Not content with 21st last year I've just entered Ironbike again! I must be mad but it is VERY addictive.
Few more Brits going that I know of. Anyone else?
That Italian week long thing?
Maybe next year...
Hardest event in the world? You've clearly not raced a Soggy Bottom winter series XC race in the pouring rain 😉
That's the one, day shorter this year though, and don't think I'll get a ride in a helicopter from top of one alp to another
What the easiest bike race in the world? I'll enter that one..
Easiest one in the world is the one you sit on the sofa and think about doing but never do.....
well done you.
Easiest one in the world is the one you sit on the sofa and think about doing but never do.....
I won!
Easiest one in the world is the one you sit on the sofa and think about doing but never do.....
Been meaning to do that one for ages but haven't got round to it yet
great thread.
Oops, I have entered it again too, not content with my 79th place in 2008.
Luckily I have much more spare time and money to throw at it than I did then, and am also much younger, so should be fine.
Oh hang on... :-s
550,00 € to enter!! 😯
750 € for me. You do get a lot for your money though...
What BC bike race?
Works out at about 80euro a day so £65 fully supported and fed so cheaper than doing a wet uk enduro/marathon/sportive. And it in the Italian Alps so stunning stuff to look at while you're chewing the bars up to that 15+km descent.
Transwales of old was more than that to enter!
JCL BC Bike race is a walk in the park compared to Ironbike and that's not from me that's from people I know who have done both!
Ironbike has nearly 40000m of climbing 😯 😀 Glad I'm 90kg.....
Oh and it's the cheapest way to loose about 5kg in 8days 😉
I've never heard of it. Sounds like good fun.
Ironbike LOL!
Would love to it one day, but cost and lack of work hols (already booked up for other races!) means it's not going to be this year..
.
Serious question, is it really the hardest? Anyone also done Iditabike/Arrowhead 135 as well? How do they compare, does IB live up to it's billing? (IBlooks a lot more fun than either of those though!)
What bike / setup will you be using ?
All the top guys there say it's the hardest so that'll do for me. Idita etc aren't races as such they're time trials. And in comparison to something like Cape Epic Ironbike has nearly 3 times the climbing. The remoteness of some of the stages is epic! properly scary stuff! That's why numbers are so limited so they can go more extreme than anything else
Bike wise , light and strong, 29er carbon Ht, dropper post, so my Scale which was ideal last year unless I come into some money and can build up an Ibis Ripley ! Need to be able to climb and descend well, I fitted a reverb, and a bigger 180 front disc and that was it. I will gear slightlt lower this time though 26/38 will be 24/38 this year with a 11-36
Do you need to run dual ply tyres or is it (relatively) smooth?
Tempted scale 29er owner 🙂
Racing Ralph Snakeskins were perfect though a new set were dead by the end
Must admit I'm pretty damn tempted....
5000m climbing a day is never going to be easy. It's hard enough on a road bike!Serious question, is it really the hardest?
I know a tough as boots 24hr rider who said the Ironbike was very hard going, and any race that up to half the starters don't finish has to be a tough challenge.
I'm no stage-racer but with respect, tell the front-runners in the Idita that they're not racing - each other as well as the clock? Having no support from start to finish and no stopped clock would make it harder for some. I guess it depends on your style of racing. ITTs on the big routes would be even harder than racing from a mass start imo. Tough mental games as well as the physical efforts of keeping the pace going.Idita etc aren't races as such they're time trials.
Wasn't suggesting Idita wasn't 'raced' but strictly speaking it's not a race that's all. Ironbike and all the other big ones are 80% mental challenge, it's surprising what your body can put up with.
Of the 87 that started last year only 45 of us where 'finishers' most who bailed couldn't mentally do it and dropped a stage before carrying on therefore not marked as finishers. It is a war of attrition but one of the greatest experiences of my life even if it nearly finished me on more than one occasion.
My long term goal is Tour Divide but that's a lot more time and money....
fair play to race that..
isn't' the tour divide touted as the toughest mountain bike race in the world?
what kind of event is it?
Randonee type race? Or more like trans alps/trans rockies/ cape epic?
The vids dont show much more than pusing up hills and standing at the top, so I was thinking it might be more enduro format, but the riders are on pinner bikes, so that doesnt really fit either.
does it have a MTFU hill? 😉
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if not then it surely must fall in the 'easy' category 😆
Look at all those chubbies pushing 😮
It's a 7 day stage race across the Italian alps, 4000m + climbing per day, lots of 'portage' sections, very long 20-30km special stages, similar in style to the Trans races but far more technical, the descending is epic! Its also much smaller 120 max entries and no big sponsors else it wouldn't be able to go where it does. I hope there are harder stage races out there cause I likes a challenge.......but until you've done the big ones and are able to compare this one, if Mr Page says its tge hardest he's done and he's done a few thats good enough for me
Ok, got the picture now. Stop waving it around.
Anyone mentioned how much climbing per day there is?
He's really entered SSUK14 in a Fat Suit 😉
What sort of climbing is involved?
JCL BC Bike race is a walk in the park compared to Ironbike
Different animals I guess.
BC bike race would likely be the most technical multiday stage race with Enduro Dh stages thrown in daily and a phenominal amount of tecnical singletrack.
4000m/day of climbing/hike a bike is always going to win the award as the physically most demanding... definately waaay too much for me, respect to the finishers!
BC bike race would likely be the most technical multiday stage race with Enduro Dh stages thrown in daily and a phenominal amount of tecnical singletrack.
Most people who enter BC Bike Race will finish.
Most people who enter Iron Bike will NOT finish.
Don't think that just because IB has a tonne of climbing that the descents are tame.
Thats more like it 🙂 .. this should be their marketing vid.
seen at the top of an italian col, earlier
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The hardest MTB race in the world is between me and my mate Ross Miller through Newton Farm near Glasgow. You must be some sort of deluded fool.
Those tunnels look like a lot of fun
I haven't raced Iron Bike, although I sort of fancy it. I also know Matt and I have differing opinions on what a race is, but hey, here are some races I'd say were harder than Iron Bike. All these races are non-stop. You snooze, you lose.
-The Iditarod Trail Invitational is, most certainly, a race. 1000 miles, ~14 days minimum at in super low temperatures (say -20C down), mainly on your own.
-Colorado Trail Race, 500 miles and 65,000'/20,000 metres climbing, 90% singletrack, unsupported. Starts a mile up, and keeps going. Record is sub 4 days.
-Arizona Trail Race, not sure on the stats but its a 750 mile unsupported race on singletrack. Plus you have to walk throught the Grand Canyon.
-Highland Trail Race. 550 miles. In Scotland. Bring on the weather. And the chafing.