Who’s going? I’ll be there with some of the MBSwindon Gravity Team.

I’ve never ridden there before, and was wondering if it was possible to ride the trails on the Saturday before the race on Sunday, and also whether its easy enough to find your way around? Sign posted?

Any info on the Mini Enduro format and the location gratefully received, including the camping etc.

Cheers.

Possibly of no use but the first mini enduro at Haldon in Jan had a practice day on the saturday for anyone that wanted to make a weekend of it. I only made it up on the sunday but really enjoyed it.

Hi MikeyonaBikey, fwiw im intending to go up Sat for hopefully a practice. Website says registration is open Sat so im hoping they will have details of where the stages are etc. Not much help i know, but maybe nice to know you wont be the only one riding round like a lumocks trying to find stages…

Nice one! Well, i’ll be in my MBSwindon shirt, so please come and say “Hi”. I intend to be there Saturday afternoon, and will be camping.

Not a lot on ‘the forums’ about this event, which is odd, but i’ll see you on the trails 🙂

How does a Mini Enduro work btw ? Just wondering as people keep asking us to run one for the kids, but BC rules say less than 25km (or something) for Youths.

But I can’t see how to solve the problem that if you have short courses then people will bring heavy/DH bikes you are essentially running a push-up DH ??

Are there rules on what bike you can use ??

I wouldn’t know the official rules, but its basically a reasonable size loop with varying number of timed sections depending on which you actually enter. The mini enduro only have 3 timed stages, whereas UKGE and Enduro1 have 5 timed stages.

Im not sure there is a ruling on bikes, but the main events are aimed at trail bikes where there is some pedalling on the stage, and you have a time to get to the next one meaning you have to keep moving at a reasonable pace. the tracks ive raced would be quicker on a trail/enduro bike over a DH bike anyway.

I think the ‘Mini’ aspect is that it is primarily run on one day – so no seeding/practice the day before (although I believe it is open to ride should you wish)

From what I’ve seen on Strava it’s going to be a bit of a Shropshire locals bragging rights battle – lots of (not so) sneaky practice going on from those who already know the area pretty well. Should be a good one!

the first mini one at haldon (same series) was very good, 3 decent dh stages and a 20k course transition times were quite generuos however

the locals were taking a load of shortcuts and and a fair few on dh bikes too(tighter transition times would help eliminate the DH bikes) basically pushing up between the 3 stages, you could tell as they all turned up clean to each stage, while the rest of us were covered in crap

anyway the organisers said theyd DQ anyone taking shortcuts this time

the first one was excellent so I imagine this will be great too
(i did the UKGE at eastridge last year and there were some good technical DH runs in the mix too)

Are there rules on what bike you can use

I was a bit surprised how hard Eastridge is to ride having some rather steep climbs & descents (I’d taken a mate for his 1st ever ride – he didn’t die); anyone taking a DH bike will get pretty pissed off with pushing.

It’s good, but could be a bit of a mare in the wet. It’s the first place I’ve ridden where a dropper seatpost makes quite a lot of sense – and I didn’t have one 🙂

If people are practising the day day prior surely that should be advertised to all competitors.

Its not a fair race otherwise?

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Enduro-and-the-Politics-of-Practice.html

The locals build the trails and it’s been drier in the last month than most of last year, of course they are being used.

Also, due to the info on site and the email sent to competitors it advises the site is open from Saturday. 🙂

Whos ready?!!

Just had to change a BB due to serious creaking and grinding and replace both tyres, not ideal prep for a race weekend! Ill be the one with 2 flat tyres and a wobbly chainset then….

Weather’s not so great but then I did the Haldon race so nothing can be as wet as stage 3 on that day, can it…