Putting all the Tweedlove Enduro chat to one side…. who’s in for GT7? Taken a last minute notion for it and got a waiting list entry. Not ridden much since youngest sprog came in November so not on great form, but should be a nice pootle as a pair and cracking day out if weather is good. Anyone got any course chat?

I’m soloing it again but I don’t have an XC bike any more so I’ll be on the fatbike. I’ve vaguely decided I want 6 laps, not very convinced 7 is going to go, but we’ll see- never done any real distance on it.

We’ve not been doing any gt7-specific work so no clues on the course myself. I’d be happy if it’s pretty much the same tbh

I missed last year, was course the same 2015 as it was ’14?

I am, as a trio this time. Simply can’t be assed with it as I’m ridiculously unfit, and only time I did it before I remember the amount of climbing didn’t particularly reflect the ‘fun’ status of the event…that was in 2013.

tenacious_doug – Member

I missed last year, was course the same 2015 as it was ’14?

Some minor changes I think but pretty similar in shape.

I’m in solo again. Hoping to do more laps on the TransAM this year than I managed on the Spitfire last year.

I’ll be on the fatbike

As good a reason as any to come and spectate fully armed with nerf guns and super soakers.

That’s not a war you want to start. I will have your eye out.

Doing it in a pair again, managed 9 laps in 2014 and 10 laps last year (far fitter partner). Will be happy with 8 laps this year as we’re now in the over 100 y/o category 🙂

I did it last year in a mixed pairs team,great event & nice cake!
Unfortunately I can’t get the time off this year 😥
The natural Tweed event was also good!

I’m soloing again 🙂

The natural Tweed event was also good!

On the waiting list, not expecting anything to come up though 🙁

I’ll wait til hour 6 then you’ll be begging me to do it.

Solo for me, going for 9 laps this year, managed 8 previous 2 years, praying for dry weather!

I just missed out on 8 last year because of mechanicals so if I’d been on a fast bike, anything but 8 would have been disappointing and 9, well just maybe but probably not. So it was a pretty narrow definition of success really and I’m kind of glad I’m off the hook. But now I just need to survive the assasination attempt and anything else is a win.

Doing it in a pair for the first time.

Would those that have done it before recommend full suss or hardtail?

(More bothered about having fun than the absolute fastest time possible).

TBH, I’d use the bike you like riding/best bike- assuming the route is the same or similiar it’ll have some steeps, some rooty and rough bits, some muddy bits, it’s pretty varied and interesting and anything’ll work. Surprisingly little trail centre. I’ve been fastest on a 29er hardtail but I’ve done it twice on a rigid bike (inc my £300 carrera) and they were all fine- the rigids lost a ton of speed on a couple of sections and I got shoogled to ***** but they still worked. Full suss I’m sure would carry more speed in places.

Probably the correct answer is hardtail but there’ll be people doing it on basically everything. A thousand Orange Fives 😆

Would those that have done it before recommend full suss or hardtail?

Kinda depends what your full sus and hardtail are?

I’ve never done this before and by the time I’d decided I wanted to give it a go only trio entries were left so a couple of work mates and me are doing it.

Also tagged a couple of extra days up there afterwards for some general riding in the area.

I’m riding in a pair for the 2nd year in a row, managed 8 laps last year and will be happy to manage that again as I could hardly walk after last years event! 🙂

Bike wise I’ll be only taking one bike a 150mm full sus, so that’ll have to do.

Doing it in a pair again this year.

Was there on Sunday giving the steep bits that are likely feature a go to see how my legs will cope with 1 x 11.

I’ll be using a 29er hardtail, I’ve done it previously on a Superlight.

The hardtail will pay me back on the climbs but be a bit harder work on the rougher descents. I wouldn’t describe any of it as difficult though especially if its dry

First time not doing it for a few years this year, it’s a great event though. I’ve done it on a 130mm full sus and 29er hardtail, 29er hardtail all the way for me, the climbs are tough and nothing very rough on the way down. Did it 1×10 last year and it was OK with 30×40

Ooh got a bit of a pang of wanting to do it there!

