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@BoBoB
Morning Tom, shhhhhh (yep ;) )..... we emailed him late last year about how to get involved and he said just turn up at the campsite, bring booze food and a rubbish bike and have fun! It's totally at your own risk :)
Basically, in a nutshell, it goes like this.....
camping from friday night, sparkhayes campsite, sparkhayes lane, porlock, somerset.
First saturday in July, race starts in the beer garden of The Ship Inn in the village at lunchtime, and goes on all day. wear a lid, and gloves, extra padding like knee and elbow is wise and your bike must be old or inappropriate.
Everything is entirely at your own risk.
Details from an article written by Charlie...
The Clunker Classic is held on the hills overlooking Porlock in Somerset UK. Most of the hills are hilly, and the others are too. The hill goes all the way from the sea to the top, where the clunkers dwell. The hill was formed over millions of years, and when it eventually reached the clunkers, they celebrated by inventing downhill bicycling. However due to being somewhat isolated from the rest of the earth, due to the lack of earth, their bicycling technologies are somewhat basic. On the first Saturday in July we celebrate the day the hill reached the clunkers through the mediums of rust and beer, and also through the larges and smalls too.
This event takes us back to the origins of mountain biking, where poorly prepared gentlemen (and ladies) charge off down a big hill on bikes that just ain't up to the job. Leave the Lycra, disc brakes and suspension behind, just grab a clunker and bomb the bastard.
It's at lunchtime first Saturday of July 2006, Ship Inn, Porlock, Somerset, UK. It's a four mile push up a hill to around 1,700 feet, with a picnic followed by a Le Mans style start and a 4 mile race back to the pub.
One rule: You can't ride a mountain bike or anything suitable for the purpose—so that's anything old or inappropriate such as, chopper, shopper, stingrays, BMX, postie bikes, etc. The route is offroad, technical, rocky and includes river crossings, public bridlepaths and roads. The World Champion will be crowned at the closing ceremony/party. Camping at the Sparkehayes campsite in the middle of village (Sparkehayes lane just before the church). All competitors (in this non race) have to donate something or anything to the communal prize stash.
IMPORTANT BIT: This is an annual gathering of like-minded idiots, sorry I mean athletes, who choose to enjoy an afternoon cycle together. It's not really a race. There is no organiser, no entry fee, no marshals, no insurance, no permission to race, no first aid, no liability, no medics, and only you and no one else is responsible for your welfare. Crashes are not rare, injuries have been known, so wear as much protective equipment as possible. HELMETS MUST BE WORN. However having said that the race has become much more pleasant in recent years, with many lady racers, great picnics, good solid people, and no worries.