Pete,

The race wasn’t far from Brizzle; the epicentre of bike theft. I’d figured they’d be a few scrotes attracted to the place. Hope the riders get some resolution.

Echo the comments above, brilliant course, first half was actually very fun, especially the fast corners!

Overall a fantastic event, and agree with Gee regarding good value! A weekend away with a race for £65!

Back doing Solo for me and I really enjoyed it, although not having a support crew was harder then I thought! Managed to bag 10th though 🙂

Solo winner doing 33 laps though, amazing.

I should clarify that I don’t think it’s bad value in the least (hence I keep doing it!), but it does cost more than it did when there was a lot more stuff there. I remember in 2005 there was the London Philarmonic performing, and we’ve had fireworks and all sorts.

I met a guy who was pushing a singlespeed up one of the short steep grassy bits and I remarked that I didn’t really think it was a singlespeed course, and he said he didn’t either but he’d had his Tallboy nicked. They’d also lost another bike from his team, and he thought some others had gone too. Sucks.

Our team had two bikes stolenaround 3am Sunday.
Santa Cruz TallBoy carbon, suitably blinged up; Mavic Crossmax ST, Thomson bits etc.
Kinesis Maxlight – 10 yrs old. This one was found dumped in amongst another teams bikes at bottom of Campsite C. Guess they realised tiwas f***ed! Luckily they didnt spot the £800 Lupines on it. Every cloud etc etc.
The exit point from the arena seems to have been bottom corner of the field in ths area – quiet and close to road for the whtie Ford Transit connect that was spotted here around this time…….

So………..
If any one offers you a SC TallBoy, or other top end carbon bike, please ask lots of questions!

That was me pushing the single speed!
Rode it the next lap – the anger had replaced the sick feeling. One of my fastest laps actually!

On the bike theft thing.

I was talking to another solo rider in the solo tent (which was empty bar me and two others) and he said he had to stop, and when I asked why, he said he had just left his bike in the tent to go to teh toilet, came back and it wasn’t there 🙁 Gutted for him!

First time Mayhem for me, as part of a mixed team – gutted to hear of bikes being nicked 🙁

Thought the whole thing was awesome – the course was brilliant (though the climbs in the second half were a real killer when tired!), the track through the campsite was great for a morale boost especially as the second straight was slightly downhill, and the general atmosphere was amazing. Chronic hayfever attack and nasty leg cramps in between laps meant I didn’t get as much out of the event as I’d have liked, and only managed 5 laps – at least the climbs were wide enough that the fast guys could get past those of us who had to resort to pushing!

I’ll echo the comments about the toilets closing early though, could have done with them being open until after prize-giving, but a minor niggle really.

Just after my fourth lap I just wanted it to be over, now I’m looking forward to next year…!

I was talking to another solo rider in the solo tent (which was empty bar me and two others) and he said he had to stop, and when I asked why, he said he had just left his bike in the tent to go to the toilet, came back and it wasn’t there Gutted for him!

Oh no. I left my bike outside the same loos at about 4am and never imagined it would be nicked. Guess I was just lucky it wasn’t. They should really sort out the security. How hard would it be to lock the campsite down during the event to stop any thieves getting away? It’s bigger than a small music festival yet has much less security even though there’s 10s of thousands of pounds of hardware easily accessible to thieves. If it was a question of paying an extra £20 for an entry I’d happily pay it.

Awful to hear about bikes being stolen. I left my bike outside the loos etc and it never occurred to me that it might not be there when I came out 😐

This was my 3rd mayhem as a mixed team of 5 and I loved it!! I thought the course was fab and personally didn’t mind the climbs – they hurt, but were a proper challenge which I enjoyed!! The atmosphere after the last climb on the home run back through the campsite was ace, loved that, although riding through at about 6am and smelling all the bacon sarnies on the go was torture!!

Security were on all gates through the night. It appears that they parked outside and exited via a quiet corner into a neighbours land, targeted for sure. Needless to say its a total downer for all the riders. Rich, I came down from HQ to have a look and combed all the neighbours plot plus all the hedges with no luck.

