OK so I'm not an XC rider normally ride on Minions or High Rollers if it's bone dry (2.35's)

Was looking at Advantages/HR XC's and Ignitors any tips? How scary will it be dropping to 2.1??

Also are the LUST worth the extra if I can get the tubeless to work?

As long as it's dry for several days before hand you'll be ok on anything.

I'm riding on semi slicks but if there's a lot of rain I'll possibly go up to Racing Ralphs. That should give you some sort of idea.

cool might not go as far as semi slicks but all sounds good, it's mainly the long road start i'm concerned by

it starts with 23ish miles of fast tarmac, then it's loose gravelly stuff, grass, mud (there's a bit through a forest that's very slippery) so don't go mad on the slicks but don't use anything that's going to make the road section any worse than it already is.

I did it last year with a Ralph up front and a small block 8 at the back.
guff here http://40psi.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/isle-of-man-end-to-end/

I think Terrahawk miss typed as it's 13.5 miles to the start of the first climb.
But then again it feeels like 23ish miles so may be he was right 😉

hmmm sounds like my singlespeed idea is a bit daft.

yep, it's 13 miles.
SS would be sh1t.

I wouldn't contemplate SS'ing it.

Bonzo off here does it every year on his SS in 4 hours.

I HAVE to take a geared bike to make sure I get a good head start on him as I couldn't bear for him to pass me…..

30km on road isnt it?

What about a set of Geax Mezcal?

Crossmarks for the win

14 Miles or 22.5km from the start to the bottom of Ballacob (First climb)

edited due to poor typing…see below

just done the middle section twice in 3 days – 2.1 nobby nics (merlin's current offer) seem to do far better than i was expecting. whilst the back can slide a bit it's not uncontrollable….

Start of on the road as mentioned, then a 1400 ft climb with rocky tracks – some quite sizeable as we've just had a 2 day trial on last weekend with lots of stone kicked about at the top of the dowse. Sommat grippy but not draggy works – done 2 or 3 years on Speed Kings with a Protection version on the back – only had 1 puncture (last yr, top of the dowse). last 5 or so miles including the final climb up the Howe will make you regret anything too bulky too…