The 'Triple Grueller' Mountain Bike Challenge

The 'Grueller' climb is the climb up from Dovestone Reservoir to Chew Reservoir on the access track that is mainly tarmac or gravel. The climb starts at 730 feet ASL and tops out at 1580 feet – a total ascent of 850 feet over a distance of 1.7 miles. Doesn't really sound like a big deal but the first couple of hundred yards and the top section are steep and unrelenting.

Read on...

What the challenge involves...
The challenge is simple and doesn't involve any scrutineering or breakneck descents. Honesty and fitness is all that's required. Oh, and a stopwatch and a mountain bike too...

You start at the bridge crossing Chew Brook where the track from Dovestones Car Park splits to go round the reservoir or up to Chew Reservoir. Simply start your stopwatch and ride away up the hill as fast as you feel you can safely go. (Make sure you're warmed up first ). The aim is to stop the clock at the top of the hill after the track has traversed the dam wall of Chew Reservoir and where it reaches level ground at the end. Well done to you, you've done the first third of the challenge...

Remembering the time you took, now coast in a leisurely fashion back down to where you started. This descent doesn't need timing and there's no need to ride like a lunatic – slow down and give respect to any walkers, bikers or vehicles coming up the track.

Once you get down to the bottom, you should have recovered enough to start a second ascent!!! Time this in the same way and once again remember the time. I bet you can guess what's next – the clue's in the Triple Grueller name... Yep, descend once more in order to start a THIRD timed climb!!!

Assuming you reach the top for the third time, make a note of the time and give yourself a huge pat on the back! The challenge time is the total of the three ascents which you can then email to us at the shop to be published on our website. We'll take the fastest male and female times at the end of the year and provided there are a reasonable number of entries, will award the winners a polka dot 'climbers' jersey to be worn with pride!

There are only a couple of simple rules, designed to level the playing field a little:

1) Honesty is the ONLY policy – what's the point of cheating?

2) The three runs must be completed inside one and a half hours. This would allow three 20 minute ascents (a respectable but achievable time) and two slow recovery descents of 15 minutes each. If you feel you can't duck under the 20 minute ascent time then maybe train a bit and attempt the challenge another time.

3) Be sportsman like and courteous in your attempt and remember there'll undoubtably be other folk on the track.

4) No Tour de France stage winners, professional cyclists or drug cheats – this is a light hearted bit of fun for us leisure mountain bikers.

So, to sum up the challenge simply, ride up 'The Grueller' three times, take the total time and send in to us at the shop by email. There are no limits to how many times you can try this to get a better time so let us know if you've made an incredible number of attempts and we'll make special mention of you for your tenacity!

Good luck...!!!