*respawns after who knows how long * Was great to see munrobiker and the gang this weekend. My puffer racing days are over but I’ll happily cheer everyone on until the wee small hours with a beer or two. Well done everyone who raced and Chris’ pals. 10 years? Really?

Spooky, I was on top of Beinn a Bhuirdh yesterday looking at Macdui with a different GavinB! Keiloch up to the Stack, then a climb up North Peak before the amazing descent down the main path. It was a grand day to be out in the hills.

I did 4 puffers with lights that troutie lent me or let me trial. I remember using spider eyes on full power for descents and making everybody complain. Chris was a total gent and a truly kind person. When I finally met him for real at a puffer he wouldn’t let me pass without plying me with home-brew and shooting the breeze. He was a truly lovely person. R.I.P Troutie, the mountain bike world and the world in general is a duller place now. Condolences to his family and friends.

Wot dangerousbeans sed up there ^^^^^^^^^^^
BJ was given a very fitting send off. The large chapel was packed beyond capacity, as was the wake at the Officer’s Mess at RAF Cranwell. To see he was held in such high regard by so many different communities and respected by all who ever encountered him might be a small comfort to his family and friends. I reckon he’d approve of all the roadies who are getting on MTBs to ride 10UTB. I hope he takes a minute to look down on us from the single track in the sky, I know that his “encouragement” would be very direct and Yorkshire like. 🙂 Per ardour ad astra.

I got the polaris jacket a couple of years ago because swavis had one. It’s ace. Just bought another because £30.

Looks like we’ll have lots of people coming to 10UTB to ride for or just remember BJ, which is awesome.

It’s a real gut wrencher this. 3 of us rode the trails he made as an MTB pioneer in this area last night. He was the reason I got into mountain biking proper and I spent a lot of time watching his rear wheel disappear into the distance on rides. He was due back here next month after years being forced to ride roads down in the flatlands. It’s so unfair. I too will give him a lap at the puffer and I’ll have a dram for him at the end. R.I.P. BJ. It was an honour and a pleasure to know you.

Hanging by the saddle is fine with a dropper as long as they are fully extended. The 2 reverbs I’ve knackered have been by picking the bike up out on the trail by the saddle when it’s been down.

You’ll be close to course. Solos had their own pit diversion last year. Never done the GT7 so can’t compare but 10UTB nearly always has a newly cut muddy rooty bit that will have a lot of people walking, especially if the week is to be wet beforehand (it is). There can be some short rocky tech too but it’s generally all quite flowy.

Cheers. Reckon I’ll risk it. Classic loop without the top of Coire Lair should be ok. Maybe an Annat out and back on 2nd day. Weather looks to be improving at last.

Balblair has to be visited. There really is nothing else like it. Also, wot they all said above.

Well done everybody. Even those just driving up the hill. I had an ace weekend walking the course and drinking beer beside it. If you could guarantee those conditions I’d do it again in an instant. I was itching to ride my fatbike round it. I reckon my Dude with Bud/Bud would have been the perfect bike for that course. Think I might have killed the leisure battery in my van by flattening it in the cold but I’ll try get it back to life this week.

epicyclo – Member

You’ll regret it if you miss it – there’s team holes to be filled and a few solo places for sale.

Go on, next year might be back to the recent run of tropical ‘Puffers.

I’m not fit enough this year, have injuries that need to rest and no suitable bikes. I think that covers it. I’m off to get beer 🙂

I’m almost tempted to do it now. Wait………I’m over it. I’ll be the heavy metal party with the cowbell cheering you all on with a beer (maybe a hot drink) during the night. First time in years I’ve not done it and I’m looking forward to not doing it 🙂

If you are not going to use those extension wires disconnect them. Bell wire interference can reduce speeds. It shouldn’t but it does.
Also, cougar the filter protects the DSL side from interference from voice equipment. You can test this by have just a router on a circuit and then plugging in a phone or fax machine without a filter. Watch your speed tumble/disconnect. The phone/fax will still work fine.

No way that’s a thigh, it’s like a wrist, only thinner.

I have found with roadies/mtbers/walkers/horse riders that the further you are from civilisation the friendlier everybody is. The grumpiest are dog walkers who go all of 400m from their car before turning back (I’m a dog walker too), the friendliest are anybody at all that you meet in the middle of nowhere, miles from anything at all. That can include roadies up here but generally not the club run all the gear types. 🙂

Here’s me modelling mine. This was about 6 years ago and they are still going strong.

