The UK Single Speed mtb championships were held at Pippingford Park, East Sussex on Saturday 17th September. Setting off from Glasgow later than intended on the Friday afternoon, I arrived at the venue just before 11pm and, thankfully was able to pitch the tent in the dry.
The Saturday morning started with convivial weather but an hour before the race started the heavens opened and we were treated to twenty minutes of the torrential stuff. As a direct consequence the organisers took the decision to shorten the race from four to three laps and we were treated to a race briefing urging caution on the course.
And slippy it was too. It was a far more technical course than the ‘Worlds’ the previous month and one I was very happy to approach with the intention of surviving (especially not having practised over the route in advance) rather than anything else. The venue is used in the south of England version of SXC and as not bestowed with mountains , the terrain was more short climbs and descents with a fair dose of roots and turns. I can’t imaging the usual XC races have the beer stop half way round.
Most bikes were hardtails and a sizeable chunk appeared to be 29ers with rigid forks. A couple of guys rode fixed, including European 24hr singlespeed winner Dan Treby from the Singular Cycles team, although he called it a draw after one lap. Charlie the Bikemonger rode a Pugsley fatbike, complete with a bottle (screw-top for convenience) of Italian Merlot in the bottle cage. Shaggy, not racing on this occasion, performed the course sweeper role using the prototype On-One fatbike. I, together with a fair chunk of the other racers, had a blast on it around the campsite after the race and was surprised it didn’t feel like trying to pedal a moped.
The vast majority of the entrants including myself finished fourth. The men’s race was run by Simon Smith of Bikeshed Wales, who came third in the Euro 24hr solo championships earlier this year and the women’s race by former world cyclo-cross silver medalist, Louise Robinson.
I headed back up the road before the Rollapaluza. And also before the Dave and Simon ‘drink-off’, which was probably a benefit to the other Simons. A very well organised event and really good fun. Invitations are extended to any group fancying hosting the 2012 race.
Simon Haslam
