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It's a race but not a high level one. It's more a festival/ exhibition/fun race vibe. Genuinely good riders have been there previous years like joe Barnes and Tracy Mosley but there are no policed rider gaps. No timed transitions. The course isn't fully taped and there is a massive spread of abilities. You are broadly going to end up where you should do on the leaderboard but you need to go into accepting that your time is highly variable due to traffic.
yup what eddie says. Itsd a mates race for pub bragging rights not a "propper" race imo.
I saw 2 guys cutting out 2 corners on stage 1 as it was an enduro line.....
just go for the fun or not at all imo.
I think most enjoyed it. I think people would like to have an excuse for not winning it 🙂 (wrong air in my tires in my case) 🙂
I think most enjoyed it. I think people would like to have an excuse for not winning it
Is being preoccupied an acceptable excuse for me? That or winding my self up so much at how pants i was being, i seriously debated throwing my bike down the hill and leaving it there on several occasions?
Still at least I'll make it to the wedding in one piece.
You can't call an event 'enduro sport', run it on the same day as an 'intro' and not expect people to want to go fast.
The only way you can say folks cut corners is if they went through the tape, everything inside the tape is fair game.
Didn't find anything tricky on the stages, despite riding them with no practice. Though we had a mooch around stage 1 on the Saturday and there were lots walking sections - riders that shouldn't have been in the main race imo
I agree - all the Sat riders should be able to ride the entire course (or at least give it a good crack 😉 )Sunday is another story - more relaxed and a chance for people to experience it. Guess you have to learn to push yourself somehow.
I caught a few people on Sat but they all pulled off so no issues there. I always left a big 20 - 30s gap at the start despite the marshals trying to hurry me along as I hate catching and trying to pass.
I always left a big 20 - 30s gap at the start
You do realise that to get the riders through, it averages out at 15 second gaps?
Does anything make you or anyone else special enough that you deserve a bigger gap?
Passing and being passed without losing too much time is all part of the skillset required for racing. 😀
^^
How about I go between 2 slower riders... I leave a 30 second gap to the person in front, the person behnd me leaves IMEMDIATELY after me, and we're all happy... 😉
DrP
should clarify - it was only a 30s gap if the line behind me was small, ie 3 or 4 riders. Which was about 3 of the stages. I'm pretty sure I saw something mentioning 20s gaps in the info.....unless I'm dreaming
Shame if the format makes newer/less skilled riders feel like they're in the way or not up to scratch in some way.
But they are in the way, and their riding ability isn't up to scratch!
I'm not there to win, but I do expect to be able to have a 'race run' when I go to a race, and not be held up by someone who should be riding a trail centre blue route.
I know some will call me an overly competitive elitist prick, but it's just a case of people riding at the correct level. I'd love to do an EWS, but I know it would be a waste of time and I'd just hold people up, so I don't do it.
Out of interest - although I don't think I'm going to do it again next year, does anyone have any experience of similar enduros that are maybe a little less 'technical'? I loved the social aspect of it and the competition- really well organised event in my VERY limited experience!
Southern Enduro are pretty straight forward. There's also a few in Wales that run primarily on trail centres.
Depends where you are based up north PMBA and hope tech women's only enduro. Down south the southern enduro series is the smart choice 😉mark88 - MemberOut of interest - although I don't think I'm going to do it again next year, does anyone have any experience of similar enduros that are maybe a little less 'technical'? I loved the social aspect of it and the competition- really well organised event in my VERY limited experience!
Southern Enduro are pretty straight forward. There's also a few in Wales that run primarily on trail centres.
Must've got held up some 🙄
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PMBA races are generally more technically challenging than the 'Ard Rock.
Some quotes about the Sunday from the Ardrock website
"FOR RIDERS WHOSE MAIN PRIORITY IS COMPLETING THE EPIC CHALLENGE."
