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Interesting that you use the word "events" not "races". I think there is a difference.
In good news, the kids races we run (mini DH) are getting more and more popular, so there is hope for the sport !
In my personal view, some of the formats are getting a bit tired. Enduro is taking off as it is new and rewards skill as much as fitness, really hope the national series sorts out the bugs. XC has had it's day, even the UCI think so, but BC will keep plugging away as it is an Olympic Sport.
And I do think the weather is playing a part. People hold off for day entries now, and if you get a bad forecast, you won't get many. Just means you have to factor that in to your planning.
We are considering buying a club tractor, must get that grant application in...
I've been waiting to close to the event to register and only doing so if the forecast looks favourable.
I can't stand camping in extreme wetness nor riding or pushing in bog. There's much better ways to spend a weekend.
From my observations there hasn't been many dry events at all this summer.
I went to 24 12 with a large group of people and I had a good weekend overall, but it was due to the company I was with. The riding was awful and I gave up after 4 laps as did most of our group.
Chipps - Don't get me wrong, I was never suggesting that Pat rakes the money in, you asked for opinions, which to me also includes perceptions.
The perception of MM this year for myself (and others I talked to) was that there was lots of none core stuff organised ie additional races that were not related to the core event. Event T Shirts were expensive. Big sponsorship deal with Wiggle (which prevented other shops selling). Less showers/toilets/bike washes. All adds up to the PERCEPTION that profit is being chased more.
On a secondary note, I think its fantastic the comments above about people giving up their time to organise/help at events. Unfortunately where I am in life right now, I barely have time to take part in events, let alone help out.
"3) bad attitude of some people on the race track / on campsites"
I would agree with that. Mrs FD is not really in to biking, but I'm trying to encourage her.
She's been to a cross race with me to watch and enjoyed the atmosphere. She came to MM with me, and straight away some one was f'ing and blinding at us as we drove in becuase we were going in a different direction they wanted to go in in their car.
She also said that in general the atmosphere at MM was that people were much further up their own arses at MM than they were at the cross race 😆
I've been waiting to close to the event to register and only doing so if the forecast looks favourable.
As an event organiser this is what nearly put us under in 2010 and is the reason why there won't be another summer HTN. The summer races have cost (IIRC... it was a long time ago) £12k and £8k to put on. We don't want to have to find sums of money like that out of our own pockets.
Things have to be paid for in advance, if it doesn't look like you are going to break even 6 weeks out then the event gets pulled.
I think weather, cost, value, travel and the ability to wreck a bike in a weekend (given lots of mud) puts people off. Kinda understandable.
Will be heading for Are you tough enough this weekend. Cheap (£20 for solo), dry (course drains well), and a nice course with lots of single track and quite a bit of descending (900ft) in a 7 or 8 mile lap.
www.areyoutoughenough.co.uk
And you can be in out and home in the day (if you are in the south).
The only racing I've ever done is Gravity Enduro style events. That's because they are currently the only type of event that appeal to me. They are similar to the kind of riding I normally do i.e. a weekend away with one night in a B&B (no time off work), two days riding, spin up the hills, bomb down them, beers Sat night, home Sunday evening. Most important: technical, fun courses and plenty of banter.
Those who have commented about "ex-Pro downhillers": sure they are in the race. That is one of the good things about them. Racing on the same track, in the same race as the pros. You can't do that in many sports! However they are in different categories to us mere mortals. You actually race your peers.
As for 24 hour events: not my cup of tea. I was race mechanic for some mates at one once and can't see the attraction in lapping non-technical trails in a state of sleep depravation and festering in a tent between laps.
Oops duplicate!
To be honest I'm trying to do my normal number this year. I had to miss Mayhem though as I was taking part in an Ironman Tri the following weekend!! After 30 weeks worht of training I couldn't risk breaking anything or wasting my legs!
I have done a few years of doing as many marathon style events as possible. This year so far I have done none, with the view that I may do one or at most two by seasons end. Its hard to know what to suggest to the organisers to change things, but for me the formats just had its day. Of course the vile weather hasnt helped motivation, and the tempatation to "see how it looks by Thursday" and then get an entry on line, hasnt helped becasue its too easy to back out.
