[Closed] The annual Mayhem - tyres and course thread!

Yeah , I'm running V's on my SS also , going to take it , so will be fun

Well it's finally stopped raining here (near Ledbury). But only after lashing it down for the last two days. This morning it was particularly impressive for a couple of hours. The Malverns themselves dry out super quickly even after this much rain, the Mayhem course? Not so much 😉

My absolute last year. I've sort of given up waiting for a dry one. I'll be swapping the tyres I use all year on the Malverns for a Beaver/Mud-X combo before next weekend. 5 sets of spare brake pads already stashed. Mobile bike washer filed and tested, therapy for Monday morning booked.

Just going to finish 'training' by lying face down in the wet grass for 24 hours!

Forecast now out to Thursday, and it's due to be tipping down then (also quite wet tomorrow). I think it's safe to assume it's going to be wet. Given current levels of wetness around here - Malverns are wetter than I can remember for this time of year even in mudfest years for Mayhem - it only needs a couple of days a week like that to keep it soggy.

... though to be fair, in my preparations I have just changed my tyres & re-waterproofed all of my outers (jacket, four pairs of shorts) So I reckon that should more or less guarantee a scorcher!!!

BRING EVERY BIT OF RIDING KIT YOU HAVE!!!!!!

Only got 2 waterproof jackets and one pair of waterproof shorts so i guess I am getting a wet arse for 5 laps!!!

I took the dog out this morning near the Mayhem course. This isn't actually ON the course but it's within a mile. I ride this a bit of my cross bike and I've NEVER seen it so wet. Even in winter. A bit further up it was like a stream but i didn't take a photo on the grounds of possible de-motivation.

[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7089/7385280090_77b5058c6b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7089/7385280090_77b5058c6b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/7385280090/ ]Local trails a week before Mayhem[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

Off to the Malverns in a bit. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll pull a hamstring 😉

Not sounding good is it 😆 hope it might change, wishful thinking though... Might by some cx tyres

Ah bugger

Thanks for not de-motivating us Alex 🙂

So it's a good thing I've managed to blag a pair of Trailrakers, some Mud X's, and some 1.95" (more like 1.8") Maxxis Ignitors then for the weekend to choose from? 😉

Thinking at this rate it'll be rigid fork on the bike, not suspension, just for mud clearance! 🙁

FWIW, went out yesterday in the Forest of Dean. Was so wet there, mud didn't have a chance to stick to the bike! My bike came back much cleaner than when it went... That said, Eastnor mud is much thicker. I also destroyed some nearly new brake pads inside only 12 miles, so think this Mayhem will be a brake killer!

Well watched the BBC long range weather forecast on TV, and there is a nice big low pressure system coming through on Friday, followed by another on Saturday.

😐

It was never going to be anything other than wet was it, its pissed down for months. But its the same for all of us and with some proper preparation i reckon it might be just as much fun, although try asking me that at 4 am for a dawn lap...... 😉

Alec - happy to help in a misery loves company kind of way 😉 Malverns are fun but really wet. I have a feeling the MM course might be 50% of that!

I've gone with the Beaver/Mud-X combo. A set of tyres that - like me - shall be retired after the race. If you see some damp middle aged blokes shivering in the drizzle over a camp stove cooking endless sausages, that'll be us!

Looks like Lefty is the way to go. I'll pack Trailrakers and the extra Nobby Nic to replace the Ralph.

Just for you I took a trip through Eastnor today, and on some of the course (I presume that's what the mown strips are). Actually a lot drier than I expected - admittedly I didn't go to where the worst bits might be, but found nothing like shown in Alex's pic. The grassy area down the bottom was generally fairly dry if soft, with a few wet patches. The track I took up through the woods was a bit muddy, but nothing horrific. Up top all very dry and firm. Landrover tracks a boggy horror as always, but the course doesn't use those any more does it?

Saw a group of other people on bikes up near the obelisk - anybody on here?

Up there about 8ish tonight. Just did the L shaped downhill bit and got splashy muddy bit where I've never had them before. It's basically waterlogged which means the well drained bits are fine and the woods will be a cluster ****! Will be fun tho !

Sounds like 2.2 Racekings will be fine then 🙂

Crossmarks Off

Trailrakers On

Fitted brand new Panaracer Razers on Friday, I will not let this sh1t weather dampen my sense of optimism 😀

100!

