Ard Rock 2019

In terms of selling out…if there are 1500 places on the Saturday Enduro – say 100 already allocated?

so 1400 available. Only takes 234 people to click on and reserve 6 tickets for it to sell out

That’s not a lot of chances to buy a ticket

I suspect that quite a few are pre allocated to sponsors, top temas marshals etc,

Sky gave one to Dave Jenvey last year.

Only managed an entry to the marathon pretty gutted I was up early and everything…on the waiting list for the full enduro, so fingers crossed….

At least I can ride 40 miles in the Dales with my Dad – not so bad, but I really wanted to race the hardtail category….

Did Boltby for the first time last year and it is a good size, this came in to play when they had to close a stage due to an injured rider.

I believe there is possibly a family connection between the two event organisers (the organiser of boltby is the father of the organiser of AR). Don’t hold me to that though!

I hadn’t done the arithmetic on numbers of entrants vs multiple purchases before but that makes sense and for me, confirms what I’ve thought since they started allowing multiple purchases.  Multiple purchases are not a good thing for the event so far as reach is concerned.

The thing is without multiple entries if you have to risk buying a ticket and your mates not getting one, then would you go on your own? I wouldn’t, infact I’d be decidedly less inclined to consider it if there was a high probability that my mates wouldn’t get it.

Im not going to just ride the Ardrock Enduro sport, I’m going for a ride with my mates at Ardrock.

Making the Full Enduro one entry and pushing the race aspect would be one thing but I think a scramble for single tickets for the rest of the non-race events would be off putting for many who view it as a weekend to ride with friends. Perhaps limiting it to 4 tickets rather than 6 per order might be enough to widen the reach.

I think you would also suddenly find a big market for people buying single tickets and making a mark up selling them to people who are going to have go on their own if they can’t get a ticket for a friend

since they started allowing multiple purchases.

I’m pretty sure they’ve allowed them since year one mainly as I’ve managed to buy multiple tickets every time,* heck the first time i even managed it about 3 months after tickets went on sale though that said it hadn’t been lauded by the meeja yet.

*this has involved much spamming of f5 by a number of us in recent years

Yes, one happy hippy, I’d gladly ride myself. I’ve did every one bar last year, entered but had to bail out, always entered singly, mates have done the same, always find someone to have a blether to!.

For me, it’s not about a ride with your mates, the big enduro is about racing, flat out on fast as **** terrain, on trails I can’t ride for the rest of the year. I can take or leave the social side of it, the beer etc, the I’d rather stay home and race both days, but 4 hours drive is a bit much.

Ive lost count of the amount of folk that either try to sell their entry, ride half arsed cos they didn’t really want to, but mate entered them, or started and shat it after 2 stages cos they’re out of their league.

I’d love to see them having some kind of qualifying standard, dunno how it’d work tbh, like megavalanche? Who knows, but the amount of mincers in the enduro is madness. Similarly, intro n sport full of good riders that never entered quick enough.

It’s a race, at the end of the day.

I have a certain amount of sympathy for the view that “It’s a race” and that “the amout of mincers in the Enduro is madness”.

However, if it was purely marketed as a race, not as a “festival” and there was a qulifying level to make sure that only those interested in racing could take part then I’d lay money on it not being anywhere near as succesful and therefor risking not happening.
The issues with the last couple of years UK Enduro series races would seem to support that view.

When I read that Ard Rock 2019 was potentially going ot be part of the national series I was a little surprised that they thought that the current format (everyone has a chance at a ticket no minimum standard of riding or fitness required so you risk getting people like me entering) was compatible with a round of a national race series.
It was one of the reasons I went for the Sunday evet not the Saturday one.

The rider briefing in 2017 also stressed that the idea was to enjoy yourself an not over estimate your ability.  Is that what is usally said at race briefings?  I’m surprised if so.

Si

I agree that the full Enduro is and should be considered a proper Enduro race, but in Ardrocks own words the sport event is for people who just want to complete the challenge.

That was me last year at the sport, went with a good group of friends (who are quicker up and far far faster down than me), made it around the 7 stages somehow and not the slowest on the day but I wouldn’t have made it around without the support of my mates as my fitness quite simply wasn’t there. However I had a brilliant time, felt I achieved something I wouldn’t have on my own and set myself a goal of doing it faster and fitter in 2019.

Riding for me is as much as a social thing as anything.

Racing is racing, there’s loads of Enduro racers though the year but Ardrock is a bike festival as much rather than just another Enduro race.

Ard rock’s been a strange one for me having tickets and missing out three times two with injury one after spodging my bike the previous weekend ! So very happy to receive group text to say lads I got 5 for Saturday , best get fitter now

agree with nobeer above. to many people enter the enduro who should be doing the sport. maybe some kind of race experience should be the qualifier for the enduro possibly using roots and rain history, although that could complicate things to much.

i got in for the enduro again for the 3rd year but will possibly be riding on my own as my mate missed out unless he can do like last year and get a sponsors entry through the shop he rides for. not that i mind riding on my own, did it in the sport the first time i entered, its not like theres no one to talk to as your riding round.

