Molgrips, the two Fubar riders could have been my wife's cousin and his wife. I think they went out together c 5pm and I'm sure they were in different Fubar teams (I think they had 3 teams plus solo riders).
I didn't ride but enjoyed mooching around with my eldest son cheering on the Fubars and generally soaking it all up.
The bike wash queue was madness and the main arena was much quieter than in previous years. My son managed to win an Osprey bladder and co-incidentally I was looking to buy a new pack. I spent a good 10 mins looking at the options and when I asked "I'll have that one" was told that they were not allowed to sell direct. I felt very sorry for them especially as the Wiggle stand did not have any Osprey packs!
Thanks to Team Fubar for letting us mooch with them again
horrified about the guy being pushed into the lake, thats awfull!
i managed to get assaulted in the campsite by some fruitloop going round decking people! the brother of a solo rider apparently who'd slipped his meds the police said, even started laying into a guy being treated by a paramedic in the first aid area. police said he'd assaulted four people that they knew of, he got nicked and removed off site
not ideal preparation just as your about to go out for a lap at at 3am!!
horrified about the guy being pushed into the lake, thats awfull!
You could actually see evidence on the ground after as to where they'd gone in.
Some **** from Brotherton Cycles tried to force his way past me on the same section earlier. He knows who he is and I've already told him he's a ****.
Pathetic really because there were so many places to overtake on the course compared to the usual 24 hr courses.
Crikey, I did hear a guy say he almost ended up in the lake.
One of the Kenda riders almost got me on the hairpin corner over the tree stump towards the end. I over tool him on the descent towards it, cut in to take the corner tight to the tree and he appeared right up the inside I me, almost took me off. Absolutely no need at all, even less considering it was the last lap.
I just remembered one guys funny overtake, just after the koffin descent on sun morning I was in the clear channel on the right, I hear ob your right, ignore it, then again! He actually meant "please get off the nice stuff and ride in the crap for me" he did go past on my left eventually. Still loved it all.
I may as well chime in!
My first lap I was super disapointed by the course as I was expecting a course like Eastnor where yo cover pleanty of distance, with long twisty single track, views out over the arena and loads of spectators. As the laps tickted by I got into it and became reasonably happy. It may have been a dull course with nothing but trees, but at least it was short!
In the short time the course designers had, i think they did an excellent job. Hopefully now MM has a foot in the door and the estate managers understand the event better, more leeway will be given to the designers and organisers to be more adventureous and refine both the course and the layout of the venue.
The thing I'd most like to see is the campsite and event village/arena tied together by having the course running through it. The three all seemed to be very separate with little scope for people to go for a wander to take photos of the riders and give support.
Mr Pea
Having read alot of these posts, which seem to be full of people who could clear every climb with ease, I must have been at a different event! I consider myself a reasonably fit average rider and was lapping at around the hour mark. The reason I like these events are a chance to meet, ride and race with other people of all levels of experience and fitness. Why then did they design a course where most of the climbs were unrideable for the vast marvority of riders? What is the point of making then so steep that 75% of people have to walk them? During the whole event our team saw only one rider, from the RAF, complete the climb immediately after the Red Bull run, everybody else walked it. I for one can't see the point in paying to walk around Gatcombe Park, no matter how nice it is. Also, like many have said before, there was no atmosphere. Lets hope SITS makes it back next year, far better course and great atmosphere. I won't be going back to MAyhem next year unless the course is altered.
I'm pretty fit but not amazing. I was doing 50-55 minute laps on Sun morning.
I rode all the climbs on the first lap. After that the garlic walk short cut emerged (top of the 2nd main climb) where everyone was walking. That climb after the red bull was alright when it was dry but as soon as the slime appeared it became very difficult to clear.
A few minutes walking out of a 55 minute lap. I'm happy with that.
I definitely noticed that I was running a 32 tooth rear sprocket rather than 34.
Overall I had a great time at the event. I think the arena had a slightly down feeling to it and I heard various stories about Wiggle asking retailers for a lot of money to be able to sell anything.