"just enjoy an amazing chilled weekend riding with your mates"
"but the Sport is so relaxed you might forget to beat your mates"
"this one’s all about fun and the challenge"
Obviously taken out of context, but maybe the organizers need to market it differently if people expect to be racing, or maybe they need to give more warning to those who expect it to be more of a bimble, or maybe the Sunday shouldn't be timed so people just enjoy themselves without worrying what those in front and behind are doing.
@selaciosa - As I said on page 3, 2 punctures on stage 3, chain off on 4, crash on 5. I wasn't held up, but when I was fixing my puncture on 3 I seen so many people out of their depth and blocking the trail.
I'm not there to win, but I do expect to be able to have a 'race run' when I go to a race
I'm pretty sure if you're not there to win you're not racing so really, you're just getting in the way.
crash on 5.
So 5 was beyond your ability to ride? You shouldn't have been there.
*edit sorry, it sounds like I'm picking on you, I'm not per se, just your posts are easy to find.
Double post
I'm pretty sure if you're not there to win you're not racing so really, you're just getting in the way.
If I'd been passed in stage, i would be thinking the same thing, but I didn't get in anyone's way.
So 5 was beyond your ability to ride? You shouldn't have been there.
You don't know the difference between pushing hard and being beyond your ability?
Riders have set off times so they could be self-seeded at the point of ticket sale. Rate themselves 1-5 and then your start time can reflect your skill/fitness level. It won't be perfect but better that catching lots of people up.
Would never work,according to majority of these posts everyone on STW rates themselves as Riding Gods 🙄
You don't know the difference between pushing hard and being beyond your ability?
Seems you pushed hard, beyond your ability , and crashed 😆
Seems you pushed hard, beyond your ability , and crashed
Yes, it seems I did. What's your point?
My initial point about people being beyond their ability was aimed those who couldn't ride down the trails. We're talking about very different things.
Would never work,according to majority of these posts everyone on STW rates themselves as Riding Gods
Presume you're aiming that at me? I've done a few southern rounds, think I put myself at 3 or 4 (with 5 being slowest). I generally finish in the top half, so if anything I rank myself too low.
I know some will call me an overly competitive elitist prick, but it's just a case of people riding at the correct level.
Yet these people probably all finished in under 50 mins 🙄
Your clearly missing the point, doesnt matter how many punctures you get, how many mechanicals you get, your time is your time, its all part of racing.
Presume you're aiming that at me
Not aimed at you btw, just in general
Pretty sure it's already been seaid, but TBH I think the main problem with Sunday is that although it's supposedly more relaxed, the reality is it's got some riders in who wanted that experience, but it's also got a large number of people in it who wanted to race but couldn't get tickets for the saturday.
I'm not really sure there's any way around that.
Anyways, my first ever 'big' race, and the first race I've done in 18 years, and I thought that the organisation couldn't really have been much better.
Let's not get caught up in moaning, because at the end of the day, we're bloody lucky events like this exist. It must be an absolute mare to organise when you're talking liaisons with lots of groups of people who are traditionally quite tricky to please!
Spot on Submarined. Feel priveledged to ride those trails every year, it's been brilliant for 4 years now.
Having previously enjoyed last year's Saturday Enduro and this year taken my wife and boy along to lend support/heckle, Submarined has nailed it.
In fact next year, leave your bike at home and give others a chance. Try marshalling instead.
I'm pretty sure if you're not there to win you're not racing so really, you're just getting in the way.
Utter shite.
+1 @nobeer.
If people only raced to win, there'd be a lot of very lonely races on the calendar as only 5 people would turn up.
Pretty sure it's already been seaid, but TBH I think the main problem with Sunday is that although it's supposedly more relaxed, the reality is it's got some riders in who wanted that experience, but it's also got a large number of people in it who wanted to race but couldn't get tickets for the saturday.
Yeah exactly. If you were riding Sunday you just had to accept that I think, pretty much everyone is in the same boat. But equally I think there were some riders in the Saturday race that should have been in the Sunday Sport category, it seems.
All good fun though, I really enjoyed it.
Having not been previous years, do they just re-use the same trails with slight changes? How much is ride-able outside of the event, if any?
