Or another non serious bike event or challenge.

I’m currently recovering from a particularly nasty crash and the subsequent abdominal surgery (ruptured intestine, owch!), and as an upshot I’m able to do very little at the moment. The doctors are being cautiously optimistic about my recovery thus far and have suggested lining up an event or race around spring time 2014 in order to give my rehab a bit of direction.
So the question to the hive mind is: what non serious mountain bike challenges/races are there around that time of year? Coming more from a DH point of view I’m not even sure where to start looking! I’m thinking march onwards to tie in with my planned return to so sort of form.
I’ve heard good things about Mountain Mayhem however I’d like to have something a bit sooner than that.. any suggestions would be ace please. 🙂
Oh, and I’m based around the south west however I’m cool with a bit of travel and van camping to make a weekend of it.

cheers all.

http://www.esca24hour.org.uk/

Bontrager 24/12. fun, fun, fun!!!

It’s a party with a bike race.

24/12 is no party its bloody hard work even in a team ! .Just trying to stay warm and fed between laps is hard work there is no time to party.

24/12 is also even later in the year than Mayhem, so not what the op is after. Can’t think of any 24 hr ones but the Erlestoke 12 is in May. A smaller event but really good fun course. Shame there’s no 24 hours of exposure next year as that would of been ideal.

Oh, and I’m based around the south west however I’m cool with a bit of travel and van camping to make a weekend of it.

100% DEFINITELY Bontrager 24/12

Though that’s in July, so maybe line yourself up a taster event first too.

24/12 is by far and away the most fun and friendly endurance event going IMO. But not only that, the course is the most interesting too. I did my first ever solo 12hr there this year, and can honestly say that tough as it was, every lap was thoroughly enjoyable cos the course is such fun. Each time round I was looking forward to certain bits, and that really helps IMO. Mayhem at was fun, but not as much fun. The course is OK, but not a patch on 24/12 at Newnham Park for certain.

Oh, and at 24/12 you can always find people to share a beer and a few stories with, whereas at just about every other event these days, it seems that everyone is in bed by 10pm! After I finished my 12hr, buoyed by my performance and freshly showered and changed and armed with a few ciders, I went and got trollied with Matt and Tom on the Exposure stand! Then the following night, found ciderinsport, 40mpg and the other boys from Team Sumo staying up partying, so enjoyed a few more with them too. Then on Monday leisurely made our way back to the Midlands.

Also… 12hrs is probably enough! Most “normal” people will think you’re bonkers enough anyway, 24 is too much solo IMO. I found the sleep deprivation of a 24hr race in a team probably as hard, if not harder, than the physical exertion in my 12hr solo (which finished at midnight, and once I got pissed after, I had a MASSIVE sleep).

Edric 64 – Member
http://www.esca24hour.org.uk/

That sounds brutal! I think I’d need more than 6 months to train for that. I’m only allowed to start some light running again in January..

monkeychild – Member
Bontrager 24/12. fun, fun, fun!!!

It’s a party with a bike race.

This sounds ace. Maybe one to pencil in a bit later in the year.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, I should have said that I’ll be dragging some mates together to enter the team or pairs event. I think that 24 hours solo would push the effort:fun ratio a little the wrong way!

I’ve just stumbled across xcracer.com so I’ll be keeping an eye on that over the next couple of months too. I’d be good to get something tee’d up for earlier in the year.

Good luck with getting fit and healthy again whatever event you choose.24 hr team events are good ,still bloody hard work though !

Dyfi enduro (May bank holiday) is worth looking at. Only 60km, but great atmosphere and lots of fun. You would probably enjoy it coming from a DH background.

Sells out within an hour though. Entries out around Feb.

Strathpuffer, if you really want a challenge.

Pretty hardcore going straight for a 24 hour, depends if you have done that sort of time in the saddle before? Might be wiser to try a 12 hour first? If so torq12 is brilliant and not too far from the south west

24/12 is no party its bloody hard work even in a team ! .Just trying to stay warm and fed between laps is hard work there is no time to party.

I roll solo and enjoyed it 😀

Le Mans…..

Sorry 🙄