Full write up here: [url= http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/race-report-mountain-mayhem-2013/ ]http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/race-report-mountain-mayhem-2013/[/url]
vinny666 - MemberHaving read alot of these posts, which seem to be full of people who could clear every climb with ease, I must have been at a different event! I consider myself a reasonably fit average rider and was lapping at around the hour mark. The reason I like these events are a chance to meet, ride and race with other people of all levels of experience and fitness. Why then did they design a course where most of the climbs were unrideable for the vast marvority of riders? What is the point of making then so steep that 75% of people have to walk them?
Exactly. its the average rider that makes these events financially viable, so you have to cater for the average rider. that was an elite course. id love to have a go solo next year but i really couldnt on that course
I was doing 42 mins wet and 39 mins dry and cleared the post RB climb almost everytime, only had to jump off and trot/run when I slipped, only other section that was impossible was the off camber bit about 1/4 into the lap, never seen anyone do that, I just hopped off and cried/laughed as I trotted up.
We managed 4th in the open and were running close to podium until we mechanicals, hope we were polite to everyone on overtakes, I know I always said right or left well in advance and thanked everyone.
Pivot Boompods
For me as the average joe doing solo those climbs represented so much effort it just wasn't worth attempting and spending all that energy.
I`d like to see some more technical bits, and the chicken run/route to be a lot longer to reward the more technically based rider.
My fastest lap at the end was an hour, nursing a wobbly rear mech that had been hammered into some form of shape and had optional, random gearchanges.
My comment on the rodie powerhouses is that you could see [i]some[/i] people dont ride trails. They were blisteringly quick on the flat and climbs- and then there were people who were just ace at everything.
I was happy as a solo to break the 2 min barrier on the red bull section, but people doing sub 1:30! I reckon i could scrub 20 seconds off that on a full out attack but not 30.
I enjoyed the course far more than eastnor, maybe just because i am a lot fitter than i was in previous mayhems.
Why then did they design a course where most of the climbs were unrideable for the vast marvority of riders?
You do realise they don't create all those trails from scratch, don't you? They have to use what's there. It's a steep site, so it had steep climbs in it.
There's an awful lot of bellyaching about the climbs!
Yes they were steep and yes I walked them (my laps were all between 55 and 1hr 5mins)
All the climbs were double track, the only way to have made them less steep would be to have zig zagged up through the woods, had they been on single track with no overtaking there would have been uproar. Also I suspect that the estate management didn't give free range to the course designers to go where they liked and so they had to use as many existing footpaths and tracks as possible. I think in the dry all the climbs would have been doable but damn hard and a challenge but when wet the were either slippery and slimey or they were on watt sapping plastersene, valuable watts needed to get to the top.
Lighten up guys, if it'd been dry you have ridden them and not be complaining! Show me a piece of woodland anywhere in the UK which doesn't turn into a swamp when you mix several thousand tyres and lots of water. Perhaps the only solution is for Pat to rent a trail centre for a weekend then there'd be complaints that the place wasn't open to the general public to ride.
Mr Pea
and my 2p.
I think on balance Gatcombe is better than Eastnor.
The camping being tighter meant we were a lot closer to the arena. There was enough space and it was flat and nicer to camp on.
The course will always be never good enough for some people but it has to have something for everyone. Mayhem is a very inclusive event and so it has to compromise. Apart from one climb early on there better/fitter riders cleaning the climbs on every lap I rode.
I liked the slightly shorter course as is makes it easier for the more novice riders and provides more laps for those that can get round faster.
We had novice riders camping with us who found it challenging and more experienced riders who found it technically OK so had a fitness challenge.
I liked the Redbull timed section being downhill for a change and recording all through the event.
The easy/hard options were fine.
Thank goodness transition was covered.
Toilets/showers were fine from my experience
It would have been nice to have the course go through the campsite but it wasn't possible - fair enough.
Things that need to be fixed IMO
- you can't ban washing your own bike (which I understand) and only have 6 bays
- Not letting some stalls sell direct isn't on if Wiggle don't bring enough stuff to sell (But Pat needs them as a sponsor)
Overall Pat and his team need congratulating. It's a very well run event and they need support to make sure this event stays as a regular while others cancel or take years off. It's not an easy thing to put together and I do wish some people would quit the moaning and critisism. This is an endurance event - it's not meant to be easy.
