Mountain Mayhem
Discussion
It's a 24hr race taking place at Eastnor Deer Park outside Ledbury, for solos or teams.
I've done it the past two years as part of a team, and it is a great, fun weekend with lots of likeminded people, and it's very well organised. However, for the last two years the weather has been awful (heavy rain) and the track has become completely unrideable. The difficulty is the soil is very claggy, and mixed with the grass forms a perfect wattle and daub and clogs up everything, and I do mean everything. Carrying a bike that now weighs twice as much as it should across trails that you can barely stand up in (but would normally be easy to ride) during the middle of the night could be described as character building at best.
For preparation, make sure you're used to long rides, take clean clothes (particularly shorts) for each of your laps, probably a spare rear mech in case of bad weather and just enjoy it. It is fun!
I can quarantee that as I'm not going along this year, the trails will be dry and lovely and it will be a fantastic race! :-)
I've done it the past two years as part of a team, and it is a great, fun weekend with lots of likeminded people, and it's very well organised. However, for the last two years the weather has been awful (heavy rain) and the track has become completely unrideable. The difficulty is the soil is very claggy, and mixed with the grass forms a perfect wattle and daub and clogs up everything, and I do mean everything. Carrying a bike that now weighs twice as much as it should across trails that you can barely stand up in (but would normally be easy to ride) during the middle of the night could be described as character building at best.
For preparation, make sure you're used to long rides, take clean clothes (particularly shorts) for each of your laps, probably a spare rear mech in case of bad weather and just enjoy it. It is fun!
I can quarantee that as I'm not going along this year, the trails will be dry and lovely and it will be a fantastic race! :-)
Seriously, I cant wait. I've done a couple of Enduros before so i know what to expect.
The trick is - take EVERYTHING cycling related that you have. 2 bikes if you can, every pair of shorts, every jersey, one million pairs of socks etc.
Its amazing how much a fresh, dry pair of pants can do to lift your spirits when its pissing down, your bike is wrecked, and your due in the change over area in 5 minutes.
The trick is - take EVERYTHING cycling related that you have. 2 bikes if you can, every pair of shorts, every jersey, one million pairs of socks etc.
Its amazing how much a fresh, dry pair of pants can do to lift your spirits when its pissing down, your bike is wrecked, and your due in the change over area in 5 minutes.
I've done the last two years as well, along with another bunch of 12/24h events, and can confirm that it's very, ahem, character-building at 2am when you're carrying a bike through off-camber mud.
Leading a mixed team of five this year, and I've got everything I can think of crossed whilst praying for dry conditions. It's unremittingly awful when it's that muddy.
But I keep going back...
Leading a mixed team of five this year, and I've got everything I can think of crossed whilst praying for dry conditions. It's unremittingly awful when it's that muddy.
But I keep going back...
fergus said:
I'm there. Team of six (at the last count). Not looking forward to the night sessions if it becomes a repeat of the conditions reported last year!
We took a break for five hours at the worst of it last year. Given that laps were taking 2 hours each and we were running 55th at the time, 2 laps either way was not going to make that much of a difference.I'm in one of 4 Retrobike teams but as it's a sporting 10 man team the laps should be kept to a minimum and beer+bbq kept to a maximum 
First time riding although I spectated in 2005 so have an idea what I'm getting into. In a 4 man team for Sleepless too and just did the Dyfi last week.
First time riding although I spectated in 2005 so have an idea what I'm getting into. In a 4 man team for Sleepless too and just did the Dyfi last week. longblackcoat said:
Just had one of the team pull out. Anyone want to ride in a mixed not-very-serious team?
I think they could join most of the teams attending - including ours!As I've never ridden at night, I have 2 questions:
1) If you assume that a lap will take around 60 mins (in the dry and daylight), what would be a "typical" time in the night (same rider & conditions, etc)?
2) Even though we are hiring HiD lights for the event, how bad is the fact that they will cast shadows over obstacles? Is this a problem? I think we've got 920 lumens light output per light (not sure how good this is?)
3) How technical was the course last year (excluding the weather) and is it the same course this year)? I will do some reccy laps on the fri, but just curious!
Any other tips for night riding?
How did you do Chaps?
We managed 19 laps, not bad for a first go, about what we epxected. Pleased that we had no punctures, crashes, mechanicals etc.
We doubled up on then night laps in order to get some sleep - getting up at half 2, in the pitch dark, with that godawful rain coming down was experience.
In the corral at half 3 the atmosphere was electric - the tales of the people coming off the hill as that rain had set in - 'carnage', 'deadly', and 'insane' were the words being bandied about. My man was a bit late back, so it meant I was just on the 2nd half of the lap as the sun came up. Fan-bloody tastic.
We all had such a great weekend, huge event, met hundreds of nice people, lots of nice marhsall girls to ogle aswell!
Got home last night. Car is still on drive, still with all the stuff in it. I'm in bed, cant really move my legs.
We managed 19 laps, not bad for a first go, about what we epxected. Pleased that we had no punctures, crashes, mechanicals etc.
We doubled up on then night laps in order to get some sleep - getting up at half 2, in the pitch dark, with that godawful rain coming down was experience.
In the corral at half 3 the atmosphere was electric - the tales of the people coming off the hill as that rain had set in - 'carnage', 'deadly', and 'insane' were the words being bandied about. My man was a bit late back, so it meant I was just on the 2nd half of the lap as the sun came up. Fan-bloody tastic.
We all had such a great weekend, huge event, met hundreds of nice people, lots of nice marhsall girls to ogle aswell!
Got home last night. Car is still on drive, still with all the stuff in it. I'm in bed, cant really move my legs.
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