Thinking of doing unsupported tdmb next summer with a couple of mates. Very mixed reports on line – from what little I can find. Anybody on here done it, if so would you do it again? Votes for clockwise or anti?
Or does it make no difference overall?

Cheers

Have’t done it, but I read this a while ago and thought it sounded brilliant:

http://www.alpkit.com/daring-deeds/giro-di-monte-bianco

Do a search on Chamonix bike blog, they did it a couple of months ago.

I did it as the last tour with MBMB this August, and it was chuffing brilliant. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it unsupported though, the descents are pretty hairy with just a day pack, I wouldn’t be keen to do it with 5 days worth of kit. Really nice to roll up to the hotel/refuge knowing your kit is already there, dry and warm. We did it clockwise and wouldn’t have wanted to do it anti-clockwise, all the climbs seem much more ridable the way we did it. It can snow in August by the way, A LOT! we were pushing through 6 inches of snow on the Col Du Joly on the last day, I’ve never been as scared for my life as I was then. Other than falling off the trail above La Fouly and being stuck between my bike and a tree, knowing there was a 300ft drop to the river below. That was when it was nice to have no excess kit.

It does sound good – this one is a bit more upbeat.
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Dont fancy it solo & SS!!
Would be doing it with a couple of others, and stay in refuges.

Did it a good few years ago with ChrisE from here – clockwise and staying in huts/refuges over 4 days. Carried minimal kit.
Fantastic – would love to do it again.
ChrisE will have route/accom details.

Chamonix bike blog has sold it to me!!

Did it unsupported a few years ago with group of 5 or 6, day pack and hostels in 3.5days. Miss out the hike a bike bits with a bit of a detour. Just be ready for some long slogs!

loved the tdmb. not real techy but epic 🙂

Best way is unsupported but stay at huts. not being in a group that needs bags/vans/etc means you can stay high up which is part of the Alps experience. There are many bits that are must do and some that are must avoid so it’s well worth piking the brain of someone who know it well. At every stage of the route there are normally 3-4 alternative tracks.

it is all on two 1:25,000 IGN maps so first thing is to order those and start looking.

C

I have looked at it the last couple of years but have never been able to get a combination of fitness, time and weather.

Most reports mention the hike-a-bike around Col de Forclaz and the extra time it takes. There are plenty of shops convenient to the route to stock up on food. The idea I have got a bit obsessed with is staying in Chamonix, leaving the car in Courmayeur, doing a day back to Chamonix, decent nights kip and resupply and another day back to Courmayeur. Two long days and not as much time to enjoy the scenery but with 2 young kids I don’t have time for that.

Kenny’s ride on the Alpkit site sounded fun.. rigid ss style! Been meaning to do it since I’ve ridden some sections in Chamonix and on this summer’s bikepack ride. Would happily do it solo with bivi kit, more freedom with where you stay and can still use huts, just go super-light and it only adds 1.5-2kg. Safer and more fun to go as a pair+ though, like anything in the mountains.
Seems busy in peak season although that may just be the areas I’ve ridden, I’m sure /hopeful it’s quieter in other areas.

ChrisE
I agree with all of those thoughts. I HATE hikabike, but would tolerate some of it if it is unavoidable! Particularly if it accesses the peachy single track in the photos. I will get the maps & start to piece together a route. I certainly want to do the lightweight unsupported so can get the proper experience of staying up high in the Alps.

ChrisE helped me out a few years back with info. top bloke!

with his tips and a bit of bravado a mate and i set out with a tarp, iso mats and sleeping bags and crossed the alps.

you can travel relatively light and still ride sketchy trails if you want. i think my kit weighed about 6kg. we ate in the valley and rode up to hill to sleep.

do it. it’ll be an adventure!

Have done it unsupported but with a guide. Luckily the weather was good, if it hadn’t have been it would have been hell. The bike a hikes were brutal. Enjoyed it but wouldn’t do it again.

Hike a bike? – that Chris E bloke had us on sections that were downhill hike-a-bike!
Doesn’t know his connard from his coude that gadgey.
4 of the most memorable days I’ve spent – for all the right reasons.
2 days sounds like a challenge. Mmmmmmmm?

Did it last June over 4 days (3 nights), clockwise, unsupported with 2 friends. Took minimal kit and stayed at refuges along the way. A fantstic experience and will definately do it again. A few hike a bike sections here and there and lots of climbing but tonnes of awesome stuff to ride including loads of singletrack and super tech DH.

Very little of ours was hike-a-bike, only the climb up to the Col De La Seigne from the museum and a bit of the climb up to the Col Du Joly, but that was probably because it was in the snow. We climbed up the road from Bovernier to Champex, that’s probably some hike-a-bike if you go that way and don’t use the road as it’s chuffing steep if you don’t use the switchbacks.

I’m going to do this next year, either last week Aug or first week Sep.
I started planning it about 4 years ago but (for reasons I won’t go into here) have been a bit of a slob for the last two years.

I’d appreciate ChrisE or anyone else who’ve done it critiquing my route:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/5932239
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/22521486 (preferred option)
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/5932279 (easy option)
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/5932301
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/5932321

(p.s. I understand that it will be a right old slog to get up onto the Mont de la Saxe ridge but (i) I really, really want to ride it and (ii) I know the other options and will make my mind up on the day.)

Weather will be better if you can get there earlier in the summer, we had the first snow at the end of August. Our last 2 days were grim, but the day we left was an absolute scorcher. I think the weather’s more predictable early on in the summer, and would really make or break the trip, particularly bivvying or even self supported to an extent. The route we did was far better clockwise than it would have been anti clockwise, but I’m sure a route could be made for going anti-clockwise.

