The Enduro is now well and truly full for 2008.

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Howies Dyfi Enduro

The howies Dyfi Enduro is a non-competitive long distance mountain bike challenge happening on the 4thof May 2008 in Machynlleth West Wales.

We are planning on making the 2008 howies Dyfi Enduro the best one yet, and after 7 years of organising what has grown into a lot of peoples favourite enduro event we figured it was time for a bit of a celebration. So, with some help from Café Seren we are giving the howies Dyfi Enduro a bit of a kick in the seat tube.

Café Seren are setting up a solar and wind powered tented space in the field near the town rugby club, from where the entire event will be based. Here, adjacent to the start and finish, you will find a well stocked Café and licensed bar, serving a wide range of food and drinks. There will be mountain bike films showing in the cinema tent, and plenty of seating and space to relax and catch up with fellow riders during Saturday afternoon and evening. We have a band lined up, who will play on stage from around 9pm. Camping is included in your entry fee, and Café Seren will start serving breakfast as soon as you emerge from your tent, camper van, or ditch. So come on over and make a weekend of it, Machynlleth has never been so alluring…!

On Sunday the Café and cinema will remain open all day, so there will a dry comfortable place for non-riding partners and families to hang out while they wait for mum and/or dad to propel their battered bikes and bodies back to the finish.

Being a bank holiday weekend, anyone wanting to stay over on the Sunday night is more than welcome, once we have pulled out a few course markers, and handed out a few prizes the organisers and helpers will no doubt be having a few beers, so come over and join us.

Howies have kindly continued their support of the event, and remain title sponsor, which means you have a very good chance of leaving with a cool new T-shirt. We are also indebted to the events other sponsors, all of whom contribute to the very large pile of prizes. Between them the sponsors, howies, Formula, Wingnut gear, Easton, Topeak, Endura, Bontrager, Continental, Hi5, contribute over 200 individual prizes.

The overall ride format of the event will remain the same, with the big group lead out on the road up to Ceinws, followed by a demanding 45ish km off-road loop in the Dyfi forest, as in previous years, the route will be technically, as well as physically challenging, and will feature what we think are some of the best mountain bike trails to be found in the Dyfi forest area. Sharp rocks, ruts, roots and maybe a spot of mud here or there. If you rode last year, those lines of riders you passed on the descents weren’t knelt in prayer to the forest spirit, they were just fixing flats. Lots of them. Bring fat tyres.

The first 250 riders through will take a slightly longer, slightly more arduous route, to even out the finish times a little. We will be separating times and routes, so this year you will be able to see which route you did, and how long it took.

Its not a race, its just for fun, and more about having a go, than having all the gear, as Roger (aka The Leveler) proved a couple of years back, when he beat plenty of people who had shoes worth more than his bike.

In order to ensure the smooth running of the event, we will be limiting entries to 600 riders, entries will be on a first come basis. After the response to previous year’s events, we are expecting a full field, so get those entries in soon. Please note that due to the volume of work involved in organizing the event, we will only be accepting online entries.

Please note that the event is organized and run by volunteers. To maintain safety standards we need lots of marshals, if you can help, or know a person who can, please let us know.

If you have any questions, or would like to help please contact us by email, do not call Summit Cycles, or The Holey Trail.