Will a BC licence be required though? I just entered an SDA race via BC that didn’t require a licence. The extra BC booking fee was IIRC 60p.

I was thinking of giving an Enduro a go at some point next year..

The ‘hitting 40+ mph’ bit has convinced me otherwise. Are there any events out there for bimblers…?

Full face helmets, as in Europe, will be compulsary on stages, waiting to clarify with BC about XC lids on transitions, but expect this will be the case.

How about no helmets on transitions? CBA carrying around two helmets really. Does anyone really need a helmet to slowly grind up a fire road?

The ‘hitting 40+ mph’ bit has convinced me otherwise. Are there any events out there for bimblers…?

Enduro1? It’s the southern series and a bit XC. I considered it but they were holding a round a cesars camp and described it as a hill, the first time I rode there someone had to point out to me that it was the hill after we’d rode over it, and I hate climbing!

How about no helmets on transitions? CBA carrying around two helmets really. Does anyone really need a helmet to slowly grind up a fire road?

Seems a bit harsh but I guess the insurance says you need one at all times whilst raceing, and it’s easier for the insurers to say that than to come out and inspect every corner on the fire road for loose gravel. Roadies have to wear them after all, and they’re not even on fire road.

A bit like loads of people have to wear hard hats for work, even when walking down the road between plots (which is odd as I can walk to work through the site, but to get from the office to anywhere I have to wear a lid?).

I was thinking of giving an Enduro a go at some point next year..

The ‘hitting 40+ mph’ bit has convinced me otherwise. Are there any events out there for bimblers…?

The Exmoor Enduro I’ve just done this weekend. Steve’s series seems to be heading the way of being a bit more “serious business”, which is awesome for Enduro as a sport, but there seem to be more and more little independent events popping up that’re more about racing your mates and having a laugh.

oh and we will have a new timing company on site for 2013

Could I be so bold as to suggest a tester event before the season proper starts?

Oh. Calling dibbers inaccurate is a bit off I reckon, they’re open to rider error but that’s a level playing field. The system itself is an awful lot better than the alternatives we’ve seen so far.

Don’t want to be saying “told you so” in a year. I quite like saying “told you so” once but 3 years in a row would get dull

The full face thing is a bit of a pita but after riding the last round even though i was in no danger of hitting 40mph i chose to wear a full face. Stages 3 and 4 and that guys crash in qualifying that had everyone saying ‘oooofff’ when he went down convinced me.

and it certainly seems to work ok from what ive seen of the european ones…

as for timing….personally i dont see why it causes so much of a problem, when ive ridden the Rough Ride weve used that system (admittedly not multistage) and it worked just fine

and yeah the enduro1 series is definately more accessible for a first time event, as was the frostbite 40 both of which were really good but a bit less gnarly

Think I’ll say the same thing as I told Si- if you’re going to make us wear full face helmets, you’d better give us tracks that make me feel like I should be wearing a full face helmet

Really would appreciate if you would push BC…

Is that the ‘royal we’?
Wind yer neck in, you don’t even ride these ffs,!!!!!! (Internet know-it-all)

Ooh, a stalker… Things didn’t really go to plan for me this year, and I managed to miss the only round I could have attended as I was too slow, it sold out- genius that I am. But I’ve raced (and marshalled, and built trails for) other enduro races so I know the script, and this stuff isn’t just going to affect Steve’s series.

But thanks for rubbing it in 😉

oh and we will have a new timing company on site for 2013
Could I be so bold as to suggest a tester event before the season proper starts?

+1 and maybe to appease people/test run a backup system till your sure it works?

Be up front about the plan/penalty for those missing start times

Steve, I’m pretty sure I’ve told you this personally already but i’d consider Dyfi the perfect UK enduro event. The distance and design of the loop was perfect – enough to give you a decent ride and no ability to short cut, big climbs but not steep so that it killed your legs. The stages were near perfect – scary and “DH” if you let rip but still needing a good set of legs on you at times, not enough slow techy stuff but eastridge made up for that. Transition times were perfect. Ideal finishing/camping field.
Absolutely bloody loved that event.

And the timing worked better than the exmoor event too eh 😉

Got to agree 100% with dirtbiker on dyfi. It really felt like the sport should be,.

Ooh, a stalker… Things didn’t really go to plan for me this year, and I managed to miss the only round I could have attended as I was too slow, it sold out- genius that I am. But I’ve raced (and marshalled, and built trails for) other enduro races so I know the script, and this stuff isn’t just going to affect Steve’s series

Aww come on, don’t be like that. You make your point so well, I’m sorry, fair do’s, I’ll just accept you are the enduro racing oracle you make yourself out to be… 🙂

You seem to use STW exclusively for selling stuff and slagging off Northwind neallyman. Swoon…

Mike – Timing system is tried and tested, it uses light beams top and bottom, same as DH.
Northwind – The dibbers are not accurate enough, have you seen how close the racing is now? they are, however great for regional events to keep costings down, so more people can have a go at this great format of MTB. I know i have been and sat down with Sport Ident.
The Gravity Enduro didn’t set out to be the National series, its just turned out we have blazed the trail, as someone said to Me, but we will be in 2013.
I’m very open for constructive comments and will attempt to put them into place if they make sense.
Hope to see you all on a stage in 2013, oh except Mike and Northwind they will still be typing on here 😀

Steve, I’m pretty sure I’ve told you this personally already but i’d consider Dyfi the perfect UK enduro event. The distance and design of the loop was perfect – enough to give you a decent ride and no ability to short cut, big climbs but not steep so that it killed your legs. The stages were near perfect – scary and “DH” if you let rip but still needing a good set of legs on you at times, not enough slow techy stuff but eastridge made up for that. Transition times were perfect. Ideal finishing/camping field.
Absolutely bloody loved that event.