[/url]164095_10150164308078378_43647_n by devilnomad[/url], on Flickr[/img]

My experience of 8 long winters training for the puffer in the north of Scotland is that all the branded ones fail pretty quickly. You are as well getting the tenns as the ones costing much more. I used to pick them up for £15 each. Stormsure sealant works well on leaking seams but looks gash no matter how artistic you are during application. Branded shorts are great for most rides but when it’s proper horrible the army goretex cut offs are absolutely unbeatable. I did LOL at the comments about them looking wrong with their elasticated waists and uneven legs. As if someone would notice that when you are covered in crap from head to toe. The only downside of them, apart from the camo under all the mud (further LOLs), is the lack of pockets so you have to wear the right jacket with them or have drybags and/or a rucksack cover.

Glenlivet shuts after this weekend for 6 months of felling.

I’ve finally decided to give 650b+ a go. I saw that Alpkit had the Love Mud wheelsets for sale for £149 last week so I ordered one. I got 2.8 HR2 from Germany and set them up tubeless to see if they will fit in my Tallboy LTc. They do quite comfortably. I have 150mm Pikes on the front. Discs and cassette will be getting fitted this week and I’ll give them a test on saturday. I’ve just finished a week with Ciclo Montana in Spain in 29er mode with Smorgasbord and Chunky Monkey so the differences should feel apparent very quickly. I’m concerned about pedal strikes but we’ll see how it goes. Can do pics if anybody is interested.

My first singlespeed event but not my last. It was amazing.Sure the weather helped but the ethos, camaraderie and social bias make it my kind of event. Road trip to Arnhem next year then!

I dun it. It was ace. Went up Fyrish too. it hurt a lot.

Nothing wrong with a knard out back. Fast and predictable. Not for the front though.

Going for my 3rd time in Sep. It’s ace. The amount of fat bikes going has grown each time, I’m wondering how that trailer will cope this next visit as there will likely be 5 fattys.

Too many steep ups for a heavy fella like me on that course but I love the whole event. First time on top of the podium after a few 2nds. We lifted the super vets mixed pairs which I have mixed feelings about. Great to win, not great being ancient. It also means I’ll probably have to come back next year instead of retiring disgracefully. 🙂

Johnny come latelys! I paid £10 for my first protean shorts. £15 for the next 3 sets. I kept getting the “right” size though which, although ok at the waist, weren’t made for rugby player thighs, arse and tackle lol. They all split or the seams stretched and let in water. Now I have learnt my lesson and get proper fatty size and they are as good or better than the Endura and Altura offerings I’ve owned.

Take a fat bike from Aviemore to the top of Cairngorm a couple of times. You’ll be ready 🙂

Great tyres. They go up and stay up fine tubeless on Stan’s Flow rims and grip well on everything I’ve tried. They’re not light but I’d rather sturdy than light for my bulk and where I ride them.

I have had this in my pack all winter although to be honest the only time it’s been out is pub stops. It’s pretty good.
I also have a Decathlon (when it gets delivered) to try as it cost next to nowt, a Rab Xenon and another fancy Rab too. They’re for dog walks and the pub though. I found them to be hellish sweaty about the arms when actually used for anything other than sitting still.

On the aggressive overtaking one bloke came up behind me, shouted very loudly and tried to squeeze past. He hit my arm and bounced off. If he came past me later it was a lot less aggressively. Being a 17st racer is a disadvantage in nearly all situations but not that one 🙂

We’d done 16 laps by 2330 but Rob was feeling sick and wasn’t feeling the love and I was in agony with a thumb injury sustained 8 weeks ago. I was relieved when she suggested canning it. We were 4th in mixed pairs and 3rd were moving away. We decided that beer was more inviting than putting ourselves through it for no glory. I only managed 2 of those. The course this year was excellent. I liked all of it although the ice on everything was challenging. It was supposedly going to be an easy year! It seemed a lot busier than usual especially where parking was concerned. That’s me done now. 8 puffers is enough. I think……

My dude has been amazing. I would get another.

So I log in to see if there are any strathpuffer threads and find this one with pics of me! Great stuff munrobiker. We’ll do the bigger loop next time, you’d love it. This thread has made me more determined to do more big mountain days. I kinda take them for granted and don’t spend enough time out exploring them.

I’m on 2×11 just to be niche. 🙂
1×10 surprised me how well it resisted wear and chain snaps. I snap chains for fun it seems. 1×10 and 10 sp in general seemed better than even 3×9. 11sp is dog turd though. The chains stretch way too quickly and the cassettes wear accordingly. I will be changing back to 2×10 on the next drivetrain change on one bike and staying 10sp on everything else.

All this budget fatbike talk is nonsense. What people need is a brand new ICT XL for around £1500. If only there were someone selling one………

Did you sell your spearfish frame seeing as you are not answering on classifieds? 🙂

Aberystwyth is way closer and won’t be shut!

I go up and camp at Clachtoll in the van. This route has become such a magnet for car clubs and boy racers that I wouldn’t like to bike it now. Or I’d do it away from predictably busy times. It’s stunning though, I’ll be back fat biking around Assent with a fishing rod attached to my pack next year.

Onion is southern. And short. His sort should no be aloud.