We (the family ) are off for a week in Devon – Putsborough Sands – in August. I won’t be riding a lot. Should I just take the 29er HT as a do it all (quick morning blast/chase the dog/ride with kids/possible long road ride) or is the roadie a better choice?

Depends what you want to ride.

There’s superb coastal road riding or decent mtb but that requires a bit more effort/ research to find. Exmoor is 40 mins away too

Either way bring your climbing legs!

Is the coastal path rideable early morning before breakfast?

I think it will just be my Fireline 29er, and hang up my roadie boots for the week!

The short answer is yes but some of it is footpath and some of the footpath features a lot of un-rideable steps. Especially between morte hoe and lee. The bit from lee to ilfracpmbe is ok

Email me in profile and I can give you a GPX of a route that goes past putsborough

Brilliant – thanks.

Edit:

The coast path around baggy point south of puts is mostly rideable but considered more cheeky than the other stuff!

The old donkey trail from opposite barricane up to twitchen farm campsite is cheeky but do-able in either direction with care, there’s an alternate route down in the valley that comes out in the same place that’s safer as a descent.

Worth checking out local segments on strava!

Assuming you’re on the site above the beach then a good pre breakfast ride would be over Woolacombe Down from Vention, (may be some pushing needed) with great views over the bay and then down into Woolacombe and back along the old road/ bridleway or dunes. I will be there too similar time but staying in Croyde

No doubt you’ll be definitely wanting something quick uphill focused as have you seen Devonshire hills!

Plus you may have extra visibility around the roads from being on a 29er ;-d

I still get the willies remembering the time I was off-roading between Putsborough and Woolacombe. I was on a grassy slope around Pickwell, the slope started getting steeper, I braked, the back wheel skidded, I started accelerating towards the edge of the cliff.

You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to throw yourself off the bike, but I managed it, just in time.

Don’t ride on wet grass, kids.

And the climbs are bleeding steep. That one from Woolacombe to Little Roadway Farm is a goodun.

Thanks lads! Sounds like i should pack my climbing legs!

Yep you will need them.

A quick hard pre brekkie would be along marine drive to wooly then go up the path behind the car park hut all the entrance to marine drive. Steep but all rideable. Takes you along the top of woolacombe down then has a steep but fun grassy descent back down to puts.