THE MERIDA EX ENDURO 2024: roundup report, photos and video

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THE MERIDA EX presented by Shimano is an enduro mountain bike race like few others. With three days of riding, a total of 24 stages and over 4,600m of descending on trails that are little known and often not open to the public in Exmoor, South West of England, it’s a serious challenge for even the fittest rider or racer.

However, its true charm lies in the fact that it’s open to just 80 entrants each year, helping riders forge an intimate bond with each other as the race progresses – and because each and every one of them is looked after from start to finish with hospitality that’s second to none.

Whether it’s the copious amounts of free food from Luffy and crew catered from morning to night, unlimited drinks in the evening, or the special surprise entertainment that’s laid on each year, there’s a good reason why it’s been called “one to put on your bucket list” by the mountain bike press and has a hardcore crew of devotees that come back year after year.

This year’s edition was amongst the most challenging thanks to the changeable weather of Exmoor National Park, with slick and often soggy conditions testing the bike handling and resolve of even the most hardy riders.

Friday opened with a selection of singletrack delights to warm the riders up for the coming days, but the Exposure Lights Night Riding Stages meant the fun didn’t stop just because the sun had gone down. After a first day of hard graft, the riders rolled across the final stage and straight to a BBQ in the intimate setting of Horner Farm – complete with DJ spinning some tunes and liquid refreshment courtesy of Bristol Beer Factory.

Saturday is the big dog of the event, with 1700m of climbing to get done and ten stages to race – happily the rain eased off, so it was just some slipping and sliding that they had to contend with. If spirits were flagging half time, they were raised with our classic vintage tea stop at half time, allowing riders to top up on tea served from real china while tucking into scones with jam and cream – plus a sandwich or five.

After drifting and dabbing on through the rest of the stages, the Saturday night dinner was a special one – with the marshals and organisers giving them table service at a sit-down meal. For those that had got bored of sitting down, the night’s entertainment also included a proper roller racing setup, with the keen sending their cadence and heart rates sky high in search of glory.

While Sunday offered a little more liquid sunshine, the end was in sight, and despite being a chunky day in its own right, the riders flew around, once again powered by scones and jam – though with the infamous Vominator climb adding a sting to the tail of the day, some may have regretted too much clotted cream…

With all the riding done and nothing left except to say goodbye to old friends and new and head home, it was game over for another event. This year’s crew got through each day with a smile on their faces and came back ready for more each morning, whether they were leading the pack or just there for the laughs – which is truly the spirit of the event.