Hi
I’m hoping to do an overnight bike ride (along the lines of the Dunwich Dynamo – http://www.londonschoolofcycling.co.uk/content.php?id=18) that finishes on Cramond beach (Edinburgh) in the next couple of weeks.
One potential starting point was Kingussie. About 10m over the pass would be on the cyclepath before you hit the road at Calvine / Bruar. What is the surface like, is it smooth enough for a roadbike? From the road bits of it look quite rough. Any feedback would be much appreciated!
Many thanks
Fraser

I did it 2 or 3 years ago on a fixie (track bike with silk tubs). As far as I remember it’s not a totally smooth surface (crushed stones), and it was a little overgrown in a couple of places. However, I made it without a puncture!

All the best with the ride – I did the Dumb Run (Dumbarton to St Andrews) overnighter a few years ago which was good fun (on the same fixie).

a bit iffy, it is that kind of fine cycle path gravel. Not a huge distance of it though.

It’s not ideal, quite rough and has a scattering of sharp stones that have been thrown off the carriageway. I wouldn’t be too keen on doing it on 23mm tyres but wider ones or touring tyres would be OK if you keep your speed down on the bit down from Drumochter summit. Also take care on the bridges there are a few with quite cheeky turns on them and they are slippy if wet.

That said better than alternative of riding the A9 – could always go Lecht and Glenshee I suppose? 🙂

I did it on 23s on my LeJog. It was the only place on the whole trip where I got a puncture, but I still made it through easily enough.

Thanks folks, much appreciated, pretty much what I thought.
I’d be on 25mm Conti GP 4 Seasons, so should be fine (crosses fingers).
The idea is to get the train to Kingussie, up and over Drumochter, back roads parallel to the A9 as far as Birnam and Dunkeld, then head through Crieff, Gleneagles, Crook of Devon, Dunfermline, over the bridge and onto Cramond beach for sunrise.

onto Cramond beach for sunrise

…then turn around and head back to Kngussie before nightfall?

Oh thanks for the info guys. Just been planning some big rides for this summer: one of which involves this very section of track.

Nope Deejayen…it’s about two minutes from home, so it’ll be straight into bed for some kip. BBQ and beers on the Saturday too.

It’s mostly OK. Some of it was resurfaced a couple of years ago.

As an option, why not take the Dalnacardoch – Trinafour – Aberfeldy – Crieff route rather than the A9 past Blair Atholl and Pitlochry? It’s much more scenic and is on lovely roads (if a bit hillier).

Deejayen – is this your write up? http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-dumb-run.70468/
Enjoyed reading it, but I hope I get better weather!
If the prevailing wind is particularly strong, then also have Alnmouth (via Northumberland coast and up the Tweed to Innerleithen) or Carlisle (back via either Moffat or Langholm) as options too.
Definitely got in mind to make this an annual thing near the summer solstice.
Cheers Scotroutes – just had a look at that and it looks a great route, though perhaps quite remote for doing at night if owt goes tits up. Hoping there will be at least one or two other folk with me though.

Ridden it 3 times as part of works Lejog. I had Panaracer ribmos and never had any problems

No, it’s written by Sam (Ravenbait) – she organised the rides. I’m the ‘Mr 86’ referred to. It was a very enjoyable night – I felt a bit out of it at first – everyone else seemed to be Edinburgh and London hipsters, whereas I’m definitely neither! However, we rode as a group – everyone got on well, and had a good and memorable time. I broke a front wheel spoke at 2am on a descent to Linthligow. If I’d been on my own I’d have been snookered, but Andy was a whiz with a spoke key, and tweaked the buckle out of the wheel, although I had to back off my front (and only) brake. I felt pretty strong on the ride, and didn’t feel tired, but I remember some of the others were struggling by early morning (I think we reached the Forth Road Bridge by 5am).

I’d driven down to St Andrews the night before, and camped out in my wee tent (I still remember it cost £18 per night for a pitch!). I didn’t manage to sleep as well as I’d have liked, partly due to the general camp-site disturbances, and also due to the unbelievable temperature in my tent in the morning – I almost boiled to death, despite it being relatively cool outside! I had a bath (maybe that’s why it cost £18), nervously packed my gear on the bike, rode to the railway station at Leuchars, and caught the first of three trains to Dumbarton. The train ride felt very long – I was constantly thinking I’d shortly have to cycle back! I had enough time to go for a light meal in Dumbarton, and shut my eyes for a wee while. I’d ridden a handful of audaxes at that time, so knew things were likely to get unpleasant later, and that rides are always much better if you don’t feel totally exhausted before the start. We all met up at the river, and went to the Kentucky Fried Chicken for a greasy snack before the start at around 9pm. We arrived in St Andrews at 9am. By that time I was feeling a bit tired, and wanted to sleep, but my tent was so hot I was unable to enter! I ended up wandering around St Andrews for most of the day, eating a few meals before finding a field on the edge of a wood where I managed to rest up for a bit. It took a day or two for me to catch up on my lost sleep – I met my brother in Edinburgh on the Monday, and I remember he complained that all I did was yawn and eat!

I wouldn’t mind doing something like that again, although it’s not that easy for me to get away (I’m up Inverness way), plus I ride a recumbent these days, which probably makes me even less of a hipster…