Sydney 24 hour

[MrCove]

who's going?

the track is awesome, there IS going to be some carnage!!!
i recommend a xc full sus, 2.1ish tyres with low profile tread such as Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, Hutch Pythons, etc
there are a faaaaaast sections, plenty of technical singletrack with double lines in places (which to choose which to choose!?!??!) and a killer short and steep climb

regestration still available on www.sydney24hour.com

[MrCove]

review submitted to the web site etc:-


The first of the track reviews is below – courtesy of WSMTB Club XC Vice-President Adam ‘Cove’ Fernyhough. More will appear on the event website at the end of the weekend, along with photos of the track.

10.1 Dargle 24 hour Track Review

Ask any MX-er or Downhill MTB-er about Dargle and they will tell you the same thing - it’s tough!! So the S24Hr track continues along that theme – tough, but an enjoyable ride.

First off from the transition area you enter the start of the ‘Britz Sandman’, part of one of Dargle’s MX courses. You’ll need to build up some speed to hit the short steep sandy hill which takes you over a wide level track onto a short down then into the first singletrack section. Weaving up the rocky singletrack takes you a very steep pinch climb – the second hardest of the lap, started by a hairpin to get you in line to tackle the escarpment, ‘Vicious Pinch’ has another tight switch at the top leads you to the ‘Lab Gear Top Track’, hardpack, sand and rocks.

This undulates all along the top of the escarpment, ducking past trees and keeping to the natural contours of the land, in some places the singletrack splits into ‘doubletrack’. This is ideal for that quick overtaking manoeuvre but be aware some of the other lines have pretty deep sand traps. At the end of the Lab Gear Top Track - after passing through a rocky dip you come out at the top of a steep short downhill, the ‘Fibrax Freefall’ with a sharp left hander halfway down, emerging form this line you will enter the ‘Maddens Tunnel of Love’, a wonderfully canopied sticky singletrack running level alongside the farm track.

Exiting the tunnel takes you onto a fire-trail style farm track level leading you to ‘Lynchy’s Lost World’. A purposely cut in section winding through trees and alongside the creek emerging onto a doubletrack which leads you back to the farm track after crossing a manmade causeway.

Back on the farm track you can speed on to the ‘26 Inches Low Track’, this enters the bush in almost the same place as you emerge from the ‘Lab Gear Top Track’ and offers more technical singletrack riding before spitting you out back on the farm track to tackle a small bermed field section which leads you into the ‘St Ives Cycles Swamp’.

Crossing a pallet bridge the ‘St Ives Cycles Swamp’ offers a surprisingly fast section around its perimeter and finishes with a small jump out and onto an off camber climb leading into the dusty far side of Dargle. From here it’s still no easy ride, with a series of short up and downs leading into a huge ‘tabletop’ at the edge of an old MX area, don’t panic we don’t expect you to be railing berms around it!!

From the tabletop a sharp right-hander takes you into ‘Deep Cove’ with wide singletrack hugging along the trees. Staying just in the tree line alongside the level paddock you eventually pass by the exit of the DH track, just don’t look!!! When these guys come out of here they are seriously airborne. Fortunately you will be spared from that ordeal as our track passes by it and leads to probably the most difficult climb on the course (which, by the way, is NOT up the DH track!).

Starting as a steep fire road the ‘Camelbak Climb’ fiercely elevates you to a sharp left hand bend which hugs the side of the hill as you climb on even more. The reward for this is yet another long singletrack – look left to enjoy the views back over the event centre and valley. This heads firstly slightly downhill then slightly up ‘The Tree Fellas Ridge’ ridge finally ends with a little step up onto a wider path which in turn leads to another left hander and back down the ‘SMAX Chute’ to base camp level, emerging in the paddock in the camping area. A level zig zag takes you into transition and if you are lucky your team mate will be there waiting, if you’re not then off you go again!!!

[Squidly Didly]

Ahh i'll be there. Will be unveiling the Fly's sister for her maiden race. Gonna be a hoot. Now that i've got a bike sorted, there's still one more dilema to overcome... to lycra bandit, or not to lycra bandit :P

[MrCove]

you know you want to squid!!!

who's in your team?

[Squidly Didly]

you know you want to squid!!!

who's in your team?
Team Viagra :P

[tyno]

who's going?

I. Look for the solo rider on the Stars'n'stripes Cannondale hardtail with lefty passed out on the side of the track.


the track is awesome, there IS going to be some carnage!!!


