 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Hi All.
I'm relatively new to mtb, having been riding trails at haldon (Exeter) for a couple of years, and with a couple of bike park Wales visits under my belt. I'm loving it and have just invested in my first nice bike (a canyon strive) and am thinking of signing up to the BNES enduro mashup race in Minehead in July. I don't expect to be especially competitive, but think it might be great to have a target to focus on.
I'm not especially confident in the air, but especially now I have a decent bike I'm keen to work on this over the coming months!
I was wondering what people's experiences were like of their first race, and also of this format. Any recommendations on minimum skill levels?
Just go ride it and enjoy it, you'll learn as you go. Every enduro I've ever done has been good craic and not too macho, contrary to what you read on here.
You might want to take a trip up to hopcott before the race. Some of it is a bit of a step up from Haldon and BPW...
Hello Thinksta. I am part of the crew running the race at Minehead. The mashup is on the easier stages close to the race village. All jumps and drops have b lines. Nothing overly steep in the mashup. Just good loamy trails. All the steeper lairy stuff is used in the National event taking place on the same weekend.
Minehead is a fantastic venue. Seems to have become a rider favourite. Amazing trails, scenery and lots of sore heads on Sunday morning after enjoying the evening entertainment a little too much!
Thinksta, a 5min pedal away from Haldon you have cafe side which has small to large jumps for you to practise or learn on, there is a facebook group you can join which will have directions on it.
Also in the area you have a few BMX race tracks you could practice on, Paignton has a racetrack next to the skatepark, I think this one is open all the time. Newton Abbot/Decoy has a BMX race track which runs a MTB night once a month, costs a few quid, look up #4thursdays for when. Then you have Exeter BMX race track which has limited opening hours (again check there FB) but didnt mind me rocking up with my MTB a couple of time this year, again a few quid to ride.
ah, didn't spot the mashup bit. those tracks are good fun.
I did the first one at minehead and quadzilla was a long way out of a lot of peoples comfort zone (mine too, broke my finger in practice..., had a painful race day)
I'm never going to be troubling the podium but enjoy a good enduro. The main thing is to go out and enjoy yourself. I still get nervous at the start of a stage but once you get pedaling you soon forget about the nerves!
That's really helpful advice, thanks all.
I may visit Minehead in advance to check it out, although I can't see an obvious website for the bike park and the Facebook website page doesn't say much.
It looks like there are some blue/black trails close to Minehead, and more in some woods a bit further away.
Where would be the best place to visit so we can check out the trails in advance?
bratton side where the mashup trails are is officially out of bounds out of the race times. there arent any fences though and a number of bridleways run through the area. up to you...
wooton and hopcott is where the steeper, harder stuff is. and again, plenty of bridleways access the area.
good natural riding as well around dunkery, horner and allerford.
trailforks looks like it covers most of it.
Brilliant - thanks!