24 Hour MTB Events

[D-Mike]

Hi everyone.

 

I am planning to do a 24 hour MTB event next year with a couple of mates. I have not done such an event, nor has any of my friends. Do you guys have general tips of what you need for such a race e.g. food, lights (what strength?), gear, cycling plan, etc. We are just doing it for fun and not trying to win the race.

 

Thanks

[Velouria]

From UltraCycling

Tips for your First 24 Hour Race

1. Make sure you are well rested before the event. Although a good night's sleep before the event is nice, if you are like me you will be too anxious to sleep soundly. A restless night right before the event won't really hurt you; several nights of insufficient sleep before the race definitely will hurt you.

 

2. Drink lots of liquids the night before the race to make sure you start the event fully hydrated. This may force you to get up during the night, but it'll be worth it.

 

3. Start your preparations early. Don't leave everything to the last moment. Make sure you have all your favorite foods and drinks and all the tools and cycling clothing you will need. Make a list several days before packing so that you can add items to is as you remember them. Pack early so that you aren't rushed.

 

4. Plan to lodge near the race start/finish so that you can make it to the start comfortably before the race begins and so that you don't have to drive far afterwards to get sleep before heading home.

 

5. If you want to ride with the big dogs, you will need a support crew. Doing it solo is very doable but don't expect to keep up with the exceptional racers who have the b onus of crew support.

 

6. Bring a variety of foods to the race in addition to those you plan to eat. You may not believe, this but even Dairy Queen Breezes lose their appeal after consuming the eight one in a single day. (No . . . I haven't done this, but I am considering it as a scientific experiment.) Don't plan an all-liquid diet as a first-time 24 hour racer. After the first 100 miles or so, your body will be crying for solid food. Make sure you have some on hand. . . just in case.

 

7. Go your own speed. Don't try to keep up with the speed demons at the beginning of the ride. Even if they can keep it up, chances are good that you won't be able to, so take it easy and patiently reel them in one by one as the day progresses. You'll be surprised how many people will burn themselves up early in the race and retire before th day is done.

 

8. Try to get yourself as physically prepared for the event as possible by riding long events, speaking with experienced ultra-cyclists and experimenting on the bike with different types of food and nutritional supplements. During my first season of ultra-cycling, I spent many mornings on my indoor trainer eating breakfast while cycling. This taught my stomach to deal with eating substantial meals while performing an aerobic activity.

 

9. Carefully examine your bicycle before the race to make sure it is in the best condition possible. Pay special attention to gear shifting, braking, tire condition, and clipless pedal adjustments. Tighten all screws and nuts, especially on the aerobars and derailleurs. Make sure you pack at least one extra tire, a few tubes, a patch kit, tire irons, necessary allen wrenches, a chain tool, lubricant, tire pump and rags. Oh yeah. .. . be certain to bring your headlight, taillight, reflectors, reflective tape and spare batteries as well.

 

10. Most important of all, bring the right attitude. Whether you are well-prepared and competitive or only sort of, kind of prepared and not very competitive, remember that cycling is fun and that everyone at the ultra-cycling events is linked to you by a special, shared looniness. This isn't the Olympics or a stage of the Tour de France so, if you pass someone in trouble, stop and give them a hand. Ride your best ride but enjoy yourself while you're doing it. Once you're as skilled and powerful as the top names in ultra-cycling, you can begin pushing yourself toward your limits.

 

If you are attempting your first 24 hour race this year, best of luck. Train hard, plan carefully, but have fun.

 

And from closer to home (SA-Active):

Scared by the idea of a 24-hour race?

 

Get a grip. It's a relay, man. Only a handful of diehard soloists go round the clock alone. If you're on a five-man team and your team averages 90-minute laps, like most people, you'll ride four times, max. So you don't need to train 20 hours a week for a year straight. Still, good planning, fitness, choice of partners, equipment and food will go a long way.

 

Right Training

 

How much to train depends on your goal. Just want to finish? Better be at least a beginner-level mountain biker with a couple all-day expeditions under your belt. Even if you're on a molasses-slow, 10-man corporate team, you'd better be able to handle technical trails, single-track and fast descents. Beginner riders might spend two hours or more on a lap.

 

Want to compete? Better hammer for months. Otherwise, your speeds will radically drop off as fatigue sets in. Generally, train with an eye on the amount of time you may be in the saddle on race day. Those on five-man teams—a popular category that often has coed and all-women squads—might ride four to five hours total.

 

Riders on high-performance, four-man teams often turn sub-hour laps, six times each. Two-person teammates usually do a total of 12 hard hours, usually broken into two laps at once so their partners can rest and eat. Top solo riders usually don't sleep and try to make brief food and equipment stops.

