Just wanted to say thanks to all of you who put so much work into a great day on the bike today. I would try to list all the names of people I saw out there today but I know that I would miss someone. It was extremely well organized, gruelling, muddy, wet and so much fun!
I know that weeks and weeks of work went into it, so thanks to you all for making it a really enjoyable day.
TripleShot Cross Fondo
Moderator: mfarnham
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
+1
Really well done. Well marked, well fed, well marshalled, well organized. Tons of fun.
Really well done. Well marked, well fed, well marshalled, well organized. Tons of fun.
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
Great day on the bike, extremely well organized and super fun! I have never seen so many flat tires in my life, I was glad to be on a mountain bike. The amount of work put in by the volunteers was evident, thank you so much to all that made it possible. BTW you cyclocross (psycho-cross?) riders are all crazy.
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
It was possibly the most gruelling but satisfying day I've had on my bike. (I never appreciated how much you use your upper body when off-road!)
The best part was having such a varied, challenging, and incredibly entertaining course carved out of some of our region's most beautiful spots. The course covered a massive area and I'm so grateful for the countless volunteer hours it took to obtain permissions, hack through brambles, build obstacles and connectors etc. The rider experience on the day was VIP all the way. From arriving at Bear Mountain to leaving at the end of the day, every need was anticipated and taken care of. It was especially great to be riding through silent forest or boggy field and suddenly come across a friendly Tripleshot marshall (often one of our awesome yoots), offering guidance and encouragement.
I made the mistake of riding to the start from home. That extra effort in my legs made climbing in the last 10K a losing battle against cramp. I spent the whole ride with Tom and Martin; Greg F. joined us for the first half. We rode in true Tripleshot style: reconnecting at the tops and bottoms of sectors and generally supporting each other. We kept moving, but weren't too fussed with racing. Martin had the first flat, I had the second. Having filled my cross tires to full capacity for the early ride out on the highway, the tacky bead on my tire sealed to my rims. It took Tom's alloy levers and a lot of swearing to peel them off. Safe to say that without that Tripleshot spirit I may still be out in the woods by Hartland, gnawing my wheel and cursing.
Big grins, indeed.
I can't wait for next year.
The best part was having such a varied, challenging, and incredibly entertaining course carved out of some of our region's most beautiful spots. The course covered a massive area and I'm so grateful for the countless volunteer hours it took to obtain permissions, hack through brambles, build obstacles and connectors etc. The rider experience on the day was VIP all the way. From arriving at Bear Mountain to leaving at the end of the day, every need was anticipated and taken care of. It was especially great to be riding through silent forest or boggy field and suddenly come across a friendly Tripleshot marshall (often one of our awesome yoots), offering guidance and encouragement.
I made the mistake of riding to the start from home. That extra effort in my legs made climbing in the last 10K a losing battle against cramp. I spent the whole ride with Tom and Martin; Greg F. joined us for the first half. We rode in true Tripleshot style: reconnecting at the tops and bottoms of sectors and generally supporting each other. We kept moving, but weren't too fussed with racing. Martin had the first flat, I had the second. Having filled my cross tires to full capacity for the early ride out on the highway, the tacky bead on my tire sealed to my rims. It took Tom's alloy levers and a lot of swearing to peel them off. Safe to say that without that Tripleshot spirit I may still be out in the woods by Hartland, gnawing my wheel and cursing.
Big grins, indeed.
I can't wait for next year.
Last edited by Rolf on Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
+1
Hard course with bike clean, full belly and a beer at the end. What could be better than that.
No, never seen so many flats. Even a guy on tubulars walking through the fields at the farm. 29er would have been the best weapon for the course, but where's the challenge in that?
Rob
Hard course with bike clean, full belly and a beer at the end. What could be better than that.
No, never seen so many flats. Even a guy on tubulars walking through the fields at the farm. 29er would have been the best weapon for the course, but where's the challenge in that?
Rob
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
What a fantastic event that was!
Very well organized, great fun, hard work, and muddy to boot.
Just want to say a massive thank you to all of the folk involved in the organizing, marshalling, flour bombing, cheering, and for making the day super enjoyable.
Very well organized, great fun, hard work, and muddy to boot.
Just want to say a massive thank you to all of the folk involved in the organizing, marshalling, flour bombing, cheering, and for making the day super enjoyable.
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
+1 Thank you so much for the support, guidance, food and amazing scenery and challenge. The course was incredibly well-marked. My lack of practice showed but I finished nonetheless, a little bloody and bruised (body and ego!). I knew I might be in trouble when I told someone that I was doing the long course and they were the fifth person to say "Aw, good for you!" But hey, I didn't get any flats and that's something!
Lessons learned: canti brakes are dumb and I need a second cassette for epic cross adventures.
Looking forward to next year, might bring the mtn bike.
Lessons learned: canti brakes are dumb and I need a second cassette for epic cross adventures.
Looking forward to next year, might bring the mtn bike.
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
+1 Thank you so much to all of the organizers, volunteers and also to the private land owners that let us ride on their land! As others have said, the event was extremely well organized and we were so well taken care of the entire day.
I will definitely be there next year, although I may volunteer so that some of this year's volunteers have a chance to ride.
P.S. Thank you to Joanna for telling me at one point near the start, "You may want to walk this part."
I will definitely be there next year, although I may volunteer so that some of this year's volunteers have a chance to ride.
P.S. Thank you to Joanna for telling me at one point near the start, "You may want to walk this part."
Re: TripleShot Cross Fondo
Canti breaks are dumb! Especially ones with munged up cable housing that need a strong fist to operate (my bad for not pre-riding my loaner bike to check for functioning cables and housing).AndreaR wrote:
Lessons learned: canti brakes are dumb and I need a second cassette for epic cross adventures.
Looking forward to next year, might bring the mtn bike.
I'm not sure a MTB would be the best weapon here, though. I don't have much experience on a cross bike, but in spite of that I have no regrets about my bike choice out there. There was enough fast road and gravel (and cx-able singletrack) to offset the slight disadvantages of higher gearing and less plushy squish on the rough stuff.
What do others think? 29er? cx? hardtail? overbuilt MTB à la Jon Watkin?