So were the Red Bull timings only available at the course (i never saw them) or will they be made available at some stage?
I'm surprised that they have not shown up anywhere yet?
Nice to see al the photos up! Good work STW.
That last one too 😆
Although not a single one of me 🙁
is sir referring to this?
[img] 
[/img]
Yeah 😆 Caption competition right there!
Lets have it then.
Free ST Organic Cotton T-shirt for the best...
🙂
Nice Schlong mate,
Why thank you.................
Have you seen my SPD racing wellies?
Er - that is not what I was looking at.
I've started a new thread here just for the captions 🙂
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/caption-this-mayhem-content-prize
P.S. RE - The course, I still remember all the moaning & groaning the first time it was at Eastner,back in 2004.It was far far worse than the amount we've had this time,there were dummies bouncing all over the floor,big time !
FFS, i can't believe the moaning about climbing, mind you i keep forgetting how unfit the average mtber actually is. Some actually take a perverse pride in being unable to ride up hill!!!!
If you can't ride up a hill, it is your fault, get fitter!
Have to smile at this thread- the percentage of folks claiming to have cleared every climb with ease doesn't tally with what I saw when I was out on my laps 😀
Did anyone else think the red line on the number board for us soloists was crap? Mine had gone in no ome at all. diamond last year was better.
I think they should issue numbers for the back of the bike for soloists, or flares like I had at Torq in your sleep 12:12 last year. That way, riders coming up from behind will know there is a soloist ahead, who will obviously be slower AND needs a supportive comment 🙂
Vicky, I am with you, I saw hardly anyone clear those climbs bar a few of the top guys...
I tried... and failed, mostly 🙂
Flares on the solos would be a good idea, although I found team riders swerved around uncontrollably just as much.
Didn't say before, but what a fantastic ride from James Braid to win the solo - massive result for a man on the up and up.
I rode all the climbs apart from garlic bread. The one after the red bull decent was tricky as you had to keep riding round people walking which added to the challenge of slippy loose rocks! The grassy ones hurt more for some reason - I think it was the bumps. My point was not to moan about having uphills - it was that the event needs the masses to enter to make it viable and having climbs everyone has to walk up might put off the masses...
On reflection the course did hold up better in the rain than Eastnor - our rider who was out for the duration of the rain at about 1pm came back in covered in muddy splashes but no clogging. I may have got lucky with my lap timings though as I never found it that bad - I ran Ralphs the whole race.
GB
for the pedantic record, MM has never been at Eastner, however Eastnor has been the venue many times
Good point vickypea... I reckon 90% walked the climbs. My lap times were between 53 mins and just over an hour at night so id argue the toss to be called out and out slow or unfit. I do want to be able to ride the whole course though.
Regarding solos, it would be great just to stick something on their seatposts. I had to look over my shoulder every time I thought I passed one in the night to give them a supportive comment. Those guys deserve evwry bit of encouragement the rest of us can muster. Make it easier for us.
Good point vickypea... I reckon 90% walked the climbs
And the rest, 95% at least I'd say. I saw one person do the one after the RB section. Definitely agree with Vicky and Gee. It seems folk aren't put off by climbs that are unrideable by the masses, which does surprise me frankly. It put me off and I did ride most of them, ish!
I enjoyed the course. The climbs were certainly slightly steep in places and not rideable every lap by me but not impossible either. I personally don't mind a chunk of nice double track as it's recovery time for those of us that are, er, less competitive 🙂
I think that the first descent was probably more of a concern for the less experienced riders as, despite comments above about the course not being technical, by the end it was the sort of thing you only really get on black routes at trail centres. Fun for some of us but I think that was about the limit of what you can get away with at this sort of event before you put people off.
Not being in amongst the course while camping was did lose a bit of the atmosphere but the improvement in the camping area more than made up for that. A large area of flat, well drained, open land was just fantastic. So much better than Eastnor's 'hunt the least sloping area'. And it felt like the average distance to the arena was much smaller than at Eastnor.
I'd certainly be pleased to see it back there again next year.
