Spaceman. It the way it is, no point bitching about it.

I think Superfli has nailed it. Must be insurance implications as the linking stages are part of the ‘race’.

TBH if the rules say you have to wear a helemt then you either wear a helmet or you don’t enter. Surely it is as simple as that?

Anyone use a Bluegrass Brave?

If so how do you rate them and how do they size up. My head in 58cm which is top of medium / bottom of Large.

Thanks

Must be insurance implications as the linking stages are part of the ‘race’.

I’d imagine so. Most organisers are riders – it’s the risk averse landowners and insurers that create the extra restrictions.

As you’ve said – them’s the rules. Either take part or don’t. But don’t whinge about something you can’t change.

andyrm – Member

As you’ve said – them’s the rules. Either take part or don’t. But don’t whinge about something you can’t change.

The BC rules are not yet issued- Steve’s made it the rules for his series- which is as it should be, since every event is different, and the organisers are best placed to judge it. Frankly, he’s selling out rounds so I reckon he can afford to introduce an unpopular rule that’ll stop people from racing.

But for everything else, it’s not yet the rules, and it’s absolutely something that can still be influenced, so saying “Stop whining, there’s nothing you can do about it” is daft.

When you look at succesful high profile events, like the tweedlove enduro, and see how unfit a fullface helmet would have been for some of the stages, it’s kind of unmissable that there’s a problem with blanket rules.

Pretty sure wearing helmets between stages was mandatory at the 2011 and 2012 Gravity Enduro series, but many people (me included) didn’t stick to the rules, don’t know of anyone that was penalised.

Seems like there`s not really a helmet designed specifically for this (pretty new) sport (apart from the urge …and that maybe flawed?)
The other thing with full face helmets is the debatable possibility of causing more pressure/damage to the neck in a crash, maybe leading to possible use of neck protectors and the pros and cons of them etc etc.
Where is the line drawn?
Some main things that attracted me back to competing again was the simplicity of the sport and options to chose what you want to ride in/on, making it a really fun weekend.
Personally, I feel fine in an open face helmet and I used to ride mx in an open face (mostly)!
Some helmets back then (arai/shoe) had detachable chin/face guards and they seemed pretty tough.
Ok, that was a long time ago, but I would have thought that type of design would be more suitable for this sport …maybe?

I rode 3 of the UK gravity enduro series this year. I started wearing one of these :

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25068

It felt like too much of a penalty on the sections with fireroad sprints though (i’m not that fit and I was struggling to breathe.

So I switched to a met parachute, but I felt outright frightened in that some of the time, especially dyfi.

I’m glad that proper full face is compulsory next year, everyone will be in the same position and I wont be tempted to run a ridiculous, unsuitable helmet

looks like a winter event from the enduro 1 team

We might have a possibility of running a ‘Fun’ New Year winter enduro for the 6th January at Aldershot, Hants. Places will be limited to 120 riders only as we need an early finish and there will be fun prizes for winners of each category as this won’t count towards the 2013 series.

let carlos know you are interested here

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Enduro-1-X-Fusion-Southern-UK-Gravity-All-Mountain-Race-Series/295989153757987

So, these are now just a DH race with some pedalling?
Shame.

Hummmm, me think you should ride more DH, or more enduro, or more of both.
Enduro comes mainly from around here. It’s meant to represent the spirit of mountain biking (aka riding your bike off road on mountain trails). So you need to be fit and be able to “shred the gnar” to the power of sick. Hence the timed stage and timed cut liaison and the no reece rule. When you ride with your mate, you ride up all the way (fitness) and them you “race” them to the bottom of the hill through a very techy, twisty rocky and steep trail (the gnar thing). So enduro (why the gravity) are supposed to be something very different to DH and XC. But hey they are so last year. Wait until XMB start to get fashionable ;-).

juan – Member

So enduro (why the gravity)

Because of round-a-muddy-field-racing pinching the name and refusing to give it back.

Because of round-a-muddy-field-racing pinching the name and refusing to give it back.

B@st@rds 😉 Can’t they use the UCI name 😉

Ok so the helmet thing is a serious pain in the arse… I have a Casco Viper that I have worn at the Mega twice and wear in the Alps, perfectly ok for Gravity Enduro.

But the thing I want is a list of these type of events…

and maybe some sponsorship to help with flipping travel costs as Kent is miles from all of them!

are you any good?

that I have worn at the Mega

You got lucky as when I e-mailed them about wearing a giro switchblade I got told that it must be a proper FF helmet.

the casco viper seems sturdier than a switchblade

and maybe some sponsorship to help with flipping travel costs as Kent is miles from all of them!

You could try the enduro1 series there not as hard as the UK series but they are all in the south, and the UKBP are doing at least one next year. And there will be others in the south that will be announced before the end of the year. Hills might not be as big as Scotland or Wales but don’t mean we can have some fun racing our bikes in the south!!!

No Fuss Event’s didn’t enforce helmets on the run/walk/ride uphill at the start of Fort Bill Endurance.

You did however need the helmet on (which they had a marshal checking) before you entered the DH track, for the final leg of the ‘Le Mans style’ seeding race.

superfli – Member

the trip up is not part if the race in a dh event though.

How is it any different from the liaison stages in an enduro? 😕

This still going is it?!

How is it any different from the liaison stages in an enduro?

Because the transition or liason stage is part of the race. The walk up to the top of a DH event is not part of the race.

Why is one part of the race but not the other? It’s the same thing- start here, go there, race there, all within the time limit and all under the rules of the event. Sometimes you’ll have a set start time you have to complete the transition by, sometimes not.

