[fatdoc]

This makes a good read - esp for a forum thread

http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php/topic,254379.0.html

more detail of last years in the UK here

http://www.ukgravityenduro.co.uk/public/default.aspx

Many people  have bikes that could do this, from 27 speed AM rigs to 9 speed DH lite bikes..

I feel my interest rising.. esp as the one of the posters in the link above explains that one mistake does  not bin the whole run / weekend and there is time for any race nerves to dispel.

Once next years dates are out anyone else fancy a go?

Takes a whole weekend though... I'd try to get to the nearest one from Sheffield.

[john horscroft]

Looks really interesting FD.  Just need to suss out which ones involve the least amount of pedalling!! 

[Yossarian]

I entered the Afan round of the UK Gravity Enduro series, but pulled out in the end as I'd spent too long on the road this year and my mountain bike head was ill-prepared...

I found this vid the other day from a very cool looking event:
http://player.vimeo.com/video/20698552

Transprovence looked awesome as well - http://www.trans-provence.com/

[fatdoc]

bringewood and scratchmere being mooted...

John, I'm getting keen for this and am now in the correct facebook group to get news feeds... will be in touch as dates are any day now.

I think there are loads of UKB mtbers that would be good / up for it.

Yoss, how hard is it? I was considering road as a cornerstone of my training for this...

[john horscroft]

bringewood and scratchmere being mooted...

John, I'm getting keen for this and am now in the correct facebook group to get news feeds... will be in touch as dates are any day now.

I think there are loads of UKB mtbers that would be good / up for it.

Yoss, how hard is it? I was considering road as a cornerstone of my training for this...

Yeah, keep me posted FD.  UKB Enduro team, here we come.....

[Yossarian]

Yoss, how hard is it? I was considering road as a cornerstone of my training for this...

I don't know - I didn't ride it!

I think the ability to ride hard all day, and to have the strength to hit the last descent with the same energy as the first is the key to this sort of thing.  I think road-based endurance would be good training, but I think general conditioning and upper and core body strength are probably nearly as important as strong tough legs!

[IanP]

Yoss, how hard is it? I was considering road as a cornerstone of my training for this...

I was up at Ae with family for the GravityEnduro event - didn't actually enter the event because I had a climbing trip comimg up and I did't want to push to hard but did do the practice day with my brother and his mate who did enter.   It was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of difficulty, 3 stages on variations of the red route which were fine, 1 stage on the Shredder mini downhill route  running into the end of omega man (with couple of the biggest jumps taken out), also fine with plenty of opportunity for air if taken at speed.  Seeding run and final stage were 2 variations on Ae downhill course and were steep and in the wet conditions very challenging for me, harder than any black run I've done at trail centres and a my aim was to stay on the bike rather than consider racing.   This seemed a bit out of sync with the level of the rest of the course and quite a few people walked sections. 

Overall though it looked like a good event despite some rotten weather.

[Yossarian]

Sounds quite hardcore - the Ae DH course is pretty tough. I recall there wasn't a single section on it that could be considered in any way a cruise - most seemed steep and slippery, or open and very bumpy!

[ianvincent]

Not sure if it is exactly the same but when I was in the Vosge, I rode some of the special stages of the Vosge Enduro series. The emphasis is definitely on the downhill there and the liaisons are pretty much all fire road. The level of uphill fitness is no where near as important as descending ability/downhill fitness as you are not really timed on the ascents.   

[fatdoc]

thanks everyone..

right this sort of shizzle is right up my.. and no doubt a few others on here.. street..

I hear what you say Yoss.. lookin at core a the mo..shockin at present - not enough bouldering!

work road commute, odd sunday doing *four hills* in the honey pot Hope / dark peak and sessioning the usual seems a good training schedule... i.e: what i normally do in a winter.


not a full call to arms.. but perhaps an expression of interest for the 2 events closest to Yorkshire.... anyone??

Sound quite sociable.. we egg  each other on on the transition stages... do our runs.. meet up.. and carry on....

good weekend away IMO.

[Bubba]

good weekend away IMO.

Sounds about as much fun as being repeatedly dry-fisted with a chain-mail glove.

[fatdoc]

right, you're in.

bitch

 

[Yossarian]

I linked all the vids of this year's Trans Provence on my blog - http://www.saltedmackerel.cc

Amazing footage - really cool event I reckon.

[fatdoc]

I've been following this.. it's a looonggg way from a weekend UK event.. amazing stuff.. but i would need a talent injection, 12 months + to get fit & a load of bike bits to get busted!!

[fatdoc]

from the site today

"Dates for 2012

all venues TBC

Rd1 - 24th 25th March

Rd2 - 28th 29th April

Rd3 - 26th 27th May

Rd 4 - 4th 5th August

Rd 5 - 1st 2nd September

Will advise venues as soon as they confirm"

[john horscroft]

from the site today

"Dates for 2012

all venues TBC

Rd1 - 24th 25th March

Rd2 - 28th 29th April

Rd3 - 26th 27th May

Rd 4 - 4th 5th August

Rd 5 - 1st 2nd September

Will advise venues as soon as they confirm"

Having done a fun enduro in Endcliffe Park tonight, I'm in... 

[fatdoc]

wkd