8 Hours Of XC Racing @ Eastgate

Saturday 24th May 2025 is the date set for the return of the Eastgate 8 cross country endurance mountain bike race.  The event ran once before and riders had to withstand an absolute deluge of rain to battle through the day and get the job done.  For 2025 we’re linking up with the well used Eastgate TT track to give you riders some quality trails to complement the old school cross country power riding.  A video of the TT course can be seen at the bottom of the Eastgate 8 event page.  For those people worrying that “it’s a downhill track!” have no fear, it’s rideable on any kind of bike.

On the day you’ll drive up a farm track and then plonk yourself in the main grass field which doubles up as the car park and the pit area.  The race route goes bang through the middle.  The whole track circles an old quarry set on a steep Wearside hill so riders can expect hard climbs, rock features, natural trails and a bit more effort getting used than your standard forest trails.  A 4 mile course here will be like a 5 or 6 mile course on standard forest tracks.

With music for motivation, great coffee and wood fired pizza you’ll have plenty to keep you going.  Enter just for the craic or get down to the business of racing.  The Eastgate 8 is an event with the price pushed as low as possible because it’s focussed on creating the opportunity for high quality racing by those who have an itch to scratch.  With no Glentress 7 or Hammers 8 you only really have the fabulous Ten under The Ben way to the north or a number of 6 hour events in the south.  The north east of England has always had a good cross country scene where people were not afraid to tackle the big rides like the Kielder 100, Clennell Colossus or try their hand at the local xc maximal-heart-rate races.

We look forward to seeing you all on 24th May, only this time with far better weather please!