GO Outdoors cycle buyer Mike gives his
tips to survive Mountain Mayhem
In 2015 GO Outdoors sponsors one of our favourite events in the cycling calendar – Mountain Mayhem. This 24 hour mountain biking event isn’t for the faint hearted, but never fear because GO Outdoors cycle buyer and Mountain Mayhem veteran Mike is on hand to offer some advice from experience.
Mountain Mayhem is such a great event, whether you’re doing it as a team or as a lunati (sorry ‘Solo rider’), the atmosphere and team spirit from rider to rider on course is great. However after competing at Mountain Mayhem 5 times I’ve learned not to underestimate it at all; here are my tips for survival and making sure you have a good, but most importantly FUN race.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
If you’re after a good time on the bike during the race, try to get a good night’s sleep and eat plenty of good food the night before – it took me several boozy late nights and hung over mornings to figure this one out J. Also do a practice lap as a team, if you have less experienced riders on your team make sure you give them sound (or not, depends on how evil you are) advice on line choice on any tricky section.
NUTRITION
You will need to keep your body energised through the race, sport nutrition is designed to do just that and is much easier to eat on the bike than a burger http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/high5-race-pack-p322564
PREPARE FOR THE WEATHER
I think 4 out of the 5 Mountain Mayhem’s I have competed in have been pretty wet, below are products or tips to make your life less miserable than the racers that forgot them:
- A lightweight waterproof jacket –a packable jacket gives you the opportunity to stuff it into a bag or pocket if the rain lets up
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/montane-minimus-mens-waterproof-jacket-p326138 - A change of tyres – tyres with extra grip and mud shedding ability will allow you to fly past those floundering in a muddy puddle, with a mud splattered smug face 🙂
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/schwalbe-nobbynic-snakeskin-tl-easy-folding-tyre-27-p343705 - Spare gloves – trust me, putting on cold wet gloves again and again gets really old really quickly
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/one-industries-atom-motocross-glove-p328535 - Waterproof socks – having cold, wet feet is never good
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/sealskinz-thin-ankle-length-sock-p304850 - Mudguards – a lightweight and easily attached mudguard can make all the difference
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/rapid-racer-products-enduroguard-large-p343869
SPARES & REPAIRS
Unless you are far luckier than me, you will encounter some sort of mechanical issues during the race. The below items won’t take up too much room or weigh too much, but you’ll be so happy you have them at 3am in rain!
- Spare Tubes: buy Presta valve tubes as they will fit any drilling of rim, just in case you have different rims front to back or are being kind and giving one to a mate http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/vavert-26-x-2-125-presta-innertube-p326334
- Multi-tool with a chain splitter: a good multi-tool is essential, chains get snapped as bikes are being used far more than usual in a single session, plus the lapses in concentration can make for poor gear shifts
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hexus-2-p154817 - Rear mech hangers – these little pieces of alloy are designed to snap in a crash, if you don’t have a spare that’s the end of your race
- Pump – enough said really, you’ll be deflated without it (sorry!)
A Co2 inflator is quick and easy for racing
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/topeak-airbooster-c02-inflator-p343613
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY..
My biggest tip though is HAVE FUN, it’s only a race after all