Excellent! Here's hoping it not one of us.


i recommend a xc full sus, 2.1ish tyres with low profile tread such as Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, Hutch Pythons, etc
there are a faaaaaast sections, plenty of technical singletrack with double lines in places (which to choose which to choose!?!??!) and a killer short and steep climb


So a hardtail with 1.8" semislicks and 32t little ring isn't such a good idea for a solo rider then? Shit. I'll have to rethink my whole race strategy now.

[MrCove]

RE: SINGLESPEED
at least it won't be too heavy to carry!!!!

probably could mash it out on a single speed but why would you want to?

:-)

[tyno]

RE: SINGLESPEED
at least it won't be too heavy to carry!!!!

probably could mash it out on a single speed but why would you want to?

:-)

You're addicted to pain. You hate your knees and your name is Hugh Flower. If none of these apply, gears are your friend.

[Squidly Didly]

You're addicted to pain. You hate your knees and your name is Hugh Flower. If none of these apply, gears are your friend.
'Flower Power' to the extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem :!:

[Rik]

to lycra bandit, or not to lycra bandit :P
Team Viagra :P
No lycra when there's viagra involved! Please... for the sake of others.

[DEVLIN]

Unfortunately with Team Viagra, Squidly and pimp Flys' I would almost expext lycra. Ugh! I am having a really bad time coping with the mental image.

[McBain]

So, how much fun was the Sydney 24hr? Lots!

Ok, so I didn't actually ride the course (I was busy supporting a bunch of solo riders as well as being a social butterfly), it was a pretty damn good weekend in the dust and dirt.

Good work by MrCove for the track, as well as Stu and all involved in the running.

Oh yeah, Liam is very pleased with his Handjob, and kept talking about it all the way home ... :D

[MrCove]

good to put some 'pseudonames' to faces too!!

glad you liked it, i'm going to bed, NOW!!!!

[notb4dinner]

Are there results available anywhere?

[jasco]

*waiting for full race report*

[thecat]

Weeeeeee!

I had fun but didn't manage to catch up with Mr Cove :cry:

Nice bike on display though, when I first saw the stand Friday arvo I thought "you bewdy, there gunna have a bit of a jump comp off the ramp..."

what happend with the wheelie comp? I was busy being massaged at the time but saw some excellent displays at manualling through the camp ground.

[McBain]

No results yet, they should be on http://sydney24hour.com later in the week though.

STOP PRESS: how about later today (like, now): http://www.26inches.com/26inches/24race/results.asp

Very brief results are that Saul won Men's Solo (34 laps) but was pushed right to the end by Ian on 33; Julie Day won Women's; the Southern Highlands team of 4 (Dicky Vollebrecht, Willo et al) won overall with far far too many laps.

Saw a few Farkin'ers out there - including MrCove (Adam) particularly resplendant in his Farkin t-shirt, and Squidly was almost back to his lycra bandit ways, going around on the FXR.

[Squidly Didly]

Squidly was almost back to his lycra bandit ways, going around on the FXR.
Almost matey, but we stalled at 4th place due to can't be assed syndrome! Don't know where the timers got 29hrs from? Must've been on drugs...
http://www.farkin.net/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=7661
Don't worry lads, I wasn't lycra'd up all the time, and did ride intoxicated :P

[McBain]

Don't know where the timers got 29hrs from? Must've been on drugs...Well, Trev and Juzzy from Blackmans currently have 43hrs as their time - so you did well!

The timing was probably the only thing which had problems during the race - the barcode scanner was a nice idea, but when someone stupidly rode through the timing area and nailed the scanner, it all went south. They weren't quite ready to every all the numbers manually when they were forced to. Also, because of Stu changing when the 12hr part of the race was starting, those times had some small issues.

But despite the small bit of drama, everything kept ticking along pretty damned well.

[Squidly Didly]

Not trying to knock the club's organisation, they put in an awesome effort... BUT even the scanner was a load of BS from the word go. For some stupid reason it missed our first lap!!! The baton system wasn't exactly the best either.

[Squidly Didly]

Some pics from the race are now up. put your name or race no. in the search bar...
http://www.marathon-photos.com/index.html

[jasco]

Not trying to knock the club's organisation, they put in an awesome effort... BUT even the scanner was a load of BS from the word go. For some stupid reason it missed our first lap!!! The baton system wasn't exactly the best either.

Really?? At the 12 Hours of Darkness, (the systems Maiden Run) the system performed great. I didn't hear of one complatin about skipped laps etc But then again I wasn't at the 24hour so I don't know what happened there..............

[McBain]

Some pics from the race are now up.Squidly discovering that this jump ain't no tabletop:
http://www.marathon-photos.com/shop/photos/Sports/2003%20Sports/Triathlons/Australia/24Hr%20Syd%20MTB/fullsize/tfh0593.jpg
:)

[thecat]

Not sure what all the fuss is about.