Riding for me is as much as a social thing as anything.

And that’s great, on the other 364 days of the year, I’d agree. That’s right, you can ride with your mates any other day, this day is a race, and that’s why I disagree with the mass entry.

And that’s great, on the other 364 days of the year, I’d agree. T<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>hat’s right, you can ride with your mates any other day</span>

Not on those trails you can’t.  And not with the same atmosphere etc.  (Which is why I went for the Sport event, but still.)

From what I’ve read, you can go racing with a far better chance of getting a ticket at pretty much any other UK race – you’d know better than me, so would you agree or is that just not the case?

And I still don’t reckon they’d make the same money if they stopped non racers doing the Saturday Enduro.

Is the Enduro going to be a qualifier for any other series, or part of a national or regional series?  If so, then there needs to be some form of control to make it easier to enter for those taking part in the series and also make it less likely they’ll be held up by your average Joe (me) out for a memorable ride at a great event.

If none of the above is the case, then people need to accept that it’s an event and marketed to the masses.  You can race the other 364 days of the year…. ;-)

Si

We got into the sport, but tried desperately to get into the full Enduro.  The Sunday event is frustrating particularly with people well out of their depth.  But also Ard Rock themselves don’t really have an interest in it, basically just breaking down the complex etc.  I do wonder if some people enter the Saturday event because they want to get home Sunday at a reasonable time..for us driving back to Gloucestershire it’s a long, long day!

Regardless happy to get in to at least the event.

Not on those trails you can’t

Which is kinda a big part of my point!

From what I’ve read, you can go racing with a far better chance of getting a ticket at pretty much any other UK race – you’d know better than me, so would you agree or is that just not the case?

I do, and have done, but AR is pretty unique, as it’s not a slopfest like 90% of UK Enduros.

And I still don’t reckon they’d make the same money if they stopped non racers doing the Saturday Enduro.

Canny see it mate, the amount of people who don’t get an entry is amazing, it must be the most over subscribed race in the UK, MTB wise. Same folk moan about it every year, the price, the camping, the entry system, but it’s growing year on year. I reckon they could quite easily do it twice a year, and still sell out comfortably. Indeed, it’s the reason they’ve now done Ard Moors, and the popularity of both has helped the Boltby Bash too.

If none of the above is the case, then people need to accept that it’s an event and marketed to the masses. You can race the other 364 days of the year….

Accept? the fact I’ve rode it every year bar last year means I’d say I’m qualified to comment, no? It’s an amazing race, I’m not moaning, only pointing out something that I think is a bit of a poor show.

make it less likely they’ll be held up by your average Joe (me) out for a memorable ride at a great event.

They have tried do that with 9 & 10 on the entry:

9. Expert rider: If you would like to be considered for the first wave please write your best result of 2018. This may separate you from your group. Do not write anything of you don’t want to be seeded.

10. Ability level – Please rate your ability 1. Usually in the top 10% / 2. Faster than average / 3. Mid pack rider / 4. Steady away / 5. Hoping to make it round

There are always a number of people that have no spacial awareness or are completely oblivious to riders behind wanting to pass!

If the organisers wanted it to be exclusively an expert/elite race, they’d run it like one. And if it ever becomes part of an wider series, they’ll probably have to. But at present it’s a rock up and ride informal event attached to a fun, friendly festival, with a nod to the better riders in the seeding described above.

I’m with those that say the Enduro is a race, it shouldn’t be taken as a social with your mates, if you are not wanting to race, or can’t ride the course  do one of the other ones . I spoke with one of the organisers a few years back and the idea of a Friday mega style qualifier was being banded about, but I think the logistics with then having an extra practice day, use of the land, marshal etc were just too complex. Passing or not was much better last year maybe they have got abilities grouped better or rider ability as improved or maybe I’m just slower these days. It’s a great event and they must be doing something right if it sells out quicker than Glastonbury.

Seedings! christ, I’d forgot about that, I collected my number and stuff in 2016, to find out I was in the very first group, with all the elite guys, god knows how that happened*

*I declined, obviously!

The thing is ‘Ard Rock is about more than just the racing now, we’re all on the Sunday enduro and will be ‘competing’ with some fairly epic hangovers but still have an awesome day out.

I booked tickets for 5 but that’ll be 5 families on a full long weekend away, spending loads of cash, eating and drinking local. Saturday, yeah that’d be grand with one entry, but hands off my Sunday social ;)

It’s horses for courses really. I would prefer the Saturday cos the drive back down south on yer own is nigh on impossible after a sunday ride

however I had a sport entry last year n didn’t go so unless my riding time drastically goes up then there’s no point in me paying for something I won’t use

I’m with those that say the Enduro is a race, it shouldn’t be taken as a social with your mates, if you are not wanting to race, or can’t ride the course  do one of the other ones

Who says racing can’t also be social with your mates. Chasing wheels on the stages, bantz on the transitions. So yes it’s good to be able to ensure you all get a place together or not at all if that’s your choice. That is different to the point about those who are out of their depth and I agree they would be much better suited to something other than the main enduro event.

