Strathpuffer- For my sins...

[Deleted]

I'm entered in a team of 4. Anyone done it? Advice? Top tips?

B

[Deleted]

See a shrink about your unresolved issues.

(24 hour race in deepest darkest Scotland... in January!!!)

[Deleted]

Incredible support and encouragement there, thanks!

[James Malone]

Googles "Strathpuffer" - rather you than me Beth!

[Deleted]

Just reviving this one. In the depths of planning for this event in the middle of Jan. I'm racing as a team of four with Adeline O'Moreau, Clare Ross and Claire Beaumont.

Anyone have any advice on team 24s? Or even deep winter riding/clothing etc? All advice very welcome.

Cheers

[Joe R Booth]

No advice, but that's a strong team you've got there!

[Ray Cox]

looks truly amazing, Beth. Never done anything like this. It seems to be tag style so keeping warm when you are off the bike could be a real issue. I would think of warm clothes and double it! Maybe some of those hand warmer thingys, Moon Boots, fur hat.

[Charliecod]

1. Stay warm when your're not riding - take a decent tent and sleeping bag, better still a heated motorhome (there's that company in Belgium that do these I think )
2. Varying the turns at night (ie 2 laps per rider) to allow each rider to have decent break and get some kip.
3. Extra light batteries - many more than you can afford, there's one heck of a load of dark in Scotland in January.
4. Shed loads of spare kit.
5. Sense of Humour?

[James Malone]

Could you get one of those brazier things so you can have an open fire going to keep you warm?

I'd also bring studded tires (it's bound to be icy at that time of year), loads of spare brake pads and alcohol (a beer at the end of each run would keep me going!)

[hectorkidds]

Beth

I read quite a few things in preparation for the MR24, a few things that cropped up, many of which were not relevant for that but are for this... But before that, good luck, should be an amazing thing to do.

New shorts for each lap!
Don't sleep, the faster teams suggest that the little rest you might get is lost in lack of time it leaves you with, cat naps in a chair is apparently OK,
Have somebody be in charge of making sure the next rider is ready before the last one comes in,
Do the plan, a strong rider might fancy a second lap, but fresh riders are faster and crash less,
Number all the lights and have a system so you never go out with the one that will run out half way round the lap,
Batteries don't last as long in the cold,
Prep bike for next stint before sitting down, or you will forget/miss something,
Say Hi to Guy Martin
Enter MR24 now you have developed a taste for riding in the dark.

H

[Sara Barman]

Do some kind of practice simulation. Need to experience riding in those or similar conditions i.e. Tired dark cold etc

[david emery]

Have friends who have done Torq in Your Sleep, Mountain Mayhem etc

Portable Karcher / Mobi bike cleaning stuff
Spare bike - some problems may be terminal and not solvable with kit
Pit Crew - enough to allow others to rest / slack off
Pit sound system!
Coffee making facilties

[samcrossley]

The (sadly) late great Mike Hall's top tips has a lot of emphasis on brakepads
bikemagic.com/how-to/mike-halls-top-tips-for-surviving-the-strathpuffer-24-hour-race.html

Prepare yourself: spare kit, warm clothes, towel, food, caffine

Look after your crew: Tent, gazebo/wind break, stove, chairs, table (food, caffine), Lots of water (for drinks, rider/bike cleaning)

Let your crew look after you/your bike.

Good luck Beth

[Emma Pickering]

I was chatting to some local Scottish friends last year about this, they said the course is technical and to make sure your mtb skills are solid (this point probably applied to me more than you though) as they said you have enough to worry about with the cold, dark, tiredness, endurance, etc. They said it is an amazing event and fantastic atmosphere Have an ace time - I'm sure you'll smash it. And I also seem to remember they said take plenty of spares and to get all your lighting very dialled in.