Northwind – Member
Why is one part of the race but not the other?

because the organisers have made it that way. They set the route (which in the Parr series must [apparently] be followed) to be taken for the entire event. If it was just a free-for-all with 3/4/5 stages that need attacked then it might be different, but it isn’t.

Also, with strict start times there is every chance that people may have to push harder to get to the start (Inners stage 4 had a downhill to the start remember) if they get held up with a mechanical or whatever.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to have to take two helmets to these races but I can see why things are happening

legend – Member

because the organisers have made it that way. They set the route (which in the Parr series must [apparently] be followed) to be taken for the entire event.

Not all enduro races require you to follow a set route. Downhill races normally suggest a route in exactly the same way as enduros. And of course completing the push/ride-up is just as mandatory as completing the liaison stage.

Also, push-up downhill races (or uplifted downhill races with a push-up component) can have set start times too (meanwhile many enduros do not)

I think you’re making a distinction that only applies some of the time, and trying to apply it to everything. Which funnilly enough is exactly the problem with this whole thing.

I think the whole concept should be one of equality – everyone riding the same distance and using the whatever gear the organiser specifies. If you take short-cuts or use uplifts (as I saw at AE in 2011) you’ll be less tired for the downs and that’s unfair. The idea is that you need to be good at up AND down to do well.

Legend – no ;-D

I am ok for my age I guess but not special… just love riding and am starting a proper training programme this month with a view to seeing if I can go up a level, this will include tech improvement as well as fitness.

So about a list of events…. anyone got a good knowledge of the events likely to take place next year. I have had a look but it seems difficult to pin down a timeline.

Helmet wise I will endeavor to use the Casco as I can take the chin guard off but the truth is i am happy to wear a sensible open face for 90% of my riding and i hate having restrictions forced on me… rode with no motorbike helmet for over a year when that law came in cos I was a rebel…. thankfully i had relented by the time i was wiped out by a car breaking 12 bones in one go!!

Uplifts definately cheating (and explicitly so in the rules).

Shortcuts on liaisons depends on the event- frinstance Innerleithen MTB ones recommend what they think is the best route point to point, purely to get you from A to B easily. Others might spec an intentionally longer or harder route to up the endurance aspect. Again, something for the organisers to decide.

Set routes definately do help avoid people pushing up live trails, but on the other hand adds yet another layer of organisation and enforcement. (rules that are freely and widely broken are more harm than good IMO, and can end up punishing the rule-abiding) But that’s getting a bit off the subject I reckon.

@MBnut- bit far from you I imagine but just in case, there’s a 3-race series early in the new year at innerleithen- details here:

http://www.innerleithenmtbracing.com/

Personally can’t wait for next years Gravity series (full face or not) as really enjoy them..hopefully can get to a few more.

here was a write up on the Dyfi final for anyone interested in what these races are like, including a near miss of a random spectator!

http://blog.evanscycles.com/mountain_biking/race-report-uk-gravity-enduro-2012-final/

These are the main dates I have seen-dont take them as definite tho! No idea on the dates for the Uk Gravity series run by Steve Parr though but here’s what i have:

Date Event Location
2/3 Feb 2012 Innerduro 1 Innerleithen
2/3 March Innerduro 2 Innerleithen
30/31 March Innerduro 3 Innerleithen
20/21 April Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 1 Carrick, Co.Wiclow
18/19 May Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 2 Ballyhoura, Co. Limerick
25/26 May POC King & Queen of the Hill Glentress
15/16 June Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 3 Ticknock, Co. Dublin
7/8 September Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 4 Djouce, Co. Wicklow

UK Gravity dates added:

Date Event Location
2/3 Feb 2012 Innerduro 1 Innerleithen
2/3 March Innerduro 2 Innerleithen
30/31 March Innerduro 3 Innerleithen
30/31 March UK Gravity Rnd 1
20/21 April Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 1 Carrick, Co.Wiclow
27/28 April UK Gravity Rnd 2
18/19 May Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 2 Ballyhoura, Co. Limerick
25/26 May POC King & Queen of the Hill Glentress
25/26 May UK Gravity Rnd 3
15/16 June Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 3 Ticknock, Co. Dublin
17/18 August UK Gravity Rnd 4
7/8 September Gravity Enduro Ireland Rd 4 Djouce, Co. Wicklow
7/8 September UK Gravity Rnd 5

thanks Legend-looks like a few clashes between the various organisers in UK & ireland.

Another one for the diary… No details yet but No Fuss have put this in their 2013 schedule. 15th and 16th June, “International Enduro Series”. Doing their first enduro this weekend, so I guess we’ll see how that goes.

looks like UK Gravity Round 1 isn’t Innerleithen then….

any leaks on possible venues?

I was just thinking exactly the same nosedive 🙂

Have seen nothing about potential venues for UK gravity yet-Steve if you’re reading give us a hint!

Rd 1 will be at Coed-y-Brenin all weather ground

I very highly doubt that the UKGE will be going back to CYB.

Thanks for the list…. a great help.

I did race in the team section of the Enduro 1 races this year and enjoyed it and will do them again this year as i believe in supporting the people that put these things on… a serious pain in the backside I reckon.

I am going to have to do some serious number cruching and then make my decisions re what races i’ll do but it is fair to say that the ireland series will be a no no but at least one Inners round should be ok.

Thanks again guys.

Where are you based Mbnut? Cheap flight into Dublin and camp/cheap digs could equal patrol/diesel plus accom cost for driving to/staying at Inners? (Won’t be at any Irish rounds myself either though)

EDIT-also anyone know how much the inners ones will cost?

The Innerleithen MTB Racing ones are usually sub-£40. Something is telling me £35 for this one, £30 for advance entry but there’s no official announcement yet that I can see. Always great value though.

Oi, Hels!

Yeah I’ve done them in the past and had £35 in my head but wasn’t sure!