[Closed] Tweedlove Enduro

I'm taking my skis for the start of stage 4 😉

It's that steep huh ? 🙂

It's nowhere near as steep as some of the Caberston/Innerleithen trails: boner, 3g prospacker etc. I struggle with those but stage 4 is manageable. It will be harder if it rains and you're at the back of the field. I'll be waiting at the registration desk at 830 on Saturday

I'm pretty sure I can ride down steep stuff better than I can ski. But then again I can't ski 😉

I'm actually interested to see how bad it really is. Sometimes reading descriptions is the worst thing, 'cos you build up this mental idea, then it turns out to be completely different. Can't believe no one has taken photos!

I think it's not what people were expecting so it's getting a strong reaction. A mate I was with basically refused at every section at the start of 4 and pushed a load of it, but the truth is he's ridden harder things without fuss, it's all in the mind. If you let it freak you out it's hard but I rode it all without much incident and I'm no riding god.

(ok, I crashed on an easy flat bit, but we don't talk about that)

I'm going to try to get down on thursday, will take the gopro if I do but it's quite dark in there.

I shall have a look Thursday night (if I can!) cheers 🙂

(ok, I crashed on an easy flat bit, but we don't talk about that)

I crashed on the flat bit of ho chi minh last weekend 😳

TBH, I find the flat straight sections of stage 5 harder than the steep bit of stage 4, if you get in one of those ruts and wobble a wee bit you'll be off.

I think the course is brilliant, there is a huge difference between stage 1 and stage 5 but that's what an enduro race is about, testing different skills.

Sounds ideal for my "hang on and close eyes" technique 😀 . More seriously really looking forward to this now (Secure in the knowledge that I am the slowest of the group of people that I am going with)

My aim as usual is to finish. Ideally not last, but I'm not too fussed about that...

I'm going to try to get down on thursday, will take the gopro if I do but it's quite dark in there.

youngrob - Member

I think the course is brilliant, there is a huge difference between stage 1 and stage 5 but that's what an enduro race is about, testing different skills

Bang on. See how it goes on the day but from that point of view it feels like the best allround enduro route I've done. If I tree myself or my legs fall off from the pedalling I will of course declare it to be ****.

I agree with previous guys comment , I found stage 5 harder because o the boggy ruts , stage 4 probably as steep as prospacker etc , but more off camber than strait down

Potentially stupid question, is practice limited to those who are racing?

It says you are supposed to practice with your numberboard on the bike but its unmarshalled so you aren't going to get lynched or anything. I think because they are public mixed use trails they don't want people hooning into members of the public.

It is unmarshalled apart from the race day (According to the docs thing they sent me). So it should be fine.

[i]Potentially stupid question, is practice limited to those who are racing?[/i]

That'd be a bit difficult really, as its Scotland and we've 'right to roam'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam

Oh, Nobeerinthefridge, fyi- "Riders can not accept support (e.g. spares, repairs) from a non-racer."

Duane- it's possibly a bit cheeky. Hels'd be able to tell you for sure, personally I reckon if the answer is "We'd rather you didn't" then that's as important as "Can I". Not sure if it'd count as responsible access...

That'd be a bit difficult really, as its Scotland and we've 'right to roam'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam

I'm not entirely sure the point of the right to roam law is to allow people to gatecrash events they are not taking part in.

I think the 'honourable' gentlemanly thing would be to leave it to racers to practice on Saturday and try the trail yourself another time. There are going to be a lot of people waiting to get down it as it is.

Bollocks go ride it mate , that's what its there for , best to go early before it gets wrecked

or that ^

Duane, what day are you looking to head down. If its Sunday forget it as its race day. Any other day wont be a problem. Enjoy 🙂

[i]I'm not entirely sure the point of the right to roam law is to allow people to gatecrash events they are not taking part in. [/i]

I was answering the question about 'practising'...

The event isn't till sunday , practise .? Is it not just going out on your bike and enjoying it !

Gave some of this a go tonight and does anyone want a free ticket for Stage 4. Off to read rules on whether you're ok to carry hillwalking boots in your rucksack and change for the run down the hill. Jeez 🙂
Not that it stopped me mate who went thundering past like a Subaru doing a 90s rally stage, as I stood there wondering how I was gonna slide down the next random arrangement of nasty stuff.

😀 Had a nice walk down there Tuesday. You are right - hillwalking boots required. That stage will certainly be interesting as if you falter, getting back on won't be easy and 'walking' / 'running' will be very difficult too!

This thread is useless without pictures! Video would be even better.

How does stage 4 compare to this at Ae the other year?

Had a run down 1, 2 and 3 yesterday. Will save 4 and 5 till saturday.