So what if the timing system got a little stuffed up, we weren't racing for sheep stations! and in the end Scotty got it all sorted.

Yes I noticed people taking advantage of the baton system, one team in particular. Who cares?

Today they're back at their jobs as Nevle Nobodies.

These events are about being involved and having fun and I can honestly say I tackled the challenge, rode my best and had a ball.

I thought Scotty worked small miracles throughout the event as he ironed the bugs out of the timing system, the live updates and all the rest.

And a big thanks is due to everyone who stepped up and gave a hand manually entering rider numbers into the system when the scanner got trashed. They copped a bit of abuse from a couple of riders who really need to pull their head in.

People need to remember that these things are run by volunteers who have given up a large chunk of the riding, rest and family time just so you can rock up and have a ride.

Anyone who thiks you make a motza out of these things should try running one.

[Daver]

Some pics from the race are now up.Squidly discovering that this jump ain't no tabletop:
http://www.marathon-photos.com/shop/photos/Sports/2003%20Sports/Triathlons/Australia/24Hr%20Syd%20MTB/fullsize/tfh0593.jpg
:)

you said no lycra squid! You are a liar! Gawd i am going to harass you next time i see you!

[Squidly Didly]

you said no lycra squid! You are a liar! Gawd i am going to harass you next time i see you!
Dude. The race goes for TWENTY FOUR HOURS. I do change my clothes every now and then unlike some people :!:

[MrCove]

WELL SAID THAT MAN (OR CAT!!)

you wouldn't belive the amount of work that goes into these things, i was there again today packing up all the red and white bollards, 1 full days work WITHOUT getting the bunting in.

next years is going to be even better though!!!!

[Squidly Didly]

next years is going to be even better though!!!!
What??? timing wise :P

[Daver]

next years is going to be even better though!!!!
What??? timing wise :P

No becuase i will be there! :D

[MrCove]

just a few refinements to the event in general

i'll ditch that godawful climb too!!!

[Squidly Didly]

i'll ditch that godawful climb too!!!
You planning to do a longer course too Adam? I wouldn't be suprised if you get double the entrants next year with the success of this one. Could be a mofo of a traffic jam in that first uphill singletrack with double the compeditors!

[Techno Destructo]

you said no lycra squid! You are a liar! Gawd i am going to harass you next time i see you!

Daver, why do you have this hate thing for lycra? Do you have a big gut or something? :lol:

[MrCove]

hoping to put a few more KM's on it as i think you will be right about the amount of entrants. the existing track could have taken about 20% more users without getting too congested, i watched that course for the full 24 so know what the ride packs were like
possibly needed more double lines in some singletrack, a longer more gradual climb at the begining, the killer climb needs work on the first section before the switchback, i was really pleased with how the top narrow section stayed firm though, loads of riders made that climb, the technique was to stay in middle ring (if you had one Squid!!)

i need to do a bit more exploring yet, lots more potential though

[Daver]

you said no lycra squid! You are a liar! Gawd i am going to harass you next time i see you!

Daver, why do you have this hate thing for lycra? Do you have a big gut or something? :lol:\

to put it mildly- lets just say i am not going to win mr universe or be a jockey. I know it's functionable, but it just looks :S on anyone (except Niki Gudex :wink:). Shirts are fine, but it should be made compulsory to wear boardies over the top or something. :idea:

[Squidly Didly]

i need to do a bit more exploring yet, lots more potential though
Any thoughts of crossing over the other side of the hill in to more of the moto-x tracks, cause that whole side of the farm shat on the first half :wink:

[jasco]

you said no lycra squid! You are a liar! Gawd i am going to harass you next time i see you!

Daver, why do you have this hate thing for lycra? Do you have a big gut or something? :lol:\

to put it mildly- lets just say i am not going to win mr universe or be a jockey. I know it's functionable, but it just looks :S on anyone (except Niki Gudex :wink:). Shirts are fine, but it should be made compulsory to wear boardies over the top or something. :idea:

Lol, you would have been scared of the sights at the 12HD then, There was full length arse-huggin' lycra everywhere! (myself included ;) )

[thecat]

i'll ditch that godawful climb too!!!

Leave it in. It broke up the monotony an gave us access to top section and chute. :D

[MrCove]

you must be some kind of sadist!!!

i'd been keen to know which bits had the 'monotony' you refer too though

[thecat]

you must be some kind of sadist!!!

i'd been keen to know which bits had the 'monotony' you refer too though

By the end of the lap I was just pushing the pedals around.
If the track simply skirted the bottom of the hill and then curved around to the finish it woud of been a very boring finish to the lap.

