2016 Monster Cross

@huskerdont 133829 wrote:

Anyone riding the Monster Cross in Chesterfield later this month? If you’ve ridden it before and you are a mere mortal like me, about how long should a newb expect the 50-mile event to take?

I’ll likely be on a Bianchi CX, but will bring the mountain bike along in case conditions might warrant a slower but more stable pig. If I’m barking up the wrong tree there, advice appreciated. I’ve watched the videos and see people using both types of bikes, but nothing looks bad enough to really need a mountain bike–unless it snows, I guess.

Neither bike will be the right the choice. The CX will be faster in some places and the mtb will be able to plow right through other parts.

In 2014 I was pushing pretty hard but didn’t break 3:00 hours.

In 2015 someone else was pushing pretty hard and we did about 3:25

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@huskerdont 133835 wrote:

Thanks, that’s quite helpful on the time. I figured 4 hours tops. This time of year, even though I ride every weekday and some weekends, I’m not used to 50-mile rides.

Look me up on Strava if you want to analysis the two efforts.

My piece of advice is to absolutely make sure to top up your camelback and refresh your water bottles after your first loop. You might be tempted to think you can make it, but when you don’t those last 10 or 15 miles can be brutal.

What are the current snow conditions in the woods? Lots of warm weather over the next two week withs a thunderstorm mid-week, rain next weekend, and freezing overnight temperatures. Sounds like that should hold the moisture in the soil and make for some sloppy conditions again this year.

@Tania 133865 wrote:

There are a bunch of us doing it. I’m in an “either” category so bringing the warbird and mtb.

I was on my Rove last year and this was my only my second real off road event. I’m slow and finished the shortened course, 40 miles (missed a five mile loop after the first circuit) in just under 4 hours. I had 700×33 Clement PDX tires and they handled the sloppy sections well.

I rode last year on a geared CX bike, which was fine. It’s not technical at all, with only moderate climbing (~2500-3000ft over the 50 miler) though obviously the off-road terrain will sap your power. Probably the hardest bits to ride through were the longer mud sections but it was nothing compared to say, Hilly Billy Roubaix. I think I had a PDX up front, and some sort of skinnier file tread in the rear.

I screwed up my pacing/nutrition/hydration and blew up after the first lap. Part of it I blame on my Garmin (which froze and wouldn’t start up) which led me to guestimate how many miles I’d done based on feel and as a newb to longer offroad events, I was way off… I almost quit when I realized I’d only done one lap. My first lap (excluding the lollipop between the two laps) was about 100 mins, the second was almost 2.5 hrs (and you lose minutes at the start of the first lap as the crowds of riders filter out). I remember not even smiling when my team mates cheered me home.

I signed up for SSCX this year. Easier to pace myself, less much to clean, and around 1.5kgs lighter than my geared bike. I’ll be on the stock 50/22 gearing and content with anything sub-4:30 after last year’s debacle. Sub-4:00 I imagine I could do if I had a good day and good prep. Will probably run the same tires as last year.

If the weather turns up a super muddy course I’d consider switching to MTB, but I’ve never gone fast on that and it’d be more just a long, slow ride.

This is the main steep (not long) climb I remember. Won’t be surprised if I end up walking it.
https://www.strava.com/segments/3452071

This will be my fourth time doing the race (I have done it every year but last year due to the date change and surgery). I have only done it on a hard tail mountain bike. Unfortunately, the one time I tried for the 50, someone crashed and needed medical assistance, so I got waylaid due to that for over and hour and finished after 5 hours (but was not last, so I was happy).

I completed the short course twice, and was sub 2 hours each time for that. I expect to finish between 4 and 4.5 hours this year for the 50. I will probably keep my regular, fairly aggressive MTB tires on the bike, but I do have a rigid fork this year, which I am hoping will make for an easier time up the two “big” climbs. If for some strange reason, things dry out, I may put cross tires on the bike. But somehow, I doubt that is going to happen.

I am pretty slow, so if I can hope to finish around 4 hours, then most anyone can do it too.

@huskerdont 133886 wrote:

SSCX would be fun, but my single speeds are a Fuji Feather and a 1965 Schwinn Varsity, so choices are geared CX or geared MB. Maybe I need a 7th bike. I think I need a 7th bike.

I bought my SSCX last year, as my 8th bike!

Another word of advice I just thought of: as you get towards the end of the loop before you hit the longest uphill to the paved roads/parking lot, there is a steep downhill with a short and shallow but rocky creek crossing. You can get up quite a bit of speed–I saw a number of people with CX bikes with single or double flats there. The MTB you can just roll right though.