Its been 3 years since i was last there and now its time to visit again. This is an awesome place to visit with some serious trails worth riding. Some tough hill climbs, but with rewarding descents.
Current weather forecast is for showers, but this is Wales, so make sure you bring waterproofs! A helmet is also essential.
We will head out through Clouts Wood, west of the airfield and up onto Barbury.
Then Smithies and across to Earthline. A ridge ride and descent by the flying club before Chiseldon to coate and back to the Bayberry.
The route will be adjusted to suit a riders and weather conditions.
Estimate 30k distance and 400m ascent.
You will need lights and a helmet.
Leaving the Bayberry we will head up through Coate and Chisie via the flying club to sample the delights of the Sugar Hill climb. Back around Liddington Castle and home via the Old ridgeway and Ladder lane.
There are 2 tough climbs on this ride. Pushing up is of course permitted. 33km distance and 400m of climbing on the route, so a reasonable level of fitness is required. The route may be altered (made easier, not harder!) to suit the riders and weather conditions.
LIGHTS are now a must and as always a helmet.
Dave returns from holidays with some calories to burn off.
The ride will be about 30km going out from the Bayberry up to the Ridgeway – final route to be decided once the weather forecast has settled (fingers crossed though, it looks ok at the moment!)
You will need a helmet and lights.
Price: for all 4 Rounds £160 on sale from 2nd of December for (Only 150 available) all remaining tickets £42.50 to go on sale two months before each round (Only 100 available).
Tickets available here: HERE.
Timing:
Professionally Timed by Action Sports Timing
More info: http://www.actionsportstiming.co.uk/
Stages: There will be 4 timed stages, which will be added together for an aggregate time to decide the winner in each category.
All stages will be over a mile long and around 100m to 150m in elevation/drop. Estimated stage times are about 2 minutes to 4 minutes long.
250 online entries available, no entries on the day.
- Fantastic prizes for the top 3 riders in all categories. Plus some spot pizes
- Free parking for all riders, spectators, friends and family. (Please car share where possible)
- Free Camping
- Race village
- Full mechanical support for all riders.
- Full medical support.
- Food and drink on site.
Categories:
- Male Elite age 18+
- Male Senior age 18-29
- Male Master age 30-39
- Male Veteran age 40+
- Male Supers Veteran age 50+
- Male FUN age 18+
- Male U16s age 14-15
- Male U18s age 16-17
- Female Elite age 18+
- Female Senior age 18-29
- Female Master age 30-39
- Female Veteran age 40+
- Female Supers Veteran age 50+
- Female FUN age 18+
- Female U16s age 14-15
- Female U18s age 16-17
- Hardtails age 18+
Elite: Riders that are sponsored or in PRO, Expert and Elite in other races or Top finisher in age categories in previous Enduro’s
Senior, Master, Veteran, Grand Veteran: Riders that are not sponsored and with medium skill level or Top finisher in Fun in previous Enduro’s
FUN: Riders 18 and over that are new to racing or new to the sport
U18: Riders under the age 18
WOMEN: Riders that are female
HARDTAILS: Riders 18 and that are racing on a Hardtail
Timings:
Saturday
No Practice!
Sunday
Marshals briefing 9.00
Riders briefing 9.15
Start of race 9.20
Start of race 11.30
Prize giving 16.30
Rd2 – Sun 10th June – Pippingford Park, East Sussex
Price: for all 4 Rounds £160 on sale from 2nd of December for (Only 150 available) all remaining tickets £42.50 to go on sale two months before each round (Only 100 available).
Tickets available here: HERE.
Timing:
Professionally Timed by Action Sports Timing
More info: http://www.actionsportstiming.co.uk/
Stages: There will be 4 timed stages, which will be added together for an aggregate time to decide the winner in each category.
2 stages in the bikepark and 2 stages in Blanford Forest.
All stages will be over a mile long and around 100m to 150m in elevation/drop. Estimated stage times are about 2 minutes to 4 minutes long.
250 online entries available, no entries on the day.
- Fantastic prizes for the top 3 riders in all categories. Plus some spot pizes
- Free parking for all riders, spectators, friends and family. (Please car share where possible)
- Free Camping
- Race village
- Full mechanical support for all riders.
- Full medical support.
- Food and drink on site.
Categories:
- Male Elite age 18+
- Male Senior age 18-29
- Male Master age 30-39
- Male Veteran age 40+
- Male Supers Veteran age 50+
- Male FUN age 18+
- Male U16s age 14-15
- Male U18s age 16-17
- Female Elite age 18+
- Female Senior age 18-29
- Female Master age 30-39
- Female Veteran age 40+
- Female Supers Veteran age 50+
- Female FUN age 18+
- Female U16s age 14-15
- Female U18s age 16-17
- Hardtails age 18+
Elite: Riders that are sponsored or in PRO, Expert and Elite in other races or Top finisher in age categories in previous Enduro’s
Senior, Master, Veteran, Grand Veteran: Riders that are not sponsored and with medium skill level or Top finisher in Fun in previous Enduro’s
FUN: Riders 18 and over that are new to racing or new to the sport
U18: Riders under the age 18
WOMEN: Riders that are female
HARDTAILS: Riders 18 and that are racing on a Hardtail
Timings:
Saturday
No Practice, Track walk from 16:00
Sunday
Marshals briefing 9.00
Riders briefing 9.15
Start of race 9.20
Start of race 11.30
Prize giving 16.30
2018 Identiti Bikes Southern Enduro Champs – Minehead, Exmoor – 14th & 15th July 2017
Tickets available here: HERE.