As it was the techie traverse and the blast down the chute had me storming into transition pumped up for more.

But thats just my opinion.

[MrCove]

yes, the last singletrack section and the chute definately needed to be in

[tyno]

yes, the last singletrack section and the chute definately needed to be in

Hell yes! It was just the incentive I needed to completely bury myself on the approach so I could stay in front (or pass) the slow people to carry heaps of speed through it.

Hey, that reminds me. Anyone looking for a fairly fast rider for the Mont 24hr? I wanna see what this team thing is like...

[Dreggsy]

I think there was way to much fire road.
( maybe i should take off the afro for less wind resistance )
I kept getting overtaken by the roadies
who i managed to overtake again in the singletrack.
they may be fast but they aren't very technical.

maybe some jumps / moguls down to the transition area to sort people out.

but apart from that i thought the course was great
good job.

[MrCove]

there was less than 2km's of fireroad in a 10km course!!!
but if you want it out, it's gone!!!

[Dreggsy]

Only 2Kms.
To me it felt alot longer than that.
It did give a good spot for gaining alot of places if you did get held up in the singletrack.
Im not saying there isnt a place for the fireroad in a mtb race.
It was just a bit flat for my liking.

more jumps in front of the crowd

[McBain]

Nah, a bit of flatter fireroad is good. It might feel boring to those hitting out on single laps, but for the guys and gals doing it hard in solo it really helps as it gives them a chance to rest a little and have a drink and eat a bit.

[thecat]

Agreed,

On my first lap I thought I was going to hate it but as the race progressed I warmed into it.

It was a good place to remember to drink, spin the legs and get the heart rate back down so I could imagine it was very handy for the solos. Surprisingly I managed to keep up the pace along there, those quick enough to pass me were also quick enough to stay well in front of me in the twisty stuff :lol:

[Dreggsy]

So what tyres did all of you find worked the best?
i was running a
Hutchie Squale 2.1 up front
Intense CC 2.1 on the rear.
seemed to work ok for me
slipped in some places but i think that everyone did

[tyno]

So what tyres did all of you find worked the best?
i was running a
Hutchie Squale 2.1 up front
Intense CC 2.1 on the rear.
seemed to work ok for me
slipped in some places but i think that everyone did

Well, on my hardtail, I was running Michelin Comp S light 2.0 at both ends. The only time that slipped was when I was endoing trying not to run into someone coming off the pallet after the switchbacks.

On McBain's Joker, I think it was a weirwolf 2.3(?) on the front and Larsen TT 2.0 on the rear. They never slid unless I was aiming for that effect. Bloody fast too.

[McBain]

On McBain's Joker, I think it was a weirwolf 2.3(?) on the front2.5 actually - it isn't a huge 2.5" though obviously.
and Larsen TT 2.0 on the rear. They never slid unless I was aiming for that effect. Bloody fast too.I like 'em. I did have a Ritchey Z-Max on the front, but it just wasn't quite wide enough. I used to run the Weirwolf on the back (with a 2.35" Kujo on the front, this be on my heavy wheels), but I didn't get on with it very well there.

[Hagar]

I loved the track and was glad to see some technical sections entering into 24 hour racing.

The nasty hill at the end whilst rideable would have been a bit more friendly if it had been double the length with a switch back in it. Probably impossible but nice concept none the less.

I think a bit of fire road is important although it certainly reminded you that the legs were working.

To the cat, Im sure my heart rate was almost at its highest along there. Cetainly felt like it anyway.

As for tyres, damn I was happy with my choice. Geax mezcal 1.9 tubeless jobs. These things hooked into everything and managed to cut deep into the dust. They also roll extremely quickly and weigh in at 690 gr. For tubeless thats damn light!

Tyno, your back must have loved the change from a hardtail to that much squish. If you'd had a bob you could have played semi trailer!

[MrCove]

listen you guys, you had better start complaining or my head will get so big i won't be able to stand up!!!

the whole idea of the track from the start, from me anyway, was to make it enjoyable for the guys the are really 'into' mountain biking.
not necessarily into any other sport or any sort of elite level of fittness, just for the guys who love riding trails.
who are into the whole mtb scene, the bikes, the bits, the clothes, they read the mags, they know the names of the top riders, they all secretly want to be able to drop like Wade and dream of mastering the manual wheelie!!
basically, you guys who keep the industry going and want more than just a Giant XTC, without you there would be no 'event' racing

so to read all the comments above is a real treat for me, as for the track, ideally the fire road/farm track section should have been a few more kms into the loop, so you could treat it as a rest period or blast it if you are that way inclined, so many people have said how guys they steamed in the technical section got past them on the flat, only to be caught up again in the techy stuff, which is what we wanted.

the bottom line about racing is this, fittness will win every time and races are won on the climbs.
so with this in mind i figured 'why give it to them on a plate?' make them work for it, make it in favour of the skilled trail rider and at the same time make the guys/girls who just love riding be able to breath down their necks on the technical stuff

there are 'other' sites that don't necessarily agree with this philisophy........

