Hi folks.
I've never raced before on any kind of bike but I started riding a rigid single speed MTB a few months ago and fancy giving a race a try.
I'm Midlands based but don't mind a bit of travel. Where do you suggest I start and is there anything I need to know before jumping in?
Thanks in advance 🙂
unlikely to be much on in the winter bar cyclo cross stuff. google will help with local events.
Enter sport and just give it a go.
thetfordmtbracing.com
Give these a go, great races and the first one's in a couple of weeks.
Midweek Mountain Bike madness in Manchester is good but won't start til next summer:
Not sure if the journey will be a stretch for you from the Midlands though.
There's a good race series in the south east - Bracknell / Crowthorne area. Prob about 2 hrs from eg: Leicester, 90mins from Birmingham.
www.gorrick.co.uk
There's one race in the Autumn classic series left (nov) but there's also the Brass monkeys series run on the same areas by mainly the same people (Army Cycling in conjunction with Gorrick), these are 2 or 4 hr 'do as many laps as you can' enduros.
All are on great courses; sandy / good drainage, very little mud, good atmosphere, well attended. They've been going 20 years so have a good idea how to run a XC event.
Re how to get started:
http://www.gorrick.co.uk/racing/takingpart.php
Nice one, thanks for that jony, and everyone else.
Am I right to assume there's not much on this time of year?
And then Brownbacks later on.
Many cyclocross races let you enter on an MTB and they run right through winter, keep an eye out on the action and go for every single event you can! Is you aim to get well-placed and one day vy for winning them? If so, think about a bit of training and maybe join some roadie groups.
Winter is trailquest time is it not?
Not a 'race' per se, but still a competition.
Have a look at the tca website, and for example, The Peak District winter league, google 'Dark and White'.
There's a series starting in Sheffield area soon, look for rider coaching on face book
Another recommendation for the Gorricks if its not too far. Well organized,good courses and good turn out.
+1 for Gorrick, their events are excellent.
Thanks all for the suggestions.
I have considered the CX option but don't fancy being the wierd guy on the MTB, and training on the road bike is something I got a bit bored with, hence the MTB.
I think I'll just stick with the MTB club rides over winter and enter some races come spring.
Cue the next thread...
You won't be the only one on an mtb.. just need o be able to mount and dismount quickly for obstacles .or bunny hop them. Great fun but a serious hr of pain!!!
This is a good article on prep for xc racing - http://www.lookcycle.com/en/uk/look-cycle/coaching/performer-en-vtt-format-x-country.html
Thetford Winter series would be ideal for you - all pretty flat, so very suitable for single speeds 🙂
Friday night summer series goes up to Rugby/Daventry but not on now until er summer.
Def adding it to the list, Jase, cheers!
If you go on the British cycling website and go to the mtb section you can put your postcode in, select a distance from that postcode and it'll bring up any races within that area.