When I first started doing marathon events the novely and buzz of simply having a number on your bike, an official start line and the element of competetion was enough to justify doing them, but when that novelty wears off then you are just left with the attitude of "well I could come to the Dyfi forest / Coed Y Brenin / Whinlatter / Long Mynd / Scottish border trails etc etc and ride all this for free next weekend. And I know thats become the thinking of all the guys I ride with that used to come en-masse to these events. I think the concept mentioned earlier about possibly running an event on a Saturday and having a social / band / beer-up on the evening may appeal.
Yes what Harry said. It can be a bit of a trap though. Esp with DH when you have to book the uplift based on a certain number. Can't magic up vans and trailers (or timing dibbers for the Enduros) at 0800 on a saturday morning when 50 folk turn up for day entries ! I don't need to check the weather forecast the week before an event any more. On tuesday I either get 20 emails "can I get a day entry, can I get a day entry, can I get a day entry" or "I broke my collarbone/my kid is sick/the dog ate my bike can I get a refund".
We have had races this year where I could have sold 50 more entries if we had the facilities, and the other end where we were 50 short on estimates. Swings and roundabouts. And please please please stop raining !!!
well if anyone in West yorkshire wants a simple Xc race series based at Tong then let me know, another shop owner has experessed an interest in supporting, BC have it as one of their goals to get XC racing going again in the area.
Im planning a simple event similar to cross but for xc.
Any volunteers?
As the years go by MTB racing seems to get less and less coverage in the magazines. Headline space is mostly given to the burlier, more spectacular aspects of riding. Race kit is rarely reviewed and when it is it's usually the 'money's no object' end of the market. I've seen plenty of technique tutorials on how to jump, nail rocky drops etc but never one on how to maintain efficient forward progress (and therefore maintain enjoyment) in mud.
I've been to the Mayhem nine years running now and I'll agree with previous posters that it has lost a lot of it's festival atmosphere in recent years. For events to move forward and grow they need to offer more than just the racing. I was fortunate enough to go to the Mayhem with a large enough group that we could club together to buy a sizeable and sturdy marquee but my heart goes out to those who turned up with just a car and a small tent. Maybe free communal covered areas or premium trackside marquees for hire would help. It was a poor show that the changeover area wasn't covered this year and I think that one ommission will have done huge harm to next year's entries.
Those who have commented about "ex-Pro downhillers": sure they are in the race. That is one of the good things about them. Racing on the same track, in the same race as the pros. You can't do that in many sports! However they are in different categories to us mere mortals. You actually race your peers.
it's not the presence of the ex-pros that puts me off, it's the technical nature of the 'off-piste' trails.
i've done a few now where the trails/stages have been a mix of new off-piste stuff, and 'old' established tracks.
this is a good idea, and i do think it's been done well.
As the concept of Enduro has developed, the 'old' bits are increasingly bits of Dh tracks. i've done some Dh racing, and i've found these 'old' bits of Dh track to be the 'easy' bits.
(especially so at Ae/Inners)
so, we're expected to ride stages that are steeper, and more technical than most Dh race tracks, on our xc bikes...
i think i'll leave it the retired Dh pros...
(it's a great format, it's even my favourite format to participate in, i'm just too crap)
I've never done many events, 3 is the most, 0 is the usual, I seem to have commitment issues, signing up for a race 6months prior worries me. 2 events for me this year so that's more than my usual, maybe do more we'll see.
After lots of years doing marathons and enduro type events, I've gone back to grass roots style short course xc races; turn up pay twenty quid, then race round singletrack until sick up. surprisingly fun.
iv riden bikefest the last 3 years but this year i just dident have the urg i have before i might go for oktoberfest but still allot of money for me to ride a place whare u cant really overtake and i can usualy ride for free
however i did my first try a tri this year and really liked it as there dident seem to be that bitcheyness u get with off road teams u can just ride at your own pace
im going to try the bristol cyclo races aswell as a couple of road events
also i dont drive so big events are usualy out of my range
I have signed up for Dyfi @ CYB for the only event so far this year.
The reasons being we are close to the area that weekend and also I need something to aim for as my riding kit is getting a little too snug! 😉
Its a lack of time for me and some are just too expensive and I would rather just head off somewhere and ride.
