You could prob ride everything in two afternoons. But blade is the best. If you like the black at the end of the wall right by where you’re staying you could head over the masts for more scary enduro stuff. I would give blue scar a miss unless you like kitty litter.

deadkenny – Member

Similar with Vicious Valley on the red. Never had issues with that. An easy red (if you don’t branch off to A470 but that has its own qualifier). Yet a drop entrance on it that I’ve always had trouble with due to my major hang ups with drops I can’t see over until the last second. Sure I know most here would say it’s tiny, but I just have trouble with that one for some reason.

You just need to go for it. You cannot crash unless you go stupid slow. Which I once did, while looking the other way, OTB and broken collarbone…

I used to think that qualifier was daft but it is kind of justified now they’ve added a series of sizeable drop offs to the red at the bottom (Insufficient Funds?).

Agree Dai Hard qualifier is OTT for that particular trail but some of the other blacks are a bit full-on.

You can always change at lunchtime

Full face because falling off at those speeds with all the rocks they have lying around is bad news

But even with uplift if it’s hot you’ll get hot as the descents are quite pedally and physical

I did some enduros on one a couple of years ago and it was good downhill, very solid feeling. Not as sprightly uphill as my xc bikes but there’s a reason for that.

It’s that kind of selfish behaviour that gives cyclists a bad name.

But I wouldn’t say it was typical.

FWIW my training plan for the Builth marathon is to do the ELBNO ride the night before. Now that’s what I call last-minute.

I’d say wheelie first because when you go over the back you can easily get your feet down, whereas if you go over doing a manual you’re more likely to land on your arse (and, worst case, coccyx – ouch)

I’ve only done it clockwise but I can’t see it making much difference. Epic XC route either way.

Anticlockwise you’ll come down the Das which is steep and bound to be fun but a lot of height lost very quickly. On the other hand, carrying up the Das is horrid.

Do it on a nice day whatever you do!

Spending 3k on a short travel 29er would definitely make me faster and a better husband/father right

Absolutely. Though I got well beaten by an enduro bike at Afan today and kinda wish I’d taken mine.

Mallaen is always a largely trackless bog and the descent is overrated imo. It’s nice for an adventure but not as a ride if that makes sense.

I would take up Ambrose’s offer of GPS files for the Irfon forest or go to Brechfa which is the easiest option or try the Crychan forest just north of Llandovery which also has some really techy enduro tracks if that’s your thing.

Crychan route that took in everything xc there, twice: https://www.strava.com/activities/692335467

Trouble is, MintyJim, I haven’t got round to riding that one yet but it’s on the list for this year. So then you’ll still be in third 😉

The Reaper: https://www.strava.com/segments/7697572

Does OP mean true DH or natural enduro? Plenty in Brechfa and Crychan forests if you want steep mud and roots

Not sure I agree with the numbers but I take your point. I’d say three hours total, half an hour descending and two hours climbing. 5% slower on climbs, 10% quicker on descents and one less puncture. Closer now…

Was Llandegla shit then? I had high hopes for that one…

Dunno what to expect from the new Aber venue but I’m not the biggest fan of the Pembrey and Builth CX courses.

Why do I always arrive at a thread after it’s finished?

Anyway, FWIW last year I put Ardents and bar ends on my Foxy and still got to the top of the Dyfi Enduro first climb ahead of where I expected to be. Sadly my derailleur then fell apart, so I can only speculate about what would have happened next, but I reckon I would’ve gained enough time on the tech descents to just about make up for the extra half a stone uphill.

As others have said, the tyres seem to make the biggest difference. Along with spds and bar ends, for me at least.

On a less slatey techy course the xc bike would be a fair bit quicker.

Sounds like perhaps you should just ride for fun for a bit. You’ll probably still end up hitting a few climbs, but it’ll be because you feel like it rather than because you have to. The whole idea of schedules and intervals brings me out in a rash…

I’ll be at Afan but I’m not really feeling it for XC after Stroud mudfest. Need to have a word with myself.

[That was aimed at Ferrals, but sounds like he’s not the only one]

Sorry, my mistake about Trallwm. I didn’t know they’re still maintaining the trails. They’ve definitely shut the cafe and stopped hosting races, though, and I hear logging has trashed the enduro tracks. Lovely place to stay outside midge season.

Coed Trallwm is no longer open. The trails weren’t much cop anyway.

You’ll get wettest feet but most choice at Brechfa
Nant yr Arian is more likely to be raining but has a cafeteria
Cwm Rhaeadr is short but has longest funnest descent

I had to turn my FS into a singlespeed at the Dyfi Enduro last year and that had an oval ring and I just locked out the shock and it was fine.

Well, it wasn’t fine, it was hard work, but it functioned perfectly.

I also run a singlespeed with an oval ring and everything said above is true.

If it’s all weather, why run mud tyres?

Fair point Stu. I suppose it’s like doing an iron man or something. Something to tick off. I feel I ought to be able to do one and do well. But yeah, maybe it is just a stupid idea.

Accept that the fast solo guys are on another planet and enjoy the pain!.

