Brecon Beast 67k: Should've taken gears. Better still, a road bike.

Star date: 8 September 2013
Location: Brecon Beacons
Event: Brecon Beast
Weapon of choice: Carbon singlespeed with suspension forks and dropper post
Greatest achievement: Not quite losing the will to live
Greatest weakness: Bike prep, again
Result: 4th overall, 1st vet, 1st singlespeed

What a shit course. More, my adoring fans, when (if) I calm down.

*** Update, 14 October 2013 ***

OK, so it was (well) organised entirely by volunteers and entirely for charity, but that is no excuse for a mountain biking event to be just 40% offroad.

I hate riding on roads. They’re useful for getting from A to B fast, especially in a car, but where is the challenge, where are the thrills? Where are the rocks and the gravel and the mud and the roots and the streams and the brambles and the year-round puddles? Where are the ruts, the steps, the berms, the drops?

The endless miles of asphalt at the beginning, middle and end of this year’s route were particularly frustrating on the singlespeed, as I could only watch my geared peers flying effortlessly into the distance while I span out helplessly, losing so much of the ground gained on the climbs.

Gaining ground on the first climb and still able to smile. Photo: Brecon Beast

I also spent much of the race nursing an increasingly soft front tyre around the course, for reasons that were entirely self-inflicted: tubeless sealant drying up, dodgy pump giving up the ghost, fear of riding rocks on tubes. This took much of the fun out of the fun stuff. In fact the final plummet back into Brecon became an exercise in fun avoidance as I kept the speed right down to protect the rim and stop the tyre from parting ways with the bike. Shame it was only at the bottom of this descent that I discovered the CO₂ canister I'd forgotten I’d packed…

 

Still standing. Photo: Roy Bevis

There were also a couple of very entertaining rocky downhill sections out in the wilds, but otherwise it was a rather featureless slog dominated by tarmac and fireroad. Last year’s course was great, so I really don’t understand how the organisers could get it so wrong this time. Fingers crossed they get it right again next year, as there is some fantastic riding in the area.

A lot more of this kind of thing would've been good. Photo: Brecon Beast

 
At least the rain held off, and fourth was a pretty good result, all things considered.

Result Times for all Short Course Riders - (369)

Rider No	First Name	Surname	Sex	Route	Time
664	Ross	Farley	Male	Short	2.55
596	Richard	Samuel	Male	Short	3.05
650	Gareth	Jones	Male	Short	3.05
185	Chris	Schroder	Male	Short	3.11
217	Peter	Taylor	Male	Short	3.12
395	Dylan	Stephens	Male	Short	3.14
580	Alex	Willis	Male	Short	3.14
443	Jon	Moyle	Male	Short	3.15
239	Allistair	Shannon	Male	Short	3.17
652	Cefin	Evans	Male	Short	3.18
642	Stuart	Smith	Male	Short	3.20
607	Simon	Hodges	Male	Short	3.20
601	Phil	Davies	Male	Short	3.23
706	Andrew	Salmons	Male	Short	3.23
521	Tony	Stephens	Male	Short	3.24
68	Jonathan	Morgan	Male	Short	3.25
594	Argo	Bowsher	Male	Short	3.26