So my wife has booked me on the Tour Du Mont Blanc…

With MTB Verbier, they guide you, book everything and move your kit each night.  Not quite sure what I’m in for but should be fun. Not until summer ‘25 so at least I’ve got over a year to get fit.

Anyone here done it?

Should be awesome! How many days? What month?

I’ve done it, but not as an organised thing, just on my own.

https://vimeo.com/75344691?share=copy

Beginning of September.

6 days I think (maybe 5?)

I’ll check the video out later 👍

September is definitely the best month to do it.

June/early July has too much snow (normally) then end of July/August has too many hikers.

October can be a bit cold/early snow can be a problem some years.

This im keeping a weathered eye on ..  After being on Blanc last year im dieing to go back and attempt the TMB . I watched Matthew Fairbrothers attempt to beat Killians time this year for Deviate and thought that would be an epic over a week.   Id be extremely interested in finding you who people have used and where they were staying .

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/mtb-vs-ultra-runner-the-tour-du-mont-blanc.html

Do you know what route they take? Some of the MTB guided routes vary quite significantly from the walker’s route.

Really enjoyed the tour with MBMB a fair while back….. some big old long climbs and the altitude but a great trip non the less…..

I’ve done the Mont Blanc Enduro with Ben Jones just before he went on to form Deviate bikes. Think Endless Trails run it now. Using my bike as an ice axe crossing from Italy to France and shot over a cliff side to be saved by getting stuck in the top of a tree, great trip.

I did it 20 years ago with tdmb, it was brilliant then, sure to be no less brilliant now.

You will almost certainly get blistering heat and blizzards and everything in between – pack accordingly!

Did it in 2006, definitely get fitter you will enjoy it more.

Can be chilly as mentioned, a primaloft type jacket was my savior although I do feel the cold. Can’t for the like of me remember what month it was! Possibly September

If it’s the hiker’s route there are some bits of exposure which were moderately terrifying on foot let alone a bike!

There were lots of bikes going the opposite way to me (I was going anticlockwise) when I was there in Sept/Oct 2021, I had fresh snow on the last couple of days coming back into France, but also 20C sunshine and some rain.

Fantastic gift 🙂

Fantastic gift 🙂

Well technically it’s my gift to her!

It’s her 40th next year, we’d been talking about maybe doing it, then she forwards me the booking confirmation email to say happy birthday to her! 🤣

Did it in the summer of ca. 1996, not much help, but plenty of sun and the worst storm ever experienced on a bike, possibly with some casualties in the neighbouring valley. This is when I invested in a proper GoreTex jacket…

Good wife.

Some of the MTB guided routes vary quite significantly from the walker’s route.

Can’t be a bad thing…. Walked a section below Croix du Bonhomme last year… The amount of for traffic and septic accents was crazy. Would much prefer a quieter route away from the masses.

Can’t be a bad thing

It’s not, I’m just curious about what route they use.  We mostly followed the walking route but I can’t see a company guiding that.

I did it last September, over four days. Carrying our stuff and staying in refuges.

Mostly on the walkers’ route but some particularly tight bits are verboten to bikes, and we took a more bike-friendly route along the Chamonix Valley IIRC. One day we did a hefty, slightly daft add-on as well.

Five days would have moved it from severe to difficult for me, in terms of physical challenge. Six would have been very manageable. Not having the heavy pack would have been lovely too.

What bike are you thinking of taking? I’d suggest an all-mountain one rather than a heavy enduro sled if possible.

Walked a section below Croix du Bonhomme last year… The amount of for traffic and septic accents was crazy. Would much prefer a quieter route away from the masses.

It was very busy pushing up to the col, lots of nice chats with walkers. Riding down the other side was fine.

I’ve not done the whole tour, but I’ve done some sections in the Beaufortain and it is excellent although some fitness is required, there are some slightly brutal hike-a-bike sections.

It’s some of my favourite Alpine riding. I’d love to do the whole tour.

