the bike. It has been a problem area for a number of years and I have tried a variety of solutions. Would the Sub Zero finally be the glove that kept my pinkies warm?

There is nothing worse than a great winters ride being ruined by cold hands. I frequently amuse my friends at coffee stops by peeling off three layers of gloves. Like Russian dolls on each hand! They meanwhile will have been coasting along in normal long fingered gloves, the kind I'd reserve for July and August. So I am conscious that I have a particular issue with my extremities

  

The warmest gloves I have ever owned were a pair of mittens. The advantage of mittens is that your fingers have each other to keep themselves warm. The BIG disadvantage is the lack of control you face operating gears and brakes. Its a bit like trying to drive in your slippers, and on a mountain bike especially, could be highly dangerous.

So on paper the Sub Zero looks to tick several boxes.

• It comes with a separate thin liner glove to help layer up in extreme cold.
• It has two semi mitten type fingers that mean your digits are cosied up next to each other.
• The slightly strange lobster claw styling means that you can safely reach for the brake and hold the handlebar at the same time.

To be honest this winter has been more of the mild and damp variety so far. However, there have been a few frosty mornings to test the Sub Zero's abilities. Only once have I needed to use the liner, which actually looks like it'll make a pretty decent spring/autumn glove if used on its own. This also makes the £40-50 outlay seem a little more reasonable. Most of the time the two fingered outer mit has been more than enough - which is testament to how warm these gloves are. In fact when riding home I've sometimes found them almost too hot! So thermal performance can't be faulted. I have finally ditched all my merino liners and latex gloves in favour of these beauties. 

Useful thin liner glove

I say beauties but to be honest I did have to endure some humorous comments regarding my new claw hands. Also they are reasonably bulky so you do loose some sensitivity and dexterity when riding, but I guess that is the price you pay for warm hands.

The Sub Zero also boldly claims to be waterproof. I've had the misfortune to have tested Specialized "Hypora" shell in some quite extreme conditions. Truth be told the water does creep in after around 40 minutes. Part of the problem is those nice long cuffs, which do such an excellent job of sealing over your sleeves to keep out the cold. In the rain they unfortunately channel all the water that drips down your arms straight into the gloves.

Despite the dubious waterproof claims these gloves have revolutionised my cycling this winter. No more cursing as I try and stretch a third glove over two pairs of inners. No more dancing around trying to shake some feeling into my finger tips when I reach the office in the morning. If like me you suffer from cold hands on the bike I 100% recommend the Sub Zero.

Brass Monkeys - Round 3

I’d been readying my wetsuit and snorkel in preparation for the race on Sunday. Much of the country is currently knee deep in water and the weather forecast for Sunday was laced with phrases like “severe weather warning” and “flood risk”. Yet I woke up to a crisp, chilly morning which added the prospect of ice into the equation. At the Ash Ranges venue bright and early, the grass was still white with frost and there was an early detour in place to avoid a stretch of sheet ice. 

It was a tough course with little opportunity for respite. I’m not going to say it wasn’t muddy, but the course was amazingly dry considering the amount of rain we have had over the past month. The challenge was finding firmer ground, riders tip toeing along the sides of the trail, or even through the heather, in search of traction. The woodland sections stood up well and remained grippy throughout the race. Unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for the open trails, which deteriorated as the race progressed. What had been the best line only a lap before might be impassable just 40 minutes later. In the end, I was finding that due to its firmer base the original track was often the best bet, once your tyres cut through the upper layer of slop.

Plunging through areas of mud and mirk our chains and brakes began to complain more and more. Each turn of the pedal was met by a graunching, grinding noise as sand and grit was ground between chain and chainrings. I’d fitted new brake pads before the race, which was good as I could feel the resistance as the disk forced it’s layer of dirt through the calliper.

I started well and although a lead group slipped away I found myself at the front of a following group with whom I spent much of the race. I tried frequently to escape, but after each effort I’d glance back over my shoulder to see a long line of grimacing faces. Swapping positions as different sections of the course played to our individual strengths we fought the elements, our own bodies and each other up every climb and down the singletrack.

As the laps ticked by the race thinned out, mechanical issues accounted for some and the conditions took their toll on others. Coming into the sixth lap I had a little dig on the first climb, where traction was now quite limited. Despite tyres slipping and spinning I had finally escaped those behind! Keen to maintain my advantage, I was also conscious of keeping something in reserve for the final lap. However, I had miscalculated how much my lap times had slowed in the poor conditions. Counting the seconds on my Garmin I was aware I was getting tight for time. Despite a late effort I crossed the line just a few minutes after the 4 hour cut-off. I was at least saved an additional lap of suffering! 13^th position- my best result of the series so far. One round to go!

2013 Summary

Its that time to reflect on the last 12 months and look ahead to 2014.

The intended highlight of the year was the opportunity to race at the London 2012 Olympic venue. I was already excited this time last year, and the race wasn't until August! Unfortunately things didn't go to plan on the day. It was an extremely technical course and I fell badly during practice on Saturday, breaking some ribs. After an uncomfortable night I gave the race a go on Sunday but had to pull out on my second lap due to the pain. It was a massive disappointment, but at least it is a tale to tell the Grandchildren!

