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Just finished a ride over the Malverns, and what lovely weather... Until about 11:45pm!
It's bloody wet now...
Obviously the tops have drained well as always, but some trails along the sides of the hills (much more of an indicator for Eastnor) are very very cut up and quite slithery... And that's after 2 days of sunshine! Rain here on in now until Sunday... It's gonna be messy guys!
Loads of rain in Worcestershire over night 🙁
As dependable as Murray flunking Wimbledon, England going out on penalties and Gordon Brown stealing kiddies' sweets: I give you Malvern weather the 3rd weekend in June 😉
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Thanks Stoner, no really thanks.
I'll pack boil-in-the-bag kit too.
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
I like the sound of this 😉
Looking at the mud potential, I'm sorry I'm missing it this year!!
I'm glad I bought some mud sharks now!!!!
Worcestershire about 1930 yesterday
[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5447/7412519602_05200eaca5.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketdog/7412519602/ ]buttercups[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr
You don't want to know what it's like today
Weather will be what it will be.
Regarding course re-hash. I hope they keep the "options" as options. Let's see how it is riding. If there is a need to swap a section out during the event, then so be it.
My most vivid memories of MM are all about "those" bits of the course.... Somme Woods, the Cornfield, etc etc.
I really don't have any good memories from riding on the plain grassy bits
I deliberately hadn't fitted my mudguards ahead of the weekend 🙄
rkk01 - Completely agree with you, even if they change it part way through the 24hrs I think it would be good.
I loved the corn field after slogging round some sections it was great to have a laugh trying to stay up right.
Alot of the forecast appear to be slowly improving anyhow. It looks like keeping tents on the ground might be more of an issue now!
"I deliberately hadn't fitted my mudguards ahead of the weekend"
I dont think they are beneficial anyhow when its gets to full mud situations they are just additional surface area for mud to cling to.
Anyone have any live from the venue weather/mud updates?
hi dot been down at race site today setting up the stage area for podium presentations etc and ground conditions were muddy, muddy,muddy!!! around start finish,trade areas... but the site can dry preety well if we get a sustained dry and windy spell so fingers crossed.. will be back on site early to set the sound systems up so hope it is dry.... see you all there enjoy the mayhem!!!!!!!!
I live in Malvern, it has continued to drizzle and rain most of the evening, on and off. The latest local news suggests a 'mostly dry on Saturday' now. The forecasts have changed significantly from one day to the next... 🙄
We could have an issue (like last year iirc) where hopefully most of the 'new' rain travels around Eastnor rather than dumps on it. Come what may the woods are still going to be pretty messy!
@keyses
cheeky ride round some of MM course has revealed much wetness, carnage highly likely on some sections !
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.That's what he said about Enduro 6 this year and we ended up going round a field through hub deep mud and smelly sloop. It was disgusting.
yes i remember that too. possibly the hardest 6 hours ive had on a bike that race!
Forcast is looking much much better now, no doubt it will be wet and muddy, but maybe not quite as bad as was first thought!
My mud tyres are set to arrive 20 mins after Ive left today.....could be annoying
I'm gonna fit Dirty Dans rather than Black Sharks. That's as optimistic as I get.
Argh, my sister-in-law took my washing that had some of my biking gearout of the washing machine, then left it in a plastic bag in a corner, instead of putting on the drying rack. And I also have a huge spot on my chin - you know that bit in Army of Darkness where Ash grows another head? Yeah, that. 🙁
Still, double Beavers!
Black Sharks ready!
Going to drop in later today. Taking a flask of coffee and RNLI number on speed dial.
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I'm going along as a photographer only this year, so would prefer bad conditions so I can get plenty of photos of mud related crashes. Although some riders find dusty fireroads too technical....
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/4720315789/ ]oops[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
I'm off to pitch the team tent. Abandoned an idea of a sighting laps as I'm pretty sure I know what state the course will be in 😉 Shall take camera and report back in a few hours. Joy of living close is I can go home and sleep in my own bed! One night's damp tentage is about all I can manage nowadays.
Mark - if you're around might see you up there.
That's summer weather isn't it Stoner? I'll be in the TROG tent this evening whiskey in hand looking to take the edge off what could be an "interesting" inaugural Mayhem for me.
Oooh dusty trails!!! Still holding out to race on racing ralphs.. 🙂
either that or putting stubs in the old cycle shoes lol
Dirty Dan/mud x fitted to my SS, not gonna bother with the geared bike!!
I've only got one set of tyres so I will be riding on rocket Ron and a Ralph on the back, here's hoping for a miracle!
just back in from a pitch inspection.
You're all f***ed! Hahahahaha! 😆
Its awful over the hill at the moment. Dave, I hear rumour of a roaring black market trade in mud tyres out the back of vans, Del & Rodney style.
