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So, I expect little sympathy but next weekends race is the end of an era. A 67km point to point in its 21st and final year.
I've always wanted to break 3hrs.. so looking for the best tool.
If you could ride a 27.5" full sus bike with 1200g wheels, or a 29" hardtail with 1700g wheels. Probably an equal 25lb total bike weight same tire tread/compounds.
Less rotating mass on the full sus or no loss of power transfer on the hardtail
Lots of fire road and a big "make or break" climb mid race (800m in 10k) with some pretty good tech descending for the last half. 35km is BC blue singletrack
Which one gets your vote?
Depends if you can handle the HT on the descending?
HT is the faster really and you will make more climbing faster than descending slowly in general.
Full sus, done a few longish races and all the fast peeps seem to go full sus
The difference between the two isn't likely to make the difference between beating 3 hours or not. You'll get more benefit from not getting held up by numpty ****wits on the start/in singletrack.
Last one i did i lost about 150 places on overall and 40 odd in my class from the previous year as they put me in the wrong start box. 3-400 extra age groupers to overtake before i caught the guys at the back of the box i should have been in. 👿
Assuming the full did was something racey I'd probably use that. Then I'd ask myself how I'd managed to build a bike with 1200g wheels that weighs 25lbs.
^ 🙂
There was me thinking 25lbs was pretty reasonable for a 150mm full sus bike with a 36, 800mm bars, a DOSS and 2.4" tires 😉
I'll be in the shed rummaging for a 32 and some skinny bars.
Ghostly, this event is self seeded in the start chute which is great and theres 5km of tarmac with a quick 200m elevation before dropping into the first single track to get you settled and placed appropriately. At almost 1000 riders, it can take a good couple of minutes for the last rider to even cross the start line.
The HT is no problem in the descents, pretty brutal on the lower back though after a while. Absolutely agree that the climbing is the key, its the wheel weight that's got me second guessing.
Given where you are (Whistler) and the fact that I'm guessing you're doing the Test of Metal? I'd go full suspension especially if it has a lock-out? 9 Mile Hill is a drag either way....