SPAM vs. HONC

I did the SPAM 50k ride on Sunday and I’ve also entered the HONC 100k ride in April which I’ve not done before….so does anyone have any views on how the two compare with each other? (Apart from the difference in length of course)

Cheers
Andy

Whats SPAM? Is it something like HONC? Been looking for something thats similar as I can’t HONC this year as I am running a m/c event the same day.

Haven’t done HONC but was at SPAM handinbg out http://www.BigBikeBash.co.uk flyers. Most people seemed to think it was basically too much road and trail rather than mountain bike tracks. It was noticable how many CXers were at the front of the groups returning.

SPAM usually has more offroad than the HONC, but its pretty tame offroad, (mostly fireroad type stuff). Its the weather that can be the killer at SPAM, sub-zero temps, gale force winds and rain and horrendous mud have all played a major part in the past.
The HONC, being in April stands a “slightly” greater chance of good weather.

Done both many times.

The SPAM Winter Challenge (The event formerly known as Salisbury Plain Challenge) has been ‘diluted’ over the past few years largely thanks to MoD being a little more restrictive over where they can route it. It’s now laps of a tame, tarmaccy course, but it used to be a proper epic event: sometimes frozen solid, sometimes a sticky mud-fest. And it’s all way-marked.

HONC is more 50/50 tarmac/tame off-road and is billed as more of an reliability ride. Weather’s not so much of an issue it being in April. In 2006 there was a lot of dry, baked hard field edges. Not way-marked – They give you a map and you have to find your own way round. Do not follow the guy in front…

Both events attract around 1000 riders. Of the two I preferred HONC (personally I think the scenery’s better – rolling Cotswold farmland – and there’s nice cakes at the halfway pointk, and there’s more climbing/descending :O)

Haven’t ridden SPAM since in a very long time but the HONC always has a good steep climb near the start to spread the field out and then lots and lots of little climbs as you’d expect in the Cotswolds. Then a good decent near the finish! It’s great in the dry and proper hard in the wet. But it’s not a race, apart form the start when you try and keep up with the rozzers who do the escort out of Winchcombe to the first climb.

See you there

On road/off road split this year is 60/40 for both routes.

Should of added thats for HONC

I’ve done the HONC 50 twice, with my GF. It’s really a CX event so not techy stuff any basically capable off road rider can enjoy it if they are reasonably fit. It has a nice vibe. The mass start is a bit silly but fun except for the “elites” who start too far back in the mob “coming through!”. I usually start about 3/4 back and slowly pick my forward over the ride.

My first year is was hail, rain and mud. The second the dry, hard-packed and t-shirts.

Worth putting fast-rolling tyres on.