**HELP!!!** Rider needed quickly for 2008 Mountain Mayhem

[rob.northcott]

Sorry for starting a new thread, but it's a bit of an emergency and I wanted to make it more visible.

We've had a rider pull out of the Mountain Mayhem team, so we need another one pronto or our ride won't count. Dave (kington99) said he may be interested, but that was months ago and the race is in just over two weeks (21st-22nd June). I've PMed him anyway, but it's rather short notice, so we may well be looking for another rider.

If you fancy a go at 24-hour cross-country racing and can be in Malvern that weekend (and pay the £50 entry fee) then please get in touch ASAP. If you know anybody else who you think may want to do it, pester them!

You only need to ride a minmum of two laps of a 7-mile (ish) cross-country course, and don't need to do any night riding if you don't want to. It's not a very technically hard course, but you do need to be able to ride off-road with enough control not to be a danger to other racers (mostly bikes, much faster than us!) or yourself.

HELP!!!

Rob

[kington99]

Hi Rob, I'm sorry but I'm not able to do MM. I have to go to a wedding that weekend and as I've been sitting on my ass revising for the last 2 months I'm hardly in shape. I'll contact Beth just on the off-chance.

[Beth]

I don't think I can do it, I'm both quite poor and very unfit at the moment. I'll have a think over the weekend though, if no one else can make it then I might be persuadable. It was a lot of fun last time. Have you tried Dan, if he's in England?

[rob.northcott]

Thanks for the replies. Dan did PM me some time ago saying he wasn't going to be around, but I'll send him a message anyway just in case.

Beth, if you want to do it don't worry about not being on top form. If you only want to do two laps that'll be fine. If money's that tight I expect we could subsidise your entry fee a bit, as you would be helping us out by making up the team. We're entered in the "Sport Men" category, but I expect they'd let us run a mixed team - I'll email Pat Adams and check.

Rob

[sp4rky-m4rky]

Hmmm I am very intreged and tempted. What does everyone ride it on? I have a KH29 with 150 or 137mm cranks and WTB stout, 2.3 BA or Kenda Klaw tyre.

I was just thinking that I need to take a ride. I was going to put some 137s on off my trials uni and take it out. I have planned a 24 mile route for tomorrow.

I dont want to get your hopes up quite yet but I may be up for it, if not this year quite posibly next. Its quite a way and I dont have much money but it sounds like it would be a great experience.

How far do you have to ride? Is the total distance split just between all the team members? Were exactly is it? is 24, 29 or 36 best suited? I am pretty fit and have done a resnable amount of distance riding and quite abit of XC, do you think I will be up for it? Finaly, other than the experience, whats in it for me if I come?

[keg]

Originally Posted by sp4rky-m4rky

Hmmm I am very intreged and tempted. What does everyone ride it on? I have a KH29 with 150 or 137mm cranks and WTB stout, 2.3 BA or Kenda Klaw tyre.

29er with Kenda Klaw is popular, although Rob would disagree

However, the main reason for replying, I think you need to be 18 to ride and your age is listed as 17 in your post.

Keith

[1-wheeled-grape]

Malvern is great, expecially for Off-roading, its a heaven for land rover enthusiasts (eastnor castle is home to land rover experience HQ), so must be good for muni too. It's nice around there.

[LucasWintercrane]

sorry guys i would have been quite up for stepping in at last minute for a new challenge but am working at 2 different events that weekend so no can do, good luck guys im sure theres some one thatll save you x

[sp4rky-m4rky]

Originally Posted by keg

29er with Kenda Klaw is popular, although Rob would disagree

However, the main reason for replying, I think you need to be 18 to ride and your age is listed as 17 in your post.
Keith

If thats what it came down to Im sure a slip of the hand could add 6 months onto my age. I am 18 in october, its not that far off.

Im not saying I can make it, I would like to find out more about it.

