Strathpuffer weather – what to expect?

What’s the weather usually like for the Strathpuffer – mid January, just north of Inverness? I’ve heard some stories about individual years with ice, snow, heavy rain, gales.

But what’s it generally like up there at that time of year?

first year was flipping’ freezing, only the single speeders stood a chance (then their brakes froze).
Next it was rain for 24 hours with bit snow thrown in, brake pads disappeared in a lap, and bad luck if you had rim brakes.

Since then has been windy as ****, so icy that ice tyres finally made sense (as I understand it), and quite mild I think last year.

Only certainly is it’ll be dark, ash. Prepare for anything, really. Worst case is above freezing I’d have thought, best case is just below freezing and calm..

Who knows given that its +10c just now could be shorts and T shirt.

It really is a lottery.

it sounds potentially brutal. sense of humour sounds critical.

See if there are archive clips from The Adventure Show (BBC) online, they did it (a couple of times I think) with a halt called mid-way when one of the guys had an off with suspected concussion..

One of the archive Singletracks had an article by Ed Oxley doing it as well, worth looking out..

Have marshalled, helped out as crew, no way would I take part 🙂

ice, snow, heavy rain, gales.

i can concur that every year since it has started we have had some weather- beyond that no one knows 😉

It doesn’t really matter about the weather as it’s usually too dark to see it 🙂

It’s generally wet. In fact it’s always wet, just sometimes it’s frozen at the same time! The main climb can freeze quite readily (making those who’ve forked out on studded tyres very smug), but the course is generally rideable whatever the weather’s doing (and if it isn’t, due to deep snow etc, the local heroes tend to sort it out)

anyone else got any thoughts on the weather up there for the big race?

You’re not going to get a weather forecast, no matter how many times you ask 😉

I’m hoping for cold and dry. It will therefore most likely be just above freezing and wet 😉

Weather can do what it wants this year afaiac …. Due to the womenfolk putting their foot down we have aquired a 7 berth camper for 42 quid each……

Not that the women folk will see inside it much as they are racing in pairs.

Still got the love wagon ( lwb hr transit) for getting changed in. No one in shoes or cycling clothing of any kind will be getting inside the camper.

We are in a fun team of 4 but also supporting the ladies in their first crack at pairs

23 degrees C and sunshine for 22.5 hrs. Like every other year, don’t listen to these naysayers.

two years ago it got down to +6 degrees. the year before my mate dug his tent into the snow. before that a lovely mix of low level rain mid level sleet and high level snow. The year of the gales was nicely dry but fricking cold.

Was that the year of the gales where gluptons tent pitched its self up a tree , the marquee blew away and the tractors were towing everything ontothe field – including the mtn rescue land rover !!!!!

what the weather is like generally makes no difference unless you are intending doing it every year for the next 20 years. What it will be like specifically this year is too early to say. When I lived in North of SCotland I experienced temperatures of -20c and +20c in January (although it wasn’t in the same january).

Anything from fine, sunny teeshirts and shorts to cloudy with enough rain to depress an otter, to thick snowplough stopping snow is possible this year.

Which is why the North of Scotland is Ace

And thats just next weeks weather gwaelod

looking at the current charts…it quite possibly is

yes

I live 10 mins away, I was up there a few evenings ago with a thin long sleeved top on.
In a month it could be 3 feet deep in snow!

As with any wondering what the long term forecast is; prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Weather can do what it wants this year afaiac …. Due to the womenfolk putting their foot down we have aquired a 7 berth camper for 42 quid each……

And I remember you sneering at my comments about getting a camper… 😯 😀

I rode it last year with Shaggy. I barely survived a lap with ice tyres due to the slippy surface, and he kicked my ass on a fatty with Floaters.

The drive up was amazing in itself.

I think it basically nearly killed me and took me three months to get over it.

Glad I did it. Never again.

I’m actually really quite nervous about this race….

What the f*ck have i signed up for??

I still think its a gay way.

How ever i was outvoted 6-1

The drive up was amazing in itself.

I think it basically nearly killed me and took me three months to get over it.

The drive ain’t that bad!

This year was icy but relatively dry, couple of showers but nothing horrendous.

Last year was very muddy, nasty gritty mud at that.

Looking at the long range forecast it says low of 2° and a bit of rain. TBH you’ll only know on the day.

We’re currently looking for a 4th idiot member as we’ve lost one already!

T-R
Yeah that was the year, G was trying to get my tent up as well when his turned into a kite. We were all ushered to a car park in town to overnight, turns out the car park was effectivly an ice rink. One of our quad had his steerer tube snap on the fast woody descent and he facplanted quite badly. Next guy down found him and called me, as he was out cold. We spent a warm few hours at the Raigmore.

Take a good few sets of disc pads, get mudguards,go SS/fixed/ fat tyres, the whole skinny tyres sinking in and finding grip… erm… no.

Take a van or big tent that you don’t mind getting minging, and lots of changes of cloths.

waterproof boots + gaitors are required for survival.

make sure your drivechain is new or nearly new, no dodgy joining links etc.

I think the best weather is prob 0>-5c Cold enough to keep the mud frozen but not so cold you loose toes

dunno – looking about i spotted more folks on skinny tires and its certainly worked for me for both solos and teams and really only go fixed if you dislike your knees – its very uppy downy with some insanely fast freewheeling sections.

and although shaggy made a fatbike look good last year – remember shaggy could make a shopping cart look competitive on the puffer course. For mere mortals a fat bike is just more drag on the fireroad.

what the weather is like generally makes no difference unless you are intending doing it every year for the next 20 years.

I think that’s Twinklydave’s plan.

I’m a Puffer Solo first timer. Why am I feelin excited and Scared Sh*tless at the same time?
Plannin on running 29er hardtail with hub gear, 2.25 tyres and a van load of brake pads. Plus every bit of cycling clothing and warm gloves I own. Also every set of proper lights I can beg and borrow.
What you Puffer Vets reckon? Any other advice for this virgin.
P.S. Did over 12hrs through out Wednesday night, up the forest and felt ok.
Any tips for the last few weeks of prep etc.
Cheers for any help/Advice.

The big race isn’t until May 😉

All 24he events are a mental game. Puffer just adds an extra element. Just go with how you feel, positive attitudes win. I’m solo’ing again and have a target but am Wilkin to sack it if I need to