Well I’ve done it, entered my first race since I was 14. Signed up for the 1st Enduro 1 round at the F.O.D in March…
The real question is with all the other Masters seemingly riding around on Kashima coated, 6 inch travel, XTR equipped 4k+ builds, will I die a painful death at the back of the pack? I’ll be riding a old school Tracer with a full 4″ travel, Or are most of the masters going to be tubby IT helpdesk operatives with a fear of pedalling uphill? 😀
On the serious side, if anyone has any experience of the events and has any tips etc (other than ride harder and train longer) please fire them my way as I’m well looking forward to seeing how I get on.
Cheers, Bombjack

Id say most of the Masters will be hardened Race Ninjas!!

Damn, I’ve entered sport class so I can at least try and feel good about my riding. More effort needed in training then!

These people are all making light work of it;

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAGCRUsLXVY[/video]

there’s a reasonable selection of bikes too.

Yes, you will die.

Love it, I haven’t got a sound card at work but that SO needs the Benny Hill music in the background.
Looked like they were riding like a bunch of fairies.
Karma I unfortunately expect will be a cruel mistress.

Guy Kesteven was one of the fallers, I suspect it was trickier than it looked.

(ski sunday music btw!)

This one’s similar but with more xc type bikes in an open location;

[video]http://vimeo.com/21034147[/video]

you’ll like it 🙂

In the past I have worked out my place in the general field, say “top third” and then done the same for my category, Vets, and found it to be loads worse, “last third” for instance 🙁

APF

Guy Kesteven was one of the fallers, I suspect it was trickier than it looked.

It was fairly treacherous – but I got down it and and stayed on 🙂

To answer the original question. You won’t die. You will have fun and probably do loads better than you fear.

Cheers, Pook. That was the answer I was expecting 🙂

At last years FoD Enduro 1 there was lots of ‘Kashima coated, 6 inch travel, XTR equipped 4k+ builds’ Going on.

It was the best Enduro 1 round I did last year. You will be racing blind so try and keep you flow and the silly mistakes to a minimum.
Best to carry some quick fix bits like quick links etc… you can make up a bit of time on the transitions if you have a mechanical but going back to the car is race over.

Good luck have fun but at 47.50 and the same weekend as the Pearce Enduro* that me out this year.

*Pearce Cycles Enduro at Hopton was great when they ran it in 2012. Great trails and very smoothly run.

I aim to please

Cheers for the pointers Scottfitz, I thought the price was a little steep but figured it would be a toe in the water to see if the body can handle it.
Even skipped desert last night as the start of the training!

scottfitz: Is there a Pearce Enduro this year? nothing on their events list on the web site? I enjoyed it last time too…

Mad Pierre – Member

scottfitz: Is there a Pearce Enduro this year? nothing on their events list on the web site? I enjoyed it last time too…
Yep it was on there facebook page,23rd march, at hopton again, 4 timed runs on 3 stages (One done twice)

I did the FOD round in 2012 and it was a great laugh, didn’t feel like a serious race at all. That wasn’t to say that everyone wasn’t pinning it on the timed stages to the best of their abilities but those stages are a small fraction of the day.

As it was my first enduro race I stuck two pieces of white tape on my bars and wrote “Get low and flow!” and “Look way ahead!” on them. I think it helped – I’m quite cautious on new trails so riding blind at full tilt was unfamiliar territory.

I was on a hardtail – I don’t think it was much of a disadvantage at FOD.

I’m a tubby IT helpdesk operative but its the up hill that make me competitive… somehow every one passes me on the downhill 🙁

wwaswas – Member

These people are all making light work of it;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAGCRUsLXVY

there’s a reasonable selection of bikes too.

Man – that is one of the funniest things I have seen for ages. I was almost crying at my desk.

The comments from the camera-man and his mates make the video, the half-hearted ‘are you alright?’ etc.

Some manage to end up on their arse three or 4 times. I liked the bloke who got intertwined with his frame as he slides down.

Yep it was on there facebook page,23rd march, at hopton again, 4 timed runs on 3 stages (One done twice)

Aha! Missed that. Cheers. Probably up for that when its confirmed. Loosener for the UK Gravity Enduros (assuming I can get an entry to those!) 🙂

I entered my frist enduro last year on my 4″ travel 2001 cannondale jackll with a lefty fork. And yes I was killed to death but was a lot of fun wouldn’t worry about where you finish just enjoy it and there will always be people on 4k+ bikes with 6″ + travel just smile when you beat them

Thanks guys, noted the points about spare quick links etc, given the price I don’t want a mechanical to ruin my day, looks like I’ll have half a bike in my bag as cover…
Last time I rode the FOD was on a HT, and I didn’t think it was that bad, I just kept telling myself it was all about technique.
TBH if its anything like the triathlons I’ve taken part in a lot of the kit doesn’t make that much difference unless you’re at the sharp end of the field. Competition with yourself however is a much more dangerous thing – I started out thinking I’d do it for a laugh, now I’m actually training and dieting for the season. And might even enter some XC races 😯
Bar tape might read “if in doubt, flat out!”