ok so who went and how did you get on? started in chatel on saturday and it was ace. especially as i was on a bike that wasnt mine, which was kind of liberating.
Me too! 😀
Was I there with you?
Yep started from Les Crosets on Saturday because we couldn't get in anywhere closer to civilisation!
It was 'pretty good'. They are making it more and more like a big XC loop; lot's a draggy fire road climbs and non-challenging descents. You have to know where to deviate and find the good bits like dropping onto the French National track into Lindaret, taking the alternative route to Les Gets and it's also worth doing the 'Assez Difficile' parts. The new tracks up behind the Chanvanne lift in Les Gets were quite fun. But they missed off the best bit of the route; the run from the top of the Chaux Rose lift all the way down into Chatel has always been excellent. This year the replacement was OK but rather monotonous; ohh, another 180 degree bermed turn, followed by, ooh, another 180 degree bermed turn......
The only bit we didn't get to ride was the 'Assez Difficille' bit into Champery. We missed that out simply by dropping back into Les Crosets after the Champoussin lift. We couldn't face any more road riding and there was another 8km of it before that one last decent section.
So what was it like?
In contrast, the riding in Chamonix the next day was the best I've ever done in 20 years of riding. Period.
Yeah it was rubbish. Rain, mud, lifts keep failing so we rode a donkey up most climbs. Not. A great time was had
I was there. Loved it. The biggest thing for me is that it's absolute EPIC value for €40! I doubt the UK could come close for the money, even if you take the mountains and lifts out of the equation! 😀
I was there also think good value and free lift pass on another day, have unfinished business as cramp got the better of me 30 miles in and called for rescue in Avioraz, will do it again though as I need to do the whole thing, it's more akin to XC though and there were some climbs going on but good atmosphere, nicely run event.
This has been followed by some of the best riding I've done, the DH bike has come into it's own as we headed out to Pila yesterday and today just mucking about on the runs in Chatel. The speed and handling of the DH bike next to my trail bike is just incredible so pleased I bought one.
Off on an all day ride tomorrow with a guide should be heading out to Switzerland and back in again.
Happy Days just a shame heading home soon 😥 But at least two more days riding to go. 🙂 and some stuff to learn for next time.
If anyone is about we are at the Le Sherpa tonight for bring your meat night 🙂
I was there, amazing event, amazing weather, and great fun.... even though I was spent at the end of the day.
Loved it, but riding a DH bike with silly high gearing took it out of me. Some of the descents were very tame, but I'll know for next time where the more fun bits were.
sure was fun. Agree riding a DH bike was tough but the downs were great.
You need an XC bike as well if your going there for more than just the event
I was there, good day but the road climbs were hard work.
Next year it will be over 3 days
Road climbs?
More road riding?
Hmmmm
The descent down into champery red is ace. You missed out. 🙂 starts off rooty and steep then turns into and beautifull singletrack that hangs off the side of the mountain through beautiful forest. Felt sorry for the people on dh bikes. Took à nice back way to return to morzine. Flights cancelled on thursday so we had to drive. Did some other epic trails.
How does the PdS work? Is it just a one day thing? Where do you start from?
4th time for me, this year on a zesty (on which the forks are completely busted now)
ace day out as usual, if you know the area you can add as much downhill track as you like (les crosets, pleney etc.)
the roads in switzerland were fine this year (lighter bike and xen helmet helped)
a friend and I had an amazing race down to morzine with a french kid on a dh bike, high 5s all around when we got to the bottom 🙂
i'll be back next year, but then again I live an hour and a half from Chatel now 😉
[url= http://www.torgonabike.ch ]torgonabike enduro <link>[/url] anyone?
I was there. Was ace. The down hills were plenty good enough for me including the red run down to Champery, which had a very UK feel to it but much much longer
Was there with 7 others. Stayed in Morzine at a luxury catered chalet with hot tub 😆
A good day out, nothing too hardcore about it but taking the DH options where you can such as at Le Lindarets = good fun.
Lots of exploring still to do next time...
geetee, you could have descended through the chatel bike park anyway you wanted
personally, I like serpentine, great to race friends down, taking different lines in those big corners you mention.
the bottom bit was a little muddy, and I was a little tired by then, but all good.
the champery red was up there as the best bit of the day, nearly came flying off on the dusty rooty corners more than once 🙂
as for the course, it hasn't changed much over the years - don't forget who it is amied at....EVERYONE (mountain biking is inclusive in France) - not just gnarlcore UK riders on their Oranges 5s
How does the PdS work? Is it just a one day thing? Where do you start from?
It's a 2 day event. You do whichever day is best for you. The course goes through several towns which have start points. Again, choose a start point that you like, start there, and finish there. Simples! 🙂
This year some of the guys we were with spent some time sussing out alternatives to some of the more pointless fire road climbs/descents and I think that was a good plan.
best year so far for me.
