Mini Enduro - March 4th - Bike Park Wales

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
I'll be there, riding the Haibike in the E-Bike category.

If anyone is there, please come and watch me part company at some point with the bike (my usual position on it...) and slide gracefully down the course. I'll try and do it in front of the camera...

Grey and yellow Haibike Pro, yellow full face helmet, grey top. Don't know what my race number is yet. Sponsored by Cube Engineering Ltd. Mike.

FB_IMG_1476800290795.jpg
 

chris130256

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 4, 2016
298
492
68
herefordshire
We looked into this event and decided it was a step too far given some of the course is on the black runs. We're having a few days break on the Gower Penisular next week and weather dependent, will take in BPW on our last day.
Good luck with the competition and if you do the Forest of Dean meet we will be there on that day. Maybe even racing?
 

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
We looked into this event and decided it was a step too far given some of the course is on the black runs. We're having a few days break on the Gower Penisular next week and weather dependent, will take in BPW on our last day.
Good luck with the competition and if you do the Forest of Dean meet we will be there on that day. Maybe even racing?
I did the FoD October last year - that's where the photo above is from. It was my first enduro (and first ever pushbike event) - can't recommend them enough. See you on the starting line up in a few months time then...:):):)
 

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
Copied from their website:-

4th March 17: Bike Park Wales
30th April 17: Forest of Dean
22nd October 17: Forest of Dean
18 November 17: Coed Llandegla


I'm going to enter all events this year if I can. Be good if you can join for the banter.
 

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
I may struggle for that one - I hand over the contract that I'm currently working on on May 2nd, so will probably be working that weekend . I'll do my best to get there though. Definitely for the October one though.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: chris130256

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
Well, I survived but true to form I lobbed the bike on the second stage...

Got there at about half nine and had to park almost by the roundabout as it was so full. Got togged up and it started to drizzle a little. Met up with a few others, mostly on e-bikes, and pushed the ones without a motor up the hill. Did the second stage first as it was at the top, not realising that it was also the black run...:confused:

Set off down it without any drama but a few of the drop offs were (to me) quite knarly and high. Due to the sleet and mud, my MX goggles were not performing so half way down had to stop and take them off as I couldn't see where I was going, then I got mud in my eye so did half the run with one eye closed... I then did the e-bike stage (easy really, just uphill single track stuff), and the second stage. We stopped half way down and another e-bike came past us, pretty rapidly to boot - he was shredding the corners and was fast. Gulp. The competition had obviously upped it's game this year...:eek:

By now it was lunchtime and the race was due to start at 1pm. Into the cafe and after purchasing some clear glasses, a burger, hot chocolate, nachos and chocolate cake ensured that I was fully race fit and mentally prepared...not. Last time I had been on the bike was 3 months ago at the beginning of the year (work commitments precluded any time on it). I just wasn't feeling it, maybe the film (Logan) at midnight beforehand didn't mix with the early start...Anyway, it was now start of the race and sleeting...deep joy. I could just go to sleep in the warm cafe, especially as the e-bike category was the last one and we were due to line up at stage 1 at 15:45. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Of we set at half past, sleet now stopped but it made the course very gloopy. Did the first stage and I believe I was in 5th place out of a respectable 19 that were racing - I had caught the rider in front but red mist got the better of me again and I started messing corners up by diving in too fast and running wide into the scrub instead of staying on the (faster) track. The second stage was next, and I set off well, getting through the tricky stuff without too much hassle but as I came out of the forest and onto the very muddy section I was carrying far, far too much speed (for my ability anyway) and you know when you're beyond that point of no return and it all starts going Pete Tong...I was there and it was only a matter of time before it all turned to snot. One foot had come off, another drop off later and both feet were off, sat on the saddle being a victim of circumstance, the next dip nose dived me over the bars and I slid gracefully face first down the track. Everything was now covered in sticky mud, and after picking myself and the bike back up, I carried on - only to fall off immediately after getting back on...oh the shame of it. The wind was now knocked out of my sails though as I rolled everything to the finish line, what didn't help was the mud - my hands just kept slipping off the handlebars and I couldn't grip the bike properly. I cleaned up in a stream and with now clean but wet hands, I set off for the third stage. I had not practiced this section but others had said that it was arm pump city. The rider in front set off, the beeps indicated my turn and off I set. Nice single track all the way down, and again I caught the rider in front - he pulled over to let me past, but at the end saw that he only had about 120mm of suspension...the benefits of 180mm travel came into its own on that stage with just letting the brakes off and rolling it.;)


Back at the car, tired, elated and very, very muddy....

