Mountain Bike Nav > MTBNav Events

How Are MTBNav Events Conducted?
What do an MTBNav control and map look like?
What equipment is needed for MTBNav?
How do I enter and who can participate?
What do I do when I arrive at an MTBNav event?
What distances are covered in a MTBNav event?
What sort of map board should I use?
What safety advice can be given for MTBNav?

What do an MTBNav control and map look like?
Participants in MTBNav navigate their way to checkpoints called “controls” which are placed at track junctions, creek crossings, on paths and at other easy to find locations. Riders carry a control card which must be “punched” at each control. Each control displays a code which is checked against the “control description” carried by the rider to verify they are in the right place. 

A control is a T shaped aluminium stand about 750mm high with the control code on a plate on top, and a stapler shaped punch on one arm used to spike little holes into the control card. A flag may be attached to make the stand more visible. Sometimes a flag and punch will simply be attached to a tree or other fixed object. A control looks like this.........

An MTB-Nav map is similar to an orienteering map, the main difference being that the MTBNav map focuses on the paths, contours, watercourses and vegetation around the tracks, and excludes other detail. Some maps have a legend, or there will be a separate legend available from the registration table.

Maps show the contour height, and a scale which is usually 1:20000 or 1:25000. Magnetic north is indicated. Tracks are vehicle width and are drawn as easy, slow or difficult to ride, and paths are single track width and also shown as easy, slow or difficult to ride. A map is printed at A4 size or a little larger to be manageable on a bike and fit the mapboard.

The organiser at some events will provide a fifteen minute information session about reading an MTBNav map – consult the notes for the particular event to see if this is scheduled. Notwithstanding, newcomers are always welcome to seek mapping guidance at the registration table at any event.

An MTBNav map looks like this: .........

What equipment is needed for MTBNav?
A bike is of course essential, one sturdy enough to be ridden on dirt tracks and having good brakes and gears. Suspension is optional, many participants riding bikes without suspension or with just front suspension. Carrying a small repair kit is a useful precaution in case of puncture. A road bike is unsuitable.

Wearing a properly fitting helmet is mandatory, and you need to carry a whistle in case of emergency (six short blasts repeated each minute signals help is needed. If you hear this you must give assistance).

Carrying a drink bottle is advised as there are no drink stops on courses. You will need a way of carrying your map so it is easy to read while riding, such as a map-board on the handlebars. See the mapboard section below.

Clothing may be anything that is comfortable, keeping in mind the conditions of the day which can range from hot and dusty to cold and wet. Bringing spare clothes and hot or cold food and drinks is recommended, especially for bush events where the nearest shop is miles away. Riding gloves are a good idea.

Riders carry a 210mm x 100mm control card which must be securely attached to your bike during the event to ensure you ride / walk the bike all the way to each control. You need to have something to tie-on the control card, a piece of elastic or retractable cord being ideal, else a piece of string or a cable tie.

How do I enter and who can participate?
Pre-entry to MTBNav events is preferred via “entryhub” to enable organisers to better prepare by having an idea of numbers. When you enter via “entryhub” the entry fee is still paid at the event. However, at most events you can also "enter on the day" at the registration table. Championships usually oblige competitors to pre-enter, as do longer events such as the MTBNav-Metro where catering is included. Consult the notes for the particular event to know what is expected.

Event fees and conditions are mostly per Orienteering Tasmania (OT) policy. It is compulsory for OT events for a participant to be either a full or casual member. Casual membership can be arranged at the first event, and the fee is the event fee at that first event (ie: there is no entry fee for the first event, and the amount instead becomes the registration fee). Casual membership is a once per annum action that remains good for the rest of that calendar year.  

Events otherwise have an entry fee which for example for an adult casual member at a local event is $10 and for an adult full member is $6. Longer events and those with catering have a higher entry fee. Full members receive a range of additional benefits for their $40 annual membership levy. Full details of OT membership and event entry fees can be found on this website ... see Events

Everyone is welcome at all MTBNav events, including competing for championships. Newcomers can receive instruction from the organiser prior to going out on their course. All that is needed is basic bike handling skill and an ability to follow a simple map. Venues and courses are unsuitable for very young children, and the navigation may be too much for other children unless accompanied by an older person.

What do I do when I arrive at an MTBNav event?
Events are conducted so that the assembly area, parking, start and finish are close together for convenience. Usually start and finish are at the same point. Depending on the location, care is needed when parking given other road users, and when unloading bikes and getting ready.  

Whether you have pre-entered or are entering on the day, the first thing to do is go to the registration table. Here your name is marked-off, entry fee paid, casual member registration completed if not already a member of Orienteering Tasmania, and a blank control card provided. 

