[Closed] SPAM WINTER CHALLENGE - SUNDAY 2 JANUARY

This will get people out the house and blow the cobwebs off. I took my FS trail bike last year which was the wrong bike! I'm going to put some semi-knobblies on my 26" commuter this time. Hope to see you there.

I might come along as I enjoyed last years. Is there entry on the day?

I really enjoyed last years event.

Looks like it might be muddy. Very frosty last year.

Anybody know if it will be the same route as last year?

will it be the same route as a few years back that was totally frozen with a fair amount of road? enjoyed it but might take the cx, not decided yet

Will be going, make the decision on the Sunday morning as to whether it will be CX or Hardtail. CX was perfect last year, small chance of a frost first thing, but I think it's going to get a little claggy!!

Yup, there are entries on the day - on-line entries are now closed.

I'm in - not going ss this year - felt like the Duracell bunny last time, spinning on the flat road bits!!

It was like a ice rink last year, not sure if I can make it this year as I had a big off yesterday and sporting a new knee flap this morning.., gutted.!

sporting a new knee flap this morning

I've got some lovely pics but Im at work now so will have to wait until later ))) dont worry ya love it, there all the rage...)

Anyone have any tyre suggestions? Serious question. I ride locally but the Challenge always seems to catch me out what with several hundred bikes already having churned up the ground.

Kenda Navergals, Good for the road and the mud?

i rode bits of the course they sometimes use yesterday and it was hard work even with bonty mud-x and maxxis ardent on the front, its really bad in some places with the cley like mud but its mostly rideable just hard work

route is very similar to last year, but as the ground has thawed it will be a bit of a different prospect. absolutely frozen when we rode it the other day so the warmer weather will bring a bit of mud so err on the side of caution on the tyres. the boys and girls from SPAM are looking forward to you all enjoying yourselves and YES you can enter on the day but it can be busy so get there as early as you can- registration opens at 8 and hot food will be on tap. SPAM Chairman

Reckon I'll bring the singlespeed Pegasus to this one. Bring on the gloop!

I think I'll be going, not ridden it for a few years, gonna ride my CX bike.
I was up that way today & its really soft so skinny tyres are a must. 😉

I'm going with Bonty Mud-X because that's what I've got.

Mud-x for me too. just pumped them up a bit for the road sections.

I have taken part a couple of times. The first I crashed out fairly early and the second I just got cold, wet and bored.

Is the course still a ride up a big field of grass and mud, along some roads, across a few more muddy fields and then a fun bit right at the end?

Great ride last year despite chillblains. Looks like it will be warmer this year.

The weather forecast is sunny so the mud will evaporate leaving dry and dusty trails! http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/27

OK, we can dream....

Surely that's worth a reaction?

Looks as though it could have the usual chilly start!!

Dullest ride in the world ,mainly on roads across very dull Plain with a bit off road to give it the mtb tag.You could do it on a road bike and jog the couple of offroad bits 😆

You are not wrong Ed. But it gets you off the sofa.

Happy New year Ed! you misreble old person 😉

Well its been going for over 15 years with over 1000 entries every time ,

so not everybody has the same opinion as Edric 😀

Is there an on the day sign on surcharge ?
Couldnt see on the website if it was a couple of
quid more on the day.
IS there likely to be a massive queue of 300
riders all trying to sign on at 0930?

Rob ygm

Any news on the conditions? Mud tyres or something faster rolling?

Expect mud, i rode around Erlestoke woods two days ago & it's very sh*tty.

It was muddy, but not excessively. well arranged as usual, good day out. My first time at the 50k and quite happy that I finished sub 3hrs.

the course was a safe bet i think, dealt with the mud well. i struggled with the road as singlespeed, my choice tho....

Great organisation and marking etc

Nearly coughed me lungs up on the first climb.. Thankfully it wasn't too claggy on the off-road sections, just enough 😉 The worst was the slop on the road through Imber.

Boy was that final 'extra' loop for the 50k was a nasty add-on though! Long tarmac descent and then straight back up a long off-road climb - you can leave that out next year guys!

50k in a smidge over 3 hrs (due to John getting a flat - the 3 of us rode together.

Thanks to all those in the 'peloton' on the road section over the Plain to Imber. To the guy dishing out Mule Bars on the way round.

And a big up to the wonderful Drop Off cafe Bus too - fantastic chilli

As always a great event, thanks to everyone at SPAM.

Placed 272 out of 292 I think on the 50k not my best event position!

Still good fun though

Thought the event was very well organised, and despite the negative comments in the thread above, it is still an enjoyable challenge at this time of year.

Also friendly bunch of people doing it, nice to chat on the way round.

Finished in 2:19 (42nd), 12 mins faster than last year so pleased.

Looking forward to photo's ... the guy on the 'dale F900 doing wheelie's should be a good snap.

Also well done to Time Laps for getting the results up in double quick time!

http://www.timelaps.co.uk/results.aspx

It was my first time riding this event and I enjoyed it.
I did the 50km course in 2hrs 52mins including a 17mins stop to fix a puncture.

Thanks to the guy who gave me some tyre levers and the other guy who gave me a tube and pump to use.

My garmin details here : http://connect.garmin.com/activity/61607599

SDK, your Garmin info is quite interesting - apart from the temperature graph ! That will be your body temp then will it 🙂

The temp is external

Average - 37.3[b]F[/b] = 2.9[b]C[/b] 😉

Cheers for the comments, it was me giving out Mule Bars but I should have done that sooner. It's a sad fact of life that January is going to be muddy but at least I had all my gears and the wheels kept turning for the whole course.

Cheers for the comments, it was me giving out Mule Bars but I should have done that sooner. It's a sad fact of life that January is going to be muddy but at least I had all my gears and the wheels kept turning for the whole course.

A couple of blog posts. The first is from the 50km winner. He includes his GPS data too.

http://scottforbesracing.tumblr.com/

This second one is mine, a more average joe account.

http://gothandy.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/the-spambiking-winter-challenge/

Glad you guys/girls enjoyed it.
I was getting a bit stressed at about 0645 when the generators was tripping out when the water boiler was pluged in!
Be a good start a load of coffee and tea starved bikers!
Anyway all sorted and rest of the day went ok.

I do think most people that are switched on recognise a "bit safe" type of course that can be riden at this time of year with out turning into a total mud bath and also not cutting up the course and ruining the track use is a good thing!

Any thanks for the support and well done in helping raise money for charities.

Rob (SPAM Member)

I thought it was good, well organised, friendly and a perfect new year wake up. it did seem a bit easier than other years and another 5-10 KM and a bit less tarmac in the middle section would have made it even better but I don't want to split hairs - I'm sure we'll be back next year. Surprisingly it wasn't that muddy and my 2.35 High Roller at the back and 2.25 Nobby Nic up front worked just fine.

It was also the biggest and best cake selection I have ever seen.

2hr 42 on the singlespeed...could have done without that long road stretch as I was spinning like a mentalist and getting nowhere fast, but 'twas my own fault I guess 🙂 Enjoyable ride I think if you go into it understanding that most of the South is a mudbath this time of year, and at least this was rideable.

http://www.photo-it.com/spam/winterchallenge2011.htm

Photo's are out now.

More Winter Challenge Pics on this site .
http://web.me.com/duncansnow/SPAM_Winter_Challenge/Photos/Pages/Winter_Challenge_2011.html

Thanks for looking.