Seedings! christ, I’d forgot about that, I collected my number and stuff in 2016, to find out I was in the very first group, with all the elite guys, god knows how that happened

One of the guys who set off with us about and hour or so after the elites is a absolute machine on the climbs, and pretty decent on the downs, by stage 5 he had caught up the elites and ended up riding the last few stages in that group.

by stage 5 he had caught up the elites and ended up riding the last few stages in that group.

Great effort, but tbh lots of elites will use the AR as a social too, and not push hard on the climbs, instead just enjoying the riding.

tbh lots of elites will use the AR as a social too,

Shouldn’t be allowed it’s a race after all, if Danny Hart just wanted to have a social he should have been on Sunday not getting in the way of serious racers on Saturday.

Edit: For my penneth worth the problem with Saturday race Sunday social is it should be the other way round. At the moment a lot ofb people want to do the Saturday so they can be social* Saturday night, i don’t think it’s much to do with wanting to “race”. It’s not much of a comparison given the numbers of entrants but the Sunday race felt more serious back at the outset, it seemed much nod mixed the first year they moved it Sunday ((but i think numbers doubled too)

Shouldn’t be allowed it’s a race after all

Haha, touche! It’s only the timed stages that are a race tbf. I’m sure this attitude is influenced by the fact it’s not part of a series like EWS etc.

Aye, I reckon folk want to get it done on a saturday to get on the beer. I always prefer saturday events myself tbh, just to get the sunday recovery, instead of having my head in the trough all day at work on a monday!

At the moment a lot ofb people want to do the Saturday so they can be social* Saturday night, i don’t think it’s much to do with wanting to “race”.

This

Having read a few posts above I’m a little worried now.

Has the race got harder since 2015? I did the main enduro then, as that’s all there was back then and finished in the top half, just. Now I’m thinking I might be a little out of my depth!

Haha, touche!

It is a sort of half serious comment, the thing being if you’re not up there racing with peaty DH and TMo you’re not really racing any more (or less) than the three guys at the back doing their damndest not to fall off and die and get round in under an hour. In fact if those three are racing each other and you’re there on your own “racing” 1500 people you’ve never met I’d argue (if i was in a contrary mood) they’re racing more than you are, you’re just out for a ride with an expensive alternative to Strava.

Has the race got harder since 2015

Na, they’ve changed a couple of stages, and added in a new one, which is bloody brilliant btw, you’ll be fine Sam, it’s still not really very technical.

Flat out fun!.

Peaty? last decade called, it wants it’s racer back! :-)

Nobeerinthefridge

Na, they’ve changed a couple of stages, and added in a new one, which is bloody brilliant btw, you’ll be fine Sam, it’s still not really very technical.

Flat out fun!.

Cheers Greg, that makes me feel better :)

It is a sort of half serious comment, the thing being if you’re not up there racing with peaty DH and TMo you’re not really racing any more (or less) than the three guys at the back doing their damndest not to fall off and die and get round in under an hour. In fact if those three are racing each other and you’re there on your own “racing” 1500 people you’ve never met I’d argue (if i was in a contrary mood) they’re racing more than you are, you’re just out for a ride with an expensive alternative to Strava.

Is it the mtb equivalent of a club runner getting upset at the London Marathon with all the blokes dressed as a giant squirrel getting in the way? You’re hoping for a decent time, but the sheer weight of numbers is always going to compromise that.

1500 is a massive event, you couldn’t turn it into a serious enduro race without shedding an awful lot of those.

Has the race got harder since 2015?

A few additional stages but not really any harder.

Peaty? last decade called, it wants it’s racer back

I guess he still beat you this year though…

^^^the club runner marathon comparison is a good one i think.

I might be tempted to compare it to racers in a sportive, but mainly as I’m that way out this morning.

What about this marathon then – that’s more of a social vibe innit? And tech-wise, how does it fare? Are we talking Hebden Bridge or Hope Valley levels?

What about this marathon then

Are we talking Hebden Bridge or Hope Valley levels?

Think hilly tow path.

If the marathon was all that was left to enter, I’d not bother. Instead, here’s a thought – go and demo a bike from the event village, cost ye what, 50 quid? and you can ride 3 stages (IIRC!) all day.

Have a great time all that are going, wish I was!.

wish I was!.

Missed that – no ticket (by accident or design) or otherwise engaged?

go and demo a bike from the event village, cost ye what, 50 quid? and you can ride 3 stages (IIRC!) all day.

I’d go with something similar (and will be doing next year, i chose the marathonn over the enduro this time around as it’s more my sort of thing, off the back of my disappointment with that I couldn’t be bothered to drag my self out of my pit for tickets this year).

There’s plenty of other riding up there which won’t cost you a penny (hire bike will do obviously if you do that) much of which will be better than anything the marathon had to offer this year. I hope they fix it as, as a format i like mtb marathons, but i won’t be entering ard rock’s again until i hear they have done something better than this year’s.