Mountain bike events in 2023
The 2023 event calendar is well and truly alive and kicking. It’s clear to see that peoples appetite for taking part in competitive events is well and truly off the scale, with nearly all of the big events close or fully subscribed already. We have selected our top 5 UK mountain bike events which you have to check out and if they’re already fully subscribed, you have loads of time to plan and train for next year’s edition. Whatever you end up doing, we hope that our list gives you some inspiration to get involved or just watch some of the best mountain biking the UK has to offer. Without further ado, let get stuck in.
To view each event’s official website, just click on the event title.
Battle on the beach
March 25-26 2023
I’ll start with a disclaimer, entries to Battle on the beach 2023 are already sold out (please don’t be mad at me!) , BUT, you can register to join the waiting list which takes the spaces of riders who cant make what the organisers describe as the “UK’s most unique and largest off road cycle event”. Its hard to argue with them on this front-A truly unique mass start bunch race made up of 3 laps totalling approximately 45km. The race starts off on a 5km wide open expanse of beach which means that echelons can form very quickly and positioning being critical for a good result. Once off the hard packed sand, it’s over the dunes and into the woods for some epic singletrack.
29-30 April 2023
Tweed Valley’s original and, in their humble opinion, the best bike festival this spring. Ride the best trails the Valley has to offer, demo a new bike, find your favourite brands, have some beers with your mates and soak up the festival vibes. The choice is yours.
A staple of the TweedLove Festival is the Glentress Seven, arguably one of the most well-attended one-day endurance competitions on the calendar which takes place at the Glentress trail centre. It can be raced as a trio, pair or taken on as a solo rider for, wait for it, seven hours. The course is pretty tough with laps taking between 30-60 minutes but as with most tough ascents, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labour and enjoy some of the best descending out there. The whole event atmosphere is super chilled, so whether you’re smashing it for the win or just cruising around, you’ll be having a great time. The event is aimed for the whole family-there is even a kids cinema night. Check out their official event video below: PS, If you can’t make the Tweedlove festival, but love the look of the trails within the Tweed valley, give our partners MTB Beds a visit as they offer a 3 day guided enduro weekend which includes breakfasts, full uplift day at Innerleithen, secure bike storage and an overall awesome experience. For further information, follow this link!
Tweedlove Festival After Movie from TweedLove Bike Festival on Vimeo.
Ard rock enduro
21-23 July 2023
A two day bike fuelled bonanza, Ard Rock is based near the beautiful village of Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and includes an exhibition with industry-leading bike brands, music, camping, pump track, demo loops, kids skills track, entertainment, food stands and a fully licensed bar, and to add to the fun, camping is just £5 per night.
The main Enduro event is a 45km loop of technical, flowing and steep natural (not manmade) trails- not one for beginners. With over 2,500m of climbing and descending, the clue is in the name- it’s ‘Ard!
If that sounds like a bit more than you can chew, there is a one-day Enduro Sport, the two-day Enduro Sprint (a 30km version open to 15 year-olds and up) and the three-stage Enduro intro for beginners.
These events can be entered as a team, individually, or even just as a loose group of mates – you can all start together.
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The GT Bicycles Malverns Classic Mountainbike Festival
24–27 of August 2023
Get ready for the largest celebration in British mountain biking with a jam-packed weekend of exciting and spectacular events, including flat-out racing across all disciplines, for both spectators and riders. The event includes the UK’s largest Trade exposition with over 100 of the best brands on display. Not only that, but there are free fun fair rides, pumptrack, balance bike world championships, air bag and slack lines!
You can bring your own bike (and dog!) and ride all of the available courses which are also used for the official racing. Unlike your average festival, the Malverns Classic has clean toilets, showers and drinking water available. Live Entertainment with live Bands, DJ’s and a Licenced Bar puts the icing on the cake….what are you waiting for?!
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Spectator Special- The Redbull Hardline
date TBC.
Made up of the the crème de la crème of riders in the world, the Redbull Hardline will return this summer to what is frequently and justifiably referred to as the hardest downhill race out there. The enormous mountain terrain is littered with terrifying features including vast gaps, rock sections, huge step downs and wheel shattering drops big enough to warrant parachutes. Follow the link for ticket updates to get a chance to get up close and personal with this fearsome event
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We could have listed far more events but they were all sold out so didn’t want to dash your hopes and dreams too much! Don’t forget to make sure that if you are participating in an event, that you have the correct level of insurance in place. Pedalcover offer a combined home and bicycle policy, travel insurance and also bicycle only insurance policies to cover mountain biking events. if you need any help, just give the friendly support staff a call on 0800 121 4424