Fitted brand new Panaracer Razers on Friday, I will not let this sh1t weather dampen my sense of optimism

Optimism??

A set of 1.8 TrailBlasters in the boot would be real optimism...

I will not be worrying about which tyres to use as I only have 1 set of tyres, so will just use them!

However, I do feel sorry for the bike wash people they will be a bit on the busy side. I remember the year with the land rover track, the guys doing the bike wash were more knackered than a lot of riders come the finish on the Sunday.

Glad I checked the MM website.

Start time this year is 1200 ....!!

I going for Race Kings as the optimistic choice. What could possibly go wrong?

Votchy,

I can dampen your spirit, by my calculations it's your turn to do the run this year! 🙂

Wohoo, 29'er mud x TLR's for £26.99 each @ cycle surgery in Holborn this afternoon, sorted

My first Mayhem entry this year, have gone with a combo of Spesh storm and Mud X, from everyone's comments though, I wish I'd stocked up on brake pads.... 😐

Just swapped my 2.2" Rubber Queens off my hardtail for some 1.95" Maxxis Ignitors (the optimistic choice). Though have also managed to blag a pair of Bonty Mud X's and a pair of 2.1" Trailrakers for the weekend also, just in case!

But it WILL be dry... Oh yes, it WILL be dry... 😉

Anyone else thinking of putting flat pedals on and riding in walking boots? 😕

I'm checking if there are wellies with spd compatibility.

" I wish I'd stocked up on brake pads...."

It's not a brake heavy course so I wouldn't worry. Plus the fact all the mud sticking to your bike means that you will have to pedal hard downhill to keep going 🙂

Hoping these two days on sun might help! Although Thursday is looking moist to say the least!

I reckon slick tyres may just be the answer - something like Schwalbe Big Apples - mud won't stick to those!!

Current plan is 1 bike, two pairs of wheels (one with Crossmark, the other with Nicks.)and a pair of Mud X just in case.

Coffee via Aerobie Aeropress.

Beer by Badgers.

Whisky by Glenfiddich.

Clothing by Endura (pink).

There will be a dry line by the time I go out on lap 4!!

Although Thursday is looking moist to say the least!

and Saturday or Sunday (depending on which forecast you look at).

There will be a dry line by the time I go out on lap 4!!

Unless of course the BBC 5 day forecast is accurate and it's raining.

Mr Tall,

you are wrong, team captain always does the run which means our French cousin will be donning the running spikes this year 😀

There will be a dry line by the time I go out on lap 4!!

4 laps - better than we plan to do 😉

I think he may dispute that.....!

Hoping these two days on sun might help!

No this is just the weather gods toying with your emotions.

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Hmmmm

Coffee via Aerobie Aeropress

Good man, a fine choice! What coffee will it be though? I might pick up a new press for the weekend, coffee is essential!

Essential for the MM tool box

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Essential for the MM tool box

Agreed 🙂

Nah, this is essential 😉

[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5275/6922932356_c75c3ede44.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5275/6922932356_c75c3ede44.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciderinsport/6922932356/ ]cider_tanker[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/ciderinsport/ ]ciderinsport[/url], on Flickr

Last year I rode with a semi slick rear tyre - no problems experienced.

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This year I'm taking the 1.5'' Contis .........

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Rk001 - I went out yesterday to buy one just for this weekend 😆

If its going to rain I hope it really pissing it down..

at least then the thick sticky mud will turn to wet watery thin stuff!! For most of the years done MM its been fine whilst it rains its when it starts to dry it becomes a thick mess... and of course being MM it never completely dries before it rains again...

Yes while it's actually raining we may be ok!

See your bikes finished then Will. I'll try to spot you out on the course. This may be tricky under all the mud though...

I shall this year be running a Crud Race Guard on the rear, and an SKS Shokboard up front.

Yeah cheers Pete! Be nice to see you 😆

Essential for the MM tool box

BBC is now forecasting thunderstorms on Sat. That's a new one.

GB

Black Sharks ready for bike #1, spare bike for emergencies already rigged up with Conti 1.5s. We've got two pressure washers in our team. I think we're going to be popular!

i wish you all well,

and hope the course doesn't end up looking like the bottom of one! 😀

40mpg - Member

I shall this year be running a Crud Race Guard on the rear, and an SKS Shokboard up front.

