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First time i did it this year, fun event but i was very dissapointed with the course. Possibly the worst course Ive ever ridden on a mountain bike. About 10% singletrack max i would say.
Also the bit on the entry form about filling in stories to give the commentator things to talk about, I don't think i heard him talking once out of all the times I rode through the start finish area.
Now I'm glad I didn't order the Jersey that said "24 hours of pure adrenaline makes one". There wasn't much adrenaline there at all.
Discuss...
🙂
It's an endurance event. You're supposed to endure it, not enjoy it.
If you enjoy enduring though... then it's great. I've done 11. 🙂
Hated it. Was told its the best and original UK cycling event, like a festival.
Course was pap. Better when it dried but still dull.
Wont be going again and too many whacky people as well which got on my tits
😆
It's great! Love it. Guess you either get it or not.
It's an endurance event. You're supposed to endure it, not enjoy it.
Ive done two 24 hour solo's before and I loved every lap because they were on fun courses, the 24 Hours of Exposure and the Relentless 24. It doesn't have to be mind numbingly boring just to make it more of a challenge.
It would probably be OK if you were riding on a team and going full gas, but still dull.
michaelmcc - shame this was your first event as I have done 5-6? now and this was by far the worst course they have ever put together 🙁 also the atmosphere seemed a lot less festival like previous year!
It would probably be OK if you were riding on a team and going full gas, but still dull.
Most people do it as a team. As a solo it must be a different experience. The actual riding is secondary to the party if you're in a team.
michaelmcc - shame this was your first event as I have done 5-6? now and this was by far the worst course they have ever put together also the atmosphere seemed a lot less festival like previous year!
I thought the course was pretty much the same as every year. Same bits, different order. The difference was the weather. What was fun last year was a sticky mess this year.
I agree, all bike races/events are shite, I'll never ever go near any of them.
It's an endurance event. You're supposed to endure it, not enjoy it.
Try Bristol Bike Fest or Are You Tough Enough. There's a LOT more enjoyment to be had in those courses 🙂
Try Bristol Bike Fest or Are You Tough Enough. There's a LOT more enjoyment to be had in those courses
They're not 24s are they?
Not-24s don't compare. The time available to party is constrained by riding. And we all know riding is dull.
My first time. Really enjoyed it and would go again.
Course was ok. Maybe a bit too much climbing in the second loop, but it was alright. Head down & pedal, right? ?Then hammer the descents.
Good camping and facilities, mrs eGn appreciates that 😀
Try Bristol Bike Fest or Are You Tough Enough
AYTE is a good course ye, packed with singletrack.
Bontrager 24/12 is a fun course too, not techy at all but fun to ride.
Obviously MM can't be too technical or it would put off beginners etc, but a bit more singltrack would be nice :-).
mate if its not techy enough you should be riding faster.
mate if its not techy enough you should be riding faster
Techy and speed aren't the same thing.
mate if its not techy enough you should be riding faster.
Can't tell if your joking or serious but it sounds like a bit of a stupid comment. I am one of the faster ones on the descents, but they were mostly in straight lines on double track, apart from some small twisty sections in the trees (which were fun but ended sooner than they started).
As i heard another rider saying, all effort with very little reward.
Always felt like you were climbing and DH sections were over in a flash.
Riding round in circles has always been a marmite subject anyway, especially if it's of the 24HR flavour. Personally, I enjoy Mayhem, but it is once a year and I don't think I'd want to do it every weekend, or even twice a year for that matter!
Mayhem for me is more about the social aspect of the event (where else do you get 3000 or so Mountain Bikers together at the same time?), bumping into old friends, making new ones, and just having a bit of a laugh. Course wasn't perhaps as good this year as last, but so what... It was still enjoyable on the whole. Also, I found the climbing a lot easier this year, though it was probably longer it wasn't as steep. Final descent this year not as good as last for definite though.
Rode it just for fun as part of a team of 10 this year and really enjoyed it, after 10 years of racing for middle places. Thought it was probably the easiest course at Eastnor though.
Lots of encouragement from the crowds and other riders, although that may be partly due to our unusual attire 😀
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Wont be going again and too many whacky people as well which got on my tits
Sorry Margin Walker, but I expect I still overtook you 😉
If Mayhem was too dull or too easy. Really. And I mean really. Don't do SITS.
I prefer SITS.
I really enjoyed the course and event this year (my 4th time doing Mayhem but hadnt been since 2008). I guess some people just dont get it - bad luck for them. I thought the event was excellent. The course is what you made of it. Climbs seemed easier than in previous years to me - but maybe I am imagining it. There was some decent techy stuff and great people along the way. It cant be too super techy as there are a large number of riders on it so its about a balance. It has to cater for everyone too - not just the kind of amazingly skilled super pro ultra athlete type riders like you get on STW 😉
Lots of encouragement from the crowds and other riders, although that may be partly due to our unusual attire
Yeah you sumo guys were quite funny looking. And the tigers, and unicyclists.
Was Fat Bastard part of your group?
Haha! Thats very true.
say what you like about Mayhem, but one thing Mayhem has going for it riders pay more respect for their fellow competitors,
at Bikefest (solo 12hr) I was knocked off and damaged a rib, due to dangerous overtaking, no mention in the briefing about overtaking,
Mayhem, yellow sticker to identify you are a solo, lots of respect from other competitors and spectators,
All us sumo's were fat bastards! (even without the suits 😉 )
Moan, moan, moan, moan, moan.....
No festival? err where we at the same event!!!!
May be you should have interacted with other riders, engaged in a bit of banter. Waved and smiled at the young lasses giving every one the cheer leader routine after the brider, high fived the kids on the Kenda climb and though the camp site, pulled (or attempted in my case) a wheelie when asked too. There was plenty of atmospher, may be you where to self absorbed to notice it, or chose not not.