3 is an absolute beast. The final route had just been placed through the trees and it caught me out a few times. Wear some glasses cos there was plenty of mus flying in my face when i hit the clearer sections. 🙂

plenty of mus flying in my face

I wish this thread had never been started. I don't want to know how scary S4 is. I wish they'd not released the route details until today. Then there would be a level-ish playing field for all those travelling up (or down) to practice tomorrow and Saturday before 'race' day...

...and no one would know how scary S4 is until tomorrow 🙂

Can everyone please stop talking about stage 4. I'm pretty sure I am having nightmares about it already.

I definitely am! The hail that just battered my windows isn't helping, hope it's a bit nicer up north.

Tweedlove have posted on Facebook that trail saboteurs have been at work in Cademuir placing logs and boulders on the trail and they've taken a jump down, so be careful out there.

Nipped down for a wee ride today, ran out of time to do all of stage 5 but got a gopro vid of 4 chuntering away now, should get it uploaded shortly.

It's mostly got grippier as it's dried, though it's also got more exposed roots and some of the cambers have got a bit trickier as they've worn. The techier section of stage 5 above the fire-road is much easier to read now.

So in a fit of reckless confidence I've just fitted a nobby nic- pedalling the 2 butchers along the boundary trail was not my idea of fun. I reserve the right to regret this decision.

Look forward to seeing the video 🙂
Weather forecast looks good, fingers crossed it'll only get drier.
I don't often swap tyres so I'll be sticking with a Butcher up front and Purgatory rear.

Right, still uploading and I'm off to bed, you should be able to find it here or thereabouts... Nice and slow to get a good look 😉 I chucked on a couple of notes as I watched it, as much for myself as anything else but it might be useful.

You are a star! I'd started to build it up as impossible in my mind. But it looks doable. Well, at least try-able.

Apart from the tape. I have a strange and unhealthy attraction to tape. So if anyone finds a limply struggling figure trussed in tape and incapable of escaping (think mountain biking fly caught in the web between the trees), please release me. Or at least don't laugh.

Nice one Northwind, had a quick watch over breakfast, looks tricky in places! Really hope it stays dry....

Nice one @Northwind

Firstly, great vid. Secondly, nicely ridden and documented. Finally, I'm still not sure I wanted to know what S4 was like 🙂

During that vid my eyes were drawn several times to the solid objects that are known as trees. Must avoid!!

It looks tricky. Steep. Tight. Exposed in places. Due care and attention, clever braking and a relaxed approach should see me down safely 🙂

I'll be setting off in less than an hour so hope to have a pootle around Cademuir later this afternoon.

Thanks for posting the vid. I had a walk up the top section of stage 4 on wed night. Looks like it's dried up a fair bit and with dry weather over the weekend it should be running pretty sweet.

Hope you don't mind but I've shared it on the TrailScotland forum too...

that looks well steep! I might check that one out today before it gets busy. That did look like Dan in trail pixie mode

chris1h - Member

Hope you don't mind but I've shared it on the TrailScotland forum too...

Pff, I'd have ridden better if I'd known it was going to be passed around (no I wouldn't) Yeah no worries!

Well after watching your video Northwind I have downgraded the estimation of my riding skills from "ok" to "not very good at all, must try better".

I was walking/slipping round most of those turns in the first half of Stage 4, you made it seem so effortless.

Thanks Northwind , that makes me feel much more relaxed 😆

Another for,I hope it stays dry .

Daft question ,do you have to do the sections in the right order 1-5 ?

Well ridden Northwind! did that stage on Wednesday and it was a tad silly in places. Hopefully it continues to dry out for the weekend.

That video doesn't show how steep some of the lines are, some of the corners in particular are very tricky, especially when slippy.

Again, well ridden NW!

I'm not doing the enduro this year, doing the 7 instead I'm quite glad!

Looks "Andy's Flume" steep with a bit of "Broon Troot" slippy and rooty thrown in.

Plenty of exposure on the final bit of single track for good measure

Mad respect Andrew for riding it that smoothly, that was definitely outwith my comfort zone in places, just so wet and loose I couldn't stay upright, could hardly walk some of it. Really nice trail in other bits though! Really needs to not rain again... fingers crossed...

That looks ace, sorta like some of the steep rooty black section after the bombhole at Drumlanrig. No doubt I'll mince like a champion, but who cares. Fun fun fun....

A bit of a silly question maybe, but how long are these stages open after the enduro? I have no time at alll to have a play over the next week really, do I have any chance of trying them? I'm located in Edinburgh, so I'm only a drive away when I actually get a chance....

Most are open trails or part of glentress way marked routes which will be rideable any time. The only exception as far as I know are parts of stage 3 off Ho Chi Minh which i believe will be closed after the race. You can bypass these though by going all the way fown Ho Chi Minh and get back on route at zoom or bust.