Stage 2 is the only one that's changed much since the first race 4 years ago, rest of them have only had minor adaptations.
I don't think you can ride any of the stages outside the event, but happy to be corrected!.
I'm staying in Reeeth all week and was hoping for some similar local trails, so I popped into Dales Cycle Centre and while I was there asked about the stages and if any were rideable outside of the event. The guy very sternly stated that none were. I suspect that riding them any other time could cause a massive headache for the organisers and seriously jeopardise the future of the event.
As a result I've spent the rest of the week riding pretty dull bridleways and fireroad grinds, as I'm erring on the side of caution!
Yep they are all on private land. I dont mind riding cheeky, but would not entertain riding these stages as it would jeopardise the future running of a fabulous event.
Let's not get caught up in moaning, because at the end of the day, we're bloody lucky events like this exist. It must be an absolute mare to organise when you're talking liaisons with lots of groups of people who are traditionally quite tricky to please!
Spot on mate.
How about I go between 2 slower riders... I leave a 30 second gap to the person in front, the person behind me leaves IMMEDIATELY after me, and we're all happy...
Just what me and the Mrs do when we're racing together 😀 (except she gets the big gap behind her instead of in front of me) We've rarely had marshals object to this as we're still keeping riders flowing through.
Anyway, we all agree that there needs to be some tweaking to the format/entries to allow the more competitive riders to be grouped together and away from the newbies, to keep the newbies from being knocked off by the racers, to dim the church bells at night.
Cracking fun as always though. Last year I thought would be my last as it's just getting really busy but I enjoyed it so much again, I may just be back 😀
Great fun and a privilege to ride those trails with like-minded folk. Guys and girls who know they won't be on the podium but are going to pin it and send it for mid-pack mediocrity 8)
submarined- the shop ought to be able to sell/give you some maps of where the local good stuff is. OK, the stuff we pay to race on is better but there are some decent singletrack descents around. The BW from [url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=402074&y=502429&z=120&sv=402074,502429&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=655&ax=402074&ay=502429&lm=0 ]Hurst to Storthwaite Hall[/url] being one (was used on the climb from S4 to S5 😆 )
the Sunday Sport category
😯
Isn't that one just for people who have sex with post boxes or poo down chimneys?
Isn't that one just for people who have sex with post boxes or poo down chimneys?
It's all about the upskirt shots...
Re: self-seeding - Ive entered the Ard Moors sprint and the form asked you to rate yourself 1-5 from something like 'EWS pro' to 'just hoping to finish'. Was this not the same in Ard Rock?
Maybe the answer is to provide better information such as video and photos of the kind of terrain riders will be expected to ride so people can make a more honest appraisal of their level.
Let's not get caught up in moaning, because at the end of the day, we're bloody lucky events like this exist. It must be an absolute mare to organise when you're talking liaisons with lots of groups of people who are traditionally quite tricky to please!
quite agree.
Still bloody brill though.
So next year all the Sunday hecklers agreed we would just meet up with a box of beer and heckle away. Proper fun 🙂 I was more knackered from shouting than riding (i pushed a lot) 🙂
This is the most glorious photo I've seen of racing for a long while.
https://www.rootsandrain.com/photos/2321874
Or it might be this one
https://www.rootsandrain.com/photos/2321875
😀
EDIT: I'm not laughing at you, rider, Hope you're OK! The photo timing is perfect.
Here's a pic of me looking a little tense. Looks like I'm trying to snap my bars or have a big poo.
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Great vid.
Good to meet lots of folks off STW 🙂
39 pics of me!!!!
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4420/35693770664_df10a0d9d2.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4420/35693770664_df10a0d9d2.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Wo8Ut3 ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
That pic seems to have been a good spot. Lots of people sharing their version of that one.
hey look that tire is still inflated 🙂
hey look that tire is still inflated
4 years, never had a puncture there yet... 
No but i think rich had a couple. He didn't seem impressed on stage 3 when i minced pass him.
🙂
Andy was it you on the fat bike?