Intending to ride the Marcher-Castles Way in May, 4 days riding, starting in Ludlow and planning on using my hardtail in a slightly 'gravelised' format* - 2.10 wide Thunder Burts, inner bar ends/hooks, Tailfin, handlebar bag. Not camping so will travel light.
Had thought about using my gravel bike (gen 1 Topstone carbon) but think I'll need the hardtail for the bumpy stuff.
Anyone done it? Handy hints and tips? Bike/tyre choice etc?
Did it over 2 days last August starting/finishing in Church Stretton....sunny and dry, hard ground. I did it on a short travel full suspension 29er with rekon race xc tyres as that's what i had available. I also traveled light and overnighted in an airbnb in ludlow.
Given the routes location, the views are stunning but I've mixed feelings on the riding itself, certainly preferred the riding on the trans cambrian i also did last year. Maybe my preconceived ideas were wrong but it was a lot more gravel & road than i was expecting and, despite the many climbs, i never felt i was 'rewarded' on the downs, certainly no advantage to really having an FS bike (last descent off the long mynd was a disappointment as it was steep, narrow and overgrown...seem at odds with all the other descents).
So with that in mind and bearing in mind I dont have a gravel bike, i say the gravelised hardtail is a good choice as there's still a lot of steep long climbs where the lower gearing would be beneficial and, over a long route, it could aid with comfort. I certainly used the dropper post too.
4 days for us, B&B not camping. Mate was on his SC Hightower, I was on my Nukeproof Digger. At the end of that tour I sold it and bought a steel hardtail instead! I'd agree with @nuke that the route seemed to have more ups than downs and the descents were not that interesting- although on the rigid gravel bike, maybe no bad thing. Trans-Cambrian is a far more MTB route for me, but if I did M&C again, I'd be taking the hardtail even tho it'd be slower on the road.
We did it from Knighton (closer to home) and the 2nd day was a brutal 1850m of climbing seeming climbing the Mynd from three different directions. Definitely got easier on the Shrewsbury side of the route.
We went this time last year and the weather was amazing. Tracks were hard. Would have been a slog in the mud.
Wrote a thing about our experience: https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/marches-and-castles-tour-subtitle-hills-so-many-many-hills/
Ive not done it myself (yet) but will prob do bits of it as its my back yard. I watched this a few weeks back. Although a different timeframe I think it is quite insightful
I'm pleased it wasn't just me, being grumpy, then 😁 I didn't really enjoy the ride too much. Great scenery but got dull and lots of blind road descents so couldn't even let loose on them. We did it over 3 days on gravel bikes which was good for all the road, but pretty bumpy at times and maybe not the same range of gears for the many big climbs. Gravalised Hardtail mtb for the win👍
“(last descent off the long mynd was a disappointment as it was steep, narrow and overgrown...seem at odds with all the other descents“
Thats the bridle way down on the mapping, but there’s a sweeter single track descent to the right of it which is permissive. Jin lye it’s a black dotted line on the os
I did it over Easter , 4 days with the family (yes through a named storm!) and had a blast. We started in church steeton and cut cross country to much wenlock, just to make sure we missed the easy bits!
To be honest every km that wasn't techy singletrack was a bit of a relief, as was every km that didn't feature a kiddy meltdown. I'd just get out there, admire the views, the quiet lanes, and the good pubs.
And btw it's really not that hilly.
We did a Marchers/Trans Cambrian/Traws Eryri mash up last year. Me on a <drum roll> On One 456... Only in bloody 26er form. Marchers would have been fine on a gravel bike as would Traws Eyri. The Trans Cambrian I found best on the 456.
Thanks all for replies. So gravelised hartd tail it is. Inner bar ends and Thunderburts fitted, borrowed a Tailfin pack from a daughter. Disappointed that weather looks mixed, deffo some rain.
Didn't pick the best stopping places so last day will be a tough 100km ride with 60km of that on tarmac, on a hardtail which won't be much fun. See how it goes. 😥
