Colne Valley MTB Challenge 2024 *THE LAST ONE**

Entries are are now in full swing for THE LAST EVER Colne Valley Mountain Bike Challenge, taking place this year on Sunday 12th May 2024 at 9.00am.

Sadly, after much consideration, I’ve decided to call it a day. We started out in 2004 , so 2024 adds a certain symmetry to the last hurrah. Many, many of you have enjoyed your day out with us over the last 20 years and it would be great to see lots of familiar names/faces back to give it a go one last time. Also, if you’ve previously thought about it, but never quite made it, this is your last chance.

The FULL course is a challenging one (as you’d expect) and consists of approx. 30 miles of local paths, tracks, bridleways and lanes around the picturesque Colne Valley area of Huddersfield – regularly featured on TV as settings for Last Of The Summer Wine and Where The Heart Is. We also have an optional SHORTER course of 20 miles for anyone that could find the full route a bit too much.

We have 3 entry options, based on whether or not you would like a commemorative T-Shirt.
The standard cost of entry WITHOUT A T-SHIRT is £20 pre-booked (online entry available at http://www.cvmbc.co.uk ),
£23 if you DO WANT A T-SHIRT and £25 on the day – where there will be NO T-SHIRT AVAILABLE.
However, we do encourage pre-booking as it greatly assists the organisation of the event, especially IF YOU DO WANT A T-SHIRT.

We also welcome eBike, Gravel bike & CX bike entries too, as we want to encourage as much participation as possible from any rider that fancies a go.

All participants will receive certificate upon completion, the course will be fully marshalled throughout and will have 4 refreshment stops at designated points. There will also be a back-up vehicle available for anyone who wishes to (or is forced to!!) retire early.

Bacon Butties (bacon sourced from the local independant butcher’s and the bread from a local bakery) will be on sale beforehand at only a nominal £1.50 each, but apart from these EVERYTHING ELSE refreshment wise (bananas, flap-jack, biscuits, coffee, tea etc etc) is FREE. Yes FREE. There is also a brilliant little pub – The Walkers Arms – situated on site, so those that wish to can partake of a pint (or two) if so desired.

So, to sum it up – it’s a 30 mile (or 20 mile) challenging MTB ride, fully marshalled, fully ‘catered’ and absolutely FANTASTIC VALUE, with a pub on site to finish the day off as well. You won’t find a better day out in this area on the 12th May. Come and give it a go – you’ve nothing to lose and we’re absolutely certain that you’ll be well looked after and have a great time.

Entry: http://www.cvmbc.co.uk

Shame to hear that it’s the last one.  I’ve just entered.

Ashamed to say that I’ve never done the CVMBC despite living in Huddersfield. I always seem to have something else booked in that weekend, the Leeds marathon being the case this year and last.

It’s a real shame you’re giving it up as I know loads of people who’ve done the event and enjoyed it.

Well done for running it so long and as well as you have

I’ve just got to check the date at work tomorrow,  but I’m pretty sure it’s the weekend before the outage starts.

Trying to rope in a few of the MNPR and my club off-road gang.

Probably won’t be doing it as I hardly ever ride off road these days but I’d like to wish you the best of luck with it. I had done the event several times over the years and always enjoyed it.

Think I did it 3 times in the early days. Always a well organised event with some brutal climbs.

Is it the last one because youve served your time, or are numbers falling?

I’d love to be there Jonny – if I’d known earlier I’d have been able to join you but I’m committed to another event that weekend.

It’s a great ride, the toughest of the challenges in that area by quite a margin.

Did it for the first time last year, really enjoyed it, so just entered again.

Booked on today. 👍

Massive thanks to those of you (above) that have already sent through their entries.

Also, many thanks for the kind words.

FunkyDunc – both really. Mainly because I’ve run out of enthusiasm and the dwindling entry numbers feel like a bit of a hammer blow to my commitment. Also, the Scout group are on the verge of folding, so there’ll be no more need for raising funds and no volunteers to help. There’s other factors too, with everything just pointing towards a dignified exit from the scene.

Can’t of been easy organising all this year in year out .

As a local, and someone who has ridden it several times none of which recently there’s a few factors that mean most people I ride with gave up on it years ago.

It really is a fantastic day out on the bike in some spectacular scenery and if you’ve never done I wou,d reccomend it .

Do not turn up on a big burly mountain bike it’s just not what I’d call a mountain bike challenge gravel bike would be perfect lightweight ht fine

The e bikes will annoy you

The constant stalling of traffic  at anything remotely more technical than a curb will create a backlog so long you’d be forgiven for thinking there’s a toll to pay.

Sometimes not changing isn’t the best thing and I ride round here most weeks and wkds .

Good luck for the future

Myself and some pals will likely come along for this, looks a good one! (Haven’t been before)

A lot of work goes into putting something on like this, so respect to you and others for putting it on for all these years.

Cheers

Still plenty of time to get those entries in folks.