Our second crack at MM and a resounding thumbs up. Loved the course, a huge improvement on last year. For one thing, I didn’t have to walk 30% of it.

Some random thoughts/sights: dawn breaking over the campsite, with the moon hovering above was just awsome when seen from the bottom of the valley. I stopped at the bottom of the valley to get a photo; speeding down hill with a deer running alongside me (it veered off and scared the sh1t out of a marshall); the sound of Hendrix floating across the lake at about 11pm; my cage and waterbottle rattling off and under my bike on the Red Bull; my team mate falling from the high path down past the low path at the top of the meadow.

Look, there’s dawn. ‘Hi Dawn’, ‘Hello boys!’

One other thing (apart from the bikes being knicked, which is p1ss poor). MTB is not a racially diverse sport is it?

I went for a shower after my night laps and a guy told me there’d been bikes nicked. Walking past the main gate there was a guy getting very sweary with the two security people who were there. Came back from my shower and said guy was now outside of the gate… & still very sweary.

Couldn’t work out if he was a very upset competitor who’d had his bike nicked or someone who they were suspicious of.

<rumour>The security staff weren’t on the gate when the bikes were nicked overnight</rumour> I was told that buy the guy who told me about the thefts and had just been stood with “sweary bloke”. If that’s true that’s shocking.

As for the event, it’s amazing what some great weather can do. All the course was rideable for a lot more riders this year, but I don’t think it would have been any better than last year if it had rained.

There were some much better sections this year; like “Singletrack singlestack” and some of the shorter descents that added to the fun, as did some of the small jumps around the course. If it’s at Gatcombe next year you’d hope they get even more leeway to explore the woods with some dedicated trails. There was still too much height loss on fire roads though for my liking.

It’ll be a shame to loose Wiggle’s funding (no idea how big the cheque they write is) but it’s a soulless start area. They were back with the van with 20 items.

The trackside camping was brilliant. Abuse & encouragement in equal measure and the slightly downhill ride in to the finish makes you feel so much better at the end of a knackering lap.

Brilliant atmosphere out on course as well. Chatted to quite a few solo riders along the way and props to the guy on his 20th lap at about 10 am in some red shop kit who said “I’m dead”…he looked it but he kept plugging away.

I think I’ll return next year (I think that was my sixth) but if it rains it’ll be 2013 (or God forbid 2012) all over again.

However the biggest problem for me was the lack of the tartiflette van. Can we get some burritos next year, and the beer tent!?

Overall, in the words of Tom Paulin “I thought it was great”. (wearing appropriately rose-tinted sunny weather spectacles, and because of the atmosphere and course improvements).

I don’t think it would have been any better than last year if it had rained.

Mmm, the steep climbs were shorter in the main, and a lot more doable. I agree there would have been lots of walking for many had it rained, but definitely an improvement.

Fantastic Weekend at Mayhem with Guesting for Salsa Factory racing.
Camping by the top of the final climb back to the campsite-Ace.
Getting a flipflop tan-Cracking
Crashing on Dewy Grass at 2am at 50Kph -Sore Now
Being in the race for the win for 24hrs with the largest gap between us and Pivot-Boompods being 7 mins -Sweet
Everyone I asked to move over moved over ( THANKS, huge appreciation for that!)
And 2nd in Open Men by 1min 30… Agonising but fantastic.
Generally buzzing and the showers were always working and warm!
Bruce

@ mikertroid

I was just seeking clarification. I am not surprised in the slightest unfortunately.

I live locally so will keep an eye out in case it was local scrotes as opposed to Bristol imports.

Gloucester is even closer by the way.

