Did anyone complete the 10 hour race today at the Kona Cheddar Bikefest? I'm doing the 3h solo tomorrow (first solo ever) and I wondered if you had any sage like wisdom you could pass on?

Yes and No, because I only just read this and it's too late now.

Yes came 5th mixed pairs my sis and partner 3rd missing 2nd by 3 seconds! Good effort.

were you the chap they closed the course & put a diversion around?

I saw an ambulance and read on another forum about a woman with a neck injury. Was that you then ?

Yes I did; I saw a chap come off right in front of me on the rocky section of the descent and it looked like it may have hurt a bit! I backed off because I could see it coming; he looked out of his comfort zone.

aah whoops… my team mate was in front of you on that descent, she said she heard a scream & was a bit scared to look back!

Hope you're OK!

Muddypuddle glad to hear you ok, our friend also had a nasty fall on that section last year. Heal fast and strong!

happens to the best of us, i broke my knee in witches wood about 4/5 years ago(cant remember), nothing spectacular, had done 4.5 hours in a six hour race ,was comfortably second, wallop, 2.5 days in bristol royal infirmary(with operation to remove bone). fun, fun, fun.

Glad you're OK. You should be more careful at your age. 😛

thanks to the medics and Shipton MTB and their Pit Stop crew for looking after me

No problem 🙂 we were just relieved to see you back in one piece (more or less…)

I had to retire very early due to a pinch flat! The most bizarre problem ever – after replacing the tube I couldn't get the tyre back on the rim – neither could the mechanics at the event… it was a "non tubeless" racing ralph trying to go onto a Roval Traversee (tubeless) rim. It's now back to tubeless + sealant for me! none of this old school tube nonsense.

My rear mech broke and I had to finish the last 2 laps in a high middle gear which mean't jogging up all the hills. Did a lap in 26mins like this.

One thing that confuses me (and I'm new to enduro races, more a XC racer back in the day) but I entered the Novice race, and pretty much came last, but if I'd entered the main event and did the 3h and 6 laps I'd have come mid-field out of 60 riders. What am I missing? Is "novice" code for something else?

MuddyPuddle – Pleased your all sorted and I presume managed to drive home. Looking forward to seeing you on the Mendip again.

Dave (Shipham)

I think novice is code for pot hunter to some people.

I had a great weekend,
1 puncture,
3rd open male team on Saturday,
2nd open male pairs on Sunday.
0 Crashes
Loads of near ones though.

Thanks To Paul at Rock and Road Yeovil Somerset for the support and the shirts.

Well, if everyone else is just using this thread to boast about their finishing position, I'm not going to be left out. 😛
3rd/5 old git male solo
11th/34 overall solo male
No crashes, lots of near misses.
1 tree strike, several rock strikes.
That was me in the Vegan Runners vest on Saturday.

Well done!!

when does a tree strike become a crash??

How was the camp site this year? – last year they were a real bunch of @rses which was pretty much the reason that we didn't enter any teams this year.

Sounds like the campsite owners were being as obstructive as last year then, glad I didn't bother, bunch of fluffy bunnies the lot of them.

Don't think we had any issues with them – still not cheap, but we did take over two pitches with tents, barbecue and over-excited children everywhere, plus every man and his dog coming down the road from Shipham for a cider and a chat. They do need to accommodate people just there for the day better though.

The lower numbers riding this year was actually a bonus, didn't get caught up in traffic anywhere near as much especially on the descents (I might just have been lucky).

So, does anyone know the bloke who got the stick in his arm..? 😯

My first time back at cheddar for a few years and my last , did not like the cource at all far to rough for me and just as poorly run as before.

when does a tree strike become a crash??

I count making contact with my body or pedals with the terrain while continuing to move forwards a Tree Strike or Rock Strike.
Crashing implies a complete loss of forward motion and detachment from the bike. Like what Muddypuddle did. 🙂

Saw the fella with the stick in his arm walking out of the race arena with the medics, didn't look nice…

We retired from the team event after about 10 laps as two team members crashed out, one busting his hand so he couldn't continue. Big up to the medics who were very helpful. To be honest I wasn't too fussed as I'd done 3 laps and the idea of repeatedly churning up that hill until the evening wasn't too motivating. The resultant DH was ace to ride fast, but with no real overtaking places for long stretches you couldnt get a clean run down it and there were some very careful (slow) riders to easily get stuck behind.

No issues with the organisation but I doubt we'll be back next year.

If they don't get another venue for that race I can see it disappearing again in a couple of years.

No, I can't see it lasting. Its not a fun course for the longer duration races. Its too squeezed together in the (tiny) transition area and has been said already, it doesn't cater for day visitors at all well.

I'll stick to BBF.

I really enjoyed it. Thought the course was awesome and the campsite, while not your usual set up, was pretty good.

Elvis was a shock

Think I might have been one of the slower people going down hill and wished there had been more places for the others to go by rather than be on my wheel , still managed 16 min laps though

Campsite was all right for us. Payed £16 per night for 2 adults and 4 kids which I didn't think was too bad at all. Included electric as well for brews of tea and what have you. Kids also got to enter the junior race for free which they thoroughly enjoyed.

Was an awesome weekend. Well organised and great route IMHO. Never been through witches so damm fast before!

Was a good event and I thought the course was pretty fun. Organisation could have been a bit better though (which is surprising as the Bristol event is always great) – I spent the whole of the Sunday 5 hour race being told (by the race commentator) that I was in the lead of my category. It wasn't until after the race had finished they realised they'd cocked up and had 2 differently named categories for the solo males, so I ended up 4th.

To make it worse, I was only 4 minutes behind 3rd place, and if I hadn't thought I was in the lead and could slow down a bit (in my 'made up' category the guy behind was a lap behind so I had a couple of very minor recovery breaks at transition), I would have tried chasing the guy in front (although I'm not saying I could have caught him!)

Ah well, can't complain too much, it's still a good result.

I thought the original cheddar course was going to be used this year, utilising the descent into the quarry, few years ago i can remember Ian Cuthbertson on a team issue raleigh with 60mm travel maguras pedalling flat out big ring all the way down and hopping straight off the end, think his lap time was about 18 minutes for the full course. Good old days of Cheddar Challenge ( twas raining too).
None of this 2 mile short course.

a google found these on flickr….

Hi We took pictures of the Cheddar Bike Fest! You can find us at http://www.themightyraygun.co.uk or on http://www.mrgphotography.co.uk we shot most of the weekend so chances are we found you…….