100km is a distance that many cyclists will ride on a weekend without batting an eyelid. On UK roads there are more and more cyclists out at the weekend, putting in the miles, and riding further and further. However, on a mountain bike, riding that kind of distance, strictly off-road and especially down south, is a lot harder. Thankfully, the great folk who organise the Gorrick mountain bike events in the south of England put on a mountain bike challenge/race, on the first May bank holiday, that enables you to cover that kind of distance: no roads, no route planning but it does mean repeated laps.
by Nick Coley
The Gorrick 100 is a race or a challenge, however you want to look at it, where you get to choose the number of 10 mile laps you wish to complete, anything between 1 and 7 goes. I decided that 7 laps of sweet singletrack would be great training for Leadville in August, even though there isn’t anywhere near the same amount of climbing or distance, it would still be a hard race as 90% of the course is singletrack with plenty of roots and short sharp climbs.
Now, when someone like Gore Bike Wear ask if you would like to test their kit and also ride for them at the event, as it happened to me, you jump at the chance. So I did, and was lucky enough to get the chance to test out their new Alp-X Pro outfit for the event. Seeing as UK weather has a mind of its own and is as reliable as a Southern train, having some kit that is designed to suit a range of conditions was going to be a massive help. Now it’s just down to the legs!
So with 7 laps of fun to be had, I arrived at 7:45am on Sunday to the race start and low and behold the rain was falling. Luckily, it wasn’t too cold and even better news, I was equipped with the Gore Bike Wear Alp-X Pro kit, which is a 4- piece outfit that is suitable for a huge range of weather conditions. I opted for the 2in1 short which consists of a thin and breathable bib short and then a super lightweight and fitted baggy short built in and the Windstopper zip-off jersey in bright green and yellow. This jersey has a thinner Windstopper fabric in key areas with long sleeves that are removable. Simply unzip them and you are left with a great fitting Windstopper short sleeve jersey, and pockets big enough to house the sleeves if out on a longer ride. But this is not an issue for me today as I will be going round and round for 7 laps and looking to not get dizzy in the process. The fit is, as expected for performance kit, snug so no flapping but not a super restrictive pro cut like on some road kit either. The 4-way stretch Winstopper fabric gives you that great snug fit without restricting any movement, which will be really handy with all the singletrack I had lined up. This is mountain biking after all!
With impeccable timing, just as we make our way to the start line, of course, the heavens open. Rain, rain and more rain. Good job we were delayed in starting so we could get nice and wet. Thankfully the Windstopper jersey was keeping me warm and so far quite dry, apart from my shorts which were starting to get wet quickly. As the horn finally goes off for the start, we are off and for the next 10 minutes all I’m thinking is, I wish my eyeballs had windscreen wipers: A combination of mud and water keep smashing into my face and it took half a lap before I can finally start to see again, finding myself with the front 8 riders. This race, being 100km, has a much more civilised pace than the 30km XC races I’ve been doing lately. That said, I start to realise that this isn’t a 30km race and decide to clam down a little and let the fast boys ride off. Out of sight out of mind, right?
At the start of my second lap and I spot the huge Gore Bike Wear poster and that reminds me of my kit, how is it doing? Well, the very fact that, in the hammering rain, I haven’t noticed anything is surely a positive? The shorts, even though they are soaking wet now aren’t heavy or sagging down, there is no rubbing on my thighs and they are still fitting perfectly. Thats all down to the lightweight material of the baggy short and its spray protection material on the rear.
As the laps start to be ticked off, I realise that after 2 hours of riding I finally start to feel relaxed and, dare I say, I’m having loads of fun. Each lap I come by, I stop and grab another bottle and some gels and off I go again for some more singletrack. The rain has now stopped and the course is drying out. Wow, I’ve even seen a little sunshine through and the temperature is definitely going in the right direction. My shorts, that were soaking wet at the start, are bone dry at this point, thanks to the super lightweight baggy short and the breathable lycra short underneath. The shorts feature a wicked little pocket on the right leg, just big enough for a cheeky gel to be stored in, which comes in handy on lap 7!
Onto lap 5 and, whether I like it or not, my attention is now focussing on my legs, not my kit. Lap 6 is the one that brings home the reality that this is a tough race, not just because of the distance, but because most of the course is singletrack and after 5 hours around it my body is starting to feel it. I definitely need to get out on my mountain bike more is what springs to mind as I start to make silly little mistakes.
On the last lap the sun is out and the temperature is rising but as I haven’t felt any overheating yet in the slightest, there is no need for concern. This jersey has performed great in a real range of conditions. From 7 degrees and soaking wet, to dry and about 17 degrees, I’ve felt comfortable all the way and hardly noticed I’m wearing it. The shorts have performed better than expected, with their specific mountain bike insert. This is designed for longer mountain bike rides with its triple density foam insert which is quick drying. In the past I haven’t been a fan of wearing baggy shorts when racing but these are definitely a winner. Their level of fit and performance is that of a top end lycra short, but they also have the cool look of a MTB short.
As I finally cross the finish line in 11th place I roll towards the feedzone and crash straight to the floor. That may ‘only’ have been 100km but it was brutal on my body and, man, can I feel it. My legs and hands are hammered but that can’t be said for the kit. The Gore Bike Wear Alp-X Pro kit has performed exceptionally well. Performance, look and versatility don’t always naturally go together this well but in this case, I think it’s been nailed!
Gore Bike Wear Alp-X Pro 2-in-1 (Bib) Shorts and Zip-Off Windstopper Jersey before and after the race. Thankfully all mud stains washed out well too…
So, if you ride a mountain bike and enjoy flowing singletrack, you really should check out the Gorrick events around the south. I can’t stress enough how good these events are. They have been going for over 20 years and I think I entered my first XC race with them back in 1993. The courses are always great fun and the event organisation is as good as a national level event.
Another challenge ticked off, next up, an all-nighter, but instead of night clubs and the horrid first train home, it’s (fingers crossed) dry mountain bike trails and BBQs. Mountain Mayhem, I’m coming for you. Solo….
Check out the Gorrick webpage for upcoming MTB events this summer and a huge range of Gore Bike Wear is available in our stores or online here.