Favorite Mass race? Looking to do one or three.

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
I am planning to do one xc race of the mass series as well as bearscat and possibly one other endurance race. I like tech and climbing with Jungle, Mooch and Wayway being my favorite h2h races. What do you guys recommend?
 

Mountain Bike Mike

Well-Known Member
Man, this is a tough one.. I love Ramsey's Revenge... but having raced the entire series with the exception of Fair Hill due to cancellation, It's hard to pick a favorite. Every race course was awesome in its own way.

For tech, Bear Creek and French Creek are the most technical of the series.

Bear Creek is on a ski resort. You climb for 15 minutes each lap and then Enduro in some really awesome tech all the way back to the S/F. Its such an awesome venue with a pool and ski lodge and the energy around the event feels so offical probably because it hosted Nationals for a few years a coupla years back.

French Creek is similar to Chimney Rock. It has tech but not overly tech. Its super fun. If it didn't dump buckets of rain on us at the end of the first lap, I'd have a better gauge. It has three climbs per lap, the first being the longest and moderately technical, the middle is short, punchy and marbly, the last is a hike a bike followed by a long false flat that can suck the life out of you if you burn matches in the hike a bike section (Nemesis climb). The downhills are fast and flowy with tech - So Fun.

Tough courses - Granogue, Iron Hill and Mass finals. Granogue and Iron Hill are not overly tech but they beat you down over the course of the race from all the climbing and heat.

Mass finals is a ripper of a course and it a longer XC race.. like 2.5 hours. Even the fast pros were over 2 hours. Be prepared to pace properly. Many guys were dieing before the 2 hour mark. Great party afterward and close to Hershey Park if you want to make it a family weekend.

D&Q Summer Sizzler is a super fast flat course and requires a constant engine. No descending to give you a rest. Kind of like Allaire, Sandy, flat with lots of small roll and punchy features.

Neshaminy is a very twisty up and down course. It has a little tech at the bottom near the Creek. Lots of log overs and off camber tight twisty sections.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
Man, this is a tough one.. I love Ramsey's Revenge... but having raced the entire series with the exception of Fair Hill due to cancellation, It's hard to pick a favorite. Every race course was awesome in its own way.

For tech, Bear Creek and French Creek are the most technical of the series.

Bear Creek is on a ski resort. You climb for 15 minutes each lap and then Enduro in some really awesome tech all the way back to the S/F. Its such an awesome venue with a pool and ski lodge and the energy around the event feels so offical probably because it hosted Nationals for a few years a coupla years back.

French Creek is similar to Chimney Rock. It has tech but not overly tech. Its super fun. If it didn't dump buckets of rain on us at the end of the first lap, I'd have a better gauge. It has three climbs per lap, the first being the longest and moderately technical, the middle is short, punchy and marbly, the last is a hike a bike followed by a long false flat that can suck the life out of you if you burn matches in the hike a bike section (Nemesis climb). The downhills are fast and flowy with tech - So Fun.

Tough courses - Granogue, Iron Hill and Mass finals. Granogue and Iron Hill are not overly tech but they beat you down over the course of the race from all the climbing and heat.

Mass finals is a ripper of a course and it a longer XC race.. like 2.5 hours. Even the fast pros were over 2 hours. Be prepared to pace properly. Many guys were dieing before the 2 hour mark. Great party afterward and close to Hershey Park if you want to make it a family weekend.

D&Q Summer Sizzler is a super fast flat course and requires a constant engine. No descending to give you a rest. Kind of like Allaire, Sandy, flat with lots of small roll and punchy features.

Neshaminy is a very twisty up and down course. It has a little tech at the bottom near the Creek. Lots of log overs and off camber tight twisty sections.
Thanks dudes. Now to see whT fits the schedule.
 

JDurk

Well-Known Member
Long time MASS racer and former Summer Sizzler promoter. @Mountain Bike Mike covered all them pretty good. If you want tech and climbing, Rattling Creek is the 1st MASS Endurance race on 4/9. Most climbs are fire road, but the ST tech is as good as it gets. Haven't done Rothrock TrailMix, but it's Rothrock. As for a tech XC race, pick either BC or FC.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
Long time MASS racer and former Summer Sizzler promoter. @Mountain Bike Mike covered all them pretty good. If you want tech and climbing, Rattling Creek is the 1st MASS Endurance race on 4/9. Most climbs are fire road, but the ST tech is as good as it gets. Haven't done Rothrock TrailMix, but it's Rothrock. As for a tech XC race, pick either BC or FC.
Thank you.
 

MMuller

Well-Known Member
Loved Iron Hill (as long as not raining!). Reminds me of Kittatiny with a great mix of everything, and of course the big dip. Also loved Neshaminy (as long as it's not raining!) Kind of like Hartshorne with more bite, log overs, great little twisty rock sections. Fair Hill was nice as it was the 1st race of the season and easy. A great race to get your legs going. Huge field, like a CX race too. MASS races were always extremely well run with fast result posting.
Enjoy!
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Bear creek is SOOO good...and there is a pool/resort where your family can hang out and ignore their dopey father out there racing.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Man, this is a tough one.. I love Ramsey's Revenge... but having raced the entire series with the exception of Fair Hill due to cancellation, It's hard to pick a favorite. Every race course was awesome in its own way.

For tech, Bear Creek and French Creek are the most technical of the series.

Bear Creek is on a ski resort. You climb for 15 minutes each lap and then Enduro in some really awesome tech all the way back to the S/F. Its such an awesome venue with a pool and ski lodge and the energy around the event feels so offical probably because it hosted Nationals for a few years a coupla years back.

French Creek is similar to Chimney Rock. It has tech but not overly tech. Its super fun. If it didn't dump buckets of rain on us at the end of the first lap, I'd have a better gauge. It has three climbs per lap, the first being the longest and moderately technical, the middle is short, punchy and marbly, the last is a hike a bike followed by a long false flat that can suck the life out of you if you burn matches in the hike a bike section (Nemesis climb). The downhills are fast and flowy with tech - So Fun.

Tough courses - Granogue, Iron Hill and Mass finals. Granogue and Iron Hill are not overly tech but they beat you down over the course of the race from all the climbing and heat.

Mass finals is a ripper of a course and it a longer XC race.. like 2.5 hours. Even the fast pros were over 2 hours. Be prepared to pace properly. Many guys were dieing before the 2 hour mark. Great party afterward and close to Hershey Park if you want to make it a family weekend.

D&Q Summer Sizzler is a super fast flat course and requires a constant engine. No descending to give you a rest. Kind of like Allaire, Sandy, flat with lots of small roll and punchy features.

Neshaminy is a very twisty up and down course. It has a little tech at the bottom near the Creek. Lots of log overs and off camber tight twisty sections.
I was hoping for the detailed version. #nexttime
 
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