VIC Dirty Gran Fondo 2012

mtb101

mtb101

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Could be something a little different, the Mt. Disappointment area is not a bad place to ride.

SUNDAY 20TH MAY, 2012
Wandong, Victoria

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"In this mass participation event you can either ride or race, its up to you. The course follows through the scenic Mt Disappointment state forest over 90kms with plenty of undulating and ever changing road terrain. There is NO single track, but that's not why you're here. Its an event for the masses."

Entry is according to the bike you choose to ride. Choose either 26”, 29” wheels or Cyclo Cross.

Interesting, a 29er and 26er category and a CX category. - no single track so looks like it's blast type dirt roads, which can still be fun - although will probably favor riders who can get into a group.
 
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rearviewmirror

rearviewmirror

Likes Dirt
Essentially a gravel grinder, sound like fun! If anyone knows the tracks up that way post up as to whether or not it's better suited to a MTB or CXer.
 
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akashra

akashra

Eats Squid
If it's anything much like previous events held there, it'll be very 29er friendly. As much as I love cross racing, I'm not a fan of steep descending on a cross bike.
 
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AlanT

Likes Dirt
Course maps are now up on the Big Hill Events website

Any questions - ping them our way or post on here ...whatcha gunna ride?
 
mtb101

mtb101

Likes Bikes and Dirt
rearviewmirror said:
I don't mind it..
Click to expand...
that's an interesting video, but I can tell you I have both a 29er and CX and the CX is useless when you goes beyond smooth type single track. It's fine and pretty fast on dirt roads etc, but if you hit small rocky type lose terrain or descents that you can normally bomb through on mtb .... it's back off or get pinch flats or be simply bullied off the trail in an out of control manner. Obvious reasons of course very narrow bars, no volume on tyres and even though I have discs, the little brakes on bars don't cut it. And there's nothing worse than having to slow down through terrain due to a bike that goes timid. But what do I expect, these things are designed for hilly type racing in mud conditions, not necessarily mtb type single track.

still bike is alot of fun and still tossing up whether to ride the CX or mtb 29 in this event. Course looks like mainly dirt road so CX would go well on that, even though it's not as stable as mtb on dirt road descents.
 
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AlanT

Likes Dirt
Big Hill Events did a course ride with Sam Chancellor and Trent Lowe on the 17th of April - after they had a quick catch up with Trent to see what he thought of the track catch it here

De Grandi Cycles are coming to get involved at the Dirty Gran Fondo, with some sweet prizes to give away and to show off their new Wilier Mountain Bikes.

Trent Lowe, Adrian Jackson and Paul Redenbach have all entered into the Cyclo Cross category - it's going to get exciting ...
 
OCD'R

OCD'R

Likes Dirt
I'm entered (piss weak 65km version for first ever event) and did a reccy a few weeks ago. IMO the CX is the weapon of choice. Sure there are a couple of descents that a MTB will bomb whilst you are holding onto the hoods white knuckle style, but majority of the race favours CX.

I rode it with 42cc tyres running ghetto tubeless @ 40/45psi with no mechanicals or flats. The weather will play the biggest part, not the bike you choose, again imo.
 
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AlanT

Likes Dirt
New Category Announcement

Big Hill Events have created a Mongrel category for the Gran Fondo -

What is a mongrel? A Mongrel may refer to the offspring of varieties of a species which was in contrast to a hybrid. Therefore anyone who isn't cycling 26", 29" wheels, Cyclo Cross and anyone who is over 50. On entry to the category, you must state why you are mongrel.

Fixi - Single Speed - drop bars on the 29er - penny farthings - unicycles - etc, etc.

If you've already entered, you can change your order through entry zone by logging on and editing your entry.

http://www.entryzone.com.au/index.p...ath=70&zenid=d365cf41521d09ac2f0d226946561290
 
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AlanT

Likes Dirt
Beautiful Weather up here in Wandong - everyone has set off, and first one back ....was someone with a mechanical - broken rear derailler.

Will keep up to date on here with race results....
 
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AlanT

Likes Dirt
First Across for 35 K - Tom Sears on 2:07:15, followed by Tim Jackson and then Andrew Sears - muddy.

First CX back in the 35K - 2:31:00 with one puncture....
 
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AlanT

Likes Dirt
Great reviews coming back on the track - few punctures in the CX - but that hasn't stopped Trent Lowe first across the line on 3:26:29 - followed shortly by Luke Fetch on the 29er 3:30:00
 
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AlanT

Likes Dirt
Many Thanks to all who were involved in the Dirty Gran Fondo - we had a great weekend putting the event on.

Congratulations to Trent Lowe and Lisa Jacobs for winning the Men and Womens categories overall.

Preliminary Results can now be found at the Dirty Gran Fondo home page
 
B

big gags

Likes Bikes
Was bloody freezing yesterday - about 5 deg or so at the start according to the Garmin and then got down to 3.2 deg or so by the top of Mt Disappointment. For the rest of the day it never really got above 7 deg except for the last hour or so when it got up to a barmy 10 deg or so.

Couldn't believe how many people were struggling with the first muddy bit......we were bunched up and people kept on stopping instead of riding through the mud (maybe they were the roadies??).

Pretty nice day out and fairly challenging course in the end (for me anyway). There weren't too many technical descents but there were a couple that tested the forearms (I really need to get some disc brakes) and there was some really nice countryside to ride through for pretty much the entire event. The organisation and feed/drink stations were all really good and overall I reckon that it was a pretty successful event.

At one stage as we were coming up to the first feed stop a 4wd went past and somebody hung out of the window with a camera and took some shots of us (I am pretty sure that it was Andrew Dickies dad??).....has anyone seen any photos posted up yet apart from the ones on Fyxo??

Gags
 
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