Next one is end of April it FoD, I recommend everyone have a go at a round at least once, they really are good fun. See you all at the start line for that one then...:):):):)

Some photos below, note my "oh **, lift you bu88er.." face as I heave on the handlebars...that was the time in practice where I land on the up of the next jump, and feeling like I snapped the bike in half...video to follow shortly.

Bike performed flawlessly and stood up to the abuse again. Can't fault my Haibike and really enjoying throwing it about. In the end, I finished 11th as the crash on the second stage cost me, plus the up hill section drained me and my legs were like lead half way up, despite being on turbo mode...2 x batteries used throughout the day, each were down to one bar.

randr-photo-1856637-3000px (1).jpg randr-photo-1856999-3000px (1).jpg randr-photo-1855221-4320px.jpg received_10212370452362220.jpeg received_10212370461322444.jpeg
 

chris130256

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 4, 2016
298
492
68
herefordshire
Great report. Glad you enjoyed it. Yep, those big drops on the black runs put me off this one. 19 riders in the emtb class. Thats more than twice the racers that were at the last F of Dean event. The class is getting popular which is good news. What were the bikes being used?
 
  • Agree
Reactions: LeighPing

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
  • Useful
Reactions: LeighPing

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
randr-photo-1857177-2048px.jpg randr-photo-1859432-3000px.jpg randr-photo-1856424-3888px.jpg
Great report. Glad you enjoyed it. Yep, those big drops on the black runs put me off this one. 19 riders in the emtb class. Thats more than twice the racers that were at the last F of Dean event. The class is getting popular which is good news. What were the bikes being used?
Most of the bikes were Cube or Haibike, there was a Reise and MulLeroy Delivery (the one I passed on the third stage as he was struggling with lack of travel, but he still completed the course on it so they are capable bikes).

Thanks SW, but the ones I need are model specific, I had some in the MX bag of goodies, just didn't pick them up.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
  • Like
Reactions: Highside43

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
DSC_0283.JPG
the googles was less than 20 quid on ebay ;)
 

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
Photos are brilliant! I wouldn't be getting air like in that 1st photo! Squidgy bum when my wheels are a foot off the ground these days!
You used 2 batteries up? Was there no uplift?
No uplift - they were running there for the day, but not for race entrants. I just wasn't feeling it so turbo mode most of the way up and down....;) As I had a spare battery I wasn't worried about running out. You could do the practice in the morning on Eco / Tour and then top up for a couple of hours while you wait for e-bike category to start (all the other entrants went first, we were the last category to go, so sat around for a couple of hours late lunch / mid afternoon).
 

LeighPing

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 27, 2016
2,547
1,944
The Red Ditch
No uplift - they were running there for the day, but not for race entrants. I just wasn't feeling it so turbo mode most of the way up and down....;) As I had a spare battery I wasn't worried about running out. You could do the practice in the morning on Eco / Tour and then top up for a couple of hours while you wait for e-bike category to start (all the other entrants went first, we were the last category to go, so sat around for a couple of hours late lunch / mid afternoon).
How was the general level of interest towards your category?
 

Highside43

Pedelecer
Jul 26, 2016
108
163
51
Aberdovey
www.cubeengineering.co.uk
How was the general level of interest towards your category?
Lots of interest, there are always the slaters in any group of people, but more and more are becoming interested in them - especially as we are lining up alongside them and covered in just as much mud...I tend to give a few strugglers a push on the fire tracks if I'm coming past and they all are surprised at how it picks two of us up with ease. The class is growing in numbers each year, and some very quick boys are entering now.

I'm now seeing more and more electric bikes out on the trails the times I'm out there myself, but that could be that I'm more acute to them and look more?
 

earthmover

Pedelecer
Aug 11, 2016
58
89
61
Cheshire
Nice one! Enjoyed the report. Was hoping to get there myself, but just too much going on.
Don't know if I can make either of the FoD events, but will certainly be at Llandegla again.
Mark
 
  • Like
Reactions: LeighPing

Related Articles

Advertisers