Obviously different to Black Mountain 3 day which i have done a couploe of times – which was pretty tough. Anyone done both?

BM3D has more climbing………..

thanks

charlie

Well it’s hard. Each day on itself isn’t that hard although 1500m of ascent isn’t what I’ll consider easy. But you’ll have to be able to last the whole week. Then there is the hike a bike, you won’t be prepared to that so it will take its toll. And then there is the descents. Descents will be awesome, but very challenging, steep, plenty of sharp corners, big steps, plenty of loose rocks, of big rocks and so on. Had to that the sun. You’ll get the picture. It is an epic event, hard but the landscape will more than make it up for it.

BM3D cant compare to trans Pro or Alps. But if you can do the BM3D then you should be ok for trans whatever. Fitness is key though as is well maintained reliable bike.

jojo off here did the May tour as a sort of recce to the real thing later this year. She may be able to tell you what it was like.

This and the BC bike race look like the ultimate.
I did the BM3D last year and it was the hardest thing I’ve done though. Sleeping in a tent doesn’t help!

ooOOOooo – you should have done BM3D this year in the monsoon!

I think about 130 of 185 or so completed it

I heard somewhere that the Head Honcho from the BC Bike Race rode the TP last year (?) & commented that the TP was WAY more techie than the BCBR..

My take on TP is that your bike skills do need to be pretty damn good & that BCBR is still techie for an XC style race but your fitness is more important.

We just did Transpyr…..war stories available on request.

Both would have awesome scenery 🙂 The pace looks far too quick for me nowadays though, just completing it would be good for us mortals.

Charlie that doesn’t sound so appealing…. I somehow did it last year on the Remedy with a kenda small block 8 on the back!

Let’s hear them mcboo, I’m tempted to do TP next year.. 😕

Alp, Garda, Dolomites, Provence, Pyrenees versus Wales in the wet? Just back from Andorra. No issues with Wales ride their all the time but 🙂

How was Trans pyr? Quality of riding and event etc

I also feel that bang for buck the trans whatever are better value.

how many KMs are covered daily on the trans-provence?

when guiding trans alp tours i’ll usually climb 1800m and cover anything between 55-90km in a day. but generally the descending isn’t that hardcore, although this depends entirely on the guests; if they can ride then more technical trails can be added.

Transpyr was just the most fantastic week. We trained fairly hard (as hard as you can in London with a job and 3 kids) but most of the riders were out of our league. Mostly Spanish, basically all the elite endurance guys from northern Spain.

Great organisation and everyone speaks to you, they’re super friendly and actually very glad you have made the effort to come to their event…..the elite guys know how hard it is for mere mortals even to make it to the end every day. Just a great atmosphere, so friendly. Route is brutal though…..on the website its all pictures of people happily smiling, riding along smooth trails. I asked the race director about that and he said “If we showed what it’s really like no-one would come.” He was only half joking.

Each day is different, changes as you cross the country, but first 3 days are long and hot and loads of climbing….Day 3 is 130km and 3200m of up, no picnic. Day 1 was shorter but 44c on the tarmac climbs at one point was suffocating….hardest day for me.

Constant theme is how hard the trails are…..they arent exactly technical, there arent many drop-offs, or switchbacks you cant get round. It’s just they have you climbing and descending on rubble half the time and it makes it so hard to keep any speed up. Loads and loads of pushing up stuff you just wont be able to ride…..I wrecked my new gucci Sidi Dragons, but them i’m a tart and deserved to.

In summary – Do it. Its a trip of a lifetime, riding over the most beautiful place in Europe between just gorgeous Medieval towns. You ride with a mix of fast enthusiasts, and proper elite Spanish athletes. I’m def going back, maybe not next year as I need to be a good dad, but year after for sure.

Best moment – we were in the evening meal on Day 3, two old grey haired fellas I think 60-65yr old finished after 12.5hrs in the saddle. They walked into the room, whole place burst into spontanious applause and gave them a standing ovation. I thought that was brilliant, thats the Spanish for you.

Yup top tip for Trans enduro rides is have a shoe you can walk in 🙂 Spesh Tahoe for me. Also helps to know how to carry your bike. A lot havent worked that out. Trans alps had a lot of the euro xc guys. Flat bars and walk down the steep bits but very fast.

Trans Provence – how hard is it?

Pretty hard. Juan sums it up very well. The on-off nature of the timing format and the long technical descents definitely take it out of you.

The Trans-Provence guided week is a bit easier because there’s less race pressure.

This gives a decent idea of the terrain:
[video]http://vimeo.com/40304630[/video]

Don’t believe Ash, it’s easy. 😯

I didn’t once here any of the Pro racers saying ‘**** me is Ash insane making us ride down there’.

Also… when he says a small climb he’s probably lying too…

Anyone thinking of entering for TP next year, shouldn’t bother. Well not until I’ve secured my place anyway.

Anyone thinking of entering for TP next year, shouldn’t bother. Well not until I’ve secured my place anyway.

+1

😆

I did the ‘holiday’ guided version in May as Rickos says. It’s totally full on. Serious ‘hikey bikey’ (TM Christophe). I was pretty broken after day two, but then there are a few shorter days to recover… a bit. The final climb before you descend to Monaco had me in bits at the top after such a draining week. If you’ve ridden any of the classic Scottish routes like The Torridon Loop or Devil’s staircase/ciaran path, then imagine doing those 7 days in a row, in the heat, with more hike a bike and more road/fire road climbing…
The descents are phenomenal.