OMM Bike events

[benp1]

Has anyone done an OMM bike event? I've only just spotted them, they look pretty cool, and potentially better for a couple of my mates who wouldn't be interested in bikepacking but might consider riding and car camping

There's one in April, just before the WRT, in the Peak District. Can't make that one though, have a wedding, similar reason for me not making the WRT this year

There's another one in the middle of September in North Yorkshire - https://www.theomm.com/omm-bike-north-yorkshire-2016/

The Yorkshire one looks pretty good. I've not done much riding there and it might be possible to drag along a few others as they won't need to ride around with kit strapped to the bike

Has anyone done one of these events? Any thoughts or experience you can share?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Ben, why not just pick a location, find a nice campsite, turn up with with your tents, etc and spend two days riding in the area, using the campsite as your base?

Even if you 'book early' it's £55, I'm sure you could devise your own version for a lot less. Just a thought.

Obviously, the other option is new mates that have already 'grown a pair'

[sillybigfella]

I've done a fair few OMM and Polaris events in my time. They're fine if you want a competitive edge to your riding, but as Stu says, a weekend at your own pace is much more rewarding (and cheaper).

[benp1]

You both raise a good point! Events feel like more of a draw than a normal weekend away, but it's a very fair shout

Hmmm, I feel an idea coming...

[whitestone]

I've done a few TrailQuests which are single day (well a few hours really) bike based orienteering which are fun in their own way but more akin to fell racing as in the main they are low key events.

As Stu says you could roll your own, maybe go for a BB type themed ride? In the NYM for example there are a number of ancient standing stones and crosses that you could aim to visit http://homepage.ntlworld.com/don.burluraux/crosses.htm

[Dan_K]

^^^^ they all talk sense. Every September, get together with 4-5 mates and do a similar thing on the road bikes. Pick a nice campsite, plan big loops on the bikes and then head to the pub at the end of the day.

[benp1]

I'm basically trying to cajole (sp?) my mates into doing some riding

Managed to get 1 to agree to the Bucks Off Road Sportive

Going to see if anyone fancies the Solstice 100 (100 mile loop from Northampton around the June solstice), maybe a few others

I like the biking weekend idea. In fairness a B&B might be even easier and more attractive for everyone else. They're not all fans of hardship and suffering (which is unsurprisingly I suppose...)

[Bearbonesnorm]

Going to see if anyone fancies the Solstice 100

At that time of year, you could drag them along to the BB party ... although it will involve a small amount of cycling and sleeping in a tent or similar

[benp1]

Going to see if anyone fancies the Solstice 100

At that time of year, you could drag them along to the BB party ... although it will involve a small amount of cycling and sleeping in a tent or similar

Good shout, I'd completely forgotten about that

[Pyro]

OMM Bike is what used to be Polaris Challenge. I've ridden a few over the years but not since the rebrand.

They're different to 'just getting a few mates together and going for a ride' - there's the navigational challenge and the competitive element, though how seriously you take that is entirely up to you. It's not playing a well-studied route into a GPS and following it, which puts some people off. I've always loved them, but then, I grew up orienteering. They've been around for longer than 'bikepacking' had been a known term, but never really shook off the Marin-full-suss-and-Buffalo-jacket image they always had.

I'd say give it a go. It's not bikepacking, it's a mountain bike mountain marathon

EDIT - Looking at the website, it's mainly on the old 'Summer Polaris' format, so you don't carry overnight kit, you ride for the two days from a basecamp. The 'Wild Course' option carries kit and overnights at a remote point (what was Spring & Autumn Polaris format).

[Bearbonesnorm]

Ben ... have you considered a 5 star hotel and a spin class for them? It'll feel like a trip out but without all the potential nastiness

[benp1]

Ben ... have you considered a 5 star hotel and a spin class for them? It'll feel like a trip out but without all the potential nastiness

Spinning is a bit sweaty for them Maybe I should offer the option of a Spa?

The most-well-attended trip I ever arranged was a 'golf' trip, which happened to be at a place with unlimited booze. That was hilarious. The standard of golf was interesting the following day

My mates are all townies - I look like even more of a wierdo round here than I would in the wilds

I fear that last year's winter event, which really should have been called the winter wind event, really scared one of my mates off. There was too much hardship and hike a bike. It'll take me a while to convince him to come out again!

[Mrhoppy]

Not done one since they were Polaris'. I liked them and the cost was offset largely by the prizes for winning category, I'm definitely up on the balance. But I thought the summer event format was much weaker and the fact you car camped made it much less sociable.

I'll cherish the memory of one rainy event being woken up at 6ish by our neighbour shouting at his team mate because he'd decided the weather was too bad to get up and was taking a dump in a bag in the tent.

[boxelder]

was taking a dump in a bag in the tent

DIY handwarmer...........resourceful.

[D Faff Master]

If you enjoy bikepacking you're likely to enjoy events such as the OMM Bike.

What's not to like? Two long days biking in an area that you've probably not ridden before. A chance to camp out and use your bikepacking kit. The added competition drives you on to ride that bit further and faster (just like events such as the BB200 and the HT550).

The maps provided are excellent. OS maps with extra detail e.g if a soft or hard surface underneath.

If you're not sure try out a local Mountain Bike Orienteering Score event first as that will give you a good idea of what to expect.
http://www.bmbo.org.uk/