Looks pretty amazing, and if they get it in below the grand for the package, very good value too.
Squinting at the map for the last stage it looks like they take the GR5 trail from Bellevue as the last descent, which is pretty technical, and it’d be nice to get the chance to ride the trail legally too!

Pah! The Glasgow Clyde Tunnel cycle path had under-track heating when the tunnel was built 50 year ago. OK they never got switched on as it turned out nuclear power wasn’t too cheap to meter, but it’s the thought that counts eh?

One of the reasons behind choosing the site was that by increasing the amount of “legitimate” users (see the amount of use the Pollok Park MTB trails get from normal kids and their parents) the less desirable users of the park are discouraged (and presumably go somewhere else, in East Ren….)
Also, the venue IS being paid for by GCC, unlike the majority of the games sites. SO it’s just the 500k of you that live in GCC paying for it.

Beinn Lora just up the road would be the obvious one, although for a pootle the path alongside the airfield is nice enough (might be a sustrans route now)
You can cycle along the back road to Oban, which is (was) all landrover track but nice to stretch the legs.
You can follow the road to the Dunstaffnage marine lab/castle (v important if you’re into Scottish history) then take paths through the moor to Ganavan beach just outside Oban, again, a couple of hours pootle, but nice singletrack and some interesting rock features if you want a detour to try and get out of another RIB blast through the falls….
There used to be a Lidl in Oban, but it’s been 14 years since I lived there, so can’t help with more recent knowledge.

Epic undulating singletrack like this: http://chamonixbikeblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/dscf2007.jpg

It’s in the alps again, but the Tour du Mont Blanc is hard to beat for epic singletrack. Here’s a wee write up from last year, the pic is from the day 2 descent from Youla towards Courmayeur.
http://chamonixbikeblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/tour-du-mont-blanc-day-1/

Why, how cynical of you….. :-)

You could still go to the top of Brevant with a bike at the start of July, but that’s with a Chamonix annual pass, the cheaper cham sport pass seemingly doesn’t cover it, there’s a blog from Tom here: http://www.thechamonixbikebook.com/news/which-chamonix-lift-pass/

For other chamonix biking stuff, there’s also: http://chamonixbikeblog.wordpress.com/

Try these 2 for how conditions are in chx the now:
http://chamonixbikeblog.wordpress.com/
http://www.chamonixbikeguide.com/

http://chamonixbikeblog.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/chamonix-bike-book-2012-interview/

Thinking about it, Lac Vert/trois gouilles isn’t IN chamonix, but still worth a ride for the flow…

These might help:
http://chamonixbikeblog.wordpress.com/
http://www.chamonixbikeguide.com/

Plenty of good riding there hughjayteens. Can always modify the itinerary closer to the time when you see what the weather’s doing and how people feel.
For the Saturday, consider the trails down to Trient, Tom’s book(s) will give you all the info you need. Also the Les Houches ski area is now incorporated into compagnie du mont-blanc so the bike pass will include both the Bellevue and Prarion lifts, so no uphill needed to get to the bike park (probably)

Montenvers & the Midi don’t let bikes on unfortunately, so riding on the south side of the valley is all human powered.

Yes, it’s true, the train is closed from Chamonix to Vallorcine for the summer. As it’s to upgrade the line and make it a better service both winter and summer, we shouldn’t complain too much.

The Bike buses should be starting soon, which take you and your bike up the valley to Le Tour or Col de Montets depending on which one you catch. The regular buses won’t take bikes alas.

The Bellevue and MB tram open on Saturday though, which will save a bit of effort….

Regarding the storms, a lot of the trails are still VERY hard going with large sections blocked by fallen mature trees. slowly the trails are being cleared, but attention is focussed on the more popular walking trails, so the better biking ones have a while to wait.

On a related note….I’m starting (i.e. no content on it yet, but give it a week…) a blog of Chamonix and surrounding area bike usefulness which will include what transport options there are, which trails are free of fallen trees and hopefully give folks some ideas for alternative trails and stuff to do when the bike ban comes in for July & August.

http://chamonixbikeblog.wordpress.com/

Currently entirely on my own, everyone else has put their bikes away in the expectation it’s going to snow, and night riding doesn’t seem to be the done thing here.
Anyone in Chamonix fancy some night riding? It does feel slightly, umm, committing going out solo night riding on empty trails in the Alps!

How’s about:

Ben Lora DH (has to be #1 for me!)

Then in no particular order (and sorry for the names, I don’t have my maps with me)

Rocky Rooty, Mugdock park Glasgow (best in dark & followed by the riverside trail)
Innerliethen Golf course track
Ciarian trail Kinlochleven
Short DH trails above Perth off the Braemar Road
The Peebles forest DH
Ben Macdui to Loch Avon (helicopter removal please!)
Alvie Estate DH (Aviemore way)
The Whangie, Glasgow
Hydro singletrack to the back of Rockfield Primary, Oban

Got me in the mood to back out on the bike now…

I used to work for a large city council and was involved in the planning and implimentation of cycle routes, though now live in France. The UK already has an incredible cycle network, connecting almost every home to shops and leisure facilities. There just happens to be cars on it. The UK could have similar cycle culture to the Netherlands and Denmark, all it needs is the same gradual shift in perceptions to occur. Much of the current thinking and research into cycle routes (the stuff where facts are looked at, not opinion, so if you disagree, it can’t be a personal opinion, I want figures..) is that segregrated routes can result in increased injuries once peds, cyclist & motorised vehicles mix again, and that you simply can’t afford to create a complete segregrated network for all 3 modes, so instead bringing down traffic speeds to allow all modes to freely and safely mix is probably the best solution. This works best where there is the fabled critical mass of cyclists in addition to pedestrians and motor vehicles. Where one group vastly outnumbers another, then there are more problems.
Also, for all the complaints about cycle routes in UK cities, there is usually a very good plan, which then has to go to consultation, then lots of locals object to the idea of loosing a parking space right outside their front door (there is a perception that “Road Tax” gives people the right to own a car, not the opportunity), then the HGV lobby, who must be consulted, will object to the traffic calming measures and before you know it, all you can do is put a bit of paint down with no statutory backing to stop parking.
Ho Hum.

