Manx100 "Toughest mile for mile event in the UK"

16-09-2016  Matthew Jones   XC Race Reports  Rider Blogs 

The team behind the Manx100 have put together the toughest mile for mile mountain bike event in the UK. The stats only begin to give you a sense of the scale of the challenge laid down by the local organisers. 102 miles  (yes an extra couple as they didn't want the risk of people being...

Scott Marathon Series 2016: Round 5 – Ruthin

15-09-2016  Luke Kendall   Rider Blogs 

With the summer months and XC racing season drawing to an end, last weekend’s Scott MTB Marathon in Ruthin, North Wales, was the perfect opportunity for one last longer distance event before the off-season. Whilst not a race, the events are always challenging and a great way to push yourself...

A fat bikepacking adventure with Emily Benham

13-09-2016  Ross Wildman   Rider Blogs 

Back in 2015 we caught up with Emily Benham with our Race bike Focus feature, Now she has been kind enough to share her recent adventures of bike packing with us, something for 2017 perhaps? Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Bzz…. It’s still dark outside as I groggily roll over to turn off the alarm....

Matthew Jones takes on the Kielder101

06-09-2016  Ross Wildman   XC Race Reports  Rider Blogs 

The Kielder101 in it’s second year after taking over from the longer historic 100 mile event offered riders a 101km endurance xc challenge in the remote hills, forests and moorlands of the English and Scottish borders in deepest Northumberland.   Riders had an early wake up to prepare...

Brighton Big Dog – 6HR SOLO By Luke Kendall

03-09-2016  Luke Kendall   XC Race News  Rider Blogs 

Luke Kendall recently wrote about his first 6 hour solo event at Brighton Bigdog. he's shared his thoughts below, did anybody else attend? Taken from Lukes own blog: http://www.lukekendall.co.uk/brighton-big-dog-6hr-solo/ With the local XCO race season now over, and TwentyFour12 successfully...

Countdown to the BC Bike Race! - Andy Smallman

06-07-2016  Andy Mawer   Rider Blogs 

  Merida Summer Monkey - what a nice change from Mountain Mayhem.  On Father's Day there always seems to be a raft of thinks for Dads's to do which don't involve spending time with the family.  2016 was no exception, should you wish you could: dress up in old kit, ride an old bike and...

BC Bike Race Ready - Andy Smallman

14-06-2016  Andy Mawer   Rider Blogs 

A blog, I offered and a blog is something I hadn’t really considered writing before. So what, why, how, who etc. would seem to be a good way to start? As an introduction, I am in my mid forties with a wife and grown up step children, who live away from home. I currently work away from home,...

Train harder to make racing easier... (Lomas Wefing)

14-06-2016  Andy Mawer   Rider Blogs 

Earlier this year my dad got the chance to talk to one of his heroes, Tim Gould, and he asked him for advice. “Train harder to make the racing easier,” Tim, told us and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. After a hard race in the Swiss Cup, Gränichen I was starting to feel stronger...

Southern XC: Round 5 – Crow Hill (Southern Championships)

06-06-2016  Luke Kendall   Rider Blogs 

On Sunday I took an impromptu trip to Crow Hill in the New Forest near Bournemouth for Round 5 of the Southern XC Series, incorporating the Southern Regional Championships. Initially I had planned on entering more Southern XC races this year, however I decided to focus more on the National...

Schopp till’ you drop! - Lomas Wefing

01-06-2016  Andy Mawer   Rider Blogs 

Last Sunday’s U19 XC Deutschland Cup race might have slipped your attention. It certainly felt like the entire ‘XC family’ was in La Bresse, and it was the only race that mattered. Not so, and in a remote corner of the Pfalz, in a little place called Schopp, a small but high quality field of...

Racer Blog: Quitters never win and winners never quit - Lomas Wefing

24-05-2016  Andy Mawer   Rider Blogs 

Albstadt, UCI World Junior Series After the previous week’s strong ride, I was optimistic of being able to move up through the field in Albstadt from my gridding of 118. Arriving on Thursday, the plan was to spend as much time on the course as possible before Saturday morning and rest up...