But over the years I have enjoyed the ones entered, each one has its attractions/merits, both good and bad...
Its good to see some local events popping up though.
I'm a racer at heart, so in a lot of cases, it's the quality of the courses and the racing that tends to define my enjoyment of an event, rather than all the other gubbins that goes along with it.
I started the season by looking at the races I wanted to do. I spent ages poring over calendars and ultimately struggled to find many things that really motivated me.
Did the Gorrick 100, which I thought was well done given the conditions in the run up. One that hasn't been mentioned so far is the XCM Champs (in parallel with the CRC Marathon) in Selkirk. OK, so it was only 71k, rather than the proclaimed 85k, and some bits had suffered from the previous week's rain, but on the whole it was a great single loop course. Really impressed and hope they can run something similar again next year.
Mayhem was a massive disappointment. The weather played its part, but the whole event felt lazy. The course was [i]exactly[/i] the same as last year (which was hardly inspiring) and to have only laid on 3 bike washes and ~15 showers for nearly 3000 racers was poor. As others have pointed out, at ~£60 a head and massive sponsorship, it's difficult to see where the money goes. The event was saved by having a decent team setup and a few beers with mates, but I'm tempted to do something else next year.
Kielder 100 is on the cards again (hoping that the Summer rain translates in to a dry Autumn!), but ultimately, my head's been turned by foreign adventures. Proper epic courses, big mountains and decent value too boot. It means fewer events/races, but the quantity is more than countered by the quality. Unfortunately, I'm not sure there's much in the UK that can, or will be able to, compete.
As the concept of Enduro has developed, the 'old' bits are increasingly bits of Dh tracks. i've done some Dh racing, and i've found these 'old' bits of Dh track to be the 'easy' bits.(especially so at Ae/Inners)
so, we're expected to ride stages that are steeper, and more technical than most Dh race tracks, on our xc bikes...
i think i'll leave it the retired Dh pros...
I've done Ae and Inners rounds - all on a 140mm bike. Lets face it a modern trail bike is more of a DH bike than the old DH bikes that used to race those tracks was! I didn't think I was ever under biked.
I've never raced DH. I think the courses are bang on for the type of racing: DH but without the massive jumps and drops.
I've done Ae and Inners rounds - all on a 140mm bike. Lets face it a modern trail bike is more of a DH bike than the old DH bikes that used to race those tracks was! I didn't think I was ever under biked.I've never raced DH. I think the courses are bang on for the type of racing: DH but without the massive jumps and drops.
i agree, my point is that the new off-piste bits were too techy for me.
putting my 'skills' in context: i'm so crap that i was considered to be a menace to even the other slowest qualifiers, so i was dumped at the back, to wobble down at my own pace behind the fastest riders.
I have raced Dh, I never did very well, but could ride down most courses without much trouble.
old bits of Dh track = no problem, new off-piste bits = sliding down on my face.
the inclusion of extra techy stages seems to be the way these things are going, and for that reason, i'm out. and that, after all is the topic of this thread...
Since the mid 80's have played at all types of events and enjoyed them, won the odd one but mostly been average. Am now just older, tired of the sort of training to be happy with my own level fitness. Supose my rides have changed and what I get out of it. It's always been about being there in the hills (alone or social) but more so now. The people that I know that ride are all aging with me and there does not seem to be anyone younger geting involved who are the racers. Noticed the change in average age a few years back while working as a guide, thought that the lazy young gits had all cleared of for downhilling (which was fine) but don't see people coming back into MTB from that route (happy to be wrong though). To me it seems the whole thing has changed and is perhaps going through another change now. Whenever I go to a trail centre there seems to be plenty going on so perhaps I'm out of the loop real MTB now. It sort of reminds me of what happened to climbing when big climbing walls started to open round the country (not just Stalybridge or Altringham), the crags were empty. yak yal yak ramble ramble.
For me, too expensive and aweful weather, notwistanding the fact I've just moved house and we're expecting a second baby, all of which has knocked my schedule a bit.
Camping in the currently purported to be flooded field at SITS is not appealling and I may bale thier too.