I’m down to solo. I have barely been on a bike in 6 months, and not ridden for more than 1 hour since last summer. I have not ridden an event in about three years.

I fully expect to embarrass myself.

I’m in solo.
Did 7 laps in a bit under 7hrs last year (didnt have time to get an 8th before 7.5hr cutoff though) and went so deep I was glad I had a helper to drive me home.

No helper this year, so currently undecided between taking hardtail and riding hard, or taking full sus and riding a more relaxed and enjoyable 5-6 laps.

Course isn’t hugely technical in dry conditions (will be far more difficult if its wet), but is rooty and rough in places – took quite a beating on hardtail last year to the extent that it wasn’t particularly fun descending by lap 4.

I’m riding in female pairs, my first GT7 (provided I survive this weekend first).

Still not decided on using superfly HT or my full suss. Done all training so far on the full suss and very tempted to stick with that but also wondering whether the HT would be faster.

Would those that have done it before recommend full suss or hardtail?

Whichever is the lightest (and has a dropper) would get my vote.

My old 456Ti will be brought out of retirement 🙂

I think short travel full suss would be best. Any time lost on the climbs would be gained and enjoyed on the downs, and everybody likes going downhill don’t they.
I think a hardtail would be slightly quicker up the fire road climbs, but don’t fancy those descents 6/7/8… times on a hardtail either

Assuming the route is the same as last year

I rode Zoom Or Bust 3 times on Sunday (probably the roughest bit of singletrack descent) You’d be faster on a full sus for sure.

BUT

Shitty climb #1 up past the Wigwams, Shitty climb #2 up Sair Fecht then up the steep fireroad parallel to the Buzzards Nest climb and Shitty Climb #3 Up the Push up Path in the free ride park would all be better on a hardtail and you legs will thank you for it after a few laps

Not told my teammate i’m singlespeeding yet. I think i’ll tell him after he ruins himself on the first lap.

I’m down to solo. I have barely been on a bike in 6 months, and not ridden for more than 1 hour since last summer.

You’ll be knackered just getting to Buzzards…, on the 1st lap.

GT is great on a singlespeed. GT7 on the other hand….

I’m using a 140mm travel Stumpjumper 26er, last year it was a godsend on the rooty downhills by the last lap and you can lock the rear shock out completely for the climbs.

Could someone explain (or direct me to an explanation of) the rules for racing as a pair? Do you do alternate laps or can you split the effort however you want?

Full suss it is I think.

Pretty sure as long as you both do at least one lap you can split it however you want.

Split it however you want, we found two laps at a time the best, one lap each and you’re barely warmed up before the lap is done. Some pairs have most laps done by one fast person and a couple by the slower, not that I’m annoyed that cost us a podium once :p

Normally the first lap is shorter, missing out the initial singletrack so best to let the first rider do two laps initial.

One year we’d just rotated one each but when my partner came in for his fourth (me to start my fourth) I thought we’d enough time to do two laps. So said to him to be either ready to do his fifth (our ninth) or if he didn’t want to I’d just carry on and do another.

MtbRoutes – Member

Could someone explain (or direct me to an explanation of) the rules for racing as a pair? Do you do alternate laps or can you split the effort however you want?

Alternate freely, both have to do one lap but that’s it. (one time when I did it as a pair, I came in after lap 3 to discover my teammate had decided he was finished! Wee bastard. This is why I solo!)

I’ve only ever alternated, it worked for me. Send a fast rider on lap one, is the only real advice I’d give re tactics- if the lap is the same as last time, the very first descent is the most technical part and that’s a recipe for queues. Well worth getting there quick and getting ahead of the mobb if you can. Or alternatively, send someone that doesn’t give a ****.