[ian.stockwell]

Originally Posted by sp4rky-m4rky

Hmmm I am very intreged and tempted. What does everyone ride it on?
How far do you have to ride? Is the total distance split just between all the team members? Were exactly is it? is 24, 29 or 36 best suited? Finaly, other than the experience, whats in it for me if I come?

I will be riding a 26" with a 3" tyre and 150 cranks, I think Rob's set up is pretty much the same, but that's the smallest wheel you would want. Last year there were 4 on cokers,(we had 3 teams) but they all reverted to smaller wheels when it got muddy. So from your selection I would say that the 29 would be the best option by far.
You ride a lap at a time, Rob's said 7 miles but it might be a bit more, and then hand over to a team mate, the team doesn't have to stick to a set order so as mentioned it can be arranged so that you don't have to ride a night lap, if there is nobody with charged batteries for their lights in the early hours of the morning we can just sit and wait for it to get light.

Other than the experience?? What more do you want?

[ian.stockwell]

Originally Posted by rob.northcott

Beth, If money's that tight I expect we could subsidise your entry fee a bit,
Rob

Yes, I'll open my wallet, just watch out for the moths.

[rob.northcott]

Originally Posted by sp4rky-m4rky

If thats what it came down to Im sure a slip of the hand could add 6 months onto my age. I am 18 in october, its not that far off.

Im not saying I can make it, I would like to find out more about it.

Thanks for the offer, and I'm sure you'd do fine, but if you fiddle your age on the form and anything happens to you I think I, as team captain, would be held responsible. I'm not prepared to take that risk, sorry. Maybe think about doing it next year.

A 29er with 150s is the usual machine of choice, so you'll be fine with that. Like Ian and Keith said, I use a 26x3" with 150s, mostly because I've got it and I don't find a 29er any faster (in fact the 3" tyre makes for a much more forgiving ride when you're tired and it's dark!). A 29er is a fair bit lighter though. Some people like to use cokers, but I've tried using mine a couple of times on practice laps and stuck with the smaller wheel - it's certainly a bit quicker and easier on the open flat sections and the big wheel is nice over bumpy fields, but I find it far too unwieldy on the woody singletrack. The best unicycle lap times have been done on cokers though, but it's not for me.

As for what's in it for you: There are usually a few freebies to be had, like water bottles, bike brake pads and that sort of thing (they were giving away buffs one year), but that's not the reason you should be going. It's the racing, socialising and the general atmosphere of the place (it's a BIG event) that should attract you.

Rob

[sp4rky-m4rky]

Originally Posted by rob.northcott

Thanks for the offer, and I'm sure you'd do fine, but if you fiddle your age on the form and anything happens to you I think I, as team captain, would be held responsible. I'm not prepared to take that risk, sorry. Maybe think about doing it next year.

A 29er with 150s is the usual machine of choice, so you'll be fine with that. Like Ian and Keith said, I use a 26x3" with 150s, mostly because I've got it and I don't find a 29er any faster (in fact the 3" tyre makes for a much more forgiving ride when you're tired and it's dark!). A 29er is a fair bit lighter though. Some people like to use cokers, but I've tried using mine a couple of times on practice laps and stuck with the smaller wheel - it's certainly a bit quicker and easier on the open flat sections and the big wheel is nice over bumpy fields, but I find it far too unwieldy on the woody singletrack. The best unicycle lap times have been done on cokers though, but it's not for me.

As for what's in it for you: There are usually a few freebies to be had, like water bottles, bike brake pads and that sort of thing (they were giving away buffs one year), but that's not the reason you should be going. It's the racing, socialising and the general atmosphere of the place (it's a BIG event) that should attract you.

Rob

Ok, well if you cant find anyone I am happy to stand in to complete your team. I think I will definatly be on for it next year. Looking at the website and reading some of the information it does look like it will be an amazing experience. PM me if you cant find anyone.

[rob.northcott]

bump!

[sarah.miller]

I'll have a think and a chat with hubby. Its his parents I'd be being slightly rude to by doing it- we're suposed to be visting them for weekend.