Had a great weekend, my 9th mayhem in a team of 4 and this year with 3 newbies. We al had a great time, course was better than last year but this mat have been due to the weather, some of the fireroad climbs got quite slippy in places. Agree with the lack of festival atmosphere comments posted, gutted for those that had bikes nicked. Trackside camping was definitely a boost but was a bit disappointed that there was no-one cheering you on over the jump of doom, did it on all of my 7 laps without as much as a whimper from the campers 😥 and where were the inflatable dolls seen at the Eastnor events by the jump of doom, always made me chuckle. I did hear a rock covers band playing somewhere on an evening lap but never saw any sign of them, sounded ok too. May even be tempted to do it again next year now…

Trackside camping was definitely a boost but was a bit disappointed that there was no-one cheering you on over the jump of doom, did it on all of my 7 laps without as much as a whimper from the campers

I’m at risk of becoming a full on moaner now (which is totally unfair, as it was a great event), but I thought that too! In fact whilst team mates had all the beer, water pistols, heckling etc I barely heard anything from anyone whilst riding through the campsite! Even the Retrobike lot were just sat there watching people in silence when I went past, they’re losing their touch! 🙂

missnotax – Member

Awful to hear about bikes being stolen. I left my bike outside the loos etc and it never occurred to me that it might not be there when I came out

If I was a bike thief, I’d get some lycra and just pick bikes up from races, it’d be so easy. Or even trailcentres etc. Just look like you belong and nobody will ever suspect. But even knowing that I still leave my bike lying around at races.

targeted for sure

it never occurred to me that it might not be there when I came out

RE bike thefts – every well publicized open-air bike show, event etc that I’ve been at in the last few years has been targeted and after one loss of bikes we went back over CCTV with security and saw the ‘bloke that did look a little out of place but I wasn’t sure, didn’t say anything at the time’ wheeling 2 pricey bikes off site.
They’re targeting events and are bold as brass and they don’t look like stereotype chavvy thieves. Be wary, please.

There were also thefts from cars, someone close to us (I was with one of the guys who had his bike nicked) had his wallet taken from his car and I was also told someone had lights and other items taken from their cars. Not sure if the cars were locked, but still a sad state of affairs

anyone know when the results are out?

If I was a bike thief, I’d get some lycra and just pick bikes up from races, it’d be so easy. Or even trailcentres etc. Just look like you belong and nobody will ever suspect. But even knowing that I still leave my bike lying around at races.

I was at a sportive where someone had a Dogma stolen outside sign-on – security were alerted and they spotted someone driving off the site with it half sticking out, the rozzers caught a chap wearing cycling gear. Just rocked up, waited till no-one was looking and boom.

There was never a moment over the weekend at our camp that bikes were left or vehicles left open without someone being around. Sucks that we have to think like this. 🙁

Bearing in mind that about a week ago a team riding a triathlon for Help for Heroes had all their gear nicked in Gloucestershire, I thought it would be (sadly) inevitable that bikes would get pinched overnight. The security seemed good but with people cruising around on bikes all day and night, in casual gear and lycra, there’s no real way for them to spot the racers from the supporters and the thieves, I rode my bike in both lycra and casual clothes through the campsite and I’m sure plenty of other racers did too.

I only have one criticism regarding the climbs and that’s that the people pushing were often on the smoothest line. The climb which had claggy mud on the right hand side had one small clear line up the left, but every time I went up it I had to go into the clag to get past the people walking their bikes. I also had a couple of occasions of people walking two abreast on the narrow sections which didn’t make it very fun. I was able to ride them all anyway, just slightly slower than I would have liked to at times. Apart from that the course was absolutely perfect.

Jonxmack – Agree with that yes.

I had another great year, first time as a team of ten,

Snapped my chain on my first lap at the top of the redbull 🙁 None of the stalls had a chain I could fit on so borrowed a bike for the rest of my laps.

Enjoyed the course very much, The first of mt practice laps on the SS I rode almost all only slipped on the grass “hump” in the meadow on the right hander. 2nd lap pushed more due to traffic.

Didn’t manage to get track side camping but was only a tent away from the course and sat on the horsey jumps on the last right hand bend of the campsite heckling.

Was great, well done to all involved.

One of my best Mayhems – excellent course and excellent weather.

Fewer people there/more compact site compared to my previous Mayhem (Eastnoor 2010), and good showers/toilets! BUT dissapointed with the lack of trade stands. Very surprised not to see SRAM etc in attendance – do they not want to come OR is this something to do with Wiggle/overpriced fees to attend?

Someone said earlier ‘last year for Wiggle sponsoring’ – is this true?

The bike our friend had nicked was a Spesh Camber 29er, red/white

only reason our other team mates wasn’t was because he had a lock around it, so they couldn’t ride away with it, so they left it dumped the other side of the camp.