Honourablegeorge: where did you hear the midi was taking bikes to 1/2 way? It’s been off limits for bikes up till now, but that would be pretty exciting news if it is!
Otherwise, in chamonix there are no lifts running you can take your bike on. The Tramway du Mont Blanc may still be going from La Fayet, which opens up Les Houche trails, and the normal train is going to get you from La Fayet to Chamonix, although it’s currently replaced by a bus for the journey up the valley. Think Verbier is still open at weekends.

Are you sure the frame survived the 9 days intact….
t’was a valiant effort getting the bike down into Chamonix with that many broken parts. “l’velo, c’est casa? Non, l’velo, c’est put@#~£”

As for reliable parts, Stock Lapierre Spicy 216, 3 months in the alps, breakages: big ring lost a tooth (replaced with bash guard) torn rubber queen rear. No new pads or nufink. Finally replaced the rear pads on the hardtail last week, though it’s only had about 1 months riding in the alps (+ 1 year in Scotland,)I have gone through 2 rear hubs now on that right enough.

You shoulda taken the 29er

A good run is to go up the Brevent bubble, traverse via signs for the Floria Buvette to Flegere, up the Flegere lift then across to the petite balcon sud near Lavanchere, which then leads up to Argentiere. You could in theory traverse to the Col du Montets from Flegere, but bikes are apparently banner from the Aig Rouge national park, and you’d have to go through the park. The above is only about 2hrs from Chamonix to Argentiere, and is mostly techy singletrack in a predominantly, but not exclusively, downhill gradient.

Certainly been a better summer for the VTT than the alpinisim so far…

Easy way back up from La Fayet (downhill from St Gervais) is to take the train back to Chamonix, 5euro, your Carte d’hote doesn’t cover it as its past Servoz. The trails from Chamonix to Servoz & on to La Fayet can also be really good.

When are you out in Chamonix, as the trail ban is in force till the end of August which rules out lots of stuff in the valley.

When you say “lead a student expedition”, do you mean students who are paying you, or students you are part of a club with and have tasked you with organising?
If they’re paying you, you’re probably going to need a guide. The TdMB goes through 3 countries and you’ll need to check any qualifications you’ve got have equivalency. As one of the countries is France, equivalency includes (I think, best check or wait for more knowledgable poster) having your I.M.L. ticket, which not may cyclists have!
If you’ve just been tasked with organising, have fun!

Try Mountain Dropoffs. They do private transfers between Geneva (or Grenoble) and many French, Italian or Swiss ski areas during the winter, so may be able to do the same during the summer. Their standard Geneva – Chamonix transfers in the summer include free bike carriage, so the bikes shouldn’t be a problem.

Aye, sorry bout that. Climbing nick name, with a p added on the end to indicate my default mood (and to get past the bit that told me I couldn’t use “grum” when I registered to post the above). As I don’t post on t’interweb much you have nothing to fear from me attempting to usurp your position of grumness.

Cheers for looking after the trails, was a bit gutted when the forestry removed the chute to berm as any other way through there looked like lots of work, as I guess you found out. Well done on getting through the rock. I’ll have to go back and check it out, not been there for years. Was very proud of the course, bit of a lost classic (along with the Innerleithen Golf Course & the Peebles town DH), but I always prefered muddy steep root infested things, so I suspect most people are happier with the Fort Willaim course

I’m Graham Pinkerton, not heard from any of the others (except Pinkerton family obviously) in ages, would be good to catch up with them, is Kev still in bike shops? And out of curiousity, how do you know us all?

Used to be a real good scene in Oban, is there still much going on or has it shifted back up towards Fort William?

Anyways, hope the O.P. had a good time when he was up and found some fun riding, really under rated area of Scotland. If you fancy giving some feedback Gooner…

How much time do you have to spare when you're in Oban?
I grew up there and there was a good scene in the 90's, xc, dh & street. I've not been back for about 10 years, so the advice below is quite out of date, sorry if the trails that used to be good, aren't!
For an evenings spin, try going out to Ganavan (the beach) head up to the shinty pitch above the beach and follow the trail behind it up the hill, it's singletrack through heather & grass to Dunbeg. Through Dunbeg to Dunstaffnage castle then, after a play there, head back in along the most suitable looking path at the coast (which used to take you over an interesting chasm….)to Ganavan. You can also try the woods on the Ganavan road just as you leave the hotels behind, generally called "the witches"
The area around the ruined Hydro near McCaigs tower is good for a play around in too for a couple hours, best entered from the top of Ardconnel Hill along a flat path.
The forest above the golf course has some ok trails, but they can take a bit of finding.
Kerrera is def worth a trip over. Not the most epic riding you'll ever have, but a good trip none the less.
There's lots of riding south of Oban, get os 49, 50 or 55 and follow your nose. Doesn't have the vertical of Aviemore or Kinlochleven, but there is still a lot of good tech to be found.

13thfloormonk, what's your link to the Benderloch trails? Good to hear that things are still happening up there. I was one of the guys who build the '97 dh course which, if I say so myself, was a wee bit good.