Have been talked into signing up for this in September. Question – should I go with hardtail or FS? I’ve ridden chunks of this but not the whole route right round the back of the Ben. My gut feel says hardtail but what thoughts from those who’ve ridden it?

Better get some miles in over the next few weeks!

Three guys and a mate from the group I ride with are doing this. All first timers. All (I think) on a range of FS machines – Commencal Meta, ropey old Kona Dawg, Giant Trance, and not sure what the mate rides. Looking at the vid from last year though (and having ridden the Nevis Red on my BFe a couple of weeks ago – nothing on the Tour will be that technical?) I reckon it’s more than doable on a decent tough HT?

Me & 3 mates did it in 2009 (the route, not the race) I was on my trusty HT & there’s nothing on the route that really warrants a FS apart from any ‘comfort factor’.

First section out of fw is a big ole road schlepp followed by a good 4wd track..

Perhaps the only place you would miss your fs is the witches trails at the end…

Trail centre practice on your ht and you’ll be right.

You have to remember it’s a Enduro event rather than a big longe race. Last year the segements were:

1. The whole route (a light full sus or hardtail may be quicker on this)
2. WHW into KLL (rocky fast descent, good full sus defo an advantage)
3. Big 500m climb up to lock Eilde Mor (light full sus or hardtail best)
4. Hike a bike and DH to Larrig. (Not sure the bike matters)
5. Trail centre stuff to Ski place (Good full sus an advantage)

Points were offered for your placing on each segement – i.e. you could place very highly just trundling round on a big AM bike a smashing the three downhills. Conversly, do it on a very light bike and target the whole route and the climb. Obviously the top guys and girls were top on all segments but there is an element of strategy to getting a good placing.

I’ve done the route as part of the tour and a couple of times just riding. For me, it’s more enjoyable on a full suss although no bother on a hardtail. It’s worth thinking if you care about your final placing – if you do look at the segements and work out what bike will give the best result.

I was planning of doing it on the 100mm 29er hardtail but might take my xc full sus now. Not sure 😕

>i.e. you could place very highly just trundling round on a big AM bike a smashing the three downhills.<

Not sure about that. Doubt there was anyone inside the top 30 or 40 who “trundled” the course on a big bike and placed by smashing the DH’s alone.

For example Stage 2 is the climb UP from Kinlochleven and stage 5 is the whole course.

29 HT might be a good compromise / cheating 😉

Great event!

Did this a couple of years ago, would do it again if it wasn’t quite such a drive from Bristol.

If you have a choice short travel full suss would be my recommendation. It’s a long bumpy way.

Something like a zesty would be the ideal IMHO

Not sure about that. Doubt there was anyone inside the top 30 or 40 who “trundled” the course on a big bike and placed by smashing the DH’s alone.

Yeah you’re right, but there were something like 300 folk doing it. A great result for someone might be top half or top quarter. I’m trying to point out that you need to think strategically. If you look at the overall results you’ll see people with fanatastic times round the whole course who are miles down the list because they didn’t focus on the 4 other segements which make up 80% of your placing.

When I did this a few years back there seemed to be more hardtails stopping with punctures but that was just from I saw on the way round.

My main tip would be to get as near to the front as you can for the first descent (if its still the same course with the first timed stage being a downhill to kinlochleven). I got stuck behind loads of guys carrying which seemed a bit lame considering the nature of the race

I’m still on the fence about it, if I do it I’ll use my ragley, it’ll cost me a bit on the timed descents but not terribly much. I’d certainly rather have it than an xc full suss.

I did it on a 29er Scandal with 80mm forks two years ago and it was fine. I reckon the best bike would be something like a carbon Tall Boy though.

My main tip would be to get as near to the front as you can for the first descent

This is very good advice.

I’ve been 4th and 9th at this, both times on a very light 26″ FS.

This year I’m using a burlier 29er FS with a dropper post, with the post mostly being for the last stage which is a mix of steep rocky stuff and a flat fireroad blast.

It’s all rideable on a HT, Dave Henderson won it last year on a 29er HT by 1 point from the winner of the previous two years, Rhauri Watt, who was riding a burly setup Orange 5.

My main tip would be to get as near to the front as you can for the first descent

Get there, try and start the stage with a good gap in front you you. Last year I stopped for a toilet break at the top, but still caught some folk walking down the rockier sections near the bottom despite no-one passing me while I was stopped.

Other tips:

– Run tubeless, tough-sidewalled tyres.
– Jump the drainage ditches on the first descent, touching them could end your race early on.
– Cruise up the road climb after, only give it the beans once you get to the timed section further up.

Brilliant event, can’t wait for it this year.

1. The whole route (a light full sus or hardtail may be quicker on this)
2. WHW into KLL (rocky fast descent, good full sus defo an advantage)
3. Big 500m climb up to lock Eilde Mor (light full sus or hardtail best)
4. Hike a bike and DH to Larrig. (Not sure the bike matters)
5. Trail centre stuff to Ski place (Good full sus an advantage)

I sort of agree.
I used an XC-race HT, because that’s what I happened to have with me after Kielder. Carbon frame, 26″ wheels, 100mm forks, ISP.
For the full lap this was great, 16th person home, but a bit slow on some timed sections, particularly 2 and 5, so about 49th on points.
Section 4 was almost all ridable for me (not really a hike a bike in the dry) but 2 didn’t go well.
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For me and the XC bike the results were 1. Near the front, 2 almost last, 3 right at the front, 4 near the front, 5 in the bottom quarter.
Fast overall but underbiked on two sections.
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If I did it again I would go for a short-ish travel full suss, a light build on Five or Heckler frame maybe, it might not be as quick overall but fewer points lost on 2 and 4.
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http://andrewhowett.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/tour-of-ben-nevis.html

just doing some googling on this subject and found this thread.

despite doing this in 2011 on a 120mm 28lb full suss i still havnt decided which bike to take this year! i did better than expected(48th on points and @ 10places higher on overall time) with 1 puncture. being a neep i didnt pick up on the fact it was timed stages so just beasted the lot!

i know i could do the timed dh bits a good bit faster on my 150mm 29er(30lb with decent tyres) but will suffer overall and on the timed climbs! Or i could take the 22lb hardtail 29er with suitably beefy tyres and do better on the pedaly bits!

on saying that, the dh to KLL was carnage! clipped in roadies with saddles up their arses upsides doon all over the place! theres no chance i’ll beat them to the start of that descent regardless of bike so not sure theres much to be gained there.

hike a bike will be much easier with the light bike

think im erring toward the HT. probably not quite as fit as i was in 2011 which may take its toll overall

but it would be more fun on the FS and its not like ive any chance of winning!

i dunno. maybe just toss a coin!

2 weeks to go! cant wait. hope the weathers half decent 🙂