Caught up with Alex - who seemed un-characteristically determined to actually go ahead and ride in it. 😯
Saw TROG tent, seemed safely above High Tide mark.
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.
Yeah, right......the "traditionally muddiest parts" include [i]all[/i] of the flat bits, [i]all[/i] of the climbs, and [i]all[/i] of the descents. The first time I did it I was the only one in the team not to break a derailleur, and that's only because I was riding a Rohloff.
When you see cars being dragged out on the Sunday because they can't get up the gentlest of gradients, you know it's a mudfest.
Great event, rubbish venue. And of the five times I've done it, only one has been properly dry.
Even in the muddy years it wasn't that bad and you could ride 99% of it on Mud Sharks...
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/7421388500/ ]A pictorial metaphor ;)[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
I Shall let that picture paint a thousand words. For those with a strong disposition, find more here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/sets/72157630239878880/
Oh bloody hell!
Actually that doesn't do it justice
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/7421219874/ ]MM2012 - The precursor of horror![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
I was chatting with a fella who'd been round the course. He looked harrowed. Apparently plasticine wood isn't ridable. No surprise. It's not really walk-able either apparently.
He'd done all MM's at Eastnor. Worst he's ever seen it apparently. Still he might have been exaggerating. Although while chatting, we were being buffeted by another mighty rainstorm.
Still here now (well at home, but I'll be back in the morning). I mean how bad can it be? Okay, no-one answer that.
I've ridden there in some bad years, but never seen it that bad before anyone gets there!
One of the dry years:
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/176517301/ ]500 riders ready to start the 1/2 mile run[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
I really wish you hadn't posted that 😉
Oh crikey! I had to pull out at the last minute, part of me still wants to be there, the other part is very relieved! Good luck to you all!
How is the band on the Astin Martin stand doing? 8)
Oh Lordy! Glad i'm only spectating this year! Wellies tomorrow then.
urr good luck all....
anyone not racing and heading over on sunday? staffs area?
Maybe this means it will be dry and dusty for SITS...
http://www.wigglemountainmayhem.com/
is that the main site? appears to be down!
New for 2012 - mud is so bad before event it leachs into the website and kills that too 😛
Oh Lordy! Glad i'm only spectating this year! Wellies tomorrow then.
I'll soon fix that for you! We've got a spare bike or two between us here, and I'm sure your sis can lend you some kit to ride in... 😉
It's bloody horrid though, and I've not even been out the campsite yet! My Dad's Land Rover might be a 4x4 but without full on mud tyres even it slid about a bit just getting to where we're camped!
Oh, and got myself sorted for wellies, but there's a few peeps here will pay you handsomely to stop in via Countrywide in Malvern on the way in to buy them some...
Mountain Mayhem Fail
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Im toying with going over on sunday with a tractor. £10 a pull out 😉
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ripped from the twitter feed.....
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/58880869@N03/7425921794/ ]securedownload[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/58880869@N03/ ]potter757[/url], on Flickr
one of the first back after lap 1,god help them i swear
It's carnage
I've just got back home after spending a couple of hours there. Bikes were getting clogged up just getting to the change over area.
Mud was 3/4 way up my Aigles in places! So glad I'm not riding!
Busiest I've ever seen it though, however trade stands seemed to be quite meh
Is there a webcam so we can view the atmosphere?
Just got back in from doing a booze run for one or two peeps. They know who they are, and it's amazing how cheap those Smorgasbord tyres can be 😀
Took the Shandy Rover Gaylander, and it's 2-0 to me! Booze delivered to the trade stand door and pulled the Very Nice Man from the AA and his van out of the mud as I was leaving.
General Grabber AT2s in each corner probably did most of the work.
Its really claggy out there now though. It almost needs more rain, to you know, wash things down a bit.... 😈
Was quite glad I had a 4WD Golf there today!
It almost needs more rain, to you know, wash things down a bit....
Damn you, Stoner! We had more rain, and it was turning into sloppy soup by the time I finished my lap. I suppose on the plus side the mud was no longer clogging, but it made most of the second half pretty much unrideable for me on a uni - I got drafted in as a last minute replacement this morning having taken mini-aracer for the kiddies race (which was itself a bit of a mudfest). Only rode one lap, but the other 3 will only ride 2 each (they wisely stopped for the night). It did also help that I'm a fairly decent runner, and with a fair amount most bikers were struggling on, it's a lot easier to put a uni over your shoulder - I reckon I actually overtook more than overtook me on the second half of the lap (including a fair number by running past them on the downhill bits!)
Oh, and I made sure to park on a hard surface, hence I'm about to get into my own bed 😀
Uni?
Nuts chris.
Nuts chris.
Yeah - but you knew that already
Just got back from a Sunday morning nose about.
