Got the Gravel Dash 50:50 on the weekend. I’ve not done it before but i was intending on riding a rigid singlespeed 29er packed to the gunnels with energy food. But now I’m not so sure. I want to have some fun and not spend two days gurning my way up Dorset’s larger bumps.

Has anyone done it that can give me some advice please? My other options are a carbon cyclocross or a steel hardtail 29er with heavy forks (recons).

Ta muchly.

Yeah, think it is the same route as the one dayer, so hills are front loaded, so you won’t get punished on day 2 for a beery camp. Rigid singlespeed is fine. CX is fine too.

Website says “Bike: a cross bike is ideal, but MTBs will be absolutely fine. ” if you have a CX bike why not use it?

I’d go for whichever out of those 2 you are comfiest on for long rides.

Thanks all. Big bars and comfy tyres make me favour the 29er over the cross.

Sounds like I’ll be out of the seat up the hills then!

Did the 50:50 last year on my Stooge (rigid) and it was absolutely fine. Nothing really that technical. If it’s the same route this year, the day one hills come thick and fast in the first 20 miles before you hit more rolling farmland and forests/heaths. Bullbarrow Hill kicks you in the nuts at about 50 miles, but then it’s mostly all down hill from their to the campsite.

Day two starts with hiking up and over two big hill forts but then it’s fairly flat until the final climb back up from Old Harry Rocks.

It’s a fab event, gutted I can’t do it this year. Just hope you don’t mind sitting on a ‘loo with a view’!

Me and Mrs m did 1 dayer last year. I was on a Fargo with 40mm tyres, she was on a warbird with 35mm do think you will be fine

So

theboyneeds

– how did you find it?
We trundled round, no fancy riding – although it was a bit disappointing to get to the Sailor’s return and find an hour’s delay on food so we carried on after pint and a packet of crisps.

Glad i had a suspension fork on that bumpy field. Otherwise it was a very pleasant bimble 🙂

Yeah no problems. Dunno what i was worrying about. Pushed up a couple but then so did everyone!

The rigid fork left my wrists a little battered but to be honest I’d take that over lugging the extra 1kg of suspension over the smooth stuff! And I’m fairly used to it. Even the field of a 1000 bumps has nothing on some of the fast bumpy descents on the South Downs Way.

Glad i went mtb because i could fly downhill with a grin. Wish I’d spent more time getting tubeless sorted after a tyre change as i punctured twice. Bloody things just wouldn’t go up so i admitted defeat the day before i left!

But it was a great couple of days. I really enjoyed myself. We got lucky with the weather, might have been a different story in the rain. Although waking up with frost on the tarp was fun.

I reckon I’ll do it again.

Which one were you? 😉

Big black Felt 29er with red bags strapped to it and a Jetboil in the bottle cage!

You?

Dont think we chatted Theboyneeds? aP think we had a chat about dynamos on Sunday at the junction before the really muddy copse?

Hehe! Yes, that’d be me.
Salsa tiFargo with a dynamo hub and lamp.

aP nice set up – very similar to what i will do – except for the tiFargo bit 🙁 😉 have a great Tuscany bimble 🙂

Thanks Andy – hopefully it won’t break us….
I think we’ve almost got a route for a GD-lite August BH weekend… out from west/ south-west London into the Surrey Hills and back. Just need to find a camp-site and try and work out logistics.

Interesting. Pm in profile when you know more 😉

Couple of campsites in the Surrey Hills if you want official toilets and everything!

My brother stayed at one just outside Ewhurst where you could have fires.

I’m seeing him later, I’ll get the name.

Cool, thanks. Have nearly got the mileage up to about 100 miles over 2 days, will have to wait until after Tuscany Trails though to do anything further on it.

Campsite is Etherley Farm near Forest Green:

http://etherleyfarm.co.uk/index.php/camping/

Thanks, will look into it.