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I fancy heading up to Fort William for the downhill this year. Always fancied it.
Thought it might be a good day out, just looking for some tips about best practice to be honest?
Apart from skinsosoft any pointers from those whom have been there and done it would be great.
Ta
Are you asking as a spectator or are you wanting to ride the course?
Go fast, stay loose... like this kid... http://www.pinkbike.com/video/200567/
Sorry, should have been clearer. I'm planning to spectate.
My tips for a fun Fort Bill:
- don't try and park at the venue, leave the car in the town and get the bus from the town, it's much quicker than fighting the hordes at the the park and queue.
- don't drink tons on the saturday night and then get in the gondola on sunday monring thinking that you won't vom.
- good pair of walking boots and get to the top for the start of the finals then make your way down the hill, if you time it right you hit the arena just as the big names are coming down.
- and sorry I know this is miserable but I never stay for the end, you know who is going to win usually and can hear it from the queue for the bus.
- if you must stay until the end, make sure somebody else is driving then sit in the bar for an hour or so, then you can stroll on to a bus back to the town.
For the real pros: stay over on the sunday, you can ride your bike in peace on the monday and sunday is usually a good night out in the town as all the riders are out cos their race is over.
Brook MacDonald for the win this year !
Cheers for that, some good tips there.
I'd suggest using the park and ride to park but riding in. When I was last up there I walked back rather than spend hours waiting in the bus queues, and a bike would have improved this a lot. I spent the moring looking around the trade stands and demoing bikes, then got the Gondala up about lunch and walked down the hill as the racing started. It'd probably be a good idea to walk it earlier if you could to pick out the best vanatage points.
Thanks again, all points duly noted.
I'd suggest taking your bike and riding in and out. Good bike lock there's a sectioned off area for parking them - no bus queue and great fun.
Also take the gondola up when it's quiet on the Saturday and walk the course. That way you can appreciate it and work out where to spectate on the Sunday.On race day make sure you see at least a few riders come off 'The Big Doon' and make your way gradually down the hill in plenty of time for the last few riders - to catch the amazing atmosphere.
Another good tip - get a set of riders list from the official easy up - that way you know who is on track and when.
Oh and if you haven't got accom sorted do it NOW!
Don't forget 4X on Saturday night and the trials taking place in the burn
It's gonna be awesome 😀
Definitely get the bus rather than driving in. We stayed until the end when I went, then went straight to the bus and didn't have to queue, you should be alright. There's no 4X this year, but practice would be good to watch.
This is definitely 4X this year. 4X ProTour (or whatever it's called) is having a round on the Saturday.
My plan was to park at Spean Bridge then ride down. But in the end, I went riding at Golspie instead and dropped by the Fort the day after for a go myself 😉
Good shoes, and plan for all weathers. I've been up at the top station basking in the sun and by the time I got to the bottom it was freezing, weird. Most of the motorway is crap to spectate on, not to mention midge infested.