Mega Avalanche 2010

stevet1992
stevet1992 Posts: 1,502
edited January 2010 in MTB general
Who's entered then ?

What bike are you taking ?

Just bought a Gold entry from the 5th 8)
On-One 456 Sainsburys Season

Calling All SouthEastern Riders
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Comments

  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    Not this year, body still broken.

    But I'm working towards 2011.
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    P-Jay wrote:
    Not this year, body still broken.

    But I'm working towards 2011.

    Snap.
  • stevet1992
    stevet1992 Posts: 1,502
    Sorry to hear your damaged you 2 :( What happened ?
    On-One 456 Sainsburys Season

    Calling All SouthEastern Riders
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    I didn't break anything, I was just completely and utterly exhausted (and fairly battered) but not long after I got a nasty virus and now have post-viral fatigue. Not been out on my bike in a good few months now :(

    Obviously I can't directly attribute it to that but I have never been so physically and mentally drained and I think my immune system was weakened by it.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    How gnarly is the megavalanche? I'm ok with the endurance and all that, just not massive drop offs and crazy jumps etc, does it have that sort of stuff?
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    also planning for 2011 for during my gap year, gonna be one of the fnal things i do before uni reckon :D and hopefully ill be taking a nice 140mm fs bike out with me 8)
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    this may give you some idea:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CsHqC09i6U :D

    not gonna be there this year as i've just had a baby and money is tight. but me and a mate are planning a trip for next year, can't wait 8)
  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    stevet1992 wrote:
    Sorry to hear your damaged you 2 :( What happened ?

    Slammed back in June, broke my left wrist and right elbow.

    Wrist is fine now, but elbow refuses to heal and is only held in place with metal work. Doc's banned me from even towpath riding because if it fails, They fuse my arm in place.

    Next appointment is on the 28th, I'm hoping it's started healing, but I don't think it has.

    I'm going to ask him about stem cell glue (see below), but even if it's fixed now, I've lsot so much muscle, put on so much fat and generally vegged for the last 6 months I wouldn't trust myself to do a lap of CwmCarn right now, nevermind the Mega.

    http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Techno ... 2315500907
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    Paul 8v wrote:
    How gnarly is the megavalanche? I'm ok with the endurance and all that, just not massive drop offs and crazy jumps etc, does it have that sort of stuff?

    There's no huge jumps and drop-offs - well there are some huge drop offs but there are alternative lines.

    I'd never ridden in the Alps before I went there to do it, and it was ok, though I was a bit freaked out at first. Apart from a few short sections there wasn't much that was loads harder than stuff I had ridden before in the Lakes, it's just that it was relentless, and combined with more exposure, altitude, loads of people etc etc

    The physical endurance required in terms of hanging on to the bars/brakes is something else, and I imagine would be pretty hard to train for in this country.

    This was one of the trickier sections of the qualifier, though it was quite a bit harder than it looks in the video.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg5MLZoM ... re=related
  • stevet1992
    stevet1992 Posts: 1,502
    Bloody hell :shock: hope your both back riding soon !
    On-One 456 Sainsburys Season

    Calling All SouthEastern Riders
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    Cheers, me too! :)

    BTW this is probably the best guide I have read to the Mega

    http://www.mtbrider.com/mtbr/showthread.php?t=23051
  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    grumsta wrote:
    Cheers, me too! :)

    BTW this is probably the best guide I have read to the Mega

    http://www.mtbrider.com/mtbr/showthread.php?t=23051

    Good guide that ( I assume) I'm only interested in qualifiying and finishing. The only other peeps I've heard really yapping on about it are on the pedal powered bit of Pistonheads - they're nice enough chaps I guess, but they're always banging on about using a DH bike for Quali and a 4X or 5/6" trail bike for the race because of the climbs.

    I think I'd prefer to use my DH bike for the lot, and if needs be push up for a bit.

    After the last 6 months, If I cross the finishline dead last I'll be cheering my head off.
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    I just used my Pitch for all of it, which was fine though I wish I had had the 36 Vans I have now rather than the Pikes that I trashed. ;)
  • Looks really busy, don't think I could be on with trying to ride bits of it with people walking down the same trail. Looks amazing though, definitely one to say you've done.
  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    grumsta wrote:
    I just used my Pitch for all of it, which was fine though I wish I had had the 36 Vans I have now rather than the Pikes that I trashed. ;)


    Hmmmm I've got a '06 Enduro which is very Pitch-like with 36, but they're Air.

    I'd like to get my hands on am '08 SX Trail II for it.....
  • stevet1992
    stevet1992 Posts: 1,502
    So a 140mm HT is going to be a crazy idea ? :twisted:

    Planning on doing it on my 456, 140 Rev's 20mm maxle (the ones with the same lowers as pikes!)
    On-One 456 Sainsburys Season

    Calling All SouthEastern Riders
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    People do it on hardtails, but it's going to make it much more tiring/battering imo.