Not my favorite course either by hey, some years it suits you other years it dosn't.
If you can think you can do better, then go ahead.
Organise a mtb event with 100% off road/technical that meets your approval. (fyi I do, or at least I am on the committee that does)
Too much climbing? Work a little harder on yer fitness I say 😉
Not enough climbing? Eat more pies. Or wear a sumo suit.
Sumo singlespeed makes it interesting!
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/50539691@N05/5857788760/ ]IMG_5199[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/50539691@N05/ ]Newforce Photos[/url], on Flickr
Me ^
You cut a dashing figure.
And I dont even need fancy dress!
I did notice a couple of people who I thought were in your team. They weren't.
Even more amazing they'd obviously just done a lap. Impressive.
try the dyfi enduro best event ive ever done
If you thought that was a 24 you were riding too slow.
no im serious,if if its not techy you could probably go faster....i love the whackiness and the great people who make the event what it is
That was my 6th mayhem. Found it more rideable thus year and thought the meanderings through the camp site worked better than previous years.
I did miss a full-on blast down to the start/finish line though, that stuttery descent was just a pain in the @rse!
I've only ever marshalled day long events, Mountain Mayhem this year was the first I've ever attended, and the first timr I've ever 'competed'. Found the course unexpectedly gruelling considering it was only 10 miles, really struggled in the mud and with the climbs. Er, and the descents. Once it had dried out a little, I found the singletrack stuff easier than the non-singletrack stuff, which seemed to be mainly straight, slidey muddy climbs and straight, slidey rutted descents.
Absolutely loved it though - loved taking part as a ten man team, loved how most of the competitors were very courteous and considerate, loved the mentalists in fancy dress/on unicycles, loved the random spectators shouting out encouragement and high fiving the kids on the edge of the course. We also have enough shower gel to last us six months, which was a pleasant bonus! Definitely doing it again next year, going to get my fitness up and pack some mud tyres next time though...
no im serious,if if its not techy you could probably go faster
I'm not necessarily wanting it to be more technical, just more fun!!! There's a big difference...
The downhills were mostly straight and fast and pretty boring. There was very few descents where i was having fun.
Bontrager 24/12 is a good example of a course thats fun to ride without being technical, so its good for everyone. Lots of twisty singletrack with different line choices in places to mix it up a bit every lap.
try the dyfi enduro best event ive ever done
Yeah that is brilliant, one of the best marathon courses Ive ever ridden, and a really cool festival vibe about the place as well.
better than being at work! seems like a good chance for getting together, bit of banter and fannying about/tedious slogging on bikes. time on a bike is not time wasted! 🙂
I wonder, to those who say the course wasnt interesting enough did you walk any of it? I can certainly remember some tight twisty stuff that was fun & once the course had dried out & gaps developed you could lap at a fair lick.
I thought that was a pretty good course for Eastnor. There were some really good sections, like launching down the rocky gully after the off camber trail at the top of the long climb.
I think people have forgotten about the downhill bits and have equated hard with boring.
GB
It was my first time, I thought it was great. The weather spoiled the pre MM events on the friday evening but you can't have everything. I'll be trying to get in again next year. As was said earlier in teh post, it was hard, but not boring.
Some people are never happy it seems, my first Mayhem this year and I'll be back for more!
Climbing is climbing, you've gotta have a balance, enough to be a challenge and not so much that it just turns into a slog.
There's only so much ST you can put in otherwise faster riders will be up the arse end of slower guys for longer, not good.
Thd atmosphere was great, hi-five-ing kids, banter, Chinese lanterns, music, the "jump of doom" etc etc.
Now I thought the Dyfi was great but the vast majority of the climbing on that is wide open fire roads.
As I said some people are never happy
Really enjoyed it this year. Not as good as last year which was sublime due to the perfect weather. But the weather was kind this year and the course got better as the weekend went on.
Hated the first lap due the mud. Once the course started to dry out it got better and better. Cannot say I enjoyed the long climb from the arena up to the obelisk it felt like a climb too many, but it did split up the field and was certainly a challenge on my trusty single speed.
I have done a couple of Mayhems when it has rained all weekend, it was thoroughly unpleasant in terms of the course being barely rideable (for me) and generally being cold and wet all weekend. But we do live in the UK and the weather is special.
thought the course was Ok, enjoyed the second half after that long climb, last year there were 5 climbs in the second half, this year only three, which seemed better to me at least. Bit disappointed with the last descent compared to last two years, and the course was definitely the worse for entering the arena from below rather than above at the end, screaming into that last right hander last year was the business!
I suspect that had the weather not been reasonable to us, the course would have held up alot better than in previous years, so i thank the course plotters for that.
But yes, would really like to see better use made of all that height loss on the final descent, a bit of contouring along that hill side would be a good idea before a final drop
Oh is it time for this thread again, have the other 4 threads on the same topic disappeared??
Mayhem is what you make of it. Sit around in your campsite being a boring tosser and of course it'll be dull. Go out, wander the arena, chat to people, cheer folk on, join in the atmosphere and it'll be great.
I used to race as part of a fairly serious team of 4, we made the podium a couple of times but we never lost sight of the fact that some people were basically there to do the bare minimum of riding and the maximum possible amount of heckling, drinking and generally having a laugh.
There are any number of reasons why the course was as it was. If you can come up with a venue that can accommodate 5000 people + cars/vans/tents/showers/arena, provide a varied course of approx 10 miles on private land, be rideable in most conditions without being too challenging for total novices and have good access from the motorway network then I'm sure Pat would love to hear from you.