Doing this 24 solo and unsupported for the first time. How is it in comparison to Mayhem?? Is the course more technical?? Am I mad to singlespeed it? Errrrrr that’s it at the ‘mo. I am really looking forward to it.

It’s a great course! And barring the return of Noah’s Ark like last year you should be fine. One long draggy climb but it should be single speedable OK.

More entertaining singletrack than most 24hr courses and my favourite by a mile. Very chilled and relaxed atmos, the guy that puts his name to it normally rides in a team too…

It’s a really nice course, good mix of singletrack and wider stuff. Went up onto the moors a couple of years back and had rocks and everything. Last year the whole place nearly flooded though and the course was truncated.

Which Mayhem do you mean btw? The riding’s much nicer imo than either Eastnor or Gatcombe Park. Bits of it are rooty, twisty technical and can be tricky in the wet, but there’s nothing intimidating on it.

I can’t see any reason why you shouldn’t singlespeed it. I’ve only ever soloed there and with gears, but you can singlespeed anything within reason, you may occasionally need to walk one or two bits when you’re tired.

In the big sense, it’s a really nice event. Just the right size. Nice atmosphere. Lots of trackside camping which is great for soloists. You’ll have a blast, it’s brilliant.

Cool 🙂 (done eastnor and gatcombe mayhems) just Umming and ahhing whether to put the gears back on my el mariachi (singlespeed = less mechanical dramas) thinking of sticking a rigid fork on too. Are the jumps big? I.e would I cream a rigid on them lol or are they like the jump of doom. From what I’ve read it looks a fantastic event.

its the last year martin is holding it at Newnham

Glad I’m doing it then 🙂

12 hour solo for me! Not ridden here before…

Excited 🙂

I honestly can’t remember how many 24 hour solos I’ve done in the past, but I’ve never raced at 24/12. Had a shocker at Mayhem this year so I’m really looking forward to this.
See you all there!

Carl where did you hear that from? Seems like the race scene down here has gone from flourishing to next year nothing what so ever hmm…

This years course should be a little more forgiving for the soloists compared to last years apparently. Which is nice to know lining up for the 12hour solo.

its the last year martin is holding it at Newnham

that is a shame if true, ridden a couple of 12 hr solos there and it keeps you on your toes, but is also interestng with it with so many varied sections. He will have to work hard to match it

It will be a shame if the event moves from Newnham…

But go on then, lets talk tyres…. I’ve been holding of buying some new mud tyres becasue our ‘dry season’ looked to be extending beyond the 24/12 weekend. But a look at the weather forecast this morning shows a bit of rain next week down here in Devon and maybe some rain over the 24/12 weekend. I think this will only be showers….but is it sensible to stick with the Racing Ralph’s or worth having some mud tyres ‘just in case’?

My memories of last years 24hr walk are making me twitchy….

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2640192

Hmmm….. dry under with added slippery surface?

it’ll blow over, early days yet, i’m not panicking. Still have last years memories of hauling a 25pound SS singular swift+6 pounds of mud around for 6hours before sacking it off. this year gears and suspension

yep, not enough rain forecast to make it a bog. it may all change as well. I will happily take ‘dry under with slippery top’

So weather forecast update….the BBC website shows thundery showers all week in SW Devon continuing through the weekend. The met office shows that the rain will have moved on by the weekend.

Anymore wisdom out there?