No way. If I’m not on that planet I’m not playing!!

Thanks, some useful answers there. I’m going to have to have a good long think about the mental side. I get bored after 6 hours and I hated the second half of the Bristol 12 hour. I don’t think I ate enough, which didn’t help. But after I got lapped by the leader I just wanted to go home. Maybe doing a pairs or fours would be good prep for overnight thing.

Most of Sweden is littered with random lumps of rock but the ride we did was very English – open woodland finishing with a jumpy trail centre type descent under a ski lift. It was fun, just not Alpine. I don’t know the south of Sweden well enough to give you any advice I’m afraid. I lived up north near Åre, which has a bit more elevation. I’m sure you’ll still have fun given that you’re reading the 2017 XC thread not the 2017 Gnarduro thread 🙂

Mick, I did a half-day with Lonnie from http://www.ridgecycling.com a few years ago. Nice chap. Enjoyed apart from the steep bit where I forgot the Euro brakes and landed on my head… Bear in mind Southern Sweden’s not the hilliest of places so not much in the way of big descents. Better to head further north!

Thanks tomvet. Sounds good. Prob be there Sunday week. Will see how I get on (haven’t raced xc for a few years) and then maybe do the Welsh series. Fed up with coming last in enduro 🙂

Has anyone done the MAD xc races in Stroud? Any good? Much climbing? Any tech?

Sorry, didn’t mean to sound big-headed. Just trying to come at it from the angle of someone who actually can climb well and does so without training at elite/pro level. Of course there are still plenty of people faster than me; they must try even harder…

Interesting thread!

As a very strong climber on the mtb, my initial thoughts are:

1. Do you climb steep enough hills on the road? Offroad climbs are effectively steeper than road climbs because of rolling resistance etc. The amount of grunt required is therefore much greater.

2. Are you actually trying hard enough? People seem to think I’m a different species because I seem to climb so easily, but I’m not sure what natural advantages I might have. I’m not abnormally light, I have very little power (I have to stand to climb), and I don’t train properly (I’d rather give up cycling than do intervals etc). I think the difference is simply that I put in more effort than they do. In a race I will be close to collapse at the top of a climb (though obviously I won’t let it show). On normal rides I treat most hills as a KOM opportunity. I also spend a lot of time on a singlespeed.

Put me on the flat though and the roadies leave me for dead. Embarrassingly so.

The trouble with making the national series a step up to the EWS is that it then appeals to a tiny minority of riders. How many riders in the UK are at that almost-EWS level? 50?

The vast majority of riders don’t want long physically demanding loops or long EWS-wannabe pedalfest stages or loads of scary techy steep stuff.

As it happens, I do, but that’s because I’m special. I did three BES rounds last year. I really enjoyed the stages and came more or less last every time. But I couldn’t give a damn about stepping up to the EWS.

I think the BES failed because of the endless focus on prize money and elite riders and rules and regulations. It should have made more effort to appeal to people like me: average riders looking to push their limits and have fun. We know we’re only there to make up numbers, but we don’t need our noses rubbed in it.

UKE ended horribly but it did get the vibe so much better. I suspect that’s where Ard Rock is succeeding. You want a successful multi-day event, you have to have food and drinks and music and fun together in the evening. Not everyone tucked up in bed by 9pm.

The atmosphere at the BES reminded me of a British Cycling XC race crossed with a funeral…

Just want to say in defence of the Raven that actually there is no fire road descent on that trail.

Also that Legburner at Nant yr Arian should only be 15-20 minutes of hell.

Toughest climb in my book is BPW, because you end up doing it 5-6 times…

But I really fancy a trip to Golspie now. Sounds ace.

@fathomer

In a word, yes. They are a lot harder than this year’s Welsh events.

Surely when it fails it won’t be any worse than when I ripped the tyre in the first place, and most likely it’ll deflate a lot more slowly?

Is glue/sealant reaction a fact? Especially as I’ve read about rim manufacturers recommending Gorilla tape as an alternative to Stan’s rim tape!

50 hard off-road miles and counting…

Thanks, I haven’t tried WTB before, will look into them.

I like the Ardent but have ripped two this year and no. 1 priority in a race is finishing…

Sorry I thought it was a which one/way to turn question. If it’s jammed then follow above advice.

(I assume you’ve tried turning the inside clockwise? Or both inside and outside at once?)

Undo anticlockwise from the outside

The same reason that just playing cricket isn’t great training for being a fast bowler. Or driving an F1 car. Or <insert almost any sport here…>

Which is???

whitestone – Member

@chrispo – they are used and are important in keeping the joints stable but they need to be in balance with the primary movement muscles. You shouldn’t be strengthening one without doing the other.

If they’re used while cycling, how come cycling alone doesn’t exercise them adequately?

Why isn’t cycling the perfect training for cycling?

If doing enduro doesn’t build up your upper body, why do you need to build up your upper body to do enduro?

(I’m not disagreeing with anyone, I just don’t understand…)

PS Best all-round strength training for cycling I’ve ever done was a winter of nothing but singlespeeding in Wales. I got a core of steel. Was still skinny as, though.