 

Right Partners

 

You and your bros better be compatible: ability-wise, goal-wise, attitude-wise. After all, you're stuck together for a whole weekend. If you want to push hard and Izzy only wants another nap, tensions will flare. It'd help if you had a mechanic along, too. If none of you can fix a flat or remembered to bring chain lube, big trouble.

 

Also, pick the right category to compete in. The 24 Hours of Adrenalin series offers two-person, four-person, five-person and corporate (six to 10 people per team) categories in all-male, all-female and mixed variations. If you can't stomach a partner, try the solo category, which is limited to 30 riders.

 

Right Lights

 

Don't be a couple bulbs short. Unless you've been locked in a cave since birth, it's no secret that about half of the 24 hours will be in darkness. Bring well-charged 6-watt-minimum lights and know how to use them. Don't make the race your first night ride.

 

In addition, arrive early enough to pre-ride the course in daytime, so you'll be aware of major obstacles that night. There are two possible lighting set-ups: handlebar-mounted and helmet-mounted. Better riders use both.

 

The helmet light is good for twisty terrain because it tracks your eyesight no matter which way your head turns, while the handlebar unit extends a cone of light straight ahead of your front wheel, ideal on straight-a-ways and hills. Keeping lights charged is key, especially on two- or three-man teams where each rider has lots of time in the dark.

 

Check with the race organizer for the brand of lighting sponsor; some provide quick-charging at the events. Otherwise, bring additional batteries or a generator. Organizers of the Adrenalin series recommend that solo riders bring up to 11 hours of lighting capacity, two-man team members have five hours each, four-man teams three hours, five-man teams 2.5 hours and corporate teams 1.5 to three hours each.

 

Right Food

 

Man cannot live on energy bars and gels alone. After a few hours, your body craves real carbs and protein—pasta, meat, beans, fruit, Pringles, Spam or whatever turns you on. For easy digestion that doesn't stress your body, eat small portions. Hot soup at night is a welcome treat. Tip: Bring mom.

 

Right Drink

 

Don't be fooled by overcast skies. Hydrate a lot with more than water. The long hours and multiple hard laps drain your water tank and electrolyte levels. Gatorade works.

 

Right Sleep

 

Depends on your team's category. The four- and five-man categories allow three- to six-hour breaks in between laps, allowing a few winks at night. Strategies: Designate one person to wake up the next rider. Also, some teams double up on laps to give their teammate more sleep time.

 

Right Equipment

 

Remember, a 24-hour race is riding and camping. Along with spare tires, tubes, bike parts and even spare bikes, bring a decent tent, sleeping bags and cooking gear.

[MJ the Expat]

Ask Dangle.

[Hairy]

Hi everyone.

 

I am planning to do a 24 hour MTB event next year with a couple of mates. I have not done such an event, nor has any of my friends. Do you guys have general tips of what you need for such a race e.g. food, lights (what strength?), gear, cycling plan, etc. We are just doing it for fun and not trying to win the race.

 

Thanks

 

Most important thing is to enjoy it. Before you know it the 24hours are done and dusted.

• Hydrate well with both water and electrolyte drinks
• Eat well and often
• Have a good sense of humour
• The better your camping equipment and site the happier the wife/girlfriend/both of them will be
• Get there early enough to choose your site
• If you are doing the 24 hours of Oak Valley then invite me over for coffee!

[Hairy]

Nearly forgot .... you can never bring too many spares or parts ... even if you don't use it someone else will.

[D-Mike]

Thanks for the posts guys. Really appreciate it. Hairy, yes it is Oak Valley and I may see you there. BTW, I have the cateye HL-EL 350 light. Will this be adequate for night riding?

 

Here a Cateye link

[Hairy]

Thanks for the posts guys. Really appreciate it. Hairy, yes it is Oak Valley and I may see you there. BTW, I have the cateye HL-EL 350 light. Will this be adequate for night riding?

 

Here a Cateye link

 

See you there .... look out for a Turquoise / baby poo coloured Shove with a broken rider on the bike

 

Can't really comment on the light, but she looks fine for the job at hand!

[CAAD4]

If you are not racing to win, have a blast! These can be really social events. Take additional batteries for your light. Lots of firewood and lots of beer. We had great fun in December, with the first timers amongst us being the first to volunteer for the next one.

[Hairy]

The 24hr is always a great event.

 

Weather looking a little cooler and wetter this year according to wind GURU!

[Velouria]

The 24hr is always a great event. Weather looking a little cooler and wetter this year according to wind GURU!

You mean WIND guru?

 

www.yr.no has a bit of rain in the early hours of Sunday morning...

[Hairy]

http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=177726

[Mr SingleTrack]

Get the "strongest" lights that you can afford