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Flat and muddy? So it's now just become SiTS.
If it is A14 way (Northamptonshire) I'm out. Some of the most uninspiring (and pretty flat) landscapes in the UK IMHO.
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speaking as a mayhem enthusiast, poor move.
• it is completely virgin mountain bike territory – a private location never before used for cycling in any way
[u][i]and good choice for a riding venue because?[/i][/u]
• the only way you will ever get to ride a mountain bike here is by entering Wiggle Mountain Mayhem
[u][i]see above. do I want to ride a bike there?[/i]
[/u]
• it is less 40 miles from Eastnor
[u][i]and good choice for a riding venue because?[/i][/u]
• our course designers are really excited to be able to bring you some fantastic mountain biking with well made forest tracks plus gravely rock structure and high organic content making the soil drain well.
[u][i]sounds balls. quite frankly.[/i][/u]
dont know why they just dont announce it its not funny and anyone who rode it last year has lost all their humor anyway! just give us the postcode ! 😉
if what tufffy is saying is true then i reckon, as theashnav says,stanford hall looks a good bet but its flat as a witches t*t
Ive done a lot of road cycling around there its so flat I usually only use one leg at a a time I reckon Tuffy is bogus
They've not actually said it's hilly, so he could be right.
Well, if it's Stanford at least I won't have to drive far!
What do they mean by "high organic content" ?
Manure ?
silage ?
tuffty is enjoying winding you lot up with off the cuff remarks about the A14 that you then take seriously.
wbss - you'll just have to wait and see like everybody else, so don't be so negative dude.
"Weston Park in Wolverhampton??"
When did it move?
Just last week we were looking at a large private estate in shropshire that would be superb for this type of event, with real hills if not mountains. But i don't see the owner letting anyone near "is land!"
P G ?
as said before, you don't need hills to make a race course.
How many people whinged that the olympics course would be crap because it wasn't up a mountain?
If MM is a race, then all you need is a course to race on with enough to keep people on their toes.
I guess the fat biffers would have one less excuse for being slow if there aren't any climbs? and wouldn't be able to show off their downhill proess
The hills thing is a difficult one - IMO flat courses [i]can [/i]be fun. I enjoy SiTS at Catton (as part of a team) as you just ride it flat out! I imagine it would be a soul destroying course to ride as a soloist however, just really dull!
Himley Hall 😛
njee20, it would need good course design to work, and it can a bit of a problem making a usable interesting race course. Singletrack fun to ride but to race?
Anyway almost anything would be an improvement on Eastnor IMO.
Eastern end of the Brecon Beacons / Black Mountains?
Somewhere between Hay on Wye and the Glanusk estate?
Plenty of forest and hills...
ETA - even that is too far...
FoD, north scarp of the Cotswolds, Leominster area?
Anyway almost anything would be an improvement on Eastnor IMO.
Eastnor in the dry is fantastic. Hilly, good variation of terrain from fireroad to singletrack to grass, easy enough for newbies while being challenging enough for Elites, nice amphitheatre feel to the campsite. Problem is that it is utterly horrendous in the wet.
A change is good, the event needed a bit of a refresh.
Given how good a job they did of making a course up out of nothing, including cutting all of the singletrack way back when at Sandwell I'd not be so worried about it being 'new' to bikes.
Himley Hall
We could all pop down the Crooked House for a Gornal Smokey at half time.
Memories... 🙂
agreedEastnor in the dry is fantastic
which at the end of june is quite normalProblem is that it is utterly horrendous in the wet.
Eastnor in the dry is fantastic. Hilly, good variation of terrain from fireroad to singletrack to grass, easy enough for newbies while being challenging enough for Elites, nice amphitheatre feel to the campsite. Problem is that it is utterly horrendous in the wet.A change is good, the event needed a bit of a refresh.
+1, 2006 at Eastnor was brilliant fun!
I've heard whispers it could be Ludlow way
To be fair last year wasn't the worst one I've ever done, at least I rode most of the lap and it was pretty warm. think '07 or '08 was the worst for me, can't remember which though.
Ludlow equals not flat. very.
To be fair last year wasn't the worst one I've ever done, at least I rode most of the lap and it was pretty warm. think '07 or '08 was the worst for me, can't remember which though.
