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Anyone else going? This'll be my first Enduro. Pretty excited about it! I don't have much expectation of doing so great in my category (master men) since I only properly got back into MTB at the beginning of the year but I'm really there for the taking part.
I read on the FAQs that they tape the courses on Saturday, so would anyone who's done it before know if it will be possible to do a practice lap of the course on the Saturday rather than Sunday morning? I'd imagine it would be a little less busy then. Any other first time Enduro tips would be greatly appreciated!
It's my 1st FOD enduro, I'll be in the hardtail cat as I'll be on the fatbike (would be master men otherwise). also hoping to practice Saturday rather than Sunday am - apparently it's doable. I think you can sign in from 4pm on the Saturday as well which would make Sunday morning easier.
No idea what FOD is like for enduro but my tips would be don't fret about the transfers, and try to ride smooth, fun and fast in the stages rather than getting stressed about 'race speed' as that's when crashes happen.
Yeah luckily I live in Bristol so it's not much effort for me to drive up on both Saturday and Sunday, and I've done a fair amount of FOD trail riding before so I'm pretty familiar with the type of stuff it's likely to be. I'm definitely going to go register on Saturday, just takes a little of the stress out of the equation for the actual race.
Those are all good tips! My aim is definitely to just try to be smooth and take it easy. I've slowly got more confident at cornering and leaning the bike not the body, so I'll just be trying to remind myself of that and also to look ahead!
I'm similar - about an hour from FOD. My local races have stopped, they were a 10min ride away and half the entry cost, so I've gone from 8 races a year (4xc, 4enduro) to one or two. I rarely visit FOD though as my local riding spots are just as good imo. And now the parking has gone up..... I prob only visit twice a year even though it's my closest official trail centre.
DAMMIT! This had completely gone under my radar and now the tickets are all sold out.
its usually available to ride on Saturday pm .
That's good to know! I've read that it's a fairly relaxed affair when it comes to start times too? Me and my girlfriend will be doing it, and it would be cool to do it together, looking at the start times we'd be fairly far apart if we followed the start times religiously.
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I'm in for this weekend. Done a couple before, pretty relaxed but the stages are nice and interesting. Well organised too.
Just hoping my bike is ready in time!
I'm in. First FOD mini enduro for me, even though i ride there rugularly. Probably not going to get there on Saturday for a pre-ride so that my excuse for a poor result sorted.
Oh damn... wish i'd known.... My lad is doing the kids one in the morning.... We were just going to ride around after that..
Had an email last night confirming that the stages will be taped for practice tomorrow, however the weather is looking pretty shocking for Saturday... .. So I'll just make a day of it on Sunday I think.....
Conditions were perfect yesterday 😉 Just a bit tacky but loads of grip. Depends how much of this forecasted rain we get, but I’d be packing at least a front mud tyre. Might ride over and watch the carnage 🙂
Well the weather right now is awful if that helps. Wet and windy
Yeah I was going to go down on Saturday for a bit of a practice but will leave it to Sunday morning now! Just don't feel like getting wet as hell the day before. Looks like a nice day on Sunday though, just be a little muddy I suppose.
FFS you guys are not helping.... Due to the Little Fodders race only being £5 i'm not exactly going to lose a lot if we don't turn up. In fact it's going to cost me 3-4 times that in petrol, coffee and cake 🙂
Must admit, the thoughts of getting soaked.. are not filling me with happiness.
It’ll be fine. Forecast for Sunday looks pretty good. It’s not going to be cold or wet from up top, so a day of good slithery fun aways!
My lads race is Sat morning, not Sunday.
It’ll still be fine. Mud is the great leveller 🙂 And they do an awesome fish finger sandwich in the cafe. Honestly it’s been so dry, I don’t expect it’ll be horrible.
My son is doing the kids race on Saturday as well @weeksy, never done one before but happened to be in the area. Details are thin on the ground! My boy is 9 and seems he could do either the morning or afternoon kids race. Any insight on what its like? Not sure whether we turn up for morning and risk him being against loads of really young kids or in the afternoon and the opposite!!
