I’m staring down the barrell of my first strathpuffer in January and after riding the course a few weeks ago and speaking to a few of those who know I’m fairly set on using pogies.

I’ve done a fair few solo 24’s so the time/distance I’m at peace with but ice never ridden in these sorts if conditions so I have decided that very slow and steady but consistent us my tactic for my first go.

This being said, my questions are these…

Pogies, yay or any?

Which pogies for a rider with little use for them outside of strathpuffer? (Currentky thinking alpkit bearpaws)

All advice on staying warm and first time puffering welcome.

@epicyclo to the forum please

Never felt the need for them but I run hot (except my feet)
Keeping my feet warm is more of a challenge, antiperspirant, thin merino socks, winter hiking socks, disposable foot warmers, shimano mw5s & neoprene over shoes bo the job for me.
Keeping warm is relatively easy if it’s dry & cold. It’s more of a challenge if it’s wet and cold.
Try and find some ice spikers!

I use cheap pogies with no lining and wooden gloves which breathe much better than cycling gloves. My hands stay warm and dry even in sleet.

It’s important to mount the pogies so they point down. That way they don’t fill with weather.

If they are are cheap pogies with no lining they don’t absorb any moisture that does get in.

Mind you, it’s probably not wise to take advice from someone who rides the ‘Puffer in sandals on a single speed… 🙂

I maintain one of the best ways to stay warm is to have full mudguards.

I’m hoping for some proper Antarctic weather like we had in the early ‘Puffers. 80mph winds and blizzards make for a far more interesting race.

Thanks for the tips so far, I think it might be helpful if I elaborate a bit on my thinking.

I’m driving up from somerset so there is no room for error re the kit I bring as I’ll be 15 hours from home.

I was fortunate enough to rude the course acfew weeks ago and I’m glad I did as it is not what I expected.

My goal at present is 10 steady laps.

I too run hot but I will be moving at a glacial pace and pushing often, my hands get very cold but I cant stand my lizard skin winter gloves. So I was thinking normal gloves plus pogies.

I was thinking about running a dropper for those late night laps but I’m not sure how the brand x will hold up against the cold.

Clothing wise I’m thinking bib longs and then all the layers to adjust as necessary.

Mud guard wise are there any suggestions for front mud guards when running a rigid fork?
A big crud catcher style thing on the diwntube seems like a good start, would a mud hugger fit a 3″ tyre and on a rigid fork?

@Phil_H what are disposable foot warmers?
Do you run flat pedals? I’ve never found over shoes to be particularly helpful on flats?

I’ve decided against stud after seeing all the rock and I’ll be on 3″ tyres at around 6 and 8 psi front and rear.

@epicyclo what ratio and wheel size do you run out of interest?

I’m think 32×21 29×3.0 as I just want consistent laps but will have options in the tool box.

I’ve decided against stud after seeing all the rock and I’ll be on 3″ tyres at around 6 and 8 psi front and rear.

You best pray for a dry and ice free race then.

The race is predominantly fire road which when it gets wet becomes super draggy. -or when other folks ice spikes break up the ice the main line is super draggy.

I use 32:18 in a team(last 5 years or so) on a 29er with fast 2.1 tires /if icy I use winter marathons as that’s what we have availible for 29er here at home from commuting.

When soloing the first time j did it I used 1.8s 26s on 32:22 it went quite well.

I did use pogies the last time I soloed – cheapo hot pog ones but they did the job was able to wear thin gloves and thus able to eat on the go. My back how ever had other ideas at 2am.

Those gloves don’t sound good Brian.

boxwithawindow

@epicyclo what ratio and wheel size do you run out of interest?

Usually 32/22 but I’m nowhere near as fit as trail_rat who is too modest to say he’s a good rider.

One year I went lower to allow for the exhaustion in the small hours but it was no advantage. Far too spinny.

The best way to stave off exhaustion is to walk before you have to. I do a lot more walking during the race than necessary so I don’t get in the way of the fast guys on the trickier narrow stuff, but it has the benefit of keeping my feet warm. If you’re planning to push a lot, wide bars are a disadvantage.

The course is easy enough to ride when it’s above zero, what makes it interesting is a bit of snow and ice because the lines can change from lap to lap, especially in the small hours.

Ice tyres are a good investment, even if it’s only for the first lap.