Don’t forget, this is your last chance to take part in this long-standing event and see some of what this great area has to offer.

http://www.cvmbc.co.uk

Just under a fortnight to go, the trails are actually showing signs of drying out a bit and it’s payday!

http://www.cvmbc.co.uk

Sunday 12th May – your last chance to ride this classic ‘challenge’ event. Come and see some of what this little corner of West Yorkshire has to offer and help raise a bit of money for local good causes.

Just entered! Will be a good test of my new Ritchey 29er rigid 🙂

Wish I’d heard of this event years ago, would have done it every year. Looking forward to it, keep it sunny 🙂

Colne Valley trails running great tonight (live update from Riverhead)

I hope the route is marked out and we don’t have to follow the a4 page of directions that’s been mailed to us? 😀

For, erm, a friend, say this friend hadn’t really done much riding recently and was uncertain of whether they were up for the full 30 miles, where is the split for the 20 and 30 mile courses?

It’s on the valley floor, you miss the stuff on the S side including the large Wessenden climb. It’s a good branching point – if you were having a bad day you could get on the short route, but still have a decent ride.

You mean my friend, right?

Ta.

Theres a Strava route for the 30m course on the website which I *think* matches the directions

jonjones262Free Member
I hope the route is marked out and we don’t have to follow the a4 page of directions that’s been mailed to us? 😀

Don’t worry, fella, there’ll be more signs and Marshalls out there than you can wave a stick at!

Ah winner! Looking forward to it. I might be last back 😂

jonjones262Free Member
Ah winner! Looking forward to it. I might be last back 😂

And you very well might not! But that’s not really the point, it’s about taking part, having fun and challenging yourself. It’s a tough route, but you’ll love the views and the camaraderie amongst the riders.

Ah winner! Looking forward to it. I might be last back 😂

It’ll be you or my friend 😉

Is it the same route as last year?

Yup, same route.

Also, a reminder that pre-entry closes on Friday night. If you want a t-shirt then get your entry in sharpish.

If you want to enter on the day then it’ll be £25 cash and you won’t get a shirt.

http://www.cvmbc.co.uk

I’ve entered now – I always wanted to do this.

I’ve entered this but on my ebike, the video on YouTube looks awesome

Don’t forget – bacon butties for only £1.50!
locally sourced bacon and fresh local bread too.
Also – a surprise guest appearance from the forum’s very own legendary TJ. Come and meet the great man himself!

http://www.cvmbc.co.uk

Also – a surprise guest appearance from the forum’s very own legendary TJ. Come and meet the great man himself!

Oh F-blimmin-FS. I can’t do it any more, I need to go to my folks as my dad’s ill, and now the weather looks like it’ll be great, I loved it last year, it’s the last one and I’ll not get to meet the World’s Greatest Helmet Denier (and the irony of having freshly putolined my chain in preparation is not lost on me). Grrrrr.

Have a great time all, and thank you TSA for organising it all these years.

What’s parking like?

Someone mentioned that the 20miler might be less fun than the 30.  Is the 20 still around and over decent terrain?  Tempted by 30, but I have my units muddled up and the 30km Blazing Saddles ride a few weekends ago , (1000m of climbing) was about my limit.

TIA

A last reminder:
Pre-entry closes at midnight TONIGHT. If you want to ride AND get yourself a commemorative t-shirt, then you MUST ENTER BEFORE MIDNIGHT. Ideally you’ll not leave it so late though, because I’ve had a lot of late nights already and I’d quite like to be not be sat up at 2.00am emailing entry confirmations again!
If you’re still undecided, then please turn up on the morning (in good time – 8.00ish) with your £25 CASH and fill in the CORRECT ENTRY FORM. Remember, I have to read these things afterwards and I’d rather not have to try and decipher what looks like an explosion in a Welsh Scrabble factory!
If you want to ride, no one will be turned away.
Parking is all on street, so the earlier you arrive the more chance you’ll have of parking in the same post code as the HQ.
Thanks.

The entry requires commitment to either the 20 or 30 miler.  Does that rule out a bail off the 30 if goosed?

Ah sod it, entered with an ebike chum.

What’s the worst that can happen?

In case SA isn’t back here in time, I’m pretty sure you can bail at the split point. It’s a pretty relaxed affair and the marshals are great. Sorry we can’t make it this time.

What’s the worst that can happen

You’ll be at the back with me.  🙂

Looking forward to this one. Plus looking like we’ve got the weather on our side!

This event kick started my desire to get serious about training after feeling the most knackered on a bike I’ve ever been in the 2014 edition.

If I don’t get chance to thank you in person on Sunday, then this is it. Thanks for your hard work over the past 20 years.

You’ll be at the back with me. 🙂

and me

I’ve been out stapling those ‘signature’ pink direction signs on telegraph poles and fence posts all evening. I got back to start processing all the late entries and am now still emailing out all the remaining entry confirmations before I try to sort out the Marshall’s spreadsheet. Then maybe bed.
We’ve had a late surge of online entries, putting the confirmed starters at 182 (late drop-outs notwithstanding), so thank you very much for rallying round, it’s very much appreciated.