Feeling a bit better about entering after stumbling onto this thread and super pleased to hear I’m not the only ‘normal’ idiot entered who has to juggle real life crap with ‘training’ and will likely turn up slightly nervous, likely unprepared but determined to get it done 👍

My longest similar ride was the Dirty Reiver 200k and tbh I was pretty much limping home the last few miles which felt like they were never ending.

I was absolutely burst but I learned a lot from it (mostly that 6 rice cakes with peanut butter just wasnt enough fuel).

Roll on June 😁

I’ve done it twice on 35 mm 700c and I also ride kielder alot through the winter. I can’t fit anything wider than 35 on the bike so that’s what I use and at a guess I’d say they’re fine for 90% of the forest roads. My take on tread pattern is that it doesn’t make much /any difference on the forest roads (unless it’s white 😬) and I’ll happily do 100k rides on slicks or sawtooths all winter but puncture protection is more important.
If I had a choice I’d go 40 mm /42 mm or so as some parts are pretty rough for 35s.

Crank Brothers Highline – I’ve been running a 150mm one for about 2 years on a HT in all weather’s and it’s been great. Maybe doesn’t return quite as fast as something like a Fox Transfer but that’s never been an issue for me as it is quick enough and it has been truly fit and forget

Sounds very similar-good luck!

I started having the same issue on shimano 105 hydraulic shifters recently – it was driving me mad!

Turned out it was old grease built up on the shifter pawls. Gave it a good few hosing outs with wd40 and relubed it and it’s like new again.

Interesting thread. I ran 35 mm Gravel King’s tubeless (both tubeless specific and non tubeless tyres) on my GT Grade last year.
I ran the back at 60 psi/front 50 and had 3 rear failures where the centre of the tyre had lots of pin holes that then became an irreparable split. One exploded in the house like this after 2 days of the bike not moving which was a bit of a mess!
The last one went on the Dirty Reiver after 100 k and I needed to tube it after to continue.
It’s kind of put me off Gravel King’s tbh but I know lots of people swear by them and they certainly felt good on the bike.
I’ve been toying with getting a pair of Schwalbe G Ones to try but I’m also thinking I ran the Gravel King’s at too high a pressure off road which compromised them?
I tend to run my 2.6 29er at 18/20 f&r so don’t know why I thought I needed 60 in the GKs other than having the mindset that more pressure is better on a ‘road’ bike.
I can get a pair of GKs considerably cheaper than the G Ones too……

I’ve had an  XL 29 for about a year and I’m 6’3 (32in leg) – the bike fits me perfectly I’d say.

A Large would likely be ‘ok’ but I’m glad I went XL in the end – it feels pretty simar size to the Large 29Trance x recently sold.

I kind of get some of the comment from that review and my first impression was the bike felt a bit heavy and slow to get rolling. (mine weighed in at 15 kg compared to 13.4 for my Trance) . Overall though it was a blast to ride and really impressive downhill – it just feels planted and very smooth on natural rooty rocky trails. Its not like any hardtail I’ve ridden before but I’ve never been on a 29er ht so nothing really to compare it to.

The weight was bugging me and I sprung for a set of Carbon wheels and 2.6 f&r  last week–wow, they transformed the bike and made what I think is a great hardtail into a really great hardtail :-) I’ve also changed the fork to 140 and I’ll happily ride anything on it I’d ride any of my previous fs bikes on.  I’d try and get a ride on one but factor in decent wheels at some point if you’re planning on buying – those kore wheels are pretty heavy duty for general  trail riding imo.  I’ll try to post a coupe of pics of mine (pre carbon wheels) but haven’t a clue what I’m doing really so this may not work!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XQVDQKn8vkMhXKPK6