# Holme Valley Mountain Bike Challenge



## cjb (9 Sep 2011)

Anyone doing the Holme Valley Mountain Bike Challenge on Sunday? Unfortunately, I can't do it this year due to prior committments, but if anyone is interested they are taking entries on the day.

http://www.bikechallenge.co.uk/


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## Benmamil (10 Sep 2011)

I'll be there, number 196, hoping to beat 3 hours 31 mins 59 secs I did last year. Looks like it'll be a muddy one this year again, although the forcast for the day has improved. Good luck everyone


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## cjb (11 Sep 2011)

Benmamil said:


> I'll be there, number 196, hoping to beat 3 hours 31 mins 59 secs I did last year. Looks like it'll be a muddy one this year again, although the forcast for the day has improved. Good luck everyone



Good luck, Benmamil, weather looks promising, but the Trans-Pennine trail section will be a bit wet!!


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## element (12 Sep 2011)

How long is it ?


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## element (12 Sep 2011)

Just googled 30 miles


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## cjb (12 Sep 2011)

element said:


> Just googled 30 miles



It's nearer 34/35 miles, according to those with Cateyes etc.


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## mtbcraig (12 Sep 2011)

I got almost 35 mile's using cateye. how did we all do?


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## Cubist (12 Sep 2011)

Couldn't do it this year, Cubester's team had an important first match and one of the coaches was missing, so I had to turn out to the rugby. Mate of mine knocked twenty minutes off his time last year. Silver of this forum did it on his carbon 456 in just over 3 hours I believe. 

It was 34 last year according to my computer.


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## Benmamil (13 Sep 2011)

Had GPS thingy. 35 miles and I was 29 mins slower than last year. Putting it down to the very strong winds this year and not that I'm nearly a stone heavier than last year! Well done to everyone who took part.

I was chatting to an organiser and the numbers were well done this year at around 300 and they needed 350 to break even, so come on for next year all you who whimped out!


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## cjb (13 Sep 2011)

The first guy home took about 2 hours 10 mins - awesome!!


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## blockend (13 Sep 2011)

cjb said:


> The first guy home took about 2 hours 10 mins - awesome!!


Remarkable. I've cracked a rib so couldn't participate this year but the leader after 3/4 of the course was about fifteen minutes up on second place, usually it's a matter of seconds. Given that some seriously committed and able MTBers enter this, the moors had weeks of rain and it was in the teeth of a howling gale, 2:10 is unbelievable. The guy was climbing a steep hill when he passed me, in the saddle looking like a time triallist.

An old girl said she'd spoke to his grandmother on the course and he's going to take cycling up professionally after university. Definitely one to watch.


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## mtbcraig (13 Sep 2011)

blockend said:


> Remarkable. I've cracked a rib so couldn't participate this year but the leader after 3/4 of the course was about fifteen minutes up on second place, usually it's a matter of seconds. Given that some seriously committed and able MTBers enter this, the moors had weeks of rain and it was in the teeth of a howling gale, 2:10 is unbelievable. The guy was climbing a steep hill when he passed me, in the saddle looking like a time triallist.
> 
> An old girl said she'd spoke to his grandmother on the course and he's going to take cycling up professionally after university. Definitely one to watch.



From what I heard he did it in 2.03. Also he's a cross country racer, one of best in uk. This is just something I overheard though. Does anyone know where we can get results?


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## mtbcraig (13 Sep 2011)

nice short vid of a wall crash on youtube. 
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21RsrVZCuqo&feature=feedf

Hope your ok mate.


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## Benmamil (14 Sep 2011)

mtbcraig said:


> nice short vid of a wall crash on youtube. http://www.youtube.c...o&feature=feedf
> Hope your ok mate.



Ouch! Nearly came off myself when someone clipped my back wheel on a fast down hill bend. magaed to stay on though


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## cjb (14 Sep 2011)

mtbcraig said:


> nice short vid of a wall crash on youtube. http://www.youtube.c...o&feature=feedf
> Hope your ok mate.



And that wasn't even the steepest bit of that particular downhill road section - hope the guy is OK. 

Some of you may recall that a poor guy was killed on the course two years ago, also on a long steep road descent.


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## mtbcraig (14 Sep 2011)

cjb said:


> And that wasn't even the steepest bit of that particular downhill road section - hope the guy is OK.
> 
> Some of you may recall that a poor guy was killed on the course two years ago, also on a long steep road descent.




That part is now missed out but any part can be dangerous.


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## Cubist (14 Sep 2011)

mtbcraig said:


> That part is now missed out but any part can be dangerous.


The detour around Washpit Lane now adds a further 4 or so miles to the course, and another climb out of the valley


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## cjb (14 Sep 2011)

mtbcraig said:


> That part is now missed out but any part can be dangerous.



I entirely agree and they sometimes occur in the least likely places. A female friend of mine fell off one year on probably the only flat section of road on the entire course and had to retire - she was trying to get her bottle back into its cage and the next minute splat !!


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## cjb (14 Sep 2011)

Cubist said:


> The detour around Washpit Lane now adds a further 4 or so miles to the course, and another climb out of the valley




There's also a detour now around the fields close to Ingbirchworth Reservoir due to a landowner building a wall across the "white road" at Maythorn.


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## michele.x (18 Sep 2011)

hi everyone, im the niece of the man that got killed in the bike challenge 2 years ago, i would just like to say to people that take part in these type of bike rides, to be carefull, it was a big shock to us all that this happend in a bike ride, but theres one thing that he died doing something he loved all his life, TAKE CARE ALL YOU RIDERS X and R.I.P. UNCLE TERRY XX


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## Cubist (18 Sep 2011)

Hi michele, good of you to post. It was great shock to all of us, and as you say, a reminder to us all to take care. R.I.P.indeed.


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## mtbcraig (18 Sep 2011)

michele.x said:


> hi everyone, im the niece of the man that got killed in the bike challenge 2 years ago, i would just like to say to people that take part in these type of bike rides, to be carefull, it was a big shock to us all that this happend in a bike ride, but theres one thing that he died doing something he loved all his life, TAKE CARE ALL YOU RIDERS X and R.I.P. UNCLE TERRY XX



R.I.P.


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