Should help keep a little of the mud from your 'race clothes!' 😆

"Weather update: We’ve just been told Patrick Adams and team have been hard at work weatherproofing the course, re-routing some the the traditionally muddiest parts, so should the worst happen (it won’t! it won’t!) then the course will still be fun to ride. Yes, we know some of you will be disappointed by that, but come 3am you may change your mind."

From the front page.

I hope they have left some thing interesting in the course, ie muddy slippy INTERESTING decents, and just got rid of horrible sloggy muddy sections.

I actually hope they shorten it too. I know in previous years lap times have gone up 20-30 mins per person, making a lap too long to IMO

"BBC is now forecasting thunderstorms on Sat. That's a new one."

Aah, George, I remember back to 1998 and the first Mayhem. There were thunderstorms with lightning on the start line.

Ashley Green

That's good to hear Dunc!

I actually hope they shorten it too. I know in previous years lap times have gone up 20-30 mins per person, making a lap too long to IMO

Yeah totally. It's got longer and longer in terms of lap time (if not length) as its gone on. Would be better if it was 20 minutes shorter, I'd rather do 6 shorter laps than 4 longer ones. Wouldn't be an issue for the faster boys anyway as they'd just double up if they were doing 30 minute laps.

Gonna be horrible whatever happens this weekend though, taking a veritable bike shops worth of tyres with me that I've managed to beg/steal/borrow for this weekend just in case!

Course gets busier the shorter you make it. The number of riders just wouldn't make a 30 minute course viable.

Be interesting to see what they do with the course, forecast doesn't look quite as grim as it did!

Are you coming again Ashley?

Yes, I'm coming again. We've got two teams and I'm on a mixed 5. Looking forward to it.

Bit of rain...pah.

Course gets busier the shorter you make it. The number of riders just wouldn't make a 30 minute course viable.

Absolutely. It's tricky enough in the first few hours with lap times for the leaders in the 45-55 minute range. Make it shorter and you'd need to lose a lot of the singletrack sections.

Are the pro's really going to get that disadvantaged against other teams of pro's if they have to do more overtaking? Yes it makes it more awkward for them, but they are pro's so can handle it 😆

I was actually meaning only shortening the course in adverse weather.

I was actually meaning only shortening the course in adverse weather.

Fairly irrelevant why you do it, I can't imagine the drop out rate is high, so the course would be stupidly busy, and as said, you'd have the lose what's left of the singletrack!

There's more overtaking and there's having to find a way past a constant stream of slower riders, often in places where there's nowhere to overtake. It's no fun for those being lapped as much as it's a hassle for the fast boys.

Yay lots of overtaking...tyres wise Im going for michelin Mud2's tubeless on the 29er.....

njee - Fair point was having a thick moment, I guess its the volume of riders on the course at one time, not the time it takes to do a lap.

Personally I always find it a pain in the erse when these pesky pro's dont move out of the way on twisty single track 8) especially when I give them plenty of room to come by on the climbs or easier sections.

Personally much prefer the longer laps, as others have said a shorter lap would just be a pain for overtaking.

Also, I like the idea of not repeating sections over and over, more than needed, like you would do on a shorter course.

Anyway, when are most people going down?

These pros which you talk about - how many of this weekend's riders do you think are professionals? 🙂

About half the field 😆

"These pros which you talk about - how many of this weekend's riders do you think are professionals?"

Well everyone on here thinks they are a pro for starters don't they 😆

and then there are those who shave their legs...

or turn up with a very clean looking bike when its going to get muddy in 2 seconds flat.

or wear lycra (to be fair not a bad idea to stop mud chaffing injuries)

I'm not a pro but I do shave my legs makes getting the mud off oh so easy and I was top 10 solo last year, this is my bike after a recent muddyish race. Ralphs were fine, imo if it's that muddy which it looks as it may be this year tyre pattern really won't make much difference, clearance will! At SITS during the deluge last year one of the top guys got round unscathed on Furious Fred front and rear! Having a Mayhem break this year, think I've picked a good one to miss!
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FunkyDunc - Member
Well everyone on here thinks they are a pro for starters don't they

and then there are those who shave their legs...

or turn up with a very clean looking bike when its going to get muddy in 2 seconds flat.

or wear lycra (to be fair not a bad idea to stop mud chaffing injuries)

Hmm, well I score 3 of those 4 and I can assure you that I'm nowhere near being a pro 😀

Personally I always find it a pain in the erse when these pesky pro's dont move out of the way on twisty single track especially when I give them plenty of room to come by on the climbs or easier sections.

