Heads up for Kinlochleven enduroists this weekend

If you’ve read the competitor notes you might have already noticed this, but practice time is pretty restrictive- 2 of the stages are only open 8.30am to 12 noon due to access. Glad I’m not heading up on the morning like I usually would!

Kinlochleven? Is this on trials motorcycles?
Have you seen the size of the hills up there??

Folk ride bikes up them…

And then slide back down them 😉

We will be setting off in the morning. Abigale is competing in the Enduro. We will be having a pootle or tucked up in the van keeping warm.

I’m heading up.

Hoping to make the Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum before it shuts Friday night!

I’m heading up on Friday. Glad I decided to go for two nights accommodation now!!

I’m having to give it a miss this year, proper gutted as it’s probably the best mtb event there is

See ya all there mofos 😆

esselgruntfuttock – Member

Kinlochleven? Is this on trials motorcycles?
Have you seen the size of the hills up there??

Got to ride up a hill every so often, how else are you going to capture the spirit of enduro? Sorry, I mean endyooo-hooo-eee-ooo.

There’s probably some bits I haven’t ridden! Nice wee vid though!

That’s not me pushing btw!

Lovely up there, I’m a tiny weeny bit envious!

The drive up in the snow was interesting. Its a long time since I saw a snow plough in use in the UK.

I have a spare entry if anyone needs one. Half price.

Weather looks tame and boring this year tbh, damn shame. (I think it was the second year that had the blizzards on practice day? That was good). Might be a bit of snow tomorrow though for driving.

I take it these trails are actually a bit better with tape down em? My overwhelming memory is riding there having no idea which of the 12+ available lines I should be on and just hoping to not be on one of the 11 that inevitably finished in a sizeable ditch

I take it these trails are actually a bit better with tape down em?

Much, much better. They don’t make it easy but at least there’s a defined line to take. Couple of bits with options IIRC from 2014.

Gawd I love those trails (cheers for the tip NW) but not sure I’d want to race the bottom sections with the hairy corners and multiple ditch lines 😆

legend – Member

I take it these trails are actually a bit better with tape down em? My overwhelming memory is riding there having no idea which of the 12+ available lines I should be on and just hoping to not be on one of the 11 that inevitably finished in a sizeable ditch

They usually tape it pretty open- assuming they’re using the main 2 trails on the mamore lodge road again, there’s a bottomless puddle they tend to leave in just out of malice, and on the higher trail there’s some sections that are basically like a river delta. Mostly you just follow the water.

Honestly, best race stages I’ve ever done… The upper descent (kennels?) is just outrageously good, and the wetter the better- shifting chaos rocks, total commitment ruts, massively changing character and existential dread 😆 I’ll never do a clean run mind.

Tracey – Member
The drive up in the snow was interesting. Its a long time since I saw a snow plough in use in the UK.

😯

Soft southerners 😉

it’s all right, my exhaust pipe just split so I’ll blast any snow off the road with my new under-exit straight through race system 😆 It’s going to be a looooooong drive.

Just had a look on YouTube, the taping seems to be just a massive hint of “DO NOT USE THE RUT BEHIND THIS TAPE” and steering you away from the worst bits. Definitely looks more fun than riding it completely open

Must be soft. The snow has stopped. Its still cold for us from the tropics of South Yorkshire. Still need to decide on biking or walking today

Packing!

Race preparation!

I’m pretty proud of this tbh, you can’t even see the beer can

Well, that was cold! Don’t know what it was up the mamores but hit -5 when I was mucking about in glen etive on the way home, I saw a little japanese dude step off a tourbus and shatter

What was the new stage like? Couldn’t quite work out what was going on with the route on folk’s Strava but it looked like there was basically no climb between two of the stages??? Basically the route profile looked like only 2 climbs but 3 stages???

Aye, exactly- they used the grey mare’s tail descent, the other was just further up the hill, almost to the loch, then a long traverse around the hill and a steep descent with some really cool switchbacks (and some slippery open grassy death). And then a 50 foot push to stage 2, which was the bottom of the ciaran path- great fun in places but had 2 orrible climbs so a bit weird. Pretty similiar to the format of hte first year’s event actually

sweary northerners 1st place and 2nd place. 8)