Higgo – I’m not so good with online mapping and GPS but could take a look on a paper map here. I’ve only done 25% or so of the trails on the marked TMB route during trips over the years. All I can say of use is pay much attention to the switchbacks and gradients! What you think is rideable is often too steep / technical at 1800m+ when you’re tired. And what looks like steep techy switchback descent heaven can easily be downhill hike-a-bike. Exploring your own route is a great feeling but if in doubt, take the easier thin lines on the map or at least have a look when you’re there and decide on the day with an alternative in mind. We ended up making up a lot of this summer’s trans-alp route up as we went, since there’s loads of ace footpath trails and VTT pistes that simply aren’t on the maps, they were too good to miss.

I HATE hikabike, but would tolerate some of it if it is unavoidable!

In that case you should either a. Not do the TMB or b. Do one of the sanitised versions that avoid the hike a bike by using road sections.

My report from summer 2011 is here

Weather will be better if you can get there earlier in the summer…I think the weather’s more predictable early on in the summer

This doesn’t really work. Mont Blanc cops anything going all year round. It really is a lottery weather wise.

I have no evidence for that, just what one of the guides said, but the weather will vary between valleys anyway.

In that case you should either a. Not do the TMB or b. Do one of the sanitised versions that avoid the hike a bike by using road sections.

Sound advice!
The single track looks so amazing that I do want to do it, but just make sure I get enough advice to tailor the route. I want to avoid playing roulette with the 3 or 4 options for each section – and end up missing some grate bits and have hikbike instead (up or down!)

I am sute there must be some other equally good 3-4 day rides in the alps but without the same extreme technical bits.

I rode it with a mate from Chamonix last year in September. We did it completely self supported and stayed in huts. The first climb up Les Contamines is a nice ride turning into a carry further up. The descent down was lovely – not tech but great fun. After that, it was a shortish road climb to the hut. Great food and a massive overnight storm made for a good night’s rest secure in the knowledge that we weren’t out in the pissing rain. The next day saw us head up the pass in the mist and dropping into Italy. The scenery was spectacular. The riding was good but again not tech. A fair bit of carrying before we dropped down via the ski slope trails. Lunch in Courmayeur then the long climb up the Col de Grand Ferret on road and off road. The descent off the top in the late afternoon light was marvellous and made for an interesting comparison with the the Grand St Bernard Pass I rode a few days before. We stopped at the hotel in La Fouly. Again, great food and comfy beds though we met a guide who informed us that we were going the wrong way and when we said we were going over Bovine, he replied with a “Ha! Good luck!” Thanks for that, fella. Nice way not to get business. Tosser! The final day saw us head up via Champex en Lac and Bovine. The descent to La Forclaz was lovely then there was a long fire road climb to get us to the final descent down the Col de La Possette where my forks blew and I had to ride it with a very steep head angle. Oops!

It was a great ride. 3 days wasn’t too hard to be honest and doing it again, two would be definitely doable on two big days.

As for kit, all we used were Alpkit Gourdon 20s and water bottles. I had a full set of spare riding clothes as well as Bivy Jacket and waterproofs. Even if it had poured down, I reckon we would have been fine. None of my kit is stupidly light and I didn’t feel I wanted for anything.

I really liked it anti clockwise with the hut part way up the valley from Les Contamines making for a great lunch stop on the first day.

It is a great multi day ride and the huts are great but if you don’t like hikey bike, it’s probably not the ride for you. Oh and Spin is spot on with the weather as the time of year only lessens the chances of horrendous weather but it is always a possibility. I remember the guys in Verbier riding in deep fresh snow in June so don’t assume summer guarantees good weather.

Hope this helps?

Cheers

Sanny

Sanny,
Thanks for that – it sounds a fantastic ride!

Cheers!

The route I found to be good is Argentiere, road to Le Tour, ride up under lift to La Balme, down track to Trient, up old abandoned road to Col Forclaz, push ride to Bovine, push ride thorugh woods to road few Km short of Champex (still looking for a better way down off Bovine), ride through woods and along N side of valley to La Foully, up (tough ride) to Col de Ferret, great steep ride down to Elena Hut, down track road to cross Contamine river on road, up val road that turns into track and Elizibetta and Col de Seigne, down brill track to La Chapeau, down road 1km south then up junction towards Rosland but turn off after about 4Km and very tough ride/push to Refuge Croix de Bonhomme, technical ride down to col Bonhomme and down to Contamine, up GR5 through woods to Col de Voza, down man made track to Les Houches, over river up jeep track to Chamonix, up under lift to get on Petit Balcon and back to Argentiere.

All done from memory so sorry about spelling etc! Order the two IGN maps (stanfords.co.uk) and it will be simple to mark up the route. Dont mess about with GPS’s etc use paper maps.

Stay at huts. Bonhomme is brilliant. Elena is ok (but very big), somewhere in Champex would make up a good place to be 3.5 or 4 days.

buy these two maps, £9 each

http://www.dash4it.co.uk/store/go/ign-125k-maps–blue-series/chamonix-massif-du-mont-blanc–ign-125k-maps–blue-series/8008

http://www.dash4it.co.uk/store/go/ign-125k-maps–blue-series/st-gervais-les-bains-massif-du-mont-blanc-gps–ign-125k-maps–blue-series/7977

C

It’s a beast of a climb up to Col De Ferret, length of the climb and it’s almost entirely rideable, making it pretty relentless.

Col de Ferret down as a descent is mint. Not even remotely technical so good as a part of a tour and great in early evening sunshine. La Fouly was a great place to stay.

Bovine which we carried up looks like it would be super tough going back to Champex en Lac. I love steep and tech but there were several sections where you would easily **** yourself if you got things wrong. Still, never say never!

The Elena hut was closed when we got there. There was someone inside who saw us and then promptly ignored us even though we could see the cold Cokes inside taunting us. Bastardo!