Those ain't pro's you're describing. Those are the "off-roadies", weekend warriors with lots of fitness but little skill.

The pro's like Liam Kileen et al will mince you on the way down as well as the way up!

Re shorter course. Would just be my personal preference. I do understand the limitations it would cause the faster riders, and with so many people racing it would be busier, but it would affect me less and I'd prefer it myself. Also I think things like 24hr races should be far more about the average joe than pandering to the XC pro's IMO. Make it shorter and more technical if possible, the pro's will deal with it, they're getting paid... Its like back in the day when riders moaned about XC world cups being too technical!!!

Just my opinion anyway, feel free to disagree, but I think the 2450 riders that have to pay their own entry fee should be appealed to more than perhaps the 50 who have theirs paid for them.

Did riders ever moan about WCs being too technical? Don't think they did. They're as technical now as ever, and I've only ever heard riders saying good things about the courses.

I don't think a longer boring course is about "pandering to the pros", it's a by-product of the popularity of the event. You have a huge range of abilities, yes the pros will overtake more than most, but 2449 people are quicker than [i]someone[/i] out there, and as has been said it's not just the overtakers who find it frustrating, plenty of people don't like the pressure of faster (and sometimes aggressive) folk on their back wheel shouting (unnecessarily).

Did riders ever moan about WCs being too technical? Don't think they did. They're as technical now as ever, and I've only ever heard riders saying good things about the courses.

I'm talking a looooong while ago njee. Was a small pocket of ex roadies trying to make the leap, back when they were a lot less technical courses than they even are now, but still a few moaned. They're definitely more technical now than they ever were, which is only a good thing IMO.

I don't think a longer boring course is about "pandering to the pros", it's a by-product of the popularity of the event.

Probably a bit of both to be honest. That said, if it really appealed, then far more pro's would ride it rather than just the select few who usually turn up.

You have a huge range of abilities, yes the pros will overtake more than most, but 2449 people are quicker than someone out there, and as has been said it's not just the overtakers who find it frustrating, plenty of people don't like the pressure of faster (and sometimes aggressive) folk on their back wheel shouting (unnecessarily).

There's no excuse for being a dickhead and being aggressive or shouting though is there, we both know that. The real pro's are usually the politest out there on the course, it's the weekend warriors trying to better their last lap time by 30 seconds that are the rude ones in general!

"The pro's like Liam Kileen et al will mince you on the way down as well as the way up!"

You have just ruined my view of my own awesomeness and pro ability.

In fairness though I have been sat on the back wheel of Giant/USE etc team riders at previous 24hr events wishing they would get out of my way on more technical singletrack/DH sections.

I'm talking a looooong while ago njee. Was a small pocket of ex roadies trying to make the leap, back when they were a lot less technical courses than they even are now, but still a few moaned.

I remember Mike Kluge moaning about having to run through the river at the Aviemore Carlsberg race thing. That's a while ago though 🙂

That said, if it really appealed, then far more pro's would ride it rather than just the select few who usually turn up.

I dunno, considering how it kills your legs for a while and it tends to fall smack in the middle of the world cup season I'm not that surprised that not many big pros show up. The prize money isn't bad, but isn't sensational. Why would they do it? Plenty of good British elite guys do it.

The majority of the riders are the 'weekend warrior' types (edited to use a less ambiguous term, not aiming to offend!), evidenced by the fact I'm a rather mediocre racer and can be in the top 5% at an event like Mayhem, but I definitely think the course could be far more interesting if the entry was reduced by 75%, but then it wouldn't be Mayhem...

Not to bothered about what the weather does. It's always a great weekend. Can't wait

I pitched my tent about an hour ago in the glorious sunshine. Very soft ground in the deer park, the coffee vending truck (nr the arena) was getting a tow off a tractor 🙁

bit OT but anybody know how strict the over18 rule is, we have a club rider who is 17yrs 11months and wants to ride