The Cotic BFe was amazing and performed much better than I could have hoped for!
GEDA - stick up some pics on here mate of the big vista off piste stuff!
Much more XC this year on the route.
We started away from Morzine and it was the best idea as you avoid that whole pinch point,
Seemed very very quiet though!
stunning weather.
singletrackbikes.co.uk yeah i was there with you. top drawer weekend i recon. especially as i didnt touch my wallet once. massive thanks to commencal.
I was there! Started from Les Gets. I really enjoyed the descent into Morzine (going back towards Les Gets). Was it me, or did the Swiss part of the ride seem a bit less interesting technically than the French bit?
the funniest part of the whole day was watching xc types sliding down a muddy section on their arses on the gr5 descent into les linderets. just blasted past them laughing hard. would have been harder to walk it than ride it. had a proper sense of humour failure on the fireroad back to chatel. that wasnt even remotely funny.
The funniest part of the whole day was watching all the folks on big bouncers riding around the course at one mile an hour sweating their arses off. Well not really I felt a bit sorry for them as most of the trails were not that technical.Will find some photos.
Did some cool off piste stuff from super steep switch backs, getting attacked by a polar bear like mountain dog to wicked single track.
GEDA - my thoughts too. It's a 90km xc lift assisted ride, with the emphasis on friendliness and fun. It's not a timed race or gnarrcore, nor does it pretend to be, so why anyone'd want to drag a tank around the course whilst wearing full body armour is completely beyond me.
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Just wondering if anybody remembers seeing us lot.... 8)
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😯
Think I vaguely remember seeing you at one point. I think it was in Morzine and thought you must be part of the cheesey entertainment after the dancing brass band 🙂
Yep. That sounds about right! 😀
Guy on the far right looks happy to be there
Guy on the far right looks happy to be there
Sorry. That's me. Dunno what happened there, but we took a lot of pics there, I might be bored! 😉
LOVING THE SHIRTS! 😀
Guy second from the right looks like he only has a pair of forks and some handlebars.
I bet....
the hills were alive....with the sound of ....screaming disc brakes!
screaming disc brakes!
Only Jon's Hopes. XTs and Maguras are silent.... 8)
Looks thoroughly lovely, would love to do this, a load more enjoyable for me than the mega I imagine. Shirts are a nice touch.
did the whole lot on a 2011 commencal atherton rep dh bike and it was ace. absolutely the wrong bike for it, but after a while that became part of the fun. made getting to the end feel quite sweet. 😯
Poddy's from up north - he only smiled when it rained, and when Andy got the coal for the BBQ out.....
DrP
You forgot the food stops..... 8)
I remember seeing you lot at for grub stop on sunday! 😮
Anyway (sniff) GEDA's picks look shit. Not my thing really. I prefer riding round the hills of Rivington or some bland trail centre.
We were hard to miss, it has to be said!
I shall ride in that shirt more often I think! 😀
Click pic for more. 🙂
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But I think this one of the flying DrP needs posting on it's own....
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Flippin eck that's pretty darn impressive!
So, for 2011, what kit is required?
From the pictures, there's everything there from full DH kit to no-pads XC.
Do you need those layers of protection?
If you'd not wear that stuff on Red Runs at UK trail centres, is the route 1/2 a step up towards black in places 7 therefore warrants the kit?
Pete - loving the recovery of the over-exposure!
Ti29 - I'd say it's no more technical than the red trails at Afan (mostly), but the bit that gets me is the duration of the whole event/decents, which leads to fatigue and mistakes.
Last year I wore a full face plus knee pads. This year just the XC lid and knee pads (was too hot basically!).
I didn't have any big spills (biggest injury I have was from falling down my stairs back home!), but the knee pads were useful a few times (lots of little tumbles, and I've got bony knees!).
Also, I'd suggest flat pedals....
But it's each to their own really - some people do the event with full DH kit/spine braces etc. Certainly there are runs in the area you may want that for, but not the actual PdS.
As for bikes - ride what you ride over here...maybe with bigger rotors?
DrP
Ti29er it's a long xc ride. The pic is fab but its not a fair representation of the day. You'd have to seek that stuff out and there are always chicken runs
PDS (pretty damn sure)I'll be back again for more but will look out for a few of the detours mentioned here - that fire road drag from Pres la Joux to Linga almost finished me off. Just one question - how were you supposed to get your 1 day complimentary lift pass? Was it in the dodgy retro back pack freebie?
Mine was in that back pack
Yeah Toppers mega thanks to Commencal. Really enjoyed the event and I'll be back. First time I've ridden in the Alpes and have come to the assumption that the more you ride the Passporte Du Soleil and get to know the area the more you get from it. Thinking about taking my Meta later in the year!