    06 Enduro with 36 floats sounds about perfect to me.
  • s90gav
    s90gav Posts: 3
    im hoping to enter for the 1st time this year.

    i'll be ridng a 09 Santa Cruz Blur LT
  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    when is it and whats it like for spectators?
    love just being in th mountains, i think the wife and littleone would enjoy watching it too?
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    Not sure of the exact date this year, think it was 12th July last year. Quite a few people do spectate, you can walk up from the village and see people coming past - there's a couple of gnarly steep rock sections where people tend to congregate, probably hoping to see some crashes!

    Quite a good craic around the place and some stunning mountain scenery but there are prettier places to go in the Alps in summer I reckon.
  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    just an idea, as spending the summer in the inlaws villa is fun the first couple of times but it has its limitations :wink:
    never been to the alps in the summer, plus i could drive as the new adition would only be a few months old in july and i know my daughter likes watching people riding fast.
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • joshtp
    joshtp Posts: 3,966
    Its on my to ride list, but as im currently only 14, im not the best rider, and im pretty skint, im not likely to do it for a few years yet......
    i will one day, i just need to get a bike for it first, and maybe build my DH skilsm and some proper man stregnth. i recon a 140-160 mm bike is ideal, the Scott ransome is generaly regarded as the best bike for it. i would like to do it on a coric BFE with 160mm totems, and 2.7 tyres....... but first time im gonna try and get a enduro, ransom, or similar....
    I like bikes and stuff
  • Hi all

    bought my ticket yesterday with my mate. we are doing for the first time on out pitch's!

    what training ar eyou all doing?

    Scott
  • Im the 'lightweight' in that guide you lot posted up a few posts ago (oh the shame..)

    Going out for the 3rd year in a row now.

    In terms of training, just get riding your bike. Realistically no matter what you do here before you go, you will be tired after the mega. There is nothing in the uk to compare to in terms of length, altitude and constant arm pump.

    The key is to get a good start, once you hit the single track..unless you have a mechanical - your finishing position will be +/- 20 places (at very very most) from that point.

    If you can get out a few days earlier and get some proper practice on long trails in the alpes you should.

    Its deffinitely worth having a run of the mega course and qualifying before the actual race. Not too many difficult areas, but some that could cause you to have a nasty fall if you arrive guns blazing. In reality though you wont remember any features. Most difficult things will have a queue of people wondering how best to push around it....unless your one of the first guys to get there....in which case i cant see you reading this thread..

    See you out there!
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    I would also say - def a good idea to practise, but don't overdo it and knacker yourself out!

    The qualifier will take it out of you.

    I would say the only decent training you could do in this country would be to get up to Fort William and try and do as many runs as possible on the DH tracks there back to back. The arm pump is the real killer. Being generally fit is obviously a good idea though.
  • vikingboy
    vikingboy Posts: 128
    I'm in - a moment of madness, easy to be a hero in front of Youtube LOL
    Ill be happy to make it to the bottom and home in one piece!
  • stevet1992
    stevet1992 Posts: 1,502
    vikingboy wrote:
    I'm in - a moment of madness, easy to be a hero in front of Youtube LOL
    Ill be happy to make it to the bottom and home in one piece!

    Thats what ill be happy with to ... If i dont come bottom ill be impressed :lol:
    On-One 456 Sainsburys Season

    Calling All SouthEastern Riders
  • 800 entries were already taken by this morning so get onto it fast if you wanna be there!

    For spectators...it's ok - not the most amazing as you need to just hang out on a section of the course - depends how happy your wife is to do that!

    If she likes riding there's an amazing deal for non-racers €33 for a week of lifts and entry to pool etc.

    Top event - I'll be there for my fourth attempt this year!
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Ok I've had a look at it, I can't afford it this year (Getting Married) but I definitely want to do it. As much as I'd love to buy some all mountain/Downhill bike to do it, there really is hardly anywhere round near me to use it so I'd be spending 2K + for a bike to only use there. I do have a Kona shred that the missus uses, If I put tubeless tyres on and up the rotors would it cope with it? I'm pretty big on the upper body thanks to the gym so I can take a paggering, just wondeering if the bikes up to it?
    I definitely want to do it, it looks awesome, not sure about the dodgy music though :lol:
  • You could hire a bike. We hire out top quality bikes, bought new each year (last year Santa Cruz bullits and hecklers) for around €350 a week, and there are a couple of shops there too with different bikes. Pretty good value when you work out the wear and tear on your bike from a week of bashing down alpine trails!

    And you will see people on all kinds of bikes doing it.

    Save up for next year!