[Closed] MB challenge

My mate Eddie has just talked me in doing to this. Looking forward to this a lot, as Jacob's ladder has been on my to do list for sometime! Goes to check route map ....just hope it's going down it:)

EEK,my 1st challenge....J Ladder just destroyed my hopes of 3 1/2 hr fin !

Ahhhhh ummmm well 😳

You are in the clear Garry! for some reason I read this as the [b]Hope [/b]valley Challenge

[b]TOTALY[/b] different event Sorry! LOL! 😆 Good luck though!

Phew...sighs with relief ! LOL

Hi Done this challenge a few times now with varying results such as OTB crashes, broken chain etc. Not mega technical with plenty of it on road or decent tracks but quite a few steep or long climbs. I reckon the worst bit on Sunday will be one of the easiest; as a result of the recent and forecast wet weather the soggy Trans Pennine Trail section not far in. It's really poor draining so expect wet socks and shorts for most of the rest of the way round, YUK! It's usually a good craik tho'

I'll be doing it as it's my local area. It's not too technical, mainly country lanes, bridleways etc.. Best on a lightish hardtail if you plan on racing round as there's some pretty steep bits to get up and it's over 30 miles. I'm thinking of doing it on my 7 speed rigid commuter (with knobbly tyres) and just taking it steady on the rocky/downhill bits. It's rained a lot over the last few days so it's going to be filthy but hopefully the wind will die down for the weekend. There's usually about 3-400 entrants.

In a bizarre twist, I have now signed up for the Holme challenge, as well as the Hope challenge. Just have to make sure I turn up for the right one one the right date 🙂 (I'm number 237 on the first, and 19 on the second, see you there!)

It's really poor draining so expect wet socks and shorts for most of the rest of the way round,

Will I get away with Maxis aspens or do you recon I'll need to put on the Bonty mud x's?

Aspens will be fine; you won't need a mud tyre (you might for the moorland sections of Calderdale Mountain Bike Marathon in a few weeks time if you do that though). There aren't any really muddy sections on this ride, it's just the 4 mile Trans Pennine Trail section is more likely to resemble a shallow canal rather than a disused railway line. I'm just sticking with my stock set up, High Rollers on my Heckler as usual but many of the faster riders are on cyclo cross bikes on semi/slicks.