Anybody done this in the past? Any comments, pros, cons or advice. Done plenty of races this distance before just wondered what its like.

Yeah. Its not a race. Half of the **** that ride it seem to think it is though.

good event just make sure your in the top 50 before the first bit of st!

Yeah, you need to be quick off the start, otherwise you’ll be stuck in the bottleneck for a while. After that it’s good fun. Lots of hills.

Organisers often say these sort of events arnt races. But then post the fastest times on the internet! Recipe for disaster!

Yeah. Well, if you want to race it, you need to do as rich says and get to the singletrack first.

Otherwise, don’t be a **** and force people out of the way on the singletrack sections.

does it really matter if its not a race but an event??. Same goal, to get round in the fastest time. You get placed accordingly and win stuff if your one of the quick ones. No BC points which is the only discernable difference between the 2.

For alot of people its looked upon as a good season opener to see how training has went. The course itself is a tough 31 miles, great descents, tough tough climbs and alot of them. As previously said, stay in top 50-100 to avoid bottleneck at first singletrack, although thats generally about 2 miles from the start at the top of the climb.

Its a good event, well worth doing

Iv been to the trail centre a few times and enjoyed it. Does the event take in all of the altura trail? If so what does the rest of it consist of?

Twice round the altura trails including some linking road/fire road. Fun event. Nice riding, I wasn’t accustomed to rocks without grip so some of the short, sharp slatey rises were an education in spinning out pretty rapidly, over all I enjoyed it 🙂

Yeah. Its not a race. Half of the **** that ride it seem to think it is though.

It is a race as it was part of race series and promoted as such

It is a race as it has a winner

It isn’t a race as it would be breaking relevant highways legislation
As it crosses a bridleway

Work it out if you can

The start is rubbish, as said above if you don’t blast it you’ll be day waiting to get onto the first bit if single track for a good few minutes

Didn’t like it. When I did it I thought it was over priced as there was very little on offer for the entry fee. The start wasn’t great either, it is a mad sprint up the hill or you end up standing around to get on the singletrack and then it is too stop start to enjoy it.

I haven’t been back as I think there are better events and rides to do.

I did it a few years back-pretty tough, but then I was racing rather than riding-it’s billed as a challenge, but people like Rob Jebb don’t turn up for a pootle! As people have said, get a good start as the bottleneck is awful-after that it’s just a case of pacing yourself-there is a fair bit of climbing although I believe that some has been taken out in recent years?

-there is a fair bit of climbing although I believe that some has been taken out in recent years?

nope, change to the start but thats all really. Still about same amount of climbing

Thought about doing it when I lived at the bottom of the hill. for training I was advised to ride to the top of the north, then to the top of the south and repeat until I couldn’t walk/ride.

Lots of climbing available there. Like any race/event if you want to ride you will need to get clear of the bulk of the field if you want a smooth run.

Well I live like 10 mins from the whinlatter centre, and have never even heard of this event, so shows how much of a solid gold hit it is with the locals :S

Well I live like 10 mins from the whinlatter centre, and have never even heard of this event, so shows how much of a solid gold hit it is with the locals :S

I used to 🙂 knew plenty who did it from a few different local groups.

Actually quite fancy a quick blast up there tomorrow, its the smell of the trees. There was a few old tracks that link up some of the fire roads to make it longer, but its probably been years since was last there so no idea if there much there.

The start was altered last year so there was virtually no bottle neck. The mad sprint up the fire road was far less critical than in previous years.