Afternoon all, seeing as I missed my favourite event (Dyfi Enduro) this year due to a wedding (not very well planned-i did show my disgust!!) 😈 I have entered the Marin rough ride. How does the event compare to the Dyfi? And most importantly,is it do-able on a singlespeed?
Cheers

Everything’s doable on a singlespeed.

You’ll love but not on a single speed, your poor knees. Almost all off road not rechnical but brilliant place to be out for the day.

miketually – thats cruel. Is there a flat bit of the course?

Looks like its the geared hardtail then! Is it similar to the Dyfi then?

ha! sorry but it is nothing like the dyfi!

dyfi = slatey, rocky descents, fire road climbs in the forest
rough ride = miles and miles of open moorland

chunkypaul, cheers for rubbing it in mate!! 😛 I have heard it is not as good as the Dyfi but was hoping for someone to brag it up a bit-gutted!! 😥

It’s a great tough day out on trails that cannot be ridden at any other time. The views are stunning and you really do feel that you are on a big day out. I would say that the Dyfi and the Rough Ride are the two best Enduro’s in the UK. Also Wilfs cafe will be doing food at the end, veg chilli will hard won and taste wonderful.

sorry karl couldn’t resist…

the rough ride is a proper big day out as mt states; can’t say i’d fancy those climbs on a SS though (i did the long route last year)

nothing like the Dyfi, best option for a bike would be a Cyclocross or a MTB with 1″ semi slicks. Nothing technical at all on the Roughride, although you will see some amazing crashes where people try and just turn the bars to get out of ruts and high side themselves.

Brechfa enduro or the Exmoor Explorer might be a better bet if you want a MTB enduro

Its nothing like the Dyfi. You will be bored stiff on the Rough Ride

did the rough ride in 2003 with no training – great day out but found it very tough

Yep it is different to the Dyfi but still good. You’ll not find many that say it’s easy.

its not difficult riding, as its just brain numbingly boring grassy climbs followed by long grassy descents, but the distance makes it tough especially if its hot.

The real mental challenge is not saying **** this at the 1st feed station and doing the short route 😉

Its good training for fitness, and its good one to do for the camping and atmosphere, but its not good riding IMHO

As already mentioned – nothing like the Dyfi.

It’s a bit of a love or hate route really.
I loved the RR, it’s proper “old skool” xc mountainbiking and a real challenge fitness-wise.
I can see that it wouldn’t appeal to thrill-seeking, rad dudes though. 😉

It’s the sort of event where super-fit roadies will run rings round you and the make up of the field tends to reflect that much more than the Dyfi.

Do it! You can always decide to do the shorter route at the split if you don’t fancy the big ‘un.

yes, it was I think the hottest day of the year when I did it (2002 or 2003?) drank 1 litre before, 7 litres during and 1 litre of recovery drink straight afterwards and was still really dehydrated!

Its nothing like the Dyfi. You will be bored stiff on the Rough Ride

Right pete, whereas the endless fire road climbs on the Dyfi were really entertaining!
They are very different events, I’ve done the long route on the RR for the last three years, and did the Dyfi for the first time this year. I think the Dyfi is more tiring, and more challenging mentally. On the Dyfi it seemed to me that there were four or five long gradual fire road climbs that accounted for the majority of the climbing, whereas the RR has endless ups and downs, plus a couple of really long climbs, and at any point you can usually see dozens of other riders in a long undulating line heading miles into the distance.

Having done it three times, I won’t be returning this year. I did enjoy it last time (although my companions hated it), but the food at the end was crap, and so was the T shirt, a shame as the previous ones were great.
Might try the Exmoor Explorer, that sounds like my kind of riding.

Did the long RR last year and loved it (apart from the bit where my mate ended up in hospital!). Doing it again this year; only dilema is I’ve being riding purely ss for months and was planning to give it a go with one gear. I actually liked the t-shirt, thought it was nicely understated :-). Certainly lots of climbing.
Also did Exmoor Explorer last year. Enjoyed it immenseley and will be back again.
No experience of the Dyfi.

I think the Dyfi is more tiring, and more challenging mentally

Argh! I meant to say the Rough Ride is more tiring and mentally challenging.

Don’t suppose anyone has any pics of the 2003 Rough Ride?