The 2020 Dyfi Enduro – Now With Bontrager. And On A Saturday!

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If you’re going to mix things up, then why not really mix things up. The 2020 Dyfi Enduro has a new title sponsor, making it the Bontrager Dyfi Enduro – and in addition, thanks to the first May Bank Holiday being on a Friday this year instead of the Monday, this sees this year’s Dyfi Enduro take place on a Saturday for the first time in its 19 year* history.

The new date will be Saturday 9th May 2020

polly dyfi enduro 2019
Enduro elbows are needed, though there’s no need to hurry as it’s not a race.

And entries are out this coming weekend! 6pm on Sunday to be exact. Don’t delay as the event usually sells out pretty quickly. Here’s the direct link.

(* It’s something like that. The Dyfi Enduro is roughly as old as Singletrack Magazine, starting in 2001…)

Yes, in 2020, the first May Bank Holiday falls on Friday May 8th, in honour of the 75th anniversary of VE Day. And as (nearly) everyone’s got the Friday off work, it made sense for this year’s Bontrager Dyfi Enduro to take place on Saturday 9th May, leaving the Sunday free for more riding and getting home.

Are your thighs cramping at the thought yet?

The Dyfi Enduro has always felt like the first event of the summer season. Unless you’re a pale blue-skinned 24 hour racer, doing events like the Strathpuffer and the Kielder Chiller, then the first time in the year that you get out the tent and maybe get your knees out always seems to be at the Dyfi Enduro.

dyfi enduro 2019
It’s the first ride of the year that’ll test those climbing legs

The event has grown to its current size of around 1000 riders while still maintaining its low-key, friendly vibe – from shutting down Machynlleth High Street with hundreds of riders on the ride out to the start, to the quirky marshal points around the course. And all for a mug.

You might catch up with Nick Craig. Actually, no you won’t…

This year’s new sponsor, Bontrager comes personally sanctioned by Keith Bontrager himself. Keith took part in the 2006 running of the event and the brand is excited to be involved in sponsoring the event.

There was free ice cream last year. It tasted AMAZING!

Due to the change of bank holiday dates this year, the 2020 Dyfi Enduro won’t be taking place alongside the Mid-Wales Comedy Festival, as in previous years. This should mean a lot more flexibility for camping and smaller queues for food in the pubs. The usual selection of Dyfi Enduro refreshments and entertainment will make sure that the pre-event, and post-event bar is the place to be.

Dyfi Events says:

For 2020 you can expect a little reshuffle from the 2019 route but with the 2019 route receiving such positive feedback, a similarly delicious smorgasbord of trail delights will be on the menu.

Riders will again be offered a 52km loop with the option to extend with an extra climb and descent if they make the route split point before the cut-off time. The ride remains no small undertaking with terrain to test even the hardiest of mountain bikers including monster climbs and bone shaking descents, fast flowy singletrack and rocky mountain trail.

Of course you can also expect more of the Dyfi Enduro’s own quirky brand of in-ride entertainment which has in the past included many unexpected surprises including a thrash band, a gun toting hillbilly, aliens and cheer leaders.

It’s usually the first chance in the year to catch up with everyone

Completion of an epic ride should be followed by a suitable celebration, so on Saturday evening there will be the chance to kick back and relax post-ride in the on-site bar the ‘Mangled Crank Tavern’ where live music and DJs will be on hand to provide some quality distraction from aching limbs.

But what will happen this year? Only the banjo playing redneck marshal knows…

The Dyfi Enduro offers a unique combination of superb trail riding coupled with great company and a relaxed, fun and friendly event atmosphere. Often selling out within minutes of opening, the Dyfi Enduro continues to be a ‘must do’ in the UK’s MTB calendar.

Entries to the 2020 Bontrager Dyfi Enduro open on Sunday 12th January at 6pm on dyfievents.com

Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

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