I did manage to get the bike home at Hopton Wood, the third round of the national series. Although it wasn't my best day's racing it'll prove invaluable experience for the national championships which are to be held there next summer.



National Series - Hopton Wood - June

There is no doubt that at the end of the summer I was riding stronger and faster than I probably ever have. Unfortunately a string of race cancellations and mechanical issues with the bike meant I failed to translate any of this performance into decent results. The only occasion this year where I troubled the front of the race was my 4th place finish at the Are You Tough Enough, Army enduro. That is five 4th placed finishes since I last stood on a podium, so I'm desperate to go at least one place better next year.

Away from the race scene I've enjoyed some brilliant rides. Gloriously scenic, epic alpine riding in Switzerland during August. I even took advantage of some quiet French roads while travelling on business. Socially weekend rides now revolve around the obligatory coffee stop. I think Compton Village Stores wins hands down due the quality and quantity of cakes provided!

I would like to take the opportunity to thank South Downs Bikes. Providing not just kit but also assistance with transportation to race events. This has meant I was able to take in more of the national scene than I have in previous years.

Also I am pleased to have continued promoting the Fast Find Ranger personal locator beacon around the country this year. For those that need reminding, click the link on the left of the page. This small GPS distress beacon could save your life if something unexpected should happen to you while out on the trails.

2013 stats:

• 205 rides
• 6700 miles
• 456 hours in the saddle
• Best Result: 4th

Looking ahead to 2014: January should see the arrival of a new bike so stay posted for that! Race wise I intend to focus on my strengths this year. Looking more towards the longer enduro format of racing.

All that remains is to say, Merry Christmas and thank you for reading my blog. The Ben Races Bikes blogsite has clocked up 19,000 hits over the past twelve months, so I hope you have found it interesting as there will be more of the same in the new year!

Ben

Brass Monkeys - Round 2

As a cyclist you’ll have days when you can ride like a train all day, and times when your legs seem to have turned to lead overnight. The strange thing is you know which it is going to be from the first turn of the pedals.

Three weeks ago at round 1 I could just ride and ride! I pushed from the start, attacked the hills and had energy for every overtake before surging to the line. Sunday was the exact opposite; I was struggling from beginning to end!

I didn’t repeat the mistake of the first race. Making a much better start, I slotted in around 20^th and avoided the inevitable congestion further back. Over-heating was my initial problem. I was one of a minority of riders who’d opted for overshoes and arm warmers. Chasing around the dry trails in relatively mild temperatures, this looked to be a big mistake.

As expected at Caesars Camp, the course had several taxing climbs. The main hill was seemingly endless, repeatedly kicking up again and again. However, it will be the loose, rocky vertical incline later in the lap that will be forever etched in the memories of the riders.

Over the first lap I gained some places but struggled physically and mentally as other riders zoomed past. Then the wind picked up and it started to rain. The trails became increasingly treacherous and slippery. Finally my overshoes were invaluable as I plunged on through the seven mile mudfest.

Lap three, half way and I was dead on my feet. The thought of even one more trip up those climbs was enough to send me crawling back to the comfort of the car. Hauling myself across the line, the commentator said I was in 16^th. Wow! This was the motivation I needed, so I gulped a gel, ate an energy bar and pushed on.

To give an idea of how bad conditions became, my first lap was 37minutes, but by the end I was sliding around in 48 minutes. I’d still made up a position, finishing 15^th. Surprisingly three places better than round 1.

It only goes to show that even if you feel terrible it’s worth persevering.

Compton Cakes

After three hours Ian and I arrived at Compton village stores for a Cappuccino and cake. Last time we had ventured this far we hadn't dared to even enter the shop as we were so plastered in mud and detritus. However after several weeks of dry winter weather we reclined in the the chairs outside relatively spotless.

To get here we had ridden up from Oaks on the A27 near Fontwell. Rear lights flashing in the morning gloom, we'd enjoyed the dry singletrack around Whiteways, before winding our way up to Bignor. The climb had warmed us up but it was still too misty to enjoy the view. So we followed the hill past Benges along to the Trundle above Goodwood.

Diving down to West Dean there was still a real chilly nip in the air. However, with the undulating Downland ahead we knew we'd soon be sweating into our gillets! First up was the horrible steep climb after the school, to what I call 'Puncture Alley'. Safely navigated without any deflating tyres it was on to the long climb past the charcoal burners to the South Downs Way.

For a change we thought we'd stay on the national trail through to Harting. As we heaved ourselves over the grassy, eroded Pen Hill we remembered why we often skirt around this section of trail! At least the sun  was now out and we could enjoy the reward of stunning views north to Midhurst, and south to the coast and the Isle of Wight. After Pen there are a couple more testing climbs before Harting Down itself, where we struggled for traction on the greasy chalk.

From Harting it is downhill to our refreshment stop at Compton. We were just shy of 1000m of climbing as we sat and watched the shop owner sweep the remaining leaves from the square outside the shop. 400m of vertical ascent still lay ahead, as we had to navigate Kingley Vale before finally dropping down to Chichester and the flat roads home. For now however, we enjoyed the cake and relished a great December day's cycling.