Apparently they were chased by someone, but got away.

The van had been turned away at the entrance, otherwise it would have been a case of them getting away with a lot more bikes!

My bike was placed in the boot of my car after each lap.

I heard there was a guy by us who had his wallet stolen from his tent too!

They were wearing hi-viz’s apparently to try and blend in!

Anyone know when the results are due?

Echo all the praise already mentioned but must thank the guys doing the free bike repairs/servicing. My youngest lad 7yrs old brought his little Kona but the rear brake fell apart whilst I was racing he rode up to the service guys who fixed it for him then he went on his own & bought some lock on grips for it brought them back & asked his mum if she could put them on – she couldn’t but suggested going back to the ‘bike fixer men’ and ask them if they could do it & she gave him some money. He went up & they fitted his grips for him for free, they made a little 7yr old boy very happy who then rode round campsite all day on his bike cheering his dad on when he could – that’s why I love Mayhem.

One other thing (apart from the bikes being knicked, which is p1ss poor). MTB is not a racially diverse sport is it?

I wondered about that this weekend – very much a ‘white middle class men with a smattering of women’ crowd. With plenty of disposable income judging by the number of VW Transporters around the place (yes, I know there will be someone on a £10 bike from 1990 who rode 100 miles there because they couldn’t afford the train fare but I’m talking generally).

I’m pretty sceptical of schemes to ‘encourage’ members of ethnic minorities etc to take part – my thinking is, it’s open to all and all are welcome so why force it – but it’s interesting to wonder why it is……

Fantastic event, totally destroyed me, rode in a team of four, no idea how the soloists manage to keep going and some of them go so fast. Course was excellent, and fellow racers were superb, some friendly banter whilst waiting in transition and on track. Loved the climbs, and the descents were technical enough without feeling it belonged on a downhill course. The owls tweeting and shreeking in the middle of the night were a pleasant sound to hear, could only imagine they were on with get off my land in but that might have been tiredness kicking in. There was a guy riding, playing music from somewhere on his person, had to chuckle as I got to him he was playing I’m so excited, just couldn’t help but join in the singing whilst blasting past.

Can’t wait to go again, that was addictive.

Results are up. 🙂

Linky

There was a guy riding, playing music

one of the soloists – saw him a few times – playing lots of 80s classics. I couldn’t help but sing along!

I always enjoy Mayhem regardless of the course/the weather/the race.
It’s always a great excuse to get together with mates, chill out, drink beer and ride your bike.

I thought this years course was good. Mayhem is never going to be the most technical of courses but this one was great for racing. The singletrack that was there was fun but still allowed for passing. Not 100% convinced that Gatcombe is any more weatherproof than Eastnor but fortunately with the glorious sunshine we didn’t have to find out.

But to be part of such an epic, epic battle for the win with Gee, Al and the other Salsa guys was truly mind blowing. 24 hours of racing without being able to ease off for any of it!

Going out for your last lap, 23 hours in, knowing that Gee is only a couple of minutes behind, turning himself inside out to catch you, certainly gets the adrenalin going. Still buzzing from it now…

An awesome weekend!

Pivot Boompods Racing

Just seen the fastest lap in ten man was 27:43.

HOW THE F***?!

Just seen the fastest lap in ten man was 27:43.

HOW THE F***?!

Did you see who it was though? Olympic athletes are often relatively handy 😉

Respect to Kevin Smith, with a Red Bull section time of 3hrs 42.

Respect to Kevin Smith, with a Red Bull section time of 3hrs 42.

I thought that. Sounds like a bad day on the bike. 🙁

34/80 in Sport Men, not bad considering we were a man down – top half was our aim.
10 laps, average of 44 mins per lap – I’ll take that 🙂
Interesting to see that the Sport Men and Open Men categories are pretty similar.

Always are, hence the stupidity of having both!

They need to rename open “elite men/women”, making it obvious it’s for the quickest teams (which it ostensibly is, as you’re not allowed any expert/elite riders in sport. As it is you get a couple of elite teams at the top of open, then most people really don’t know which to enter!