[Daver]

I suggest signs saying that lycra should be banned be placed alongside the track, and those who disobey be stripped of their numberplates and never allowed back to the campsite.

[thecat]

Hey Mr Cove,

A bit of cement dust mixed in to the sand on the big climb (and maybe the first ) then watered in would of given a bit of traction. :roll:

[McBain]

the whole idea of the track from the start, from me anyway, was to make it enjoyable for the guys the are really 'into' mountain biking.Rock on.
there are 'other' sites that don't necessarily agree with this philisophy........I'm hoping that's the one I'm thinking of, but anyway ... :)

I know some of the guys on the CORC organising comittee for the Mont 24hr, and I know they are trying to get more interesting stuff on their track, but I don't think they'll quite hit the same levels of fun/technicality as the Sydney 24hr had - partly because Canberra riding is just different in general (twisty pine forest singletrack). That said, last year there was some fun singletrack, and a jump or two - and if a decent number of people turn up to the working bees that will be happening during winter, more fun stuff will be added (I know of some single going in to replace some of the crappier sections from last year - and the best stuff on the track was a result of previous working bees, like the swoopy switchbacks near the start).

Hopefully though they'll be able to look back at what the Dargle track had and realise just what people can deal with, when done right.
I suggest signs saying that lycra should be bannedYou really do have issues - sure, some of us might not look too great in lycra, but who cares? Stick to falling down slopes where you can pretend you are in some kind of fashion parade. :D

[pecker]

Dave I know your just scared that your butt will eat your lycra just like it does your shorts !!!

You have been witnessed as having one of the worlds hungriest arses when it comes to devouring trackpants ....

Oh yeah and re our conversation today... Kleenex mate I said Kleenex !!!!

Catch you soon Bud.

We here at BA were concerned that our man Squid would seize up in the extreme cold. Besides the obvious, having little meat on his bones. The sheer amount of grease that lines squids arterial walls accumulated straight from the deep fryer of the local Goodies Burger joint would have killed off regular humans years ago. We were sure squid would coagulate to a hault in the inclement conditions.... Team Viagra must of heeded our warning and slipped some antisquidfreeze into his bottles ... (nice work egg!)
Get a Scullzie up ya !!!!

Fank.

[Squidly Didly]

Spiking my drink bottle aye... shame I don't use one fucker!
Pfft re-hydration's over rated. The less you drink, the less you sweat!!!

and don't knock my grease joint biyatch... it's all those oils and salts that kept my internals lubed, and my muscles from seizing :P

[DEVLIN]

LOL good reading.

I loved it. I have always believed that mountain bike racing has become a bit to roadie friendly. I love riding the technical stuff and love a course where time can be made from ridings skills not just the legs. The fire road section was a little long I think. Maybe if it went into the tree line where the first bend was and then popped out a bit further down I think would have been good. Same with the return leg.

Would have been a tough course to ride solo. Keep the hills I say. The only issue I had was that sand at the top of the first climb. It was 50/50 whether my front wheel would get through. The other tough spot was the top of the first section on the last climb. I only managed to get through that 2 metre stretch of sand once on Sun. morning. I would jump off take 2 steps and back on the bike again for the rest of it. Maybe some road base on those sections just to get past the sand pits.

I use IRC Mythos 2.1 tyres. These are great tyres that seem to do wheelly well in most conditions. I never had any issues will them. I wonder if a bigger bag might have floated a bit better on the sand. Though might of had less traction with the loose tough layer of sand.

The other bit I would change was the open paddock section just to mundane for me. Loved the table top. Relearnt how to jump big, for me anyway, on that. I was getting my front wheel about half a metre short of the down ramp by Sun. morning. I was bottoming out the rear of the NRS though. The last chute was a hoot. Tried to break the land speed record each time down there. Probably wasn't fast at all but felt like it. Drift round the gate post and set up for a buny hop long jump record attempt at the wooden bridge. From my postion above the Selle, I sure I was clearing the timber and landing the back wheel about a metre past it. Good fun.

I will be back next year. This time I won't run into the white post in the camp ground and smash my hand up. Probably helps to ride with the lights on. Hope they have some club racing out there.

[Daver]

what can i say? :oops: i'm stumped :P . 1 to you. so thats 1-1 then?