[Closed] Not long now 'til the Mega!

Your first time biking in the Alps and its the Mega!

Are you getting out there a few days before hand to get used to riding proper mountains?

As S&J says it will be a pretty steep learning curve! It's a bloody ace event though and the trails aren't *that* hard in the grand scheme of things. Have fun and ride some of the other trails out there too, don't just session the one under the main lift.

Yup I will be there from the Monday.

I know it's not the same but I ride in the Lakes all the time on some pretty rocky stuff - obviously not the same length of descents etc.

My mate who I am going with has done the Mega a few times and reckons there's not much on it that's harder than stuff in the Lakes - it's just a lot more sustained obviously (that and the hundreds of other riders to get in your way!).

I'm there that week, but not doing the Mega 😀

Then off to Les Arcs for week #2

Anyone know if it's worth doing a day in Les Deux Alpes cos I think you get one on your lift pass? How close are they - rideable distance?

Yeah it's more about the duration of the tracks out there, plus the fact that they just go down, down and more down with barely any flat or uphill. I take it you've probably already heard the tips re running your brakes levers in close to your bars, etc?

Grumm, didn't make it over to Les Deux Alpes myself but it's a very short drive and meant to be well worth doing. Have a search for a video of the Venosc descent.

Is that so you get less forearm pump/more leverage? I've got them fairly far in already.

I've already got big disc rotors, plus I'm gonna bleed them with some fresh DOT 5.1 before I go.

Got a bash, short stem and wide bars on there, plus putting on a Stinger chain device and some 2.5 tyres. Also got some armour. Hopefully I'll survive!

Yeah I've seen the infamous 'barging' video of the Venosc descent, looks like great fun - fast and furious. 😛

Re the levers, running them too far out is supposed to contribute to the whole "hands like mummified chicken's feet" feeling you get when descending for too long. One finger braking helps with the fatigue too.

Waiting now for someone to come along and say "don't brake, pedal!"... 😉

Cheers MrA

Guess no-one else is excited about doing the Mega then - oh well I will just be excited by myself!
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Good luck to ya. I like your attitude 🙂

I mean. How hard can it be!

I'm doing some other dh enduro events and I am EXCITED too!

I would be dancing a little jig right now if I was actually going this year. 😥

one year i will do this. probably next. looks like fun.

One last bit of sage advice, take waterproofs. When it rains out there it's like being caught in a carwash.

I'm equal parts excited and sick with terror. I'll be out there from the Monday getting plenty of practise in.

I'll be on a green '06 Enduro with Marz 55s on. Haven't sorted out a full face lid yet...

3rd time for me
i missed last years wash out so im hoping ill be bringing the sunshine
i am sooooooo excited
ill be on my kona stab
arm pump is unavoidable in my experience

Yeah hope the weather is good - heard about last year. Spent a fair bit of time walking in the Alps as a kid so I know what those afternoon thunderstorms can be like.

I can't wait!!

Attempted to do it last year. Here's a hint. Don't crash on your very first run and break your wrist! (although if you're going to break something, they're very efficient at dealing with it)

That said - awesome event and I'm really looking forward to making a better fist of it this year. Fantastic atmosphere. The courses aren't *that* hard (if you ride in the lakes reguralrly you'll be sorted), it's simply the length and the headf'k that is the snow. Going bars to bars into the first few corners on the qualifier was simply amazing.(Grumms bottom photo)

Very excited about it all as well, particularly as I missed last years event. Due over on Monday and looking forward to the riding, and the general chaos that is the Mega. Supposed to have access to a Lapierre for the week, so that should make a change from my Patriot.

Hey Grumm, Jojo from Keilder Avalanche here, I'm doing the Mega this year. First time too. Very excited and also scared 🙂

I've got a choice of my Bullit (7") with Lyriks on or could swap the lyriks onto my Titus Motolite (5"). What do people reckon? I'm not sure whether to go for lighter with less travel or heavier with more...

First year doing the Mega, Really looking forward to it!!

Super excited infact!

Staying with Ride Osians, anyone else stayin there?!

Cheers Chris

Take the bullit, you'll have more fun/be safer. It *is* mostly DH.

Did it on a socom* last year, overtook plenty folk on the climb in the qualifier. They're horrid climbs whatever cos of the altitude, heat and armour. It's more your fitness than the bike that matters on the climbs, the bike only really matters if you're after winning it...

* i did change the front ring to a 38t from a 40t though. Left the 12-25 block on the back though, it was fine. Any slower than that and I'd be better walking anyhow, and sit n spin was never an option on a DH bike.

the bike only really matters if you're after winning it...

At nearly 40, I'm in with a punt at winning oldest lady rider I reckon. 😉

Have fun, done it for the last 2 years but last year I had a ride in a helicopter on the Thursday and missed the race 🙁

Mrs Jackass wouldn't settle all week if I went again this year.

Ride the sprint track after the sprint race when it's quiet, do it at least once and see what a REAL DH track is like to ride!!

The flowly little track back down to the resort is so cool, always puts a bigger smile on your face after riding the alps all day and doing it till the lift stops.

Do the black run too that goes down to the bottom of the sprint track that follows and crosses over the river. GREAT fun!

Don't get put off by the qualifying track the race is easier just longer.

Good luck to all those going!!

I was definately going to do this on the Fox 36 air fork and air shock with 6" travel.

But recently I've been erring on the Marz 66 coil fork and coil shock with 7" travel. More so from what AI says and the fact my air shock seems to blow through the travel on my Patriot.

Either option should be a blast and I'm there all week before the race so shall be able to try out all the options.

