So this seems to be quite a biggy in the Berks context anyway

https://www.swinduro.com/

Beers, BBQ, camping, then day and night racing possible, Enduro, XC, Dual Slalom etc, basically anything goes !

Up to now me and my lad have entered the XC Race on the Sunday, mostly because the Swinduro seems to be 20km which is a bit long round there for him, we did 20km yesterday but it was tough on the little ones and needed breaks, i wouldn’t wanna send him out on his own on a 20km Enduro etc.

The XC Race on the Sunday is a far more sensible 3 miles for his U12 cat, I think it’s about 18km for mine and mine is before his race.

Hopefully a couple of his mates will race too and he’ll get to battle them either in the race or the Dual Slalom 🙂

If anyone else wants to and jumps on the Swinduro, then i’ll enter that on the day (Saturday) and we can all have a laugh together. It may affect my performance in the XC race the next day, but lets be honest, i’ll be near the back anyway 🙂

So, who’s playing?

I am. I entered the swinduro months ago on a whim and now it’s coming up fast! First time doing this kind of thing. Any idea how hard/committing the features are or are there chicken lines? I’ve ridden at Swinley about 3 or 4 times, once resulting in a big crash which hospitalised me for 2weeks! (I went on about it at length in this forum) So this is exorcising some demons. I will try to get up there a couple of times over the next month to try and get my eye in. My usual riding spot is QECP.

Also any chance to practice run on the day or us it ride blind?

Weekys you go round with your child they don’t do the 20km on there own.

I know that mate, but it’s still a decent ask for an 11 year old. He’s done 20km there but it ends up more of a chore than a pleasure.

Sadly the XC event has been canned so we’re without an event at all now.

So how did it go for everyone?

I finished comfortably mid pack, not troubling the pointy end, but not embarrassing myself either. Had a lot of fun and was good to see so many female riders out on course.

Highlight for me was my 5 year old competing in the under 8’s and having a lot of fun, based on his huge smile.

Event village could’ve been a bit better. Queues for food were long, and there wasn’t much for those supporting (including places to sit as was on bracken).

All in all a good fun day- and a nice introduction to Enduro racing

Many mechanicals for me. Lack of prep due to work meant I was running stupidly heavy tyres. Had great fun and was grateful if a quick link after my 4th chain explosion.
A very long but fun day (day night entry) culminating in getting lost driving an old sports car round Swinley with rubbish headlights/ground clearance. Ended up at blue 4 I think at one point.

Only just heard of it, seems a pity that the new events were cancelled due to a lack of interest.

How savage are some of the features at swinduro generally? Iv just got back into riding but can tackle the reds at Swinley and babymaker etc. May enter next year!

Nice and tame, like most races open to all there is always a B line. Some loose gravelly steep bits and the drop into Corkscrew are probably the most challenging bits.

Ah – so that’s why someone had been out painting every single root and stump with orange paint.  Made some parts feel harder to ride as all those bits were screaming ‘look at me!’ and making me consciously avoid them rather than just riding over them in blisful ignorance.

Anyone got the route, i could go and play.

Nope, all the endangered insects and birds have been moved back after the event. So no venturing off the yellow brick road.