You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Me and Matty H are doing the intro enduro on the Sunday and I'm weirdly nervous. Anyone else there?
I went a few years ago. The riding was fun but I'm not a fan of crowds.
I've seen you ride and know you regularly bounce around the Peak so I can assure you there's nothing outside your skill set.
Unless you're trying to win something, then you can be nervous. Otherwise, it's just a bike ride.
Did it for a few years in a row when it was smaller and it was ace - its flippin massive now (4000 riders???). Not to make you more nervous Pook but every time I've ridden it theres been diversions on sections around bodies, people walking, people just stopping mid section right in front of you etc and I'm not pretending to me a pro rider (comfortably mid-pack) but as above, theres nothing particularly difficult but its a big day out now. Not much interest in racing it these days but I'm planning on going Saturday with the kids for a heckle/mooch about/retail therapy maybe if the weather looks good.
Done the last 7 that have taken place (it was cancelled a couple of years.) Always done the sport on the Sunday rather than the actual enduro.
It's got busier in the years I've done it, but it's still brilliant. There's always a good atmosphere, even in terrible conditions! It's the only event I get to do really, so in that respect it's a great experience for me.
Not going this year for the first time in a while as we're on holiday. Bit gutted but I'll hopefully be having a good time somewhere else instead 😎
I'll hopefully sign up again next year and get the family to come to heckle me.
Have a good one, it's great fun.
Not racing, have done it in the past but may go up for a mooch about the 'expo' on Saturday or Sunday.
Depends what version you are doing but typically yes, its a big, big day out for many. The hills are not massive in Swaledale, but some of them are steep sided and you are going all the way up, down, up, down etc.
Important note - yes, some of the stages are on private land. Dont just blindly follow somones Strave (youll crash into a wall or fence thats been put back anyway). However, there is some stunning riding up there and its available all year round - go up and see the guys at Dales Bike Centre and have a couple of days on some properly good natural tech with some big, fast descents!
Its a great weekend and i love it. Once again im not riding but ill be there camping with the family.
However, there is some stunning riding up there and its available all year round - go up and see the guys at Dales Bike Centre and have a couple of days on some properly good natural tech with some big, fast descents!
I keep meaning to have a day or two up there and do this. Might head up there later in August....
Did the epic last year for the first time, enjoyed it so much doing it again this year. I reckon the weather will be a big decider on how much fun you’ll have, the whole weekend was outstanding, you’ll love it (providing it’s not p!ss!ng down!!)
I'm in for the Intro for the first time having spent a fair few years helping out as part of MR.
Used to watch it thinking "why are these crazy folk doing this?" but having started riding three years ago it seems like it'll be a good day out.
It's my local patch so nice to ride some trails we're not normally able to access, even with our very understanding landowners.
Hopefully it won't get too swampy in the next week or so, the bridleway north of the Arkle can get pretty slippy.
Yep me and my mate are doing Saturday. Year 10 or 11 for us but always strangely nervous. It's getting 'arder as the years advance!
I'm doing the Sport on Sunday. First time. I'm used to doing the PMBA rounds so not too worried about the difficulty.
Can't really figure out if there's any opportunities for doing some practice for the Sunday riders? Feel a bit short changed if I can only ride one day.
Funky Friday for me and my crew. My yoof is doing the shorter ride on Saturday for the first time and he’s bristling nervous energy.
I'm doing the Sport on Sunday. First time. I'm used to doing the PMBA rounds so not too worried about the difficulty.
Can't really figure out if there's any opportunities for doing some practice for the Sunday riders? Feel a bit short changed if I can only ride one day.
Reflected in the ticket price. Your best option is test ride an e-bike on the demo track which (AIUI) is similar.
Doing the full distance not quite a race option on Sunday. Group of us.
It will be interesting riding it blind but I'm not expecting to be the fastest so not worried about the perfect line. I'm curious as to how hard it will be. Not worried about the physical side as I normally race gravel/XC so dragging a slightly heavier bike around slowly is no bother.
Did Boltby a few years ago and that was great. Not particularly difficult technically. Hopefully similar atmosphere and fun riding.
I'm doing Saturday, my better half is doing Sunday. This will be my fourth and her third but not for quite a while. We rode together BITD but have to split for the childcare!
She'll be gutted if I tell her she doesn't get to do the practice and that's just for me!
How was it then? My mates did it, all I know is that they put ‘Difficult and hard route’ on their Strava.
I went up yesterday to have a wander round the site, buy cheap Hope brake pads, and ride the demo loop. The demo trails were running well, dry and dusty. The first was last years stage 6 and was very popular, far more than I remember seeing them in the past.
Great fun. Steady climbs but ace, dusty, skittley descents.
