[Closed] Minimum bike spec for Megavalanche

BC bronze license or doctors note is fine,

I’ve used bikes from the early 2000’s and a modern bike. I’d say anything with over 140mm travel that handles nicely at high speed and pedals well.

Big brake Rotors, tough tyres and frame protection if you care about the bike.

Singlespeed gravel bike would be fine. Just put a bit more pressure in the tyres.

Fixed, shirley, mechanicaldope!

A chap on a singlespeed hardtail got a podium one year.

It’s doable on a hardtail, albeit a beefy one with big brakes and tyres. Hard work but great fun.

I'd be wanting a proper "enduro" bike for that (150/160/170) firmly planted in the long, low, slack camp, with tough grippy tyres and beefy well bled brakes.

Do you think my Mega TR would handle it?

Got 150 front 140 rear.

Which is cheaper the Dr's note or BC license?

My mate did it on a 26 inch tr 130 rear with 150 Pikes on and it was fine, as above you need big rotors, beefy tyres and strong rims.

Paid 25 quid for my doctors letter, mate got his for free

Which is cheaper the Dr’s note or BC license?

How much do you spend a year at CRC?

Do you think my Mega TR would handle it?

If my 15 year old PX Jack Flash hardtail with beaten up RS Domains will then yes it’ll be fine. It’d like everything, you can ride it on a cx bike be you’ll be dog slow and it’ll be horrible. The hardtail was great fun, albeit very tiring. I wasn’t even that slow.

Do you think my Mega TR would handle it?

Got 150 front 140 rear.

Which is cheaper the Dr’s note or BC license?

Drs note doesn’t get you discounts.

I’m sure the Mega would be fine, isn’t it named after the event?

...from the mega blurb on the nukeproof website:

"Since 1999 the infamous Megavalanche race, which starts from the highest point on Pic Blanc (3300m) above the village of Alpe D’Huez has been synonymous with All Mountain riding and the highest level of true Mountain Bike racing.

Conceived originally in 2009 by the development team at Nukeproof in an attempt to build the perfect bike for this exact style of racing, the Mega was born."

I did it on a 120mm FS bike with hope minis first time.

I survived.

I've done it 5 times now I think?

Ideally a 150mm+ FS, dual ply tyres, well serviced brakes & forks, make sure bike is running properly, anything like worn frame bearings, bolts, bushings, loose spokes, wobbly rear mechs will be trashed after a few days practice & no good for the race itself.

Take plenty of spares & tools between you as it's expensive to get stuff fixed out there.

Just have a laugh, if you take it seriously, so many variables in the race that you'll not have fun when you get knocked off line in the mass start, crash, loose your bike on the snow, crash, get caught in traffic, crash etc

What Kimbers says, also tubeless repair kits seem strangely hard to get hold of in Alp duez.

Thanks for the replies - much appreciated.

Didn't realise I could do it with the Bronze BC license, already a BC member so could just upgrade my membership to race.

So what should I budget for the week?

Thanks again.

ianpv beat me to it.  If you can't do the Mega on a Mega...

SS hardtail?

https://www.bikemag.com/news/guy-wins-megavalanche-division-on-singlespeed-hardtail/

I did the Mega on a Canonndale Prophet back in 2012, although I crashed on the first day of practice and smashed my right thumb to pieces!

Raced it twice, both times on a giant reign. 170front, 160rear.

Second year out I took my smuggler (140 front, 115rear), did a run of qualifying, slightly quicker than the reign, as it pedals better (there are quite a few pedalling/sprint sections, which you can easily gain places). Didn't use the smuggler as it was only on single ply tyres, so too much of a risk. Reign was on double downs and flat tyre defender front/rear.

Exo tyres won;t cut it, needs to be SG/DD or dh casing. Bike needs to be in A1 condition, the week of practice/racing is brutal and will shake things loose and wear out bearings.

I've done it a few times and enjoyed it much more on my dh bike than the trail one. Even the main race although course does vary a little year on year and the last one I did had minimal climbing.

Proper dual ply tyres whatever bike though

I've done it a few times, on a 160mm travel bike, with dual ply tyres & big brakes.

It certainly takes it's toll on the bike. Bashing out laps of the quali track was tough going.

Thanks all.

Sounds like getting the bike in top condition and DH tyres is the way to go.

Just need to work on the fitness lol.

Just need to work on the fitness

Very much this. I haven’t raced it, but have ridden the course as part of 10 days in AdH. Even on a 200/170mm freeride bike I took a beating.

I did it in 2014. Bought a new (to me) bike for it, 2008 Kona Stinky. 6/7" F/R, huge brakes, Minions, 26". It was way more capable than me, bravery was limiting factor rather than the bike. Loads of old DH bikes on ebay for cheap if you are really worried, Stinkys and Big Hits seem to plentiful.

Also, I am a 24hr XC racer, that was my first DH race of any kind, totally out of my depth and yet still managed to qualify (three rows from the back) You'll be fine.

My report here  http://andrewhowett.blogspot.com/2014/10/megavalanche-whole-soggy-saga.html    including plenty of pics of people riding bikes so you can see what they were on, mostly mid/long travel full suss with single crowns, some proper DH bikes, some little jumpy hardtails. Some people will use a full-on DH bike for qualifying (which is harder than the race) and an enduro bike for the race (which is longer than qualifying) but for most that's overkill.

So what should I budget for the week?

Depends. I did it on the cheap. On top of entry fee there was return ferry Dover/Dunkirk (£60ish) couple of tanks of diesel (£150ish), travel insurance (£100ish) and some food (there is a supermarket in the town at the bottom of the hill, forget it's name, between Allemont and the Alp d'Huez climb) I slept in the van. All in, including entry, about £500. If you are going with a mate it's just a bit of extra food. If you hire a chalet and dine out a lot it will be more.

Just need to work on the fitness lol.

Surprised me. I like to think of myself as fairly fit, 24hr races are becoming routine, although never easy, but this was weird. Heart, breathing, legs etc all absolutely fine, upper body completely buggered, shoulders and forearms mainly, different type of fitness required. I could make time on the climbing and flat bits but the downhill stuff was a real challenge, mentally tiring to keep that level of concentration. Those more used to proper DH racing would probably think it easy but it was tough for me, but then they might find the duration challenging, I was slow and mincing at the start, but I was overtaking tired people at the end.

.

PS Almost everyone did it on 26" then and the course hasn't changed, 26" is still fine if that's what you have.

Thanks again all - greatly appreciated.

Looking like there might be 3 of us going next year.

Can't seem to find info on camping - is there any?

I You can camp for free like a hippy scumbag at the bottom chairlift

140mm ish will do you

200mm front rotor and manual workers callused hands are more import

top bit is like a very very long lakes descent. Bottom bit is like a very very dry and long tweed valley.

eddit:  and I’d recommend signing up for the enduro in the week. Immense Aline stages and uplift and bbq for about 15 euro

Oh and sign up for the mid week enduro. Immense Aline stages, cable car uplift and bbq for about €15

and yes dual ply. you will pedal uphill for about an hour the whole time

Edit:  ^what he said.  ****ing forum