My team mates and I were all of the same opinion regarding the course. Whilst we were amazed at the lap times achieved by many riders, we felt that the vast majority were forced to walk a lot of the climbs which must have meant it was too tough for most?
OK, I'm a 46 year old 15 stoner and before last weekend was a MM novice, so I certainly need to work on my fitness before bleating too much about how tough the course was. It was lacking in singletrack descent and I personally thought if it had been run in reverse it may have been better?
I met Pat after the event and he was keen to encourage my friends & I to be very vocal on social networks, in order to show sponsors the level of interest the event could generate. He refused to answer why he couldn't provide a WiFi tent - which if there was one would have allowed us to much more easily communicate via our Apps / Social Media.
It would have been good to know that Princess Anne was going to be at the awards ceremony, as I may then bothered to have turned up.
Camping, toilets & showers were Ok, but for those of us who camped on the Sunday night, these facilities were removed from use. The promise of facilities at contractors village failed to materialise so were left without anything from Sunday mid-afternoon, thanks Pat!
As a first-timer it was impossible to gauge the festival experience, but there could have been more to see, do & buy.
All up a good first experience of a MM event, but there's certainly room for improvement - starting with some better information upfront, rather than trying to create a mystique and drip feed the info.
Pat said in our staff meeting 'we're dancing on new floorboards', which I think sums it up pretty well. Princess Anne doing the prizes was last minute and her request. Hoping that's a good sign for the future!
Just an additional reflection or two; it was great to have a choice of food as opposed to just the usual burgers / sausages / egg etc.
In my case (and my son's) I had an Indian, and it was very good.
Shame all the traders shut up shop at the end of the usual working day. This may have been a stipulation by the estate, but it would have given me something else to do in the evening when as team captain I finally had some time to myself.
Some brighter lighting in the changeover area would have helped identify incoming team mates. A lot of people were shouting names, but my team mate was the strong silent type, and it took us a while to find each other. I'm sure slightly brighter lighting would not rob riders of their night vision any worse than having incoming cyclists headlamps flashed in your face or cause more disturbance than a whole bunch of people shouting all night.
Did anyone get some "helmet cam" of the good bits?
Got 2 laps with my mates HD Pro on my chest. Got me cocking the Redbull run up:
Sort the rest out soon and get it in HD. Doesn't seem to want to upload in HD for some reason.
Now got HD working
Some brighter lighting in the changeover area would have helped identify incoming team mates.
Incoming riders having the common sense to switch off their helmet lights would have made a lot more difference. Guess what guys, if you have a 500-lumen spot on your head and a bar light too it's kind of hard to see who you are regardless.
Been so busy this week only just got round to replying on here. Anyway... Some notes, comments and observations as a seasoned (done most since 2004) Mayhem rider (though not a competitive one).
Firstly, after the panic instilled by Wiggle's email days before the event, I was glad to find the camping area was very suitable for the event. Much more cosy than at Eastnor yes, but big enough and crucially flatter, and way better suited for the purpose. Though it would have been even better if the course ran through it!
Toilets and showers were on the whole very good, though some rubber/plastic drainage mats in the showers would have been nice so you don't have to stand on your shoes the whole time you're getting dressed/undressed.
Catering was good, service in the main catering tent actually faster and more efficient than I'd noticed in previous years. The small stalls of local produce was a nice touch, and the Chicken tikka kebab style thing I had just after my last lap was ace!
Shame I can't say the same for the woeful level of trade presence. I'll come to Wiggle in a moment, but not being able to buy what many would consider normal consumables at an event such as this is mind blowing! I know of at least 3 people who were looking for 10spd cassettes without any joy. Save for the usually joyful Exposure crew, and Extra selling Connex chains off for silly money, there was just about nothing there! Which brings me to my next point...
Wiggle... Why do they do it? They cover everything in their orange branding, but song actually do anything or promote anything (other than their logo) or try and sell anything! If I was managing that company, I'd be furious at opportunities lost for extra revenue at Mayhem. As a punter, I'm just furious that IMO Wiggle, more than the weather or anything else, have been the catalyst for the demise of Mountain Mayhem. With Saab Salomon as sponsors everything was far more open to trade, and people came along to the event to support and grab a few bargains. The trade arena used to be busy from Friday afternoon til well into Sunday afternoon, and because there were more people there, there was more atmosphere. Original Source stepped it up a notch again, cos everyone loves free Shower Gel (and the men loved the promo girls handing it out to them!). If you've paid £50 each essentially to go and experience a "mountain bike festival" (as Mayhem of old used to be), then for gods sake the main sponsor should be trying to make it bloody well feel like one! I think Wiggle do themselves more harm than good in sponsoring it but being so under active over the weekend. If they turned up with an enormous tent full of bargains, some promo girls running a few competitions or the like, it would easily pay for itself and more... Forget the course, Mayhem is about the festival style atmosphere, and sadly that's gone mainly since Wiggle took over.
And as for the course... Could have been worse, could have been better. I was pleased it was usefully shorter than a lap at Eastnor (as was just about everyone else I spoke to) at around 7 miles, but felt at least 2 of the very steep climbs were a bit pointless. I didn't get to ride it in the dry, but I'm confident I could get up them all when fresh, before it had been ridden by hundreds of others, I'd just drop to my easiest gear and winch up. As it was, my first lap started at 2pm and it was a bog by that point! I made it up the first 2 short steep climbs on my first 4 (of 5, was too tired by then) laps, but 2 of the later climbs were pretty much already unrideable only 2 hours into the race! I did really enjoy the first descent though, and the trail down by the lake was nice. Maybe a bit too much double track, but then again there was a lot less aggro overtaking manoeuvres this year than is usual at Eastnor I felt. I enjoyed the lap on the whole, just would have liked that there was a bit more variation to the climbing (some short sharp, some long and draggy), and some more interesting single track to it. 7/10 though I'd say so not bad for a first attempt on a new venue.
I am very much waiting for SITS to make a return next year though now, as that has become a more enjoyable event on the whole IMO. Though if Wiggle step aside for next year, and let another sponsor that knows how to run an event properly get involved, then Mayhem may well return to its former glory.
I recognise this entrant to the "Grim" gallery.. is it someone off here?!
http://singletrackworld.com/rider-gallery/mountain-mayhem-2013/?image=478
my write up http://a-pic-a-ride.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/wiggle-mountain-mayhem-24hr.html
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Could you maybe add some paragraphs to that - huge blocks of text are really hard to read and I'd like to be able to read your thoughts on the event.
At last years TR24, Pat said it was much more pleasant organising the running events, as runners just turn up, go out and run rather than whine about everything.
After 6 pages I can kinda see his point 😀
Pete was the last back from the run and he set off for our first lap
I was not! There were at least 10 people behind me.
lol - it felt like you were the last one - my apologies 🙂
I managed to cross the line 15 secs after midday in milf drizzle
*giggles
DezB - Member
I recognise this entrant to the "Grim" gallery.. is it someone off here?!
http://singletrackworld.com/rider-gallery/mountain-mayhem-2013/?image=478
No-one?
Someone actually read it
I guess I need to edit that bit... or not
DezB - Member
I recognise this entrant to the "Grim" gallery.. is it someone off here?!
http://singletrackworld.com/rider-gallery/mountain-mayhem-2013/?image=478
br />
No-one?
I recognise him. I am not sure he wants naming and shaming as he hasn't taking being put in that gallery too well. You may have spotted him on the podium at BBB before. He posted on the 1st page of this thread.
Cheers Jason. yeah, must've been at the BBB 🙂
Hasn't taken it too well? After wearing pink?! 😆