Hmmm... 07, whilst crap, was not a patch on last year! Didn't do 2008, so must have been that one!
high organic content making the soil drain well
What, like peat?.......
After a couple of dire years having about as much fun as someone being tortured, I’m going wait out for the feedback of any new course/weather combination.
Sod doing them in the UK. Enter one in the sunny south of Europe. There must be Spanish / French equivalents. The food would also be better 🙂
After missing last years through being well bored of the Eastnor courses, I'm well keen to give it another go somewhere new. First time I've been vaguely excited about Mayhem in a good few years.
Let's hope the course is fun, the weather is kind (ie not just cr4p) and it all goes off without incident.
I do hope it is not stanford hall!!! i live a few mins ride from there and can tell you the riding is absolutely awful! flat as a flat thing. Thick clay you can only imagine in your worst nightmares. Bruntingthorpe would not be so bad, but still the most boring riding you can find in the uk.
I do hope it is not stanford hall!!!
you did read the OP? the new venue is within 40miles of Eastnor...
...suspense is killing me !
Wishes it was back at Sandwell, could cycle home afterwards.
Wishes it was back at Sandwell, could [s]cycle[/s] walk home after your bike was stolen
FTFY
After losing my sense of humour last year at Eastnor (ridden MM every year since 2006) would like to see it somewhere else, hope there isnt any good fishing rivers nearby as the 16th is first day of the season, having thousands of mtb'ers larking about nearby is gonna upset someone 😀
Ok chaps, huge apology here. The estate I work at were in negotiations with mm about hosting the event and I was under the impression that it was sorted. I have just spoken to the estate manager and it seems what the estate wanted and what wiggle wanted were different. On the upside, you won't have to battle through the Northants clay, or if you do you can do it at tough mudder as we are definitely hosting that. So anyway sorry again we will all have to keep guessing. Sorry
Dont apologies, it kept the thread going.
They should do it in Bristol where they hold the Bikefest - thats a weatherproof course 🙂
They should do it in Bristol where they hold the Bikefest - thats a [s]weatherproof[/s] flat course
That depends on your perspective.
After 11 hours on a single speed, Ashton Court certainly doesn't feel flat. 😛
Had to apologise, feel bad, relative newbie on here too. Having read what people said about the mess left at last years event it appears our estate might have got off lightly.
I reckon Sennybridge.
I thought Sennybridge - but doesn't fit the <40 from Eastnor
ok everybody start this rumor it will force an answer as I need to book my hols NOW .
"The organisers have been faced with a 50k clean up bill fron Eastnor which did not get paid and they have not yet secured a new venue due to insurance complications,suitability etc and our about to cancel the event"
this is all guess work but will force an answer.
I heard rumours a couple of years ago about a private estate in the grounds of a large country house - in the vicinity of Eastnor - as a replacement venue. I seem to remember it even had tunnels in the rock (!) to ride through. Can't remember the name though.
I heard rumours a couple of years ago about a private estate in the grounds of a large country house - in the vicinity of Eastnor - as a replacement venue. I seem to remember it even had tunnels in the rock (!) to ride through. Can't remember the name though.
sounds like somewhere in the FoD? Clearwell?????
Hawkstone Park has tunnels through rock. Did a Midlands Super Series race there in either '96 or '97
So they are cancelling the event then are they ? they still dont have a venue so travelling is yet an unknown quantitiy 40 miles further than Eastnor is a no go for us up here
Eastnor Castle to Pontrilas (SAS Base) Herefordshire = ~29 miles
#JustSayin
Virgin territory. Woods & surfaced. Good PR for the 'landlord'
Why do people keep suggesting places in the east midlands its not 40 miles from eastnor.
Whitfield Estate may be a possibility near Ewyas Harold (8 miles south of Hereford)
[url= http://www.whitfield-hereford.com/ ]http://www.whitfield-hereford.com/[/url]
sku98rkr ... Hereford moved to the East Midlands. Are you sure?
Somewhere in Hereford would be good. That way I can pop home for a shower, sleep in my own bad and be up fresh and ready for a dawn lap with a full english inside me. 8)
So tuffty, do you work for the Duke of Buccleuch estate then if theres a tough mudder there?
I just realised this is the weekend after BBF.