Then write your name on a start list against your preferred course and start time, which is usually between 10.30am and 12noon, but see the notes for the particular event to know the actual arrangements. Start intervals are two minutes. Also write your name, course and start time on your control card. You may need to obtain a small control description sheet giving the code on the control and a description of its location, however, often times this information is printed on the map and a separate sheet is unnecessary. If you do get a separate sheet, one idea is to tape it to the back of your control card for easy access while riding. For an MTBNav event listed as solo, organisers will allow riders to participate in pairs to gain experience and enjoy a ride.

Riders then need to prepare their bike and themselves, don their helmet, tie-on their control card, and be at the start line at least two minutes before the scheduled start time. Although it may vary, you will be given a course map one minute before your start time which you need to place in your map holder then work out the first direction to ride. Starting will be when the starter says.

On completion, the finisher will write a finish time on your control card and work out an elapsed time. You are asked to then place the card on the results board in order of elapsed time. You keep the map.

It is vital that participants always report back to either the finisher or the registration table when they do not complete the course, and still hand-in their control card because the card is what the organiser uses to know who has finished and who is still on the course. At the end of the event the cards are tallied to the start records, and action commenced for anyone reported as still to finish, perhaps initiating a search party.  

What distances are covered in a mountain bike navigation event?
Course lengths vary from approximately 8km to around 25km depending on the event. There is a course suitable for every standard of rider. Events usually offer short, medium and long courses over distances of around 8km, 15km and 20km respectively. Navigation is quite easy on all courses, but the short course will use mainly better surfaced tracks and shorter legs whereas a long course will include steeper and rougher tracks and paths, and longer legs requiring more choice of route. Reading the map and selecting a good route is the prime aim of mountain bike navigation.

For local events there are usually three courses, with men and women mixed and no other classes. Championship and longer events will have a range of classes that may be divided into male and female and by age groups, although there will likely still be just a few different courses.

Events such as the MTBNav-Metro are called “score” events where a series of controls are placed around the course area and each allocated a points value. Participants need to work out their own route so as to visit as many controls as possible and gather as many points as they can in the time allotted, which could be three hours or six hours. Points are deducted for being late. Events of this nature are mostly conducted in Teams of two to five.

Consulting the notes for the particular event will detail what to expect.

Tracks can range in quality and roughness from rather flat, firm vehicle width tracks to rough, rocky and steep single tracks. In bush settings, it is a strict rule of mountain bike navigation that riders only ride on tracks and paths which are drawn on the map, and no others, and no bush bashing. All courses cover a broad range of track types, with the short course aimed at the better tracks to cater for inexperienced and younger riders as much as those who prefer a shorter distance.  

Generally there will be around ten controls on a course. Shorter courses may only have eight, and longer courses can have up to twenty. Control setting is a compromise to suit the terrain, and to enable longer legs where multiple route choice is available to test the rider.

What sort of map board should I use?
Your map needs to be carried in some way, and be easy to access and read including while you are riding. It will need to be waterproofed on wet days. 

At its simplest, a map can be placed in a plastic bag and either pushed down the front of your jersey or taped across the handlebars. Using a transparent document holder which is a bit stiffer and taping that to the handlebars is quite a workable refinement. Fixed taping prevents the map from being rotated.

At the next level, a clipboard can be attached to the handlebars with cable ties and a map in a plastic bag attached using the clip of the clipboard, or rubber bands, or bulldog clips. It is possible to stop on the course and rotate the map, although a bit fiddly and time consuming. Remember to attach the clipboard well forward on the bars else you will hit it with your knees when standing-up in the pedals to ride up a hill.

Mapboards are a very handy piece of equipment for MTBNav events, and are available commercially by mail order from about $110. They keep the map waterproof, are adjustable, allow the map to be easily rotated, and will last indefinitely. They are also handy on casual rides. Main brands are the imported Miry Mapboard, and two Australian-made boards from Windchill and Wild Horizon. The Windchill model is popular with local riders.   

Miry internet address is:
http://www.omotivo.com.au/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=113

Windchill internet address is:
http://www.windchill.com.au/Mapholder.htm

Wild Horizons internet address is:
http://www.wildhorizons.com.au/images/stories/gear/r4-manual.pdf

What safety advice can be given for MTBNav?
MTBNav events usually traverse public roads, including those through forests and plantations. Normal road safety rules apply. Roads are not blocked-off so you need to always keep to the left, be mindful of other riders, and look-out for vehicles which may a log truck. Be especially careful when coming around a corner, or backtracking down a track where other riders are heading for the same control. Be vigilant of cars when riding off a track back onto the road.

Carry a whistle to use in an emergency. Six short blasts is the call for assistance, repeated about every minute. If you hear such a call you are obliged to provide help.

If you find you are unsure where you are, stop, turn the map and try to match it to the ground. If necessary, ride to a major road and again review the map to relocate.

Have a good ride, and enjoy the forest, bush and birds along the way.