Completed it 2 years ago, in August, but had some Italian riding pals who had to take holidays in August

Carried our own kit, travelled clockwise and stayed in walking hostels.

Some of the riding was phenomenal – some truly epic climbs and mental descents

Did not follow the walking trail throughout – would be happy to share my GPX

If doing it again, i would avoid August (very busy at times) and use a hiking portage company for my kit

Bike wise – i was on a long travel enduro bike – i certainly would not want to use anything less capable down the hills

Did it in 2009 (I think) with Alps Mountain bike, on a Cove Hummer with 100mm Reba. It was in June, mostly on the hiker’s route and so ranged from beautiful alpine meadow traverses to terrifying rocking switchbacks and big old hike-a-bikes. There was snow in places, but mostly beautiful sunshine (apart from the day it rained, and it really rained!)

Would love to do it again on something a bit more appropriate.

Cool cheers, I knew some of you would have done it 🙂

It’s 6 days riding, info here https://www.mtbverbier.com/tour-du-mont-blanc/ but no actual published map / full route, which is fair enough considering they’re a guiding company.

Re. the bike comments, at the moment I have a Bird Aether 7, a bike I love but am wondering if a 29er with a bit more travel might be the way to go.. My other half has decided that seeing it’s her 40th that she’s treating herself to a new Stumpy Evo, which will be nice I’m sure.

although some fitness is required, there are some slightly brutal hike-a-bike sections.

It’s some of my favourite Alpine riding. I’d love to do the whole tour.

Yeah I’m expecting it’s going to be a tough week, but hopefully doable!

One of our best days with them last year was a hike a bike above the Col Du Grand St Bernard, into Italy and then back into Switzerland down to Verbier. A week of days like that will be ace.

Profiles of our clockwise tour with MBMB… ages ago.

https://www.mbmb.co.uk/3ctgraphs/index.php

Oh the days of cardboard bike boxes….I remember seeing my bike box turn into papier mache looking out of teh van window at the trailer. Arrived in Geneva airport with a heap of soggy cardboard and a bundle of wet bike bits….

Re. the bike comments, at the moment I have a Bird Aether 7, a bike I love but am wondering if a 29er with a bit more travel might be the way to go.. My other half has decided that seeing it’s her 40th that she’s treating herself to a new Stumpy Evo, which will be nice I’m sure.

Stumpy Evo would be the perfect bike for it IMO.

I took my Bird Aeris 9 and would have appreciated something slightly lighter.

Bit random, but I have an S4 size Stumpy Evo carbon frame here to sell, in case that might suit.

@phil5556

Re. the bike comments, at the moment I have a Bird Aether 7, a bike I love but am wondering if a 29er with a bit more travel might be the way to go.. My other half has decided that seeing it’s her 40th that she’s treating herself to a new Stumpy Evo, which will be nice I’m sure.

Yeah, I’ve got a Stumpy Evo and in the mid/high configuration it’s pretty much perfect for that sort of riding. I’ve also done it on a 140/140mm 29er in the past and that’s also fine, just a little spicier in places.

@chakaping Ha, well no I shouldn’t really be interested in it but I kind of am…

I had no plans of buying a new bike, Laura started looking and decided on the Stumpy. The more I look into it the more it does look like the ideal bike.

I don’t really want his & hers bikes though, but go on send me some details just in case. Pretty sure S4 happens to be the right size too 🤣

I’ll ping you a message in a mo Phil.

Sometimes things happen for a reason 😉

Profiles of our clockwise tour with MBMB… ages ago.

They look spiky enough! 🤣

This is who we’re going with

Phil ive just had my pass signed off for 2025 should the world not explode .  Tallyboy all the way

@stevedoc Excellent 😀

I watched Matthew Fairbrothers attempt to beat Killians time this year for Deviate and thought that would be an epic over a week.

I was watching some McTrailrider videos last night and came across a couple where he was riding with Matthew & scouting out bits of the route with him.

I was in Chamonix last year climbing wishing I had my bike . I only wish I could chuck 15 years off my age but I think I will be ok .