bontrager 24/12

im planning on doing this , any tips or advice? tell me what you know about it ! real life experience only please thanks !!

Did the 12hour last year single speed, fun but demanding course, not technically, just very hilly! no experience of what its like in the wet. Fun atmosphere with two visits into the arena per lap which helps boost the spirits. I got there late friday and had no space to be trackside, used the solo tent which was fine as had no-one pitting for me. oo and it was the first time I got prize money, fluked 3rd in open male 🙂

not technically

one of the most tech 24hr courses going imo.

it’s been great the last 3 years; unfortunately i can’t go this year 🙁

Course is already out. Using some reasonably technical sections which could catch you out later in the event. Some sections I’m not sure which are being used. There are a few sections between rocks which a mech rippingly worrying!

Not done it before so a first for me too so can’t give too much in the way of advice. Just take plenty of spare, tools, food, drink etc to keep yoyu going. Site should be well equipped for everything else.

A few other recent topics only first is uselful:
Topic 1
Topic 2

It’ll be my first solo 24 hour race so I can’t offer advice from experience but (when I haven’t been training) I’ve been reading as many accounts of 24 hour solos as I can, to prepare myself as much as possible. I found the Mountain Mayhem guide on the 32sixteen blog (RIP Nick) to be really useful and have downloaded (and still refer to) a copy of the rules linked to in there.

http://www.32sixteen.com/mountain-mayhem-24-hour-solo-racing/%5B/url%5D

Some of the threads on here after last years twentyfour12 are pretty good at giving an idea of what to expect and the odd handy tip.

is the course really out yet? I live 5mins away and there are a lot of trees down in the ‘local vicinity’ so I’d ‘imagine’ there is a fair amount of work to be done to clear the course yet.
there is normally a good mix of fun singletrack, not boring nor massively techy just about right IMO, yes it has a few climbs but in the main its really nice. enjoy. some local stuff nearby is abit soggy but the course holds up very well.
good atmosphere and hardly any ‘elite rider’ shouts…pretty chilled whenever I’ve done it….(BBQ + beers for me this year and my own bed 5 mins away)

oh yes if you want trackside camping then pitch your tent on thurs!

This’ll be my first 24hr solo, well, 24hr anything (on the MTB at least). No pit crew, just going to see how I get on myself.

I’d sort of come to the idea I’d be able to stash a couple of boxes full of bottles/food/obvious spares/clothing/lights somewhere like the solo tent.

My Q is: How close will my car be? If it’s within 60 seconds ride off the course I’ll leave the bulky and/or expensive stuff locked in there. Thinking one dusk and one dawn trip to the car to change clothes, lights, mud tyres etc…or is this going to be a logisitcal nightmare?

We always arrive late, but pitch our tents track side up on the hill, on the run back down to the arena – plenty of room.

My Q is: How close will my car be? If it’s within 60 seconds ride off the course I’ll leave the bulky and/or expensive stuff locked in there

It will be.

It’s a good event, IMO the course really empties at midnight, more than 50% of people do the 12 hour, so it’s a bit depressing doing the 24! Good course though, a few nasty climbs, looks like the 2 they’re using are the tarmac road and the ‘Kenda’ climb which is very all-weather, so can’t see they’ll need to change it much. Can get pretty slippery and claggy in the wet. Not Mayhem/SiTS bad, but a bit of an unpleasant slog!

This’ll be my first 24hr solo, well, 24hr anything (on the MTB at least). No pit crew, just going to see how I get on myself.

I’d sort of come to the idea I’d be able to stash a couple of boxes full of bottles/food/obvious spares/clothing/lights somewhere like the solo tent.

My Q is: How close will my car be? If it’s within 60 seconds ride off the course I’ll leave the bulky and/or expensive stuff locked in there. Thinking one dusk and one dawn trip to the car to change clothes, lights, mud tyres etc…or is this going to be a logisitcal nightmare?

Your plan is fine. There is a ‘solo’s’ area just as you drive in. It’s pretty close to the track, so even if you’re not trackside, you can easily get to your car.

Thanks both. Plan made. Now just the lists of stuff and the worrying to do. 🙂

dyffers are you seriously planning on changing tyres during a race ??

Did the 24hr last year as part of a team. Very good, fun course with a bit of everything. As others have said it’s not overly technical but there’s enough to catch you out in the wee small hours if you lose concentration, I had 2 “offs” in exactly the same spot on consecutive laps. Final descent into the arena to the start/finish is an absolute hoot. Best atmosphere around the event village of any event I’ve been to.

