Got a sabbatical from work to play in the Alps this September-October. Spent the first week with Bike Verbier - they were brilliant on a number of levels, and it was a great group to ride with. Go!:
I then spent three weeks learning Alpinism from the ground up (although I'd done a bit of bouldering and indoor stuff). These aren't really relevant to mountain biking but I include them for general Alps p*rn purposes:
Headed over to Arolla to climb but I also saw superb unspoilt mountain biking in the Val d'Herens - if you don't mind climbing/pushing up - to be returned to I think:
(guide's photo - Graham Frost - he was first class and rides bikes too)
(another of Graham's)
Serac fall, one was <150m ahead of our position...
Headed over to Chamonix for some brutal hike a bike above the Bossons glacier and in the Bovine area, and some less brutal (sweet) stuff at the bottom end of the valley. The place is empty now and orange. Weather's been good, but turned today.
I also tried to carry my bike up Le Buet as per discussions on this forum - but failed miserably! My mistake was to try to be too clever and go for a pre-dawn start. I lost the trail in the dark (even with a powerful light). I've not returned in the day but it struck me as not a straightforward trail...certainly not for walking around in the dark - even on the way down I nearly went ass over tit on many cliffs and boulders! I'm sure it's easily navigable in the day but could still be a horrible hike-a-bike. Anyway this one is still waiting to be done by someone on here...
Finished with some more (very accessible) climbing...
Bus-sized serac ready to go, directly above Tacul normal route
Brilliant riding in this end of the valley
KIT
What worked:
- Specialized Enduro 2009 - brilliant platform for the kind of thing I was doing, if you replace basically everything on it that moves (beginning with the shock). But the frame is perfect.
- Fox Van RC tuned by Loco, and a 2009 Fox RP23 - both brilliant for their particular applications (I ditched the Specialized AFR shock without even riding it hard - it stank)
- Mavic D521 rims - brilliant, even after I dinged one
- Hope hubs and BB - brilliant
- my Fox Float 32s (2009) surprised me - their plushness is average and they're quite sticky but the main thing for me is durability and they've worked satisfactorily all summer long without any real problems. Seen many more expensive forks be super-plush right up until when they explode this summer.
- Maxxis Minion tyres - mostly brilliant BUT you cannot lean these over on hardpack as far as High Rollers or Eskars - you WILL lowside if you try. But they're good.
What didn't work:
- Dainese leg guards and 661 elbow guards. These slipped with bloody consequences - you could not rely on them to protect you in a crash, end of story. They are my size and I am a "normal" shape (not tiny, not fat). They're just...a bad product. The only way I can get them not to slip is if I strap them so loose to begin with that they would just move in an impact anyway. They are $hit.
- "Hydration systems". I already knew to steer well clear of these but I saw about a million camelbak-related problems this summer. Just use water bottles. End.
- Expensive 35 litre backpack with an arched/suspended back for ventilation - totally inappropriate for mountain biking, or climbing, or anything but rambling with your granny - it bounces about on your back. Use a Berghaus Extrem if you need something for overnight climbing/bike trips.
- single ply tyres - I posted a rant defending single ply tyres a while ago on here. I now see the error of my ways. Ugh.
Thanks to Phil and Lucy at Bike Verbier, Graham Frost, Zero G Chamonix and the Midnight Express burger bar in Chamonix for making it happen! Be a while before I can do anything like this again (never!)