12 & 24 hour solo races only a week apart is a bit much for me. 🙁
Sounds like you now have a target to aim for MidlandTQ.
"searched the length and breadth of the UK tirelessly to find the perfect venue"
Absolute Bobbins !
As ever its all about the southern 'Jeremy's' on their brand new 5K carbon full sussers...... what has happened to arranging Mountain Mayhem further North and somewhere near a mountain at least.
I have done most Mayhems since the final one at Sandwell and I have given up hope of it ever being held somewhere north of Birmingham.
Why does it always have to be held in the South of the country, when we have many more hills & varied terrain 'up north' ... you know - where there are cobbles on the M1 and ferrets running everywhere.
You will be pleased to know that last year was my last ....
I've always found Eastnor sufficeintly hilly
So tuffty, do you work for the Duke of Buccleuch estate then if theres a tough mudder there?
Yes I do 😉
Its OK for biking round, but I never thought it would make a great venue for mayhem, way too flat and heavy clay soil 🙁
So, is the new Mayhem location the best kept secret in cycling or is the venue still to be found/booked?
what has happened to arranging Mountain Mayhem further North and somewhere near a mountain at least.
I have done most Mayhems since the final one at Sandwell and I have given up hope of it ever being held somewhere north of Birmingham.Why does it always have to be held in the South of the country, when we have many more hills & varied terrain 'up north' ...
Excellent, well if you can find a venue on private land (cos you're not allowed to race on bridleways) with an "amphitheatre" / campsite on some reasonably level ground capable of acommodating 3000 MTBers plus another 2000 or so support people, all their cars/caravans/camper vans/tents, trade stands, HGV access and be able to produce a course of about 10 miles in length with somewhere in the region of 1200-1500ft climbing per lap, rideable by all-comers from complete beginners to Elites that stands up to most weather then I'm sure the organisers would love to hear from you.
Oh and ideally the place should be reasonably central for easy access to most people (so sort of M4 corridor northwards to about Lake District ish), near a motorway and cost less than £60,000 for a week's hire.
Off you go now.
Dyrham Park is 40 miles (south east) from Eastnor as the crow flies. It's sufficiently hilly, has decent drainage and easy access to the M4. You can also hire the place....
Princess Anne places ?
Gatcombe Park is a good guess Mr(?) Bitch. 40 odd miles from Eastnor, used for 3 day eventing. The jumps will be fun.
I skied around Eastnor yesterday. I don't know why everybody complains about it so much - not a single bit of mud to be found anywhere. Admittedly the conditions may be a little different in June.
Still nothing on location?
Entry time is drawing closer - and other stuff is appearing in the diary
feb 5th all will be revealed according to twitter
i dont understand what your panick isabout you have a date and know its either 40 miles closer to or 40 further away?
I know they said that it's never held a mountain bike race but I last raced at Hawkstone Park in 1996!!
Great course especially if they send you through the caves with the fairy lights. 😯
That knee is still giving me problems....
[img][url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8357/8427819560_41024e32de.jp g" target="_blank">
[img][url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8043/8426753039_90c7d3a9c8.jp g" target="_blank">
^^That looks cool!^^
I see it comes comes pre-prepped courtesy of motocrossers 😀
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There is an MX event on at Hawkstone MX track the same weekend as the Mayhem Dates - never been there so is it big enough for the 2 events to run at the same time?
[url= https://secure.amca.uk.com/multievents/displayEvent.asp?Type=Full&Code=4427 ]https://secure.amca.uk.com/multievents/displayEvent.asp?Type=Full&Code=4427[/url]
Gatcombe would make an excellent venue I live round the corner and can see some jumps from my office! Can't see it though. For future ref a good friend who is a pro conti roadie has just inherited a large estate in the Cotswolds brimming with event potential.
i dont understand what your panick isabout you have a date and know its either 40 miles closer to or 40 further away?
🙄
As a family we have other commitments to work around. My son has ballet on that Sunday, so bringing MM forward a week is a pita (also just 1 week after the Dragon Ride).
So location becomes an important part of the decision
....and the winner of the most anticipated waterproof mtb course of 2013 IS....
It's the NEC, indoors
Front page - now! 🙂
I'm not sure anyone cares now.
Lets hope the course is not on horsey double track then 🙂