Sleepless Virgin.

producer1

Hi all,
I am taking part in a pairs team at this years SITS at Catton park. This will not only be my first 24hr Enduro but my first bike race all together. Im really looking forward to this event but at the same time, im crapping it to!!!. We are only entering for fun, but i would really appreciate any advice on all aspects of it.

Thanks peeps, W.

Stephen-Hawking

Sorry can't help, I only looked because of the title :shock:

Stoo61

Imagine my dissapointment.

llamafarmer

Energy gels

Chalky76

this post will end up with the lowest ratio of posts to views, even with this pointless observation.... :shock:

NigelSWales

dammit where's the virgins? :?: :x

clanton

Take a hard tail, ideally a rigid single speed. If its anything like last year you'll be carrying your bike as much as riding it and the rear mechs will only last at best 2 laps before being ripped off in the mud. THIN tyres for extra mud clearance.

Take a sense of humour.

Take lots of clean dry clothing

Ideally take a support crew to clean your bike whilst you rest/eat/clean yourself.

Klein XC

This might help, though it's more about XC:

http://www.doctordanger.com/Mountainbiking/race.htm

My advice would be just to go along and have fun. The good thing about enduro racing is that it's more of a race with yourself rather than other people. You'll have to push yourself and then keep pushing yourself. If you're good at this type of riding (stammina and energy preservation) then you'll certainly enjoy the challenge. Expect to replace lots of parts on your bike afterwards!

deadliest

Doh . . . Thought it was an invite to some 24hr Sexual initiation

producer1

Thanks alot for the advice, ill be sure to take it further. Thought the title might get a few hits ha ha ha ha ha . thanks once again, W

Chaz.Harding

producer1

How much of a let down is this thread, after the title...

Sir HC

Decent padded shorts is a good start, ditto with saddle and grips. You want the bike to be bearable for 24hours, I used my inbred which I found ok. It was dry so went with some continental verticals.
It rained at night when we were there, so made the grassy descents interesting.

Good lights and either spare batteries or someway of charging them. I managed to eeek out 3 hours from my 20watt lumicycle (standard sized battery), also had a Petzle MYO XP head torch. I switched the lumicycle off on the fire road climbs.

Avoid using camelbaks, get a seatpack (With multitool, tyre levers, tube and pump) and a water bottle.

Make sure your bike is going to last as well, its no fun rapairing bikes in the dark.

Take food that you will eat as well, its very well having energy gels and other stuff, but if it tastes crap then its no use!

stumpyjon

What's the issue with Camelback? I'm doing Mountain Mayhem next weekend and was planning to use mine.

RedJohn

Camelbak, you can't tell when you're running out and when you're gasping for breath and thirsty the last thing you want is to use your last remaining breath wheezing some water throughthe camelbak tube. Bottles, point and squirt!

All as I found out to my great cost at the Ten under the Ben last weekend (kinda hot there) ... resulted in an hour and a half flaked out going nowhere ...

mhuk

I'm sure you've got it sussed by now but the tips here may be of interest:

http://www.osmountainmayhem.co.uk/training_tips.html

Take some thin mud tyres as the forecast is still a bit iffy. Take a big tent or gazebo to use as a shared area/ cooking area etc.

After Mayhem we stupidly thought SITS would be dry as well so 5 of us signed up.. the other 4 in our riding group sensily opted to go to the Big Chill.

Good Luck!

stickygreen

Stephen-Hawking wrote:

Sorry can't help, I only looked because of the title :shock:

me too :shock:

KnightofCydonia

producer1 wrote:

Hi all,
I am taking part in a pairs team at this years SITS at Catton park. This will not only be my first 24hr Enduro but my first bike race all together. Im really looking forward to this event but at the same time, im crapping it to!!!. We are only entering for fun, but i would really appreciate any advice on all aspects of it.

Thanks peeps, W.

Prepare for wet ground. It's notoriously bad for flooding around there and As a local, I can say it's absolutely shat it down for as long as I can remember this summer.

Redbeard

I've signed up for SITS too, and reading all the posts, I think we'll need a paddle!

A few silly questions:
How long is the course?
Is it forest trails, grassy meadows, or a mixture?

llamafarmer

A spare set of riding gear (or more if possible). I reckon after hours of racing and a bit of kip, a dry pair of shorts and socks would be worth their weight in gold!

Max A

stickygreen wrote:

Stephen-Hawking wrote:

Sorry can't help, I only looked because of the title :shock:

me too :shock:

me three :shock: I have no idea why

Willrideforcake

Course is a mix of fire road, singletrack, and grassy stuff.
Also, take every single pair of cycling shorts you own - if it's as wet as last year, you WILL use every one of them. As said above, if it's going to be wet, take mud tyres - the course churns up very quickly - my Panaracer Muds let me carry on riding long after others were pushing mud-caked bikes around the course...

mhuk

Weather forecast is a bit better now:

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/7da ... Derbyshire

Looking forward to the Friday night carbo-loading

canada16

What no bike orgy with girl mtb's?

IM OUT....

Redbeard

Thanks everyone, here's hoping its dry....ish. I was already planning on bringing every jersey and pair if shorts/lycra I own! Socks too.

I've Nevegals on the bike at the mo, and Panaracer Mud on the spare wheels if/when it rains. All bases covered!

jazid

The weather is looking stonking for SITS.

Can only be an improvement after last years "black humour-fest" - my first SITS experience.

Whilst the Derby muddy terrain contains more clay than Mayhems race venues, I do think this year will be an good anomaly.

I've got my 1.8 mud tyres (Conti Fire Pro XC) but nothing for a fast and dry landscape! Doh!


One thing we missed last year was a gazebo that could stand up to the howling winds. Had to lash a hammer to one of them just to keep it upright.

Oh that and a portable DirtWorker, so we didnt have to endure the hour long queues at the cleaning station.

mhuk

Not sure if these links will work but this was last year's SITS:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6 ... 2713030ce3

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6 ... 6e0a9ccf36

If you see a caravan and a big blue/ green tent that's us:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3 ... =556840235

or this sailor: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3 ... =556840235

:shock:

Forget food that's good for you - bring food that you like to eat at 2am when it's cold and you're tired and grumpy. Jaffa Cakes?

jazid

Mhuk - fanatastic photos there mate. Really captured the "spirit" of the event.

Weather forecasts for SITS 2009 are all over the shop - Friday fine or Heavy rain!

Saturady will be wonderful though and so should sunday till about 2pm.

See you all there.

mhuk

The weather was good - even got sunburnt.

The Velcro tyre mud was interesting. Hope everyone who entered had a great time

jazid

What a stonking weekend.

Sun was out *mixed blessing) and the mud was better than last years, but still had lots of suction.

I switched out my Kenda Knarly to a thin 1.8, as the mud really wasnt that deep or nasty and it made all the difference on those faster grassy drags.

A really good event - and well organised as usual. Hope you all had as much fun as we did!