@pobaker. The afternoon race is on a two dot DH track which they're using for the Enduro the next day (Cougar Root if you know it). It's cheeky and my son (who's ridden La 8 in BSM if that helps) is happy on it. The morning race is still a fun course, fast and flowy singletrack for the first half then a little fireroad transition then a short but steep and tight last section (Wormhole).
If you've got the day why no do the morning one then ride the afternoon course a few times and see what your son thinks?
Maybe see you there, I'm marshalling the kids race in the afternoon so will be around.
@tetrode. I reckon you'd be ok riding together. It's pretty low key I think (you could always have a mechanical that takes just the right amount of time to fix!)
Super helpful thanks!! Think we’ll do that and check out both.
Those roots are gonna look so shiney polished!!!
It's a great event, not done it for two years. One of the stages on the left of the pedal up fire road as you came down had an absolute bastid of an off camber up and over bank at the bottom, it caught so many people out so if they're running that practice that for certain!
I don't think I'll bother with practice today, I don't fancy cleaning my bike and kit in the dark tonight. Ill just get there as early as poss tomorrow. Glad I'm in the hardtail cat (on the Fat Bike) as it's mining here.
Looks like it's going to be pretty damn wet tomorrow!
Rain stopped about 11:30 and just windy now. Tomorrow looks a bit damp tho! Good luck to all having a go and hope the kids races went well.
Yeah the forecast looks like today's rain has been delayed until tomorrow. The forest had 45mm of rain yesterday. Going to be a soggy one.
Wasn't too bad there today. Although I've cleaned both bikes twice and likely to need another go tomorrow
Went there for the first time today as BPW closed as so many tracks washed away. FoD fairly dry in comparison and some canny good trails.
@i_like_food we had a great day. He did the morning one and loved it. He came top in his year (good how they divided everyone up to lots of podiums). Then we had an explore after that and rode a few bits from the adults race today rather than do the afternoon race as well.
Was a good turnout of kids, need more places to do that sort of thing. Spoke to lots of people - you may have been among them!
nice that it didn’t rain all day - looks horrible out today and know a few people racing.
Great race on Sunday!
Practice the trails were slidy but running well, after the rain stopped the bottom of 2 was a real slog, and 3 was very slick in quite a few places.
Had a lot of fun, and I'm sure the spectators did too!
Well that was a let down for me, I just couldn't do it. Did a practice run of stage 3 and found it literally impossible. I just don't have the skills to ride in conditions like that, didn't enjoy it at all, kept stopping and sliding about so just decided to cut my losses and go home. Here's hoping the next one won't be such a washout.
Wash out for me too, first practice on stage 1 I had major front brake fade, stage 2 front brake died. Ended up going down to the shop, but hadnt enough money on me to get it fixed so had to go back up to the car. Went back down via stage 3 which, with no front brake, slid on my arse a fair bit.
Ended up getting the bike fxed by 12, but was cold wet and miserable, so didn't want to practice any more. So handed in my transponder when I finally got back up to the top.
Got home intimate for a Sunday roast which was nice.
Great trails somewhat spoilt by mining weather. Had a couple of decent runs, and a couple I wan't happy with. When cold and wet after practice waiting till we could start racing I did consider bailing, but was glad I didn't, Well I was till the end of the last stage (stage 2) when slogging through the mire unable to ride or run, only walk dragging the increasingly heavy bike I wondered WTF I was doing it for.
I'm the third rider in that insta video posted up there. Yes the one who wipes out, as had the guy who's on his knees in the background on the outside line, and as did the guy in green afterwards.
monkeyboyjc think I chatted to you one the way up the car park track when you were going to get the brake fixed. Mechanicals are a bummer but I think if I had one it would have been the last straw and I've have bailed.
@mark90 the Fat Bike would be the giveaway 😀
I was cold wet and miserable by the time it was fixed. The thought of waiting 2hrs to race a track I didn't know vs home for a nice Sunday roast.......
Sunday roast, lovely............ I treated myself to a cheese burger after the race 🙂
This video gives a good flavour of the race....