You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
before I add my 2p worth...
Nice cool weather for cycling.
Enjoyed the off road.
Too much tarmac.
Signage was poor or none existant, in places.
Good turn out.
Feed stations were plenty & well stocked, shame they didn't have some lube - shame I didn't have some lube.
Everyone was chatty & friendly
Some good sections out on the moors (thank god it was quite dry...)
Some funny bog bits
Lots of lovely scenery
Happy marshals
Didn't use the food stops but they looked well stocked
Ride uphill on rough/boggy tracks, then plummet back down on the road? Boo.
More road. Would have been a nice cyclosportive I imagine, but that wasn't what it was.
Little signage, took wrong turns on a few unmarked bridleway junctions, as did many others.
Event based in and a route that wiggled all round Dalby forest without using ANY of the singletrack?!
Enough road (and fireroad) to genuinely make me wish I'd brought a cross bike.
Route pretty much in line with the map in content. Road, fire road, moors etc. Although the loop out of Goathland was different.
One key fork/junction was unmarked. Maybe sign had been removed. Might be a bit tricky filling up more of the red route with riders?
Enjoyed my day out. Thank you to everyone :))
Paul
Hmmm, I looked at the map the other day and commented that it looked like a vast amount of fireroad with very little actually around Dalby. Shame.
1. A bag of flyers and catalogues is not 'goodie bag'
2. Signage was poor, very easy to get lost. Basic rule is sign the turn, then sign after as a confirmation. Sheep eat little yellow flags.
3. complicated junctions need marshalls, if the farmer is complaining that gates were left open, then marshall the problem gates/areas.
4. don't promise sandwiches and cakes then only have water 'cos you ran out. It was cold up there and I couldn't wait around.
5. Don't ask for t-shirt size on the application as it leads to disappointment when you don't get one.
This was the first event of this kind I have attended, so can't make any comparisons. But here's my thoughts:
Some great downhill routes were missed in preference for roads. After grinding away up a boggy climb only to find a paved road to roll down was a little disappointing.
Too much fireroad!
Anyone who camped onsite will no doubt have experienced the 'Toilets from Hell' *shudders*
Apart from that, I really enjoyed the day. The staff were all very helpful even though they were clearly rushed off their feet most of the time.
They had good showers.
£43 is alot for an event without proper course marking.
the website states, "the very best of Dalby Forest, home of the UCI World Cup’, which implies that the course would use at least some of the purpose-built MTB trails there.
it also says ‘almost exclusively off road’. ermm....
Dalby is relatively local for me, glad I went to Selkirk by the sound of it
Even though I did end up with a bust wrist
+
Enthusiastic marshalls
Some nice moorland sections.
North York Moors is a unique environment- expansive views, varied terrain- always enjoy being there.
Well stocked feed stations
-
Needed to do a fair bit of mapwork to get round due to missing signage. Maybe move marshalls to the problem areas once they are known as problems?
If the Dalby trails were generally unavailable, then a bigger moorland loop would have been nice.
Litter! - whilst not much spotted, none is better, so gel wrappers, flat tubes etc back into pockets/ packs please.
Overall- enjoyed the day out, getting a nice long ride in which i've not done for a while, and always enjoy getting out into the North York Moors.
I agree with yak. Some minor organisational issues, but overall a good day out on the moors with nice people.
Maybe the organisers will learn from their first event...
My tuppence worth is
Nice food van from the cafe, nicely set out small event arena, good beer and bands (though i would have liked an earlier night but i'm an old fart). Some great trails and scenery. Great smiley friendly and encouraging marshalls at every point, BIG thanks for taking the day out to do it. Food stops adequate and frequent enough. Mainly well signposted...
... at least one crucial fork not signposted at the time we arrived (high on the moor and not late in day at all) Spoke to the guy from puruple mountain who marked it and am assured it was signed so i'm guessing the sheep ate the yellow flag (as they do). On such a crucial junction something more permanant maybe? (a person??. Too much fire road or just road on the return loop.
In the arena, no pasta Sat night (as adv). Cafe van: good food but 1.50 for a tea. Was ignored in favour of Purple Mountain helpers Sat night both in the van and on the bar... that kinda face i guess!!! The finish was all a bit... flat (advertised as a party?)
Sounds like a right moan but overall it was a good day out on bits of NYM i havent been on on a bike so all good and i'd go back for another event so no majors...
Does anyone know or have a link to a results table??
Having never ridden that distance before or done any event I really enjoyed it overall.
I think the marshall's & organisers deserve thanks, I'm sure an event like that takes some organising.
Some constructive criticism:
Toilets were disgusting, should have had 15-20 for that many people or at least a urinal unit for the gents would have made a big difference.
The advertised "mega pasta party" needed to be alot more mega! 1 small cupfull each was a joke.
Needed an extra Marshall or 2 on the 50-75k section, where a large no of riders took the left fork onto a footpath as the sign had disappeared.
A longer section of fireroad at the start might have avoided the bottleneck at the start of the singletrack.
Would do it again next year.
According to my gps and a couple of others the 100k was about 10k short, did any one else notice this?
You're not the only one Moose, my friend's GPS reported 90k at the end 😕
My Cateye said 59 miles, but I did about 1/2 a mile off course.
Marshals good and thanks for volunteering, much appreciated. Weather also great and the mud a lot of fun but..
Purple Mountain organizers dear oh dear...
20mins to register
Ran out of "goody" bags
Sold you a whistle which was then in the goody bag if you were lucky enough to get one
Toilets!!!!
45mins late starting
Ran out of food at the feed station, then water!!
World cup route 200mts max (I rode it at springs British XC)
Worse of all no marxhalls at critical junctions, masses of lost riders
Finally not all numbers were spotted and logged at the finish.
If an amateur voluntary event fine but all in all for £40 not good enough, go to the Dyfi enduro and learn before you ask for money. I won;t be back. 🙁
it puzzles me that people volunteer their time to support a commercial enterprise for food and a Tshirt