Stage 3, 4 and 5 were Sick. Thank god it isn't raining though... Some stages (like the top of stage 4) would go from fun to hellish in the rain.

The top of stage 4 looked far easier to ride down than walk down though, despite seeing many people walking (although for me it was a bit of a dab fest in places)

So nice today... Only had time for a quick spin so went up and made a total arse of stage 5 all the way down It's a bit hard to read the grip now with it drying up... (at the risk of outing myself as being weird, I preferred S5 when it was sodden, great fun)

Really looking forward to it 🙂

S4 is already on Strava (Cademuir 4) - the Wee Man has KOM at the mo.

I didn't get on with 5 that well at all. I think it was just because I was knackered at that point though and found it quite hard work.

How did you all get on then? I had a blast, rode everything and wasn't last. Brilliant day.

That was bloody brilliant. Dying now but what a great day,the pushup was gruesome but otherwise enjoyed every moment. Stage 4 was just hilarious, fair to say my race run didn't look much like that video 🙂 Faster but just a [i]little[/i] bit less in control. Some pro-standard tripodding though.

37:25 in the end which looks to be more or less halfway up, my natural place. King Ralph Of The Hill.

Had a great day. Even enjoyed stage 4 which scared me the first time I rode it yesterday. Very happy to get round in one piece!
My stage times totalled 39.11 but no idea where that put me overall.
Big thanks to the organisers and marshalls for making it possible:-)

Mmm, you weren't the only one tripodding down 4!

Had an absolute ball, tracks not running as nice as they were yesterday IMO but still some great runs. Boundary trail was much longer than I ever remember it being before though!!! My final time was 30.44 so was delighted.

Yep was fantastic, 39:44, had cramp in places I didn't even know were made of muscle on stage 5. Tripoding on stage 4 here too!

That is rapid! Fastest time when I checked out was 26:19

Simon - Member

Mmm, you weren't the only one tripodding down 4!

Yeah, but I bet I was the only one tripodding with such finesse and power!

Are the full results up yet?

They're not on the Tweedlove site yet. Well done to all you guys, my time was 41.34. I was 6/8 in our group so was pretty pleased. Predictably, stage 2 was hardest for me on my hardtail, the rough part was hell on my arms. All the rest were good.

My time was 48mins but that was with a 6 min penalty as we where over 5hrs. First time I have taken cramp in years on the push up to stage 5

Yep it was a cracking day, the last push up to 5 nearly had me in tears.

Met a great bunch of people all the way round with some good banter and laughs. BUT i was flying till the top of stage 5. There is always one that gets you and this just had me all over the place. Luckily i got it together and finished well (for me) 😯

Was an awesome day, i wasn't riding the event but was in glentress mincing round the trails, saturdays weather was a surprise, even got sunburnt. Next year will give it a bash, first time in peebles all i can say is great place, me and OH had probably the best biking trip in ages!

35 mins exactly had a few tumbles and got stuck in the bog at the bottom of stage 5 very happy with that time considering only had 1 practice run on each stage.

34 mins on the nose - got stuck in the bog on stage 5 as well.

I hit the bog in the wrong gear and got stuck too.

Me too! "Ride round it on the left" worked yesterday but not so much by the end of the day...

I am ridiculously covered in scratches, think mostly pedal-flaps from s4. You know it's a good ride when you don't even notice these things until hours later

By the time I got to the bog the bloody photographer was on the dry line to the left!

Cracking day, totally shattered now but still smiling 😀

Results are up. Link on Facebook.

I went over the bars into the bog and managed to get myself stuck under my bike much to the amusement of the photographer who snapped away as i swore!

Big shout out to MC for the timing. Think he was a tad nervous.

And everyone else for that matter- saw a few STW faces marshalling/organising, and the work in the trails was just ridiculous. Bang on.

(the real nerves should kick in when it's all mowicu timers not sportident 😉 )

Didn't take part but went along to cheer on some friends. Really good atmosphere. I was really jealous. Just hoping it is as dry next Saturday for the GT7.

Not dead and not last.

But I'd be quite happy never to see a shiny root again, even the innocent ones had started to freak me out by stage 5.

was a great day. I'm battered (all over), bruised (knees and elbows), broken (rib) and bleeding (nose, arm) but managed 32:45 which I'm pretty chuffed with. Would like to do it all again with the benefit of experience but top day.

I have some good/strange bruises too, thanks to a high speed ho chi minh root induced lie down. Didn't see anyone really messed up, which is good.

Just looking at the times, Emma Guy beat Katie Winton by 3 seconds over the course of the day. 3 seconds! But doubly crazy, the difference in their overall lap time- also 3 seconds! That's as long as it takes me to spot a root, home in on it, and start to crash... but not long enough to reach the ground.