Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • c2c with the offroad bits. Best tyres?
  • andyr
    Free Member

    I’m doing Whitehaven to Tynemouth later in the year with all the offroad bits thrown in (Whinlatter, Old coach road, Nenthead, etc, might even squeeze Bolts Law in) as it’s something I’ve wanted to do for yonks.

    So I’ll be taking my 29er HT and need quick rolling on the tarmac but grippy on the offroad bits tyres.

    Currently thinking Kenda SB8s F&R but might change the rear to a Schwalbe Thunder Burt or possibly a semi slick of somekind (maybe the Marathon Mondial).

    What’s the hive mind consensus?

    nbt
    Full Member

    We did the “road” route on a tandem with 1.95 slicks. The section through whinlatter was fine, as was the climb out of Rookhope – both are unsealed gravel tracks. We didn;t do any other “major” offroad sections, we did consider the offroad climb out of Nenthead but TBH I wouldn’t have fancied that on my MTB, much less a laden tandem

    jonba
    Free Member

    I did it on semi slicks on my cross bike. Most of it is gravel and rocks the way I went. Grip is a state of mind on a cross bike anyway so the short sections where it was a bit sketchy I just slid around and battled through.

    Don’t feel you have to follow the full route. There are various option and the end into Tynemouth is a bit rubbish. I’d recommend picking up the Waskerley way at the parkead cafe then following that in the Derwent Walk down to the Tyne. Follow that in to the Baltic, cross north get a coffee at the hub then ride the path to Tynemouth.

    https://www.strava.com/activities/63624632

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    breatheeasy
    Free Member

    I did it on Swalbe Marathons last time – think they are basically the Mondials now. For the relatively short ‘offroad’ sections I don’t think it’s worth going too crazy with the mtb like tyres. Theres an awful lot of slog on the rest of the route to be dragging a big tread around.

    belugabob
    Free Member

    Schwalbe Marathons for me too, on my fully rigid Hybrid.
    Didn’t cut through Whinlatter fire roads (Stopped at the cafe, then did the road descent to Keswick – what a hoot that was)
    Didn’t do the coach road, so can’t comment on that bit.
    Did do the Rookhope climb and then the Waskerley way – which was good fun too.
    Two of the ladies in our group were on ‘shopper’ bikes, and did most of it – only really being put off by the steeper sections.

    andyr
    Free Member

    Don’t feel you have to follow the full route. There are various option and the end into Tynemouth is a bit rubbish. I’d recommend picking up the Waskerley way at the parkead cafe then following that in the Derwent Walk down to the Tyne. Follow that in to the Baltic, cross north get a coffee at the hub then ride the path to Tynemouth.

    Yep, that’s the route I’ll be taking. I live near the airport so will be taking the reavers route back home.

    Marathons it is then.

    lerk
    Free Member

    I did it on city jets (minus the coach road) fine, just a bit floaty on the way downhill in whinlatter…

    nre
    Free Member

    I used SB8s when I did it in 2013, wife used Mezcals (cheap at OnOne)

    butcher
    Full Member

    The official C2C route is fine on pretty much anything, including road bikes, except for the marked ‘alternative off-road routes’. They make up very little of the route, and even sections of these are rideable on most bikes, but parts of them do turn into proper off-road. You’d manage alright on Marathons though. You’d only begin to struggle if it got really muddy, but the sections are so short it’s not gonna ruin your day.

    The pass over Bolt’s law would be a little tougher. If you cross over from before rookhope (climbing up the old c2c route and cutting across), which would be the rational option, it can get very muddy across the moor on the way up to Bolt’s Law (Think knee deep). Depending on the weather the fattest of nobblies might not handle it… But it’s not a massive distance. Once you get to the top, most of it is reasonably armoured on the way down, with only small patches being difficult in bad weather. A little volume in the tyres will add to the fun, as it’s rocky in places. …I’ve ridden it more than once on slicks…it’s the high pressures in the tyres that murder you. It will definitely add a bit more work to your journey, with at least one more hill to climb, but if you’re feeling up to it…

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

The topic ‘c2c with the offroad bits. Best tyres?’ is closed to new replies.