I adore pogies for winter riding as I run cold, especially hands and feet, and found them an absolute revelation after years and years of numb fingers through winter months.

I like my Revelate Designs Williwaw pair from Bikemonger, the 45NRTH Cobrafist were also very high on the list but I wasn’t able to source a pair at the time. Would highly recommend either of those, or any with a decent ‘structure’.

The Revelate’s do work quite well on Jones bars (after a bit of trial and error), just don’t lose the bar ends that come with them as you do need them to get the pogies to fit nicely on the bars.

TL;DR: Pogies – spendy, but bloody good.

@boxwithawindow
https://www.halfords.com/camping/camping-accessories/hot-hands—foot-warmer-twin-pack-174122.html
Put them on top of your toes rather than underneath, they get warmer that way.

I run spds so overshoes fit OK.
I’ve never found a flat pedal shoe that doesn’t act like a sponge in the wet.
My partner in pairs ran hiking boots and full gaiters at the second puffer.

Having been highsided twice on the same lap after being overtaken by my back wheel on the descents (I was being lazy and only fitted a front spike😄) I’d reconsider riding without spikes if it’s icy.

Thread revival

I normally ride in troy lee XC gloves with, but changed for a dry pair when they get wet, or a warmer pair if it get really cold.

Never used pogies, but quite fancy it especially if it’s around freezing, and wet. I like thin gloves, thin grips and plenty of feel, so try to avoid big warm winter gloves as much as I can.

On the gearing front, I think I ran 32/22 on 27.5×2.4 last time and got 15 laps in. felt about right to be fair – a bit too spinny early on, but stopped me going too hard in the first few laps and meant I could still ride up most stuff at 3am…

No shame in pushing up fire-roads though 🙂

Oh, and yes to ice spikers. may not need them, but if you do, you really do. I know some people managed without, but in 2019 I did my first five laps without then switched after two hard crashes (in the same spot! – left hander just after you come off the fire-road with the two water a bars across it near the end)

Thanks Si,

I feel better knowing that people are also running low ratios and I’ve never had a problem pushing what I cant pedal Haha

I dont think spikes are an option as I’m running 29×3.0 and they aren’t really an option in the u.k.

29 * 2.25 will fit fine.

I’ve singlespeeded one lap of it in six goes at it after my mech hanger broke and frankly, it can get bent. As could big tyres – I’m a 29+ evangelist for normal riding but if the main fireroad climb (which goes on for all eternity) is moist you’ll want to kill yourself. I do it on a Trek Stache in race mode and 29*2.2 tyres.

I’ve done it in temperatures as low as -13 and despite running cold I’ve never needed more than a windproof glove with a liner. The key is keeping your core warm and, especially, dry. Change regularly. Don’t let yourself get wet and cold. If you do that, your hands and feet will be better off.

I do go as far as putting aluminium tape beneath my insoles and using overshoes though. I also always buy some ice spikers. I’ve only needed them twice (fortunately years when I’d managed to borrow some) but they were vital to keeping moving safely on the fireroads when they were rivers of ice. If I don’t use them I return them.

Never done the Puffer, looks awful tbh but I do love my pogies. I don’t like them at all for more technical stuff, not that they can’t work for it but they’re seriously offputting to me… but for XC and snow rides and suchlike they’re amazing. I get seriously cold hands, even the warmest gloves struggle but with pogies I can wear normal thin gloves and get all the benefits of that, and be properly warm too. Or wear warmer gloves and my hands just aren’t an issue ever, other parts freeze solid first.

My bike and I have done everything together so I couldn’t humiliate it by fitting more narrow rims and tyres.

Gears are a bigger no no

Having ridden course I know what I’m up against and my biggest challenge is staying warm, especially when pushing the bike through gripless sections.

Last time I did it was on 29×3″ tyres and I went 30-21 singlespeed. I was really glad of the low ratio in the middle of the night.
Never used my poggies though, although I’ve always had them in the van. I would also have a set of ice spikers set up on a spare set of wheels, or even better a spare bike if you can.

Pride will go out the window when you’re losing your sense of humour on the ice at 4am 😉

I’m pogie curious for my fat bike. Using them on a ride when an unscheduled dismount is a possibility does not appeal but plugging along a beach or a snowy scene on the fat bike feels like a brilliant thing.

But where to actually buy them? Only found sites without stock so far.

My bike and I have done everything together so I couldn’t humiliate it by fitting more narrow rims and tyres.