Disagree, but then the world would be boring if we all liked the same things.

The stages on the whole were great. However I rode over 80k that weekend. 60 of which was on fire roads, mostly going up. Boring.

Read the comments with some interest, including the 1 “about having my ego massaged”

I like your selective quoting Mr Parr 😆 But in light of what happened this year and you huuuuuge U-turn about a 2013 series, it doesn’t seem too harsh really, does it?? 😀

Perhaps the more relevant comment from my original post, however,was:

Shame none of the issues of the earlier 2011 rounds have ever been sorted out though

It’s not just about new timing system. There are other issues as well that need addressing – such as transition times (varying between so generous you could walk between stages and so tight people were missing start times), route finding (short cutting between stages) and taping of the course are just some of the biggies. Same problems keep recurring and aren’t all down to stage timing.

Regardless, please, please don’t make 2013 into a pissing contest between the two series’ that will be running… I’m sure each will have their pros and cons but don’t lower yourselves to slagging each other off – it’s been verging on that at times already. Surely there is room for everyone when (I think) your 2012 series sold out at most / all rounds?

Hope to see you all on a stage in 2013, oh except Mike and Northwind they will still be typing on here

Cheers Steve, wishing you all well, I offered a lot of suggestions back in year 1.

I would probably have been back but now live on the other side of the world 🙂

look, there are loads of things that could be improved.

but 2 of the 3 stages that I rode this year were still the most fun I had on my bike (the other stage was coed y) and that nearly killed me.

mainly I just want to see the series go ahead next year, and if I have to pay another £10 and where a full face helmet all day thats fine

Parr – Member

Hope to see you all on a stage in 2013, oh except Mike and Northwind they will still be typing on here

Incidentally I’ll be up at the no fuss enduro in november, would you like me to cut some corners then blame joe barnes for taping it wrong?

would you like me to cut some corners then blame joe barnes for taping it wrong?

Wasn’t Joe Barnes one of the cheaters which took the short cut? I thought he did an article in Dirt about it?

Yup (that’s the point!).

Joe Barnes designed the course for the MacAvalanche too. And got 1st place.

Coincidence?

Joe Barnes designed the course for the MacAvalanche too. And got 1st place.

Coincidence?

That and he’s a bit handy on a bike

I’m not disagreeing with you about him being handy on a bike – but having a week’s practice, and choosing the lines the course takes does help… when everyone else had just Saturday…

Nuts to full-face helmets, sounds like a full-face handbag might be the key piece of equipment for this sport !

I enjoyed the Dyfi event a lot more than the race at CYB, it was how I expected a gravity enduro to be. Although I was surprised by the climbs in about 2 of the stages

Having only done a practice of stage 1 and 5 I rode 3,4&5 blind like a few people which I talked to. I rode the qualifying with a full face and Sunday with a XC lid.
Looking back a full face should have been mandatory on the stages but would have been impossible on the climbs.

Hope the series for next year goes ahead.

The UK Gravity Enduro series is defo on for 2013, just finalising title sponsor/sponsors, its gonna be great news 🙂
Full face helmets will be compulsary on stages, just waiting for clarification on XC lid inbetween stages. This is how its done in Europe, we are sveral years behind on this format, we are playing catch up big time.
Having been out to the Italian Super Enduro, its truly amazing the stages, atmosphere, amount of staff its bloody huge in Europe.
We will be hosting 5 rounds again, round 2 hopefully being part of the UCi World Series, dates are up on website and facebook group.
http://www.ukgravityenduro.com

Website is still all about 2012 Steve, will there be some 2013 details on there soon?

Happy New Year to all 🙂
Website has been updated now with dates and venues, please note round 1 & 5 are waiting for confirmation on the venues.
On a another note, British Cycling have not made the wearing of full face helmets mandatory, so we will not be either.
A helmet must be worn at all times and fastened properly, even on transitions, full face is highly recommended.
Full finger gloves are also mandatory and body armour is also highly recommended
Cheers
Parr

Sounds promising.

But help me out here: No problem leaving riders to choose their helmets, but im lost on how its mandatory for full finger gloves !

Ive never really considered hand protection an issue riding a bike – especially off road. What are they worried about, bramble scratches 🙂

You get that with DH events as well- I marshalled an SDA round where one of the entrants had a special exemption for the rules for medical reasons (no idea what that might be!)

So I was curious and asked the BC commissaire, who reckoned it was to reduce the number of walking-wounded injuries… Lots of people when they crash will stick their hands out, and minor injuries soak up marshall/medic time and lead to unneccesary stoppages.

Steve didn’t mention it, so, entries open 1st Feb.

I still dont see how gloves stop minor injurys ?

Sound daft to me.

Minor cuts and grazes are easily prevented by wearing something over the skin of a vulnerable area.

Are the entries open yet?

I’ve clicked on ‘Purchase ticket’ which takes me to the BC website where I can’t find it on the calendar of events. 😕

entries open 1 Feb apparently

Good call on the helmets, give choose back to the rider. I think I will bring both and make a call when i have seen that course.

Also anyone thinking of doing the Mini Enduro at Haldon in Feb?

Gloves are there to prevent minor injuries, as stated by several of you, the helmet choice as Scottfitz has said is “Your call after you have practised the stages”.
I will be at the Mini Enduro, this started out as a test event for the timing, but quickly grew, Chris Roberts has taken it on, good luck to him and his team.
So see you all there 🙂