Mountain Mayhem 2014

In. Solo.

Entered last year for the first time since 2007,it was ok but didn’t fancy doing it again this year.Might have a look next year if they sort the course out.

‘passionate’ organisational team

IN (10 Man Team)

IN also – 4 man team.

Did D2D last year in a 3. This will be our first 24 hour event, and interested to see how is plays out!

Went for the first time last year as part of a Sport Mixed team of 5, and everyone enjoyed it. One guy had been twice before but the rest of us were noobs. It didn’t take much (any) persuading to get the team back for another crack at it this year.

I thought the atmosphere and craic were great last year, I guess it depends who you are with and their attitudes as well as the what the organisers and sponsors can muster up.

Might have a look next year if they sort the course out.

They have been saying they will since the first one. 😉

IN: Solo

First time solo and only second ever Mayhem – first one was the mudbath, quagmire of 2012 at Eastnor, so this year should be easy.

One thing is for sure, I wont be challenging the top 10!

Would be nice if there was a bit of techy or fun sections but tbh its the overall challenge I am going for, and no doubt it will be!

Mixed team of 5 for me – looking forward to it!

My first Mayhem was in 2012 and quite franky nothing can be as bad as that (it had become my benchmark for muddy non-enjoyable mtb rides) – anything else is going to be great!!

CBA to enter, if the weather is incredible in the run up to it I’ll see if I can blag a ride with a random team!

Not sure what’s going on with the entry process…..
I sure they said the solo category was full pretty soon after it opend so I went ahead and entered other evens around that time, booked time off work, made plans etc etc and now they are saying its not full and there are still places available. Don’t get it….unless it was some kind of plan to make people panic int entering, hasn’t worked in my case…
Still undecided by the way…£75….

So as a first 24hr solo it’s not to be reccomended? Reading between the lines it’s steep enough to have to walk and not very interesting?

I’m going along, it’ll be my 5th Mayhem on the trot but first as a solo, usually been in a team of 4, but as they’ve dispersed to various parts of the globe for the summer it’s all down to me.

Personally I can’t wait as I really enjoyed it last year, coming 16th in Open male probably helped with that though

Reading between the lines it’s steep enough to have to walk and not very interesting?

Last year was the first time at the venue, and there were some very steep hils, and a lot of muddy fireroad descending.

This year they’ve been given a little more free rein to build, and with any luck they’ll make the climbs rideable for mere mortals!

Personally I can’t wait as I really enjoyed it last year, coming 16th in Open male probably helped with that though

We came 2nd in Open male, but I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it hugely 😉

To be honest, after the utter slog fest that was Eastnor ’12 anything was enjoyable

New course for 2014:

click to embiggen

Old course for reference:

click to embiggen

“There might still be a few minor adjustments, but this is pretty much how it will be in 2014. We have included last year’s course here as well so you can see the difference, but in a nutshell, this is what you’ll get:

20% less climbing overall
trackside camping
loads more viewing points for spectators
clockwise circuit

Much more to keep everyone happy we feel!”

I think I’m happy because there is less (hard) climbing but a bit disappointed I can’t measure myself against my performance last year.

Discuss…

Pretty much the same amount of climbing but without that stupid big ass grassy hill – can’t be a bad thing especially if it rains

It looks sufficiently different to keep it interesting compared to last year – I was worried the course would be just like last year, but in reverse. We won’t know how good it actually is until the day.

I think their elevation graph might be wrong. Last year we started at the highest point on the course, this year it looks like the start is in the same place but this time it is the lowest point on the course? I think they might have started that graph in the wrong location.

I must admit I was struggling to get my head around that elevation graph, quite tempted to draw out the new route just to see if it is right.

Liking the new route and elevation. Looks better for solo riders too 🙂

I’ve traced roughly the new course and my elevation looks somewhat different. Obviously my tracing is quite rough and actually turned out a bit shorter as it cuts corners…

Yes, I was bored.

That looks like the old, not the new route…

Do we actually know how much ascent in metres there is this year? Their (wonky?) graphs show 353m this year and 336m last year. How does an increase of 17m equal 20% less climbing overall this year? But then, if the graphs are wrong…

jaymoid, in your rough re-drawing, how much elevation do you get? btw, if you’re bored, perhaps you’d kindly redraw it with more accuracy? 😉

This years has 336m climbing – Jaymoid’s links seem to be the wrong way round.

Less climbing? Christ, last year the climbs were the only place that seemed to separate the riders out. Making it easier won’t help.

Sorry – yes the embiggen links are the wrong way around! I noticed after the edit window 🙁 – check the URL for the truth.

@Cakefest.
From bikehike:
Total Ascent: 305m
Total Descent: 305m
Start Elevation: 180m
End Elevation: 180m Elevation
Min Elevation: 92m Gradient
Max Elevation: 189m

The course layout from the picture MM have posted is on an angle, so it’s hard to trace it on a top down and get it any more accurate. Also they said there might be some minor adjustments.

Doesn’t seem to be 20% less either way. Not that the quantity of climbing was the issue, more the vertiginous nature of those climbs!

Looks like they’ve done a lot of work though, still hoping the weather’s good and I’ll try and blag a ride!

Njee, I agree. Thinking back to last year one of the things that made it tough was how steep the climbs were, yes they were short but boy they were steep! Looking at the 2014 profile from MM there are still some ultra steep segments in there, and the avg. slope is virtually the same.

Not really seeing much difference yet. Climbing training, here I come.

For what it’s worth, MM have just confirmed that the elevation isn’t started from the start (like their 2013 course is), my guess is that it’s started from somewhere low down near the lake as it’s about 120m-ish.

(source: their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MountainMayhem24hr)

So it looks like it’s all the descending in the first half of the lap, then all the climbing in the second half. Not ideal, but hard to avoid when the arena’s at the top of the course I guess.

Couldn’t resist it. Been debating entering for a month or so but finally decided to go for it again, solo of course
See you all there!

Done the last eight years as a solo but encouraged by the missus to enter as a team this year due to recent illness. Team of five it is.

…quite a few of my riding mates have declined to return though, they’ve had enough.

Still wonder whether as an event it would work as a two-year on two year off rotation with Gatcombe and Eastnor to keep the riders engaged and allow the venue to rest.

As said above last years grassy climb, cobbled climb and that mud fest climb in the woods were all a bit silly for mere mortals.

As said above last years grassy climb, cobbled climb and that mud fest climb in the woods were all a bit silly for mere mortals.

Last year was my first, and I got the feeling from early on that the course setters had got a bit carried away with the new venue. By the look of the profile, they have listened to us ordinary mortals and hopefully the course will be a lot more rideable.

Back with a 10 person ‘fun’ team.

Had it stayed dry I don’t think last years course would been half as bad,but it’s Mayhem…….it hardly ever stays dry !

Not regretting not entering this year… 🙂

So there was another thread!

Too soon to start celebrating the lack of rain I reckon, and if it does rain I’m blaming you for the undoubted mud-bath! 🙂

Maps are up:
http://www.wigglemountainmayhem.com/venue/wiggle-mountain-mayhem-2014-maps/

Are the orange bits on the map Strava segments?

I thought they made a big thing of the trackside camping this year? Looks similar to last year isn’t it?

Still tempted to try and find a team if the weather does look that good in the days before!

Are there Osprey’s at the lake?

I might fancy a bit of twitching half way around? 🙂

Are the orange bits on the map Strava segments?

No sponsered sections,

Strava segments will be all over the place by friday afternoon.

I thought they made a big thing of the trackside camping this year? Looks similar to last year isn’t it?

+1

Coming down from north yorkshire, i’ll have no chance of being near the track.