Ditto - I'll definitely be back next year and hoping they build some more trails like the first section.
GB
but what a fantastic ride from James Braid to win the solo - massive result for a man on the up and up.
totally and a
massive round of applause to steve day and julian rider 2nd n 3rd solo..both singlespeed 😯
for the pedantic record, MM has never been at Eastner, however Eastnor has been the venue many times
Capital "F" not working on your keyboard matey..... 8)
i'm going to put a big shout in for my Alaskan Puppy team mate Chris Pill who came 4th solo male in his first ever 24. respect to you Chris, and i hope you're now enjoying your 2 week holiday in France.
Who were the other Photographers at Mayhem?
I had at least 2 pictures of me took on course, but the only one up is of me stuffing my face with a burger in the arena!
I need to re-dress the balance!
On balance I enjoyed it, but as a solo rider with no support it was a bit annoying to not be able to jet wash and there was no way I was going to stand in line for over an hour to get my drive train working. Thought that was a bit of an oversight to be honest, although I appreciate most of the solo riders have more than one bike/ people to help keep them going. I had quite a few problems with muddy clag on laps 2 and 3 (after and during the rain) but it did improve. Mud clag from tyres still wore through the paint on my chainstays though! It would be really good to have something to stick on the seatpost as a solo rider so people realise that after 20+hours you may not be making the best line choice or responding so quickly to calls of "on your left" etc. The atmosphere was great and rider camaraderie was really good - I met some really cool people out on course. I only really encountered one c***-end on my 12th lap. He was complaining about my line choice on the first descent and shouted about me being dangerous. He actually did me a favour because as he came past me on the flat shouting his tosh I found some untapped reserves and came past him on the first climb. I didn't see him again.
Did anyone get some "helmet cam" of the good bits?
On reflection the course did hold up better in the rain than Eastnor - our rider who was out for the duration of the rain at about 1pm came back in covered in muddy splashes but no clogging. I may have got lucky with my lap timings though as I never found it that bad - I ran Ralphs the whole race.
I went out for a two-lapper on Ralphs at 12.45 and came in just after 2 so had most of the rain. The course became very slippery for a time then cloggy as it dried a little. After last year I did think it was going to be another disaster but the rain stopping saved it. If it had continued the course would've been just as 'bad' (doesn't bother me that much tbh, an uncovered transition is more of a bother). And the climbs did seem too tough for the majority from what I could see. Although to be honest judging by the number of crashes, some of the descents were too tricky as well!
My wife's write up from the race is here: [url= http://www.xcracer.com/viewblogpost.php?blog_id=534 ]http://www.xcracer.com/viewblogpost.php?blog_id=534[/url]
She rode all her laps on Racing Ralphs. She did switch to mud tyres after her first lap, but the course had dried enough before her second lap so had a quick switch back to Raplhs.
I was looking at the photos on Rob Crayton's site, noticed that one of the winners on the podium was an old uni friend of my first boyfriend. Small world! 😮
Mind you, I remember him being mildly amazed that I'd grown up by Cannock Chase but had never ridden a bike there...
Also, the climbs were fiiiine.... :p
[img] 
[/img]
This was my first Mayhem, and my first ever mtb competition, and overall I enjoyed it a lot.
On reflection, and looking at the photo's, next year I'll do at least one lap during daylight hours, as riding only at night, I think missed a lot, including conversation, as at night I think everyone was in a bit of a bubble, with two exceptions, first was the guy who said 'nice lights' as he went past me and the other was the pair of guys chatting away while riding through the Red Bull section, as if it was a Sunday morning trail ride, and still going faster than me.
As trackside camping is never going to be an option at this venue, how about some strategically placed stands for watching, encouraging, heckling, out on the course.
Kevsterjw - Member
Does anyone know who the photographers were and how to get to their work?Who were the other Photographers at Mayhem?
I had at least 2 pictures of me took on course, but the only one up is of me stuffing my face with a burger in the arena!I need to re-dress the balance!
I took 400+ shots over the weekend, whilst waiting for 'my' team to come round each time; few samples already posted and rest will be up sometime tonight -
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/97688063@N08 ]Mayhem 13 photos[/url]
Steve
