HI all,
I’m toying with the idea of doing this years Tour de Ben Nevis but I’ve never taken on an event quite this scale! I’ve managed 4 10 under laps as part of a duo a few years back and managed the WHW over a couple of days but they’re both very well marked out routes. I’m also not the most confident on the technical stuff or drops but I’ve a reasonableness amount of fitness.
To add to the the difficulty I’ll likely be doing it singlespeed (Kona Unit) so I’m kinda wondering - how bonkers hard is the route!
Cheers,
c.
No one with more knowledge answer? Bonkers IMO
I did it a couple of years ago when it was so wet and the river so swollen that we couldn't cross it. The course was revised to an out and back.
My memory is just of slogging along the boulder field of General Wades Road with a brief interlude of terror/excitement dropping down to Kinlochleven.
I'd say gradient-wise a single speed would not really be any worse than on on many other courses. However the implication of no suspension or front only suspension leads me to believe that you will utterly batter yourself. As I say though, my judgement may be clouded by only having done the first half twice.
I reckon the smart money is on a short travel ful-suss for that route.
I rode it a few years ago, not sure if it uses the same route now, but it did start along the WHW from FW to Kinlochleven, so you'll know that bit already. There wasn't much technical stuff on the route, but the descent down to Kinlochleven has some rocky steps, and I pinch punctured down there.
There is a river crossing and a bit of a carry up a footpath at one point. The rest is mostly the usual rocky estate track. I think you will probably be OK if you have ridden 10 UTB and you pace yourself. There are some steep climbs, especially on the road sections at the start. I wouldn't choose to do it on a single speed!
Is it not so much the gradients but the length of the climbs thats the issue?
It's a fairly big climb out of Kinlochleven to Loch Eilde Mor. As TJ says - not that steep but it does go on for a while 🙂
Thanks for the replies all!
Don't worry @crimsondynamo, it's the 650b+ version (2.8" rubber) and now has a Fox Float 32 on the front for a bit of bounce!
Maybe a switch to some gears might be the way to go but I have found that when out riding at Glentress with mates on geared hardtails, when it gets so steep that I need to push, I'm not usually that much slower than them spinning a tiny gear!
It's not what you'd call an optimal set up but you'll survive. Probably.
@crimson
Jeez,that was a wet year,and those stones on Wade's road were like icebergs,you only saw 5% above the surface but they could stop a truck if you hit them wrong.
The climb scotroutes mentioned is something like 4 or 5 miles of continuous climbing - 1400 ftish of climb irrc took us on a fully laden tandem well over an hour. great view from the top tho. I've taken a single speed round glentress. I wouldn't even attempt it on this ride
You will be ok if fit. Seen alot of others do it single speed. Stage 1 is very easy to puncture on, see some YouTube videos...Remember it's got timed stages within it so your overall time is only part of the equation.. if you can smash the timed climbs (stage 2 and 3?) then you will be alright As for hardtail it does get a bit lumpy but it's perfectly doable. One of the big climbs (I think stage 3) is a hikeabike (if the river crossing is open) so gears wouldn't help you there.
It's a great race see you there (doing it on a hardtail but with gears!)
Thanks again for all the info everyone - plenty to think about!