Mountain Bike Challenge

dickydulux

Anyone doing this or has done it in the past?
Thinking of giving it a go :shock:

http://www.rpmrt.org.uk/eventdetail.php?EventID=5

RealMan

47 mile circular section of the Pennine Bridleway. The entire route is way marked and easy to follow, the riding surfaces mainly good on tracks, newly created paths and trails or minor roads, and involves approximately 6300 feet of ascent.

Good distance, good amount of climbing, riding surfaces sound a little bit dull, but if you were just to treat it as a training session and start late and see how many people you can over take, could be a decent day out.

P-Jay

I've done the Taff Trail Challenge a few times, simular sort of thing. 55 miles from Brecon, over the beacons and down to Cardiff Bay. It's a good laugh, as long as you've got a couple of hundred like minded souls doing at the same time the miles just melt away. Not saying it's easy mind.

marcaudsley

I did it last year and it was very tough. Enjoyable but tough, some very gruelling climbs but some great decents too. I think it is anti clockwise this year which is good as you wont have the Rooley lane to finish on.
I would highly recommend it.

delcol

it's the mary townely one there's been a few threads on this try a search.. there was a few guys on here on about doing it.

stumpyjon

Done it for the last two years, it is tough, especially if wet. I came 118 out over 204 and it took me 7 hrs 53 mins to give you an indication. Best time was around 4 hrs 20 mins, last person came in sometime after 10 hrs. 26 dropped out or were to slow through the check points. It is a good ride, I'm intending to do it again this year.

I think it is anti clockwise this year which is good as you wont have the Rooley lane to finish on.

true but you've got the climb to Cowpe Low which is an absolute b*stard right at the start, tried for the first time 2 weeks ago (I normally go up the road) and only managed to ride 2/3 of it. Then you have Rooley Moor Road down the otherside, if you're on a hardtail you're teeth will fall out. You've also got the climb up to Jack Bridge which might be a bit fun and at around 42 miles the grassy climb up to Deerplay. Going to be interresting.

Dickydulux, give it a go, there are 5 rest checkpoints where you can eat and drink (included in your entry fee) or drop out. Just focus on finishing and don't try and race it. For us mere mortals it really is a challenge rather than a race.

albino

Think the surface desctription is a little misleading. Rooley Moor road is definitley crumbling apart and is a pain to get up at the end of a long ride.
I've never done the full loop but regularly ride sections of it but agree with stumpyjon, if you're riding fast anti-clockwise on a hardtail it can be a real bone-shaking experience, even the cobbly section higher up the road.
You can ride the ruts at the side but watch out for the odd big drop into rivers etc. Also some of the ruts are pretty deep and difficult to ride on flatter sections if you've got a low bb.

marcaudsley

true but you've got the climb to Cowpe Low which is an absolute b*stard right at the start

Stumpyjon i had forgotten that section. I did it last year on a hardtail and it took a few days to recover. I came in just under 10 hrs, but like you say its not a race to us mortals, certainly a challenge! Can't do it this year due to knee injury but hopefully next year

dickydulux

Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like a longer version of the pennine x, and that nearly finished me off :shock: .

Given that we can't predict the weather, has anyone got a view on tyre choice. The spesh is using spesh captains at the moment but they seem slow on the road.
Thought about buying a pair of Maxxis Ardent for the event, would there be enough grip to deal with the rough bits?

For those riding it, I'll be the guy calling the hills, mountains :roll:

scottgeniusltd2005

it's muddy even in the height of summer in places. plus if your not at the front of the pack it will be churned up. i used mud tyres when i did it earlier this year