Get in quick - it sold out in 4 days last year!

I've got my ticket. See you at The Kow!

Just entered our team of 6

The 'Team Big Test Icicles' is fielding a 'Brady Bunch' this year...

= 3 dads (Flying Al, Hawkeye, Hans) and 3 sons (Ethan, Josh, and Benji).

Passing the spirit of MTB'ing to the next generation!

See you there!

Cheers, Hans
=================
Happiness is a warm shock.

Over 50% sold out in 2 hours

http://www.mont24.com.au/news/?IntCatId=20

90% sold

97% full

The Mont is sold out.

I'm glad this is a while off. Apart from my dodgy shoulder needing to recover, my young bloke Josh has been crook for the last 10 days and just had a diagnosis of glandular fever confirmed

Ah well, can only improve from here

Oh man - what have I done?! I have a team of 6 entered and that will include me, despite my open hatred of night riding.
Need to buy some lights!

I also need some more team mates (currently there are 4 of us, and one of them is only just out of a wheelchair), but will wait a while before I panic!

Jet Cycles / Specialized will be there in force - with one staff / customers team, and one 'serious' team being captained by a bloke that hates night riding. We'll be there somewhere towards the front - I hope!
Does anyone have a Winnebago they want to rent to me for the weekend? I like my creature comforts.....

The better prepared you are the better time you have down there.
Good shelter and a real good comfy place to sleep are most important.
We've had some cracking setups in the past with 240v power, ample lighting, even heating! Last year I even took my shower tent so I could have a quick cleanup before bed. It takes a bit more organizing but man, it's worth it.
Next year we may have something "really special" planned???
Oh, and if you hate night riding, I'm sure a man like yourself can get hold of some you bute, top notch lights. It makes all the difference.

How can you not like night riding? Is there something wrong with you?

+1 What Gaz said.
Good camp is a happy camp. Happy camp makes a happy team. Happy team makes a fun time had by all!

My first night lap this year was easily one the best mtb rides that I have ever had. The track was awesome, the traffic thinned out, just seeing the track in front of you and not much else, it was nice and cool, it was just so much fun. A good set of lights is a must (Phil, I like your double handlebar setup - do you use a helmet mounted light as well?).

The only thing that we're doing differently next year is to have a better camping setup. We are ok last year but missed a few small creature comforts that would make a world of difference. Oh, that and entering a 4 man team so that we get more laps in!

Ants, surely a competitor of your standing will get themselves into one of those comfy and well appointed sponsored tents!?

Phil, I like your double handlebar setup - do you use a helmet mounted light as well?

Yes I had one on my lid too, x3 sets of Ayups = AWESOME! The doubles on the bar was great. I could offset each light to give me a really long throw. Plus the lid was great for seeing into the corners. Def recommend this set up.

..its mostly because I am a whinging pom - my dislike of night riding.
I love to ride hard, and then relax. I'll be all warm and chilled out and then will have to crawl up and go and ride hard again! In the dark!!!

Regarding lights - I probably can get something sorted for the team I'll need some ideas. I know Ayups are the popular choice, and am personal friends with Andy Fellows (you can see where this might end up) but is there anything else I should look at?
Are Ayups actually like Maxis tyres - the curse of the Crossmark - just because others have them, they are reasonably priced and available everywhere, people assume they are the goods?

If you could get them free (and I'm not saying I will) what would be the lighting system of choice? I suppose burn time is irrelevant as it will be 1 or 2 hrs max, and even then they'll get a charge in between....
Thoughts people?

I find with Ayups unless you put two pairs on the handlebars you don't get enough light, for my next 24hr I'm testing out a NiteRider Pro 1400.

Radical Lights seem to be popular now with a number of solo riders and teams, talk to your Rockstar connections

Ants you get setup with these - one for the bars and on for your lid - and you wont even know that you are riding in the night.

Very $$$ but german engineering at its best !

Local distributor website

http://www.virtuascape.com.au/lupine-light-sets

What's the saying about never talking about religion or politics. Well, on this forum, you can almost add lights to that. I use Ayups for mtb and for my commute and they are simply bullet proof. They're not the brightest but I find them much more than bright enough and they are not the most expensive either. They come in a very nice set and being Aussie made is a bonus. If I weren't paying for them? I'd have a good look at http://www.klite.com.au and the http://www.hidtechnologies.com.au. Radical look awesome but $$$.

Ants, I felt the same way about getting up at night to go and ride my bike when there are no many good hours during the day to ride but is just so much fun at The Mont. Getting up for a night lap and seeing someone coming back from their with a big grin in their face. Then 50 minutes (maybe 40 for you) coming back being that person with the big grin on their face. Marathons are awesome but it's the big single slog whereas it's great to be able to enjoy mtb as as team sport.

And shocking but true, the Australian distributor actually is charging competitive prices!