For me I think it is a combination of factors; cost, time, lack of variation of courses.
I've done 3x Mayhem 24h solos. The last one I did in 2009 they messed up the timings and the results for the SS class was incomplete. I hear this year they lost laps again and messed up. Echoing Mostly Balanced it is beyond belief that they could not afford to put a covered marquee in the transition area.
I did Bonty 24/12 this weekend. The organisation was great and the timing was spot on. The transition area was covered. Despite the poor conditions it was still a laugh. Sections of the course were taken out as the conditions deteriorated but this meant that lap times remained the same and enjoyable. Whilst Mayhem would turn into a 3hr exercise in wading through treacle.
For me what I am looking in an event is attention to detail. If I am to spend time and money on an event I want it to be value for money.
An example of this was Kielder 100 last year. Great organisation and felt that my money was well spent. Again I enjoyed this event despite 13hrs of rain/drizzle.
Each year I have a budget in terms of money and the number of weekends for such events. My thoughts on next year is to pick fewer events that which offer a more varied format and offer value for money. Strangely I may be spending more money next year doing something like the Bearded Man Race in the Brecons. But if the event is good and I think it is money well spent I don't mind.
Spending £60 (or whatever) for a Mayhem solo entry + £10 guaranteed 9am delivery and riding on the same course doesn't real appeal.
Mad Pierre - MemberThose who have commented about "ex-Pro downhillers": sure they are in the race. That is one of the good things about them. Racing on the same track, in the same race as the pros. You can't do that in many sports! However they are in different categories to us mere mortals. You actually race your peers.
Pff, don't say- that- I like to say I beat Crawfy, Chris Ball, and Lewis Buchanan. (puncture; puncture; went home early for his tea. But still.)
Reasons for me in order of influence:
A) annual leave ban from 01/06/12 - 30/09/12
B) shift pattern change that has reduced number of rest days & got rid of long weekends
C) skint
D) weather
I can't even have a family holiday this year, which is not good for my sanity or my marriage. The shift pattern change means I can't do any of my local BMX races either. I've less expendable cash now than I've had since about 1987. However, I've had the nod (dependant on a weight loss challenge from the Mrs) for the Mega and possibly the Mountain of Hell next year, and have already started my training programme.
1. Lots of spare time eaten up by work.
2. Kielder 100 has moved to my son's birthday.
Weather is a bit of a contributory factor but not that much. I just can't easily clear off for a weekend hundreds of miles from home.
I did a locally organized ride on Sunday, and I've got an entry in for Dusk-to-Dawn. That's about it.
it's not the presence of the ex-pros that puts me off, it's the technical nature of the 'off-piste' trails.i've done a few now where the trails/stages have been a mix of new off-piste stuff, and 'old' established tracks.
this is a good idea, and i do think it's been done well.
As the concept of Enduro has developed, the 'old' bits are increasingly bits of Dh tracks. i've done some Dh racing, and i've found these 'old' bits of Dh track to be the 'easy' bits.
(especially so at Ae/Inners)
so, we're expected to ride stages that are steeper, and more technical than most Dh race tracks, on our xc bikes...
Nope horse for courses, you're suppose to race enduro on an enduro bike. The fact you found it too technical is irrelevant. It's enduro, it is supposed to be as close as proper mtbing as possible and make sure the most "complete" rider wins it. It's not DH and it's certainly not XC.
EDIT Out of interest who here rode the transvésubienne or/and the trans-provence and how did you find it?
Only been racing 2 years and had a 3 month 'break' due to my collarbone.
Had planned to enter every Gorrick this year, spring ones were great, but not attended many others because of the weather. Did the Gorrick 100 the previous year in terrible conditions and had hundreds of £££s worth of repairs on the bike. Said I would not do it again. So now typical pay on the day rather than in advance. Depending on weather may do RU tough enough this weekend.
Cost is also a big deal, it does cost way too much in total. The only thing I can think of is getting the big names to start putting money behind the races, not just wiggle / CRC but also the brands like Giant / Specialised etc... If entry was a fiver I reckon you'd see loads more people pre-entering.
