Battle on the beach next weekend,and I’ve not been before. From photo’s of past races there seems to be a real mix of bikes from fat through to cx. I’ve got the option of a gravel bike with 45mm tyres or a santa cruz tallboy. Can’t decide which would be the best option

I can’t imagine either will be fun to clean afterwards, but the gravel bike will probably be less worse. Personlly I wouldn’t want to smash a Tallboy around a beach for an extended period of time, might end up being an expensive day out!

I did BOTB a few years ago on a gravel bike. The bike was great on the hard compact sand, but obviously had to carry it across the soft sand. Also wasnt the best on the singletrack sections.
If i were to do it again, i would use a mtb hardtail.
The Dutch pair that tend to win it most years ride gravel bikes though.

Would definitely go light hardtail if I had one. Think gravel bike is looking the more likely.