MUD! EVERYWHERE! And where there is no mud, the water is sitting on the top of the grass waiting to be stewed up into mud.
The skinny tyred SSer's are coping the best. But not my idea of fun.
The trade stands are either closed or long packed up and gone. And MEH beyond belief. The attitude of some of the traders is unbelievable. But I suppose I'd feel the same if I'd been stood on a muddy hillside for 2 or 3 days. Still, they have a captive market and consumers and they are deliberately trying to ignore or piss off prospective customers.
The trade stands are either closed or long packed up and gone. And MEH beyond belief. The attitude of some of the traders is unbelievable. But I suppose I'd feel the same if I'd been stood on a muddy hillside for 2 or 3 days. Still, they have a captive market and consumers and they are deliberately trying to ignore or piss off prospective customers.
To be fair to them, there wasn't much trade. It was so tough just walking around that area and all the riders were off fettling with bikes (using a spade to remove mud), so there weren't many punters.
The attitude of some of the traders is unbelievable.
I gather Wiggle, "Online Bikeshop Partner of the 2012 Mountain Mayhem" were quite stroppy about "exhibitors" "trading" from their pitches when they werent supposed to be...
The attitude of some of the traders is unbelievable.
The attitude of one of the Hope team was unbelievable....unbelievably nice, helpful and awesome in fact. He completely rebuilt my hub and provided a new axle whilst covering himself in mud from my filthy bike. Utterly brilliant service.
Thank you so much Mr Hope Man 😀
Was quite glad I had a 4WD Golf there today!
Was yours the nice blue Golf R by the road? I had to be towed out by our neighbours with a Lada 4x4 thing, bloody useful, would've been screwed otherwise!
+1 for Hope service- a friend had similar issue with hub- sorted it out with a smile- couldn't have been more helpful
No, Silver V6 4Motion in the day visitors car park.
Well - that was a tad moist!! Did any one actually manage more that 20 laps??
I'm not more than a mile from the obelisk and it's rudely sunny and good riding, CX SB8s and all. Sorry 😉
I quite enjoyed it, I think...
My midnight ride was great fun, just pools of mud soup but mainly rideable. This mornings 8:30am ride was hell.
Thanks to the lady who gave me some energy bar towards the end, I'd completely bonked and could barely stand up!
Was yours the nice blue Golf R by the road? I had to be towed out by our neighbours with a Lada 4x4 thing, bloody useful, would've been screwed otherwise!
That was you! haha
I was walking past as you were doing that... Should've said mate, I'd have gone and got the Landy... I ended up towing a couple of people out too.
Wiggle royally screwed it up for a lot of riders by banning a lot of the other exhibitors from retailing so they could hoover it all up and then not actually taking anything useful to sell!
Wiggle royally screwed it up for a lot of riders by banning a lot of the other exhibitors from retailing so they could hoover it all up and then not actually taking anything useful to sell!
If that's the case, then a BIG +1 from me...
Climb On Bikes from Hereford used to be legendary for their Mayhem sales. Then of course there was always presence from Back On Track in Malvern (though apparently he can't get the staff right now he says! 😕 )
Mayhem bargains used to be a staple part of the weekend, take them away and the ridiculous entry fee seems less and less worth it! Though overtaking 9/10 people cos the weather was crap and I was staying upright was a different experience personally though 😀
So that explains why the arena area was practically dead 😕
..amd the mud didn't?
To be fair I heard a few comments about no stuff to buy.
So that explains why the arena area was practically dead
The sheer effort required to walk around it probably had more affect, plus people were spending ages unclogging their bikes between laps.
trade stands were too far from the camp side . they should have it in the middle so easy access from everybody .
really fancied some hot food after evening lap , but the thought of walking to the car to drop the bike off , grab some money and walk back was too much in the mud . it was great from Hope to provide jet wash , but surely mountain mayhem organisers should provide more . 3 jetwash for 2000+ riders was ridiculous .
but had a great week end .
i didn't even go in one trade stand it was too difficult to stand up!
Cyclocross tyres on my 29er FTMFW! Shame the rest of my team wrecked their bikes. It was hell on wheels.
No stuff to buy?
On-one had mud tyres, Superstar had brake pads & wiggle had commerative t-shirts. Fish & Chips, Curry & other food available.
Wading waist deep through clag put paid to any further investigation.
NOT impressed with Wiggle's contribution. Lack of pretty much anything. Used to be a good event for the family. Can tell there's a recession on....
no free good-enough-to-eat smelling shower gel definitely not-for-the-win
I had a nice curry from a very deserted food van area....
Who liked the Jump I built at the Bottow of the long climb on the offcamber on the second half of the course? I cant speak now from shouting "do a whip" "Do a Skid" or "your winning"
Epic mayhem,Agreed about the lack of shopping on offer.