Doing it this year, went last year but didn't do the race - that much rain was not appealling.
However now kimbers is going no excuses this year.
Going to be amazing

I'm starting to get stupidly excited about it too - riding it on my Iron Horse 6 Point (or maybe a Cotic BFe if I manage to break the 6 Point during the practice) Big elbows is one piece of advice I've been given. Well, that and take a light DH bike for the qualifier and a AM bike for the main race, but hey, I'm not going to be challenging anyone apart from myself, so I'm just going to enjoy myself!

Just been watching some vids on youtube. My heart's pumping! I'm not going to sleep now. I still can't decide on a bike, some of the bits across the alpine meadows looks so pedally.

Jojo, if you can only take one bike take the Bullit. The tracks get braking bump-tastic during the week as there are so many numpties practicing them (self included last year) and there are some fairly hairy "how the **** do I ride this" bits at the top of the course where a slack bike really comes in handy.

I'm doing it for the first time this year too. Getting really excited now. Im trying to pick up either a bullit, patriot, yeti ASX or maybe a new Alpine 160 over the next couple of weeks.

Me too for the first time this year. Have done a couple of downhill races to try to get some training in, has anyone any idea how the course compares to the Moelfre or Caersws tacks, obviously a lot longer but more in terms of technical terrain?
Also haven't yet booked any accommodation, I have been told there is plenty available when you get out there & easy to arrive & find somewhere (there are 4 of us going) can anyone give me any pointers on this, we are looking for budget/self catering. Thanks

OH bikes wise we have a real mixture from Commencal Meta, mini DH, Supreme & a Cannondale Gemini and I think one of the guys is taking his Iron Horse Sunday for the qualifier. Starting to get a bit excited about it.

Would I be stupid to even contemplate this on a long-forked hardtail? I don't want to buy a bike I would only use twice a year so I'm thinking of an All Mountain (around 140mm) bike.

People do it on hardtails. It will be hard going, and i'd imagine you'll feel it by the bottom. IMO once your past alp d'huez town, a hardtail is almost a better choice of bike (lots of ups and downs and singletrack) but it is up top after the glacier and the top of the qualifier that will be hardest going on a hardtail. Just mke sure you get the fattest dual ply tyres you can fit, and run them at fairly high pressures!

I can't wait, hopefully the weather will be a touch better race day this year!

Hi Jojo - I'm a little scared too to be honest, but more just excited. 😛

Re the what bike to take thing - my mate who has done it a few times reckons his SX trail with 36s and Coil shock is perfect for it.

He is taking a DH bike, but only for the sprint race, and is using the SX trail for the qualifier and the main race.

For those wondering what it's like, with a spare 40 min, I have a headcam of my entire qualifying run from last year up here:

Started beyond the back of the last row, due to getting a last minute entry. Which was more than a bit annoying, as I didn't get past enough folk to get to actually have a clear ride through the techy sections up top.

For folk considering lighter bikes, yes lower down it's flatter/not as tech etc. But then consider what your arms feel like after 30 min DHing, and if you're gonna be making mistakes, want a bit extra bike to soak them up.

A bigger bike will only make you slower on the climbs (though you'll be fresher into them), whereas a shorter travel bike might have you on your face if you mess up.

However, some folk do whinge about riding up hills, in which case take the light bike and quit moaning 😉 my view is it's a race, i'll either stand up and hammer my DH bike up the hill, coast the next section to recover, or just walk it briskly. But as folk above have said, you'll still have fun on a HT, so take whatever you want, you'll enjoy it! Building a bike just for it is daft IMO unless you want to do really well.

Oh and top half of the mega track:

Going pretty slowly as it says.

Building a bike just for it is daft IMO unless you want to do really well

Hey, I don't intend to do that - I want a bike that I can use most of the time (i.e. not just for this and twice p.a. at Innerleithen!). I would just like to stay alive.

Sorry - wasn't directed specifically at you.

Well I'd say just get something suitable for you most of the time, and put decent tyres (ideally tubeless) on it, you'll be fine.

Oh, and CO2 canisters are great. Just try getting a 2.5" DH tyre to a decent pressure at 3000m with a mini-pump, you'll be ruined afterwards.

Cheers for those vids IA - looks like great fun.

Seems a bit weird the way everyone gets off and walks on the techy sections - maybe they are harder than they look in the video?

I think IA got the shitty end of the stick having to start at the back of the grid, there are a lot of people who are just bimbling, whereas the fast guys at the front will be riding all of it. They also added in another section just before the qualifier which was techy as you like and had pretty much everyone off and pushing.

The problem with the techy sections is they're a bottle neck - if one person stops, the person right behind has to.... and so on. Once a few folk are stopped/off it just becomes a queue. They are harder than they look, but I could still ride them fine, was frustrating to have to walk them.

My top tip would be not to do what I did and tried to force thru the middle at the start, but hang back a touch, let gaps open infront of you then power round the outside, plenty space, even though you think there won't be.

its quicker to walk some techy bits than queue up to ride the few doable lines

i am gonna have a go at the Sprint course on my 7inch dh bike as the 1st year we entered the race with no idea what we were letting ourselves in for and our air sprung beefed up xc bikes were way out of their depth
but yeah it shows you what a real UCI DH course is like in the alps

I'd suggest getting some hand grips/power ball etc.

Arm pump will be horrendous but I have noticed a massive difference since using the grips in the car on the way to work.

I did it for the first time last year and will be there again this year.

wrt doing it on a hardtail, a few people do but do but I'm not sure I'd want to. A afternoon playing on the qualifer (on a HT with 6in bolt through forks!) may be fun but not 6 or so days of riding. If you're out for the week then after a couple of days praticing the courses you'll be pretty battered. I'd consider hiring, even if you don't book anything just make you have enough money to get something for the race if you need to. Although there won't be much available.

Can't wait. Sooooo excited.

Nice Vid Ian,
You got a good run toward the end there.
Really makes me want to do it.
J.