I also really want to do an epic style event, like the TransWales till I saw how much it was going to cost me. For that sort of money I'll go do one of the epic rides in Europe where I can guarantee the weather (well almost) or a week in Morzine. I believe this event has been canned now?
hmmm... never even thought of doing an event.
i don't get the idea of riding with lots of other people on over crowded trails (or rather a field).
if i want a weekend away riding with mates then i'll go for a weekend away with mates and ride somewhere and decide where we want to ride.
i never knew the event thing was so big, but then i'm not (yet) middle aged and nor do i work in IT.
@ Sancho
i'd be happy to help. or ride. get in touch?
cheers 🙂
The fact you found it too technical is irrelevant.
it's completely relevant.
i refer you to the title of the thread:
Re: The Poll. Why aren't as many people doing events this year?
(my) answer: i'm too crap to ride the new courses.
I have to agree with Ahwiles here (not to reopen the Gravity Enduro thing) but for something that was billed as Red grade trail last year it was quite a shock to see most of an SDA DH run at Ae, yes it missed the big drops but still had the tech sections. I knew several who walked away from it. My missus had no interest in it from that point on.
I'm all for pushing it a bit but I'll race DH on a DH bike with uplift.
Glad the series is doing well as after the first 2 last year it didn't seem to know who it was attracting.
Money, Time, and not being organised enough.
I think "oh, theres an event I'd like to do", and put off entering until closer to the time, which inevitably I either:
[list][*]Forget about it[/*][*]Can't make the weekend[/*][*]Weather is terrible[/*][/list]
Money is also a consideration, and I'd rather have a weekend away somewhere without loads of folk.
Wild card: Is Strava having an effect? After all we can all now race each other without ever even meeting each other, when we like, where we like, without spending any money!
I dont like paying to ride.
I do the Dyfi every year and rode my first road Sportive recently, but that's it.
Family commitments mean full days/weekends for riding are rare and I'd rather spend them riding in big mountains with my mates rather than, which allows flexibility to chose the best location for the conditions/weather rather than grinding away in the rain.
Interestingly (i think i'm right) but road sportive participation has been increasing steadily over the last few years. I wonder if some of that growth is down to MTB'ers switching to these type of events?
For me the combo of weather, cost to enter and cost to travel is the main reason for doing fewer MTB events. I have done D2D for many years but doubt i will do it this year as just can't take the thought of another 3 hour drive, racing in the mud, then a 3 hour drive home all for £35 (iirc) entry.
I'm out of work for the second time in three years so money is tighter than ever, would like to do SITS but will have to see how funds go
Time, cost, weather and family mean that my focus has changed to local events only. Due to the fact that there are no local MTB races, I'm now doing tris and swimming.
eg, The 3 closest tris to me are run from leisure centres all within a 10 mile radius. A sprint tri starts at 8am, which means I'm home again by lunchtime and the wife & kids are happy. Plus no wrecked & muddy bike to clean & fix and minimal fuel bills to get there.
That said the Big Bike bash is pencilled in as a family trip for 2013 as the little trbs want to go racing. (away for it this year booo)
Also would like to try some trailquest / MTBO, but again not many around (in Scotland).
There is a Scottish League who have some good sponsors (free beer!) and offer 3/4 hour events for only £15 all normally within an hour of Edinburgh/ Scotland. [url= http://www.smbo.org.uk ]www.smbo.org.uk[/url]
There is no mass starts and no jostling to get in front and a good social atmosphere at the end with Tea and cakes!
I used to do adventure racing (Rat Race/ Open 5) but they are getting expensive (RR) and too far away (O5)
Sportives are way too expensive for what you get
And time is now the other big factor with a growing family!
I found many events becoming too big to be fun any more, we were been treated as numbers and on one occasion had to ask three people at the event what the format was, its great that people run events (Its bloody hard work as well) But at the end of the day an event has to be about fun, it has to be about people spending the next week singing about the excitement of that day and NOT just about event organisers bank accounts...rant over
www.OrganicAdventure.co.uk are putting on some great local mountain bike challengers, they are seeing numbers growing, have a friendly attitude and treat everyone with the same level (Every one is a VIP)the next event for them is on the 5th of August at Ogden they then have another 12 or 13 events planned for the rest of the year.