Wow, what a great article. It will need a couple of reads for me. Thanks for posting.
There are a gaggle of reasons for riding XC (Banff in Canada to Mexico qualifies as cross country) and the TAT in 2017 and usind tribars including – somewhere to hang the tent and rollmat, somewhere to hide from the wind and to relieve stress on wrists by directing weight away from that joint.

Antway, here is a piccie of my new bike I just built, just to show that I can conform and not just doing it stir up STW forum.

This is such a fun bike to ride and I’m still mucking with cables, stems, steerers, pedals etc, but fatties are brilliant.

This one is 25 lbs and is a tester bike for Kermode Carbon Fat bikes in Canada.

I rode out from Portsmouth – caught the morning ferry, rode for 3 days, got to Morzine, changed tyres and seatpost, did the Passport thingy event. Came home.

Awesome way to see France!

Thanks for all the re-issue photos!

Regarding some detail of mounting the bars – I built a faceplate and riser bracket with top tube for the tribars to mount on.

My current handlebars do taper too early for tribars to mount directly to them…. USE are just looking at printing some parts to overcome this for me for my next big races.

Also, the Lauff works so well for xc racing (bear in mind that xc in this case really does mean XC and not a couple of hours around a woods)

I’ll post up a piccie of my new bike soon; I don’t own a roadbike apart from the one that lives on the TT.

The Birzman Velociy Apogee looks awesome (by spec alone) as it has a guage, flexi spout, fits in a hobbits pocket and weighs 118g.

I have not used one yet (planning to take it on our Divide amd TAT)…. can anybody offer a users opinion on it please?

I’ve used the Topeak race and pocket rockets – this looks better specc’d.

Thanks both of you – I’ll chat to Saddleback tomorrow.

I’m in. Anybody fancy riding out with me?

It should be a good shakedown for anybody doing Tour Divide or the Trans Am Trail race.

I did my SDWx4 with them and got on them at every chance when its not too uppy or downy or bumpy. Its surprising how much terrain you can pop over. I can open a chewey bar and munch it whilst on the skis, it takes a flat trail for a moment!
I’ve not done the eating thing on terrain with the new Lauf yet, only on lanes.

I think I get at least 1 mph extra when on the skis – I change cog as I drop on. I did ride the Highball with lower tribars and found it tough on shoulders, back and lungs so am happy with this compromise.

As a summing up, for TD, they are a place to hang your tent and a place to eat and a way of moving weight onto your shoulders to give your wrists a breather.

Again, thanks and chuckles for all the above comments.

I agree the straps on my helmet need work.

I have Raynauds, hence all the warm clothes, boots and loads of kit on the bike (and I started early to get to the start of the club ride that morning when the piccie was taken)

The Lauf is designed to eat distances and keep vibration to a minimum – I won’t be riding this on the lakes/Alps/Fernