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Dates and registration are open. We made a lot of changes and improvements to the short rack course to increase fun in the woods and showcase what the THTB can do. Go check out the trail prior too because of these changes. We also have a few more improvements we are working on now too, which should be completed prior to the series (roller berms/pump rhythm section). 

IF you have thought about racing mtbs but not sure what to expect, this series is a great intro to racing. I think Neal will also be holding a MTB Racing 101 course the week prior.

flynbryan19 wrote on 12/15/16 at 6:37pm:


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woot woot! looking forward to this!

pearl wrote on 12/16/16 at 4:49pm:


+2

Hoping to make a couple of these Lord willing.

If you are a beginner, the 40+ beginner race would be a good place to start.  There will still be some fairly speedy racers.  The masters 50+ race is a little longer, at 40 vs 30 minutes.  There will be some quick 50+ racers!  So it would be more challenging.  Also, you can do both...

I've been riding for years but haven't had a chance to try out racing until this year. Anyone got some tips for a first timer? I'm going to register for the beginner mens 18-29 category.

Quote:


I've only done two races, but had fun and learned a lot.

Don't be surprised if you think you're going to die halfway through, but don't give up - finish!

Try to ride a pace you can ride for the duration once the herd levels out some after the first lap or so.

Be prepared to get smoked, but do your best.

Be ready to race two races, and look for improvement in your personal results.

Have fun with it.

Thanks for the tips. I was also considering the race coming up at the whitewater center but I have a feeling that's too intense for a first race.

I'm going to go for a ride now and see what 30 minutes of all-out really feels like. Usually when I ride I switch between a few minutes of all-out followed by some lazy coasting...

Hopefully a legit race will check my ego a bit too 

TheDoomer wrote on 12/31/16 at 7:18pm:


These short track races are actually more intense than a regular XC race, its so fast for such a short period of time... Just to be honest!

I Hope the weather changes for Sunday

course held up pretty damn good! the carpets help for sure had a awesome 3 way battle in the SS category, looking forward to next week already. just started uploading lap 1 video.. ill link it when its done!

You top 3 were rolling. Good job man.

Thanks! Here was one lap:

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that is how you ride a bike Boyz and Galz,,,,,killin it..Single Speed Assasin,,,yes,,RAMFB....

Wears my bike wrote on 01/24/17 at 3:19am:


Thank you! Amazing how well the course is built to shed that much water. Even where it was mucky, it was not as bad as I would imagine it to be. Great trail building for sure!

Yes, this is a loaded question; You guys have this event down pat, the trail works great, it's awesome to rip, the berms, everything. A+. If you didn't change a thing I would still be attending every race (as long as it isn't raining sideways and the baby sleeps well the night before).

I love the new section that was added as well!

One thing I would love to see is another place or two to pass. With such a solid built in trail that sheds rain, it's hard to make this happen. In reality, you have to ask to pass once you get into the ST. Since it is so fast, you really cannot make a pass without going off into the woods. Part of the "problem" is that the ST is downhill and really fast (not complaining), so the ST is really a section to recover. You also do not want to make this existing trail super duper wide to allow for passing, so it's a tough place to be in for sure. 

Back in NJ we did something as simple as this in a slower, boring section:
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One line was straighter and slower, while the other line was longer but faster. Equally as fast, but if one person had more gas over the other, it was a place to make a move.

Stealing from cyclocross, a lap card countdown would be awesome. I'm very aware of my surroundings and situation, but sometimes you're curious how many laps you actually have left and your brain cannot comprehend the sounds as you pass the S/F!

Love the event! Looking forward to next weekend already!

A long time ago...

Never did a race that offered dual lines. I like it. You could modify that idea and do one joker lap per race by cutting out of the woods earlier to add a little strategy. 

Otherwise I like it as it is. Guess I'm not much of a visionary

Nope, definitely did not say too much. I am trying to think where a passing line can be added in the woods. I might have an idea but need to walk and see. Also, for next year I might try to add a second downhill area after the first climb. More fun, but it would come with a new climb out taking you back to the road. The new climb might of 1-4 options to get to the road, giving a few options and then drop you out in a place where there is no risk of a high speed collision.  EG: fast direct line has a step up, second line is a rock garden but longer, third line has none of those but takes you our your butt to get back to the road.

Wears my bike wrote on 01/25/17 at 8:55pm:



I could see you dipping back into the woods after a short stint of the gravel and popping back up to the gravel again. Agreed about the high speed collision issue, especially on gravel. If you can make it on dirt, maybe a little softer of a landing

Your example is exactly what I was imagining! When the time comes I would love to help if I could!

For me anything that adds more singletrack and more technical elements is a good thing! I think it's very much a big power test so I would welcome anything that could give a rider with technical skills an advantage. 

Also if slight variations could be made to the course between races would be great, nothing major but just little changes. I think the series is a lot of fun and I am excited to try the new course this weekend. Any chance it will be open tomorrow?

Perfect! I'll be out there tomorrow morning!

Sorry, also meant to add that the single track portion of Renni will be open tomorrow and thank you to everyone for your patience, assistance, compliments on the trail and racing in this series.  We hope you're enjoying what we've done and are looking forward to bringing more fun to this trail!

Track runs great!  The kitty litter near the rock drop is deadly, washed out on it today. 

I did sport last year and usually hovered around 10th or so. I'm 208lbs so I think I might try Clydesdale class this time. Is that kosher? 200lbs is the cutoff right? I wasn't sure if there was any unwritten rules or etiquette for the class. 

Looking forward to racing!

Russell N wrote on 01/28/17 at 2:00am:



You're good for Clydesdale, just remember to wear knee high white socks.

Was the new up hill passing line before the rock drop effective?  I hit the lapper pack just before there a couple times but never took it because....I'm blind?  Stubborn?  Stubborn and blind?  It looked soft, steeper and slower every time I went past it thinking "I should have tried that instead of sitting behind these 5 guys."  I guess I'll give it a shot next week if I need to and report back.

A friend in +50 noted it was hard to find places to get out of the way of the single speed guys in the woods.  Wondering if it might be easier to construct a couple spots for folks to move over instead of large passing lanes?

That steeper section is for sure slower and you would have to really really push it to make a pass in that section. It's more of a spot that if someone is looking to give up a spot or let someone pass, they would go to the left. It isn't easy to make a spot to make the course faster without a bunch of real testing, trial and error, that kind of thing.

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Heres the first two laps of the SS race, plus a lap in the middle with Rich, then Rich throwing down megawatts and ripping his chain off his rear cog. I tried to push him along but he couldn't get it back on

Looks like you have to be way faster then whoever you are trying to pass to make that line work.  I had bigger issues between heckle hill and the gravel road.

James you and Richard have a good battle going on the last 2 weeks. Lap times are identical.


Heckle hill was pretty good this week!

AMitchell47 wrote on 01/30/17 at 3:37pm:


I used it twice in Sport 40+. 

If you did your sprint work before the series, you can find the power to pass on that line.

The multiple lines before the rock garden worked well this week.  It seemed like the middle one was the firmest, but I used the outside one a couple times and it was fine.  There were four of us at the front of the beginner +40 group riding together and we were able to get by lappers in that section.  Thanks for the hard work, another fun race day.

Glad it worked out. I was happy in rained Saturday as it helped it bed in. Spent a lot of time compacting it too, but given it was only a day old for race day, I think it worked out well. Was happy for the Junior too as it eliminated a huge bottle neck for them. 

That is probably a wrap wrap for this years work, so don't expect any new features for the final two races. That said, wait until you see what we have in store for 2018...new "pro line" at the drop garden with a real risk reward (no more rolling the rocks but you have to clean a steeper climb to get to it), rebuild a couple of existing berms, create a new and second "flow zone" similar to the right left "S" turn, new second down hill, and a tech climb feature with multiple options to get back to the road (hard and fast, middle, and easy but long).

FINALLY had the chance to run this race last yesterday.  

Neil and crew, you guys did an excellent job with this event.  I talked my son (10yrs old) into racing and my daughter (8yrs) into racing the free race.  They both had a BLAST.  Everyone was so encouraging to the kids (both staff and spectators).  The youth classes also had LARGE turn-out.  It made me hopeful for the future of our sport.  I had a great time as well in my race, but honestly the highlight of the event for me was how much fun my kids had.  Great job to everyone again and we will be back next year for sure!