Did the 24 solo last season. Good, varied course. Keeps you on your toes. Some real slippy roots in the damp. Climbs are not crazy but do take it out of you in the end. Couple of tricky bombhole sessions, especially when you’re tired.

General 24 solo advice? Start slow. Get slower

🙂

@twenteefour12 on twitter have said its a draft gps and that bluebell wood will be added.

dyffers are you seriously planning on changing tyres during a race ??

2 pairs of wheels. Racing Ralphs on my good set, may as well have the MudXs on the spares in the car ready to go if the monsoon summer lasts into July.

What are the strategies for the soloists? I’m hoping to leave my bottles with a gel taped to it so that every lap I’m making sure I get fluid and food.

I don’t know whether to stop every 3 hours or so for a tin of rice pudding[?] although don’t know how good an idea it will be to stop for any length of time.

Worried about cramping which is something I do get with over exertion so going to take some salt and vinegar pringles which I can delve into every couple of laps. I may also put some salt into every other bottle.

Debating whether to take a spare set of wheels with mud tures on but I doubt I can be bothered to go to that degree as would need to get brake discs etc.

Finally ordered some brake pads elaving just energy gel/drink left and possibly an extra light from Smudge if I have the money

Unless you really know how many gels and bottles you will use I wouldn’t tape them together. I normally have a selection of bottle with different energy drinks so I can pick the one I am feeling like. Then I have a box of gels that I can grab some out of when I need them. Some laps I probably won’t take a gel, where as on others I might have a few. Try to get a variety of flavour of gels as they can get a bit sickly after a few hours. I like to munch on a Torq bar every so often too.

For the cramps try having a bottle with a Zero tablet in every so often. It makes a change from energy drink too.

If you are only doing 12 hours and you are reasonably fit I wouldn’t bother stopping for anything to eat, try to eat on the go. I have never done a 24 so not sure on that, but if you want to be competitive I doubt stopping is an option!

Taff , Try 1 tab of High 5 Zero in 2ltrs of water . They taste nice and are good at delaying cramp .
You about for some distance work in the next week / 10 days?
Need some wheels first mind , but working on it .

Taff , Try 1 tab of High 5 Zero in 2ltrs of water . They taste nice and are good at delaying cramp

Just so you’re clear though, these have NO carbohydrates at all so where as they will hydrate you nicely you’ll have to keep topping up your energy with other things.

I will try the High5 tabs again, I was using them but realised that they had no energy elements in them but didn’t have any gels. Willing to try anything to alleviate the cramps!

Jason you may be right, I was just contemplating one handed grab and rips but to be fair it won’t make much difference. I’ll have some loose gels anyway so I can grab a couple if needed.

Think you may be right about stopping to eat. I may get some flap jacks or something and get them at the same time as the gels. Will save myself for a bit of Charcoal Grill after midnight!!!

Rob – how’s the riding going? I’m away at a wedding this weekend and doing a sportive a week sunday other than that relatively free

Great if it stays dry… Not too techie
Nice relaxed atmosphere.

Did 2 x 30mile road rides plus 2 x 30 mile xc in the last week. Windsurfed Thur/Fri/Sat/Sun + today as well. Still on Idiet , down a good few Kgs.
Going to try a few SDW out and back or train home rides as well .
let me know when your next about .
rob

Anyone else getting excited yet?!

Trying to but the weather is putting a dampener on it to be honest…

First year we did it, it was glorious sunshine, but every other year it has been wet & horrible.

On the plus side, my ever patient Fiancee has just LED converted my 2nd Lumi can & one for a mate after the original conversion failed. So we will have gob loads of light…currently testing them in the garden with damp cloths round them to keep them cool…30 mins in & running bright…

The weather is a little depressing but I would much rather rise in Plymouth mud than Hampshire clay. More worried about te camping than the riding. Glad to hear they have showers there although have the options of proper showers at mates houses for added comfort. Just hope the bike doesn’t get clogged. Prob won’t have cleaning stuff with me but there are three pressure washers there so I read somewhere.

The mud isn’t generally the sort that clogs your bike up & there’s at least one river crossing that goes some way to cleaning the worst off. Yeah, there’s a bloke with a jet wash. Never used it myself as it lookd a bit brutal, but a lot of people do…

Not planning on using the river crossing. Hong the bridge will be available. Thinking that 12hours of vein slake by the elements I don’t really fancy going through a cold water splash!!