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I'm 16 I went up there and raced on saturday and without the 6 punctures our team got i recjkon we could have been in the top 10.
the event was great on the saturday although i understand there wern't many spectators on the sunday.

People need to know about it, bristol biggest bike ride attracts 1000s and thats on roads, its always a good laugh because GWR are there chatting random stuff, the council do there bit and at the end there are all different kinds of things for riders.

All the bike fest needs is a little bit of publicity from GWR, the brristol observer and maybe even points west news because if bristol biggest bike ride can get lots of people involved then i'm sure the bike fest can as it is infinatly more exciting.

Because at the moment it only appeals to the people who already cycle and a few little kids, i did that race when i was little and i never knew anything about it until i was there, lets get out there and promote tell your friends and tell them to tell theirs and the bike fest will become a real big festival.

I mean who can doubt a commenwealth silver medalist isn't cool?

Well done to the bike fest team and everybody who attempted the grueling course and the awesome trial builders who have rekindilled my love of ashton court.

Nyle

There isn't much point encouraging people to the bikefest if there is nothing to entertain them. If they are non cyclist then apart from a few bike stands with bikes and food there isn't a lot to do.

Bristols biggest bike ride is not a good example becasue it is a mass partipation event whereas the the bikefest is limited number of entrants.

I personally really enjoyed seeing friends and fellow bikers riding and realy enjoying themselves. The course was challenging and fun and far better than than say the cheddar challenge which requires you to walk miles to get to the best points of the course. At the bikefest you could visit walk to the farthest points in very little time which adds to the spectator experience.

But as someone has already pointed out it requires investment and unless a big sponsor can be bagged to add some publicity to the event it will remain a smaller event.

That's not to say that is bad as it is an event for the riders and they should be the ones that are important.

I think Paul and the rest of the organisers should be commended for using what little resource they had to put together a well organised and enjoable event for all.

Cheers

Hwe

Highjacking the thread as mike is more likly to see it, any more pics of Team 34 of myself, Alex, James and Jason.

Sadly out of all those pix I never got a "34" piccy.

I thought I had Alex as he shouted out but to now avail :-( However, Dave got Alex but the res is very low :-(

http://www.bristolmountainbikeclub.com/team34.jpg
Alex Team 24

However, I've seem Jim at www.photo-it.com.

Find your pix and elves may be able to remove the watermark

Team 34 were clearly moving so slowly that we were mistaken for spectators, and didn't have our photos taken. More Thursday night training is needed guys - I'll be down the pub around 19:30.

Still we didn't do too badly considering the four punctures, a front tyre that decided to part company with the rim, one siezed bottom bracket, a snapped front axle and buckled rear wheel. Respect to James for not being responible for any of the mechanicals!

Can't wait until next year.

I have an idea for the "mountain biker" Chris and his poorly researched opinions, why don't you actually try and DO the race next year. Then you would know that the commentary was brilliant - very uplifting for the bikers and spectators, that the organisation was excellent and atmosphere supportive and inclusive.

Hey Fi, i don't know what more "research" you could expect me to do than to go to the bike fest on both days. You also seemed to have completely missed my point, i'm not knocking the "race" at all.

Cheers, "Chris"

Nah what they need instead of the kicker is a huge half pipe or a massive dirt jump then it will make things intresting!

Anyways now i think we've established that the bikefest was good but may need a bit of tweaking to bring in the spectators.

Thanks to all the photographers who got a couple of pictures of me !!! (Team 44 on the blue bike with a red and white top) I even got air after coming of the scafolding bridge! (sort of) Stupid parents couldn't be arsed.

LOL at Nyle, who bought your bike for you then?

I just wanted to add that things like putting on dirt jumping demos all cost money, and I seem to remember that when they had jumping the other year, despite some great riders being involved it wasn't that spectacular, the top of Ashton Court is just too windy for that sort of thing.

The event did have a major sponsor this year but even big companies like Ritchey don't have bottomless reserves of cash, and I'd much rather the race's budget was spent on making sure the facilities are there for the riders. The event lives or dies on how many racers enter, not how many members of the general public attend. Word of mouth plays an important part in that, so people should think carefully before slagging events like this off on the basis of a first impression.

Sorry but RITCHEY is not a large sponsor in my book. How about Saab, Ford etc.. as they are household names or maybe get some goverment orgaisation involved as they like throwing money about.

or maybe, bristol bike fest could join forces with the naked bike protest people for the all new bristolnakedbikefest - wahey, count me in! Only joking (although.........)Seriously, there was sunshine bikes, food...what more could you want. If it can get even bigger, that'd be great - maybe encourage more families (start 'em young), and non cyclists, maybe more advertising, that'd be great - but i had a GERT LUSH day.

Thanks to everyone who posted a psitive comment, the event is about the riders and course, the rest is nice things there, if you ride then i hop you enjoyed it. Thanks again for all your support, Paul The Organiser ps I am going to bed now for a bit.