Timing:
Professionally Timed by Action Sports Timing
More info: http://www.actionsportstiming.co.uk/
Price: £60 Early Bird price until 20th Jan (£65 after)
Venue: Minehead, Exmoor
400 online entries available, no entries on the day.
- Fantastic prizes for the top 3 riders in all categories. Plus some spot pizes
- Identiti AKA frame for the faster Male and Female
- Free parking for all riders, spectators, friends and family. (Please car share where possible)
- Large race village with On site shop.
- Full mechanical support for all riders.
- Full medical support.
- Food and drink on site.
- Free Camping
- Beer tent & Band TBC
Stages: There will be 7 timed stages, which will be added together for an aggregate time to decide the winner in each category.
On Saturday afternoon you will race one of the stages (Seeding stage)*
Your result on that stage will reflect where you start on Sunday. On Sunday you will be set off in categories in seeded order.
There will be start times for each stage.
*Seeding stage counts to your overall time.
All stages will be over a mile long and around 100m to 150m in elevation/drop. Estimated stage times are about 2 minutes to 4 minutes long.
Categories:
- Male Elite age 18+
- Male Senior age 18-29
- Male Master age 30-39
- Male Veteran age 40+
- Male Supers Veteran age 50+
- Male FUN age 18+
- Male U16s age 14-15
- Male U18s age 16-17
- Female Elite age 18+
- Female Senior age 18-29
- Female Master age 30-39
- Female Veteran age 40+
- Female Supers Veteran age 50+
- Female FUN age 18+
- Female U16s age 14-15
- Female U18s age 16-17
- Hardtails age 18+
Elite: Riders that are sponsored or in PRO, Expert and Elite in other races or Top finisher in age categories in previous Enduro’s
Senior, Master, Veteran, Grand Veteran: Riders that are not sponsored and with medium skill level or Top finisher in Fun in previous Enduro’s
FUN: Riders 18 and over that are new to racing or new to the sport
U18: Riders under the age 18
WOMEN: Riders that are female
HARDTAILS: Riders 18 and that are racing on a Hardtail
Timings:
Saturday
Marshals briefing 9.30
Riders briefing 9.45
Practice 10.00 to 15:00
Seeding 15:00 to 18:00
Sunday
Marshals briefing 9.30
Riders briefing 9.45
Start of race (first rider) 10.00
Prize giving 16.30
Next week’s Tuesday Short Ride is a special short ride and we will be leading a ride that will include parents and children under 18. This ride will be about an hour and a half and children must be capable of riding 20-25k and be confident riding up hills and off road. We will be going up onto the Ridgeway, so this is a great chance for those that have been to Croft to go for a longer ride up into the hills.
This has been a long time in the pipeline and we thank you for your patience whilst we have been trying to arrange evening rides to include kids.
The All inclusive Tuesday ride will hopefully take place every 6 weeks, so keep an eye out for the next one.
Please note: children under 16 MUST be accompanied by a parent, children aged 16/17 can be unaccompanied, but written permission and contact details must be e-mailed to :
welfare@swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk
As with all rides, helmets are compulsory and lights and suitable clothing are also required.
We will start and end the ride at Croft, however I will be parking at the Bayberry pub and will ride over at 6.45pm. If any others who don’t have kids with them want to join me, I will then be riding back with a slightly detoured route from Croft to the Bayberry for an after-ride beverage.
Everyone is welcome on this ride and you don’t need to borrow a child to attend!! This is the short ride for this week and it is designed to include everyone, as it has been very much requested.
Myself and Adrian will be leading the ride and we are both DBS checked and hold outdoor first aid certificates. I am also a primary school teacher and Adrian is a MIAS Level 3 Ride Leader.
Following on from the success of the previous Get Into Mountain Biking events we’re heading to Afan in Wales!
This will still be aimed at improvers/intermediate riders but will be a progression from the previous trail centres we’ve visited.
Meeting at Afan Lodge at 11am we will take a short ride to the start of the trails and begin our day on the blue-graded Blue Scar. At the top of the Blue Scar climb we can then decide whether to climb a bit more and do the first part of the red-graded trail Penhydd or continue straight to the Blue Scar descent. There is a fair amount of climbing at Afan but most of it is on fire roads and there will be plenty of opportunity to stop and admire the stunning views.
After lunch those with the energy can climb back up and do more of Penhydd or Blue Scar again, and there is also a small skills area and lovely scenic route with short section of blue-graded trail along the valley.
Those that are really feeling energetic and brave may be tempted to give the red-graded trail Y-Wal a go, but be warned, Wales trail gradings are harder than English ones.
Afan is roughly two hours drive away from Swindon so we will meet at Afan Lodge at 11am. Afan Lodge is further up the road past Afan trail centre, you’ll see the trail centre on your right and Afan Lodge is on the left. There is plenty of free parking here and a lovely cafe, and an old railway line cycle path links the two.
Since we’ll be in Wales it would seem rude not to stay a bit longer and go to Bike Park Wales on the Sunday! This won’t be an official club trip as such but there is a bike-friendly Premier Inn 5 minutes away from BPW which I may well find myself in that night 😀