Finally home now for a shower.
Harder climbs with more hike a bike than last year for those of us not electrically assisted, still awesome however, great weekend.
We did epic on Friday, leaving us able to chill for the rest of the weekend and shout at people wobbling down through hecklers wood etc😀
Harder climbs with more hike a bike than last year for those of us not electrically assisted, still awesome however, great weekend.
We did epic on Friday, leaving us able to chill for the rest of the weekend and shout at people wobbling down through hecklers wood etc😀
Hecklers Wood was great on Saturday afternoon. Some brilliant riding and some absolutely calamitous riding/walking down stuff. Going to be a long day if you come through Hecklers Wood at walking pace and then get off and walk it...
Had a great time, was late to practice, so put a bit too much effort into the climbs. Forgot how old I am and how little I can sleep in a tent.
Legs felt like wood and even older on race day. First time doing Ard Rock on a big 29er (Aeris 9). Felt like a rocket ship but wished I’d put a smaller front chain ring on.
Loved the trails, Had nothing at all left in the tank by the time I plopped off the last drop. My landing was awful.
Pedal!! They shouted, No! I mumbled as I glanced at the Grim Reaper next to the drop.
It was brilliant. I was mediocre in the sport class on Sunday. Just over 23 minutes. Loved the trails. Nothing particularly scary in themselves but I managed to scare myself riding harder than I normally would. Kept it rubber side down.
The crowds were great although I only really heard the shouting and didn't see people as I was very focussed on the trail.
I'm fit and thought it was a big day out. We were moving for 4 hours and out for over 5.
23 mins is still very reasonable Jon, you looking for a pat on the back? 😉
My only requirement was to not crash (recovering from injury) so I wasn't pushing. I still punctured on S1 so just chilled out for the rest of the day and made sure I wasn't holding anyone else up.
Great weekend though, the kids had a blast collecting swag, stickers and sweeties on the Friday then seeing Daddy and then Mummy race through the woods was brilliant.
23 minute humblebrag. That puts you well inside the top third. Mediocre - bollocks. Congratulations!
23 minute humblebrag. That puts you well inside the top third. Mediocre - bollocks. Congratulations
23 ish mins put me almost exactly mid pack in the really old bastards in un assisted catagory. So I’d call that mediocre🤣
Raced in my Ozzy shirt, which was horrible to ride in but got some shouts from marshals.
Rode with some really nice random people.
just watched Ben Deakin doing a rolling start on his e-bike into a stage on face ache. Meh.
Mid pack is pretty respectable, I don't get the negativity - and yes being called mediocre is certainly a negative attitude.
This is being measured against the sort of folk who go racing. Mortals like me don't expect to beat the pros and it's faster than the armchair warriors who never race.
I'd have been pleased with mid pack given how things have been going.
just watched Ben Deakin doing a rolling start on his e-bike into a stage on face ache. Meh.
Tommy C Hype was being a prick on a derestricted Amflow and then bragging he was fastest on stage 4. On the other hand watching Danny Hart go fast is seriously impressive.
Sunday Sport Grand Vets - 23 min is top 10 out of 80. Iz confused, or are we talking different days???
Mid pack is pretty respectable, I don't get the negativity - and yes being called mediocre is certainly a negative attitude.
Not meant to be disrespectful, it’s just what it is compared to the other racers.
I
just watched Ben Deakin doing a rolling start on his e-bike into a stage on face ache. Meh.
All stages are a rolling start aren't they (ie you can be rolling when you pass the start gate)?
All stages are a rolling start aren't they (ie you can be rolling when you pass the start gate)?
Unless they are using wands at the start of each stage, they really have to be. I assume the accusation is more about taking an especially long run up
There was better cheating than that though - including one guy who claimed he wasn't riding an ebike, despite photo evidence to the contrary...
Or the guy being towed up the climbs by his mate on an ebike...
- including one guy who claimed he wasn't riding an ebike, despite photo evidence to the contrary...
haha... what?!?
All stages are a rolling start aren't they (ie you can be rolling when you pass the start gate)?
Unless they are using wands at the start of each stage, they really have to be. I assume the accusation is more about taking an especially long run up
There was better cheating than that though - including one guy who claimed he wasn't riding an ebike, despite photo evidence to the contrary...
Watched his vid. Might have been stage 5 he took a massive run in but then everyone seemed to be queueing a mile away from the start gate to do exactly the same thing you'd assume. Enjoyable video about from the screaming "rider" repeatedly from 100m away.
Unless they are using wands at the start of each stage, they really have to be. I assume the accusation is more about taking an especially long run up
Normally you set off from next to the Marshal when they say you can. Which kinda stops a run up.
The E-bike that identifies as an analogue bike though 🤣