Gears are a bigger no no

Well, you asked for advice 🤷‍♂️

The last descent is also always slop and can be about crashy. I’d not fancy floating around on it with plus tyres. I remember trailrat doing it one year on his lovely titanium hardtail with tiny hybrid commuter ice tyres.

Your bike will hate you anyway. It normally costs me well into three figures to get my bike back to normal after a Puffer and that’s only once been on the drivetrain.

I remember trailrat doing it one year on his lovely titanium hardtail with tiny hybrid commuter ice tyres.

Ive done it several years on them. The course lends it’s self well if you can ride light. It’s largely fire track.

Rubbings racing with guy Martin on lap one final decent – he was on the same tires…… and he had 100% faith in it. His weight was further over the front than I’ve ever seen some one on a push bike go. 100% committed. Had that gone wrong I was going down with him in a pile of broken limbs and bikes haha

But yeah never understood plus bikes at the puffer. I mean sure shaggy won on a fat bike…. But shaggy would kick arse riding a stepladder

But yeah never understood plus bikes at the puffer.

I have no chance of winning it but would like to be comfortable as I challenge myself to keep going, and as I’m normally on a fully rigid I’ll take all the volume I can fit 😁
Agree that the pointy end probably doesn’t lend itself to bigger tyres, but the rider counts for more.

But shaggy would kick arse riding a stepladder

I think this is the thing. Plenty of folk are happy to trudge round making life hard for themselves at the back on singlespeed plus bikes and say “oh but shaggy did this,Jason did that on a singlespeed”. But these are about the best riders you get at the Puffer and would do well on a Dutch bike (I also remember the year Jason did it on an SS and he looked the worst I’d seen him).

For me, even though I’ve had decent success at the Puffer, I want every bit of help I can to make life easier (a nice side effect of that is going faster).

I couldn’t humiliate it by fitting more narrow rims and tyres.

That is the most reciculous thing I’ve read.

Why even bother if you goal is 10laps. That potentially ten laps of pure misery, worrying about and then actually falling off multiple times.

I don’t think you are appreciating how icy and cold it can be. We’re talking solid sheets of polished ice. I was falling off when I stopped because my tyres were spiked and my feet weren’t.

The guys up there are multiple entrants (I think epicyclo might have raced everyone including going home to build a different bike because he got his choice wrong) you run a very real risk of driving all the way up and sacking it after one lap if you don’t heid the above advice.

Pogies are great but they’re lethal if you take your hand out then try and break in an emergency through the pogies.

14 – 16 laps is easily achievable. 1 hour laps times 14 or 16. Leaves 8 hours for sleeping 😀

Im getting this feeling given the current status of Covid it might be postponed for another year though…..

have no chance of winning it but would like to be comfortable as I challenge myself to keep going, and as I’m normally on a fully rigid I’ll take all the volume I can fit

But if that was anything like the real reason you’d be on a full sus as you could have faster tires and be less misrable and go further (but be poorer)

As for lap targets conditions mean everything.

Gears are a bigger no no

Swoon.

I was fortunate enough to rude the course acfew weeks ago and I’m glad I did as it is not what I expected

Can you elaborate please?

It’s the only 24 I’d ride on a rigid singlespeed. The course is ideal for it and it also wears your stuff out quite fast (or at least it used to before the bad bits were made a bit less grim) so if you’re a tightarse like me you come home to a smaller repair bill.

Singlespeeding is only a crap idea if it snows, cos you can’t maintain momentum as well (or at all) so your back ends up shagged.

Definitely buy at least one ice tyre and put it on your front wheel. Even if the race starts dry and not very cold, the weather can change and it gets really bone-breaky when there’s some light rain at night and suddenly the first aid tent gets busy. I’ve never used an ice tyre on the back wheel, but I honestly can’t afford to lose any more teeth so the front one is insurance.

Get a 29×2.1 Schwalbe Ice Spiker – they’re ace on ice and not too bad on rocks and everything else. The scratchy noise can be disconcerting and make you think you have no grip but honestly they’re fine.

As for pogies, I’ve never raced with them but if you’re stopping quite a bit and taking your gloves off they might be useful.

See you there – I’m solo singlespeed again for the first time in years 😉

I also remember the year Jason did it on an SS and he looked the worst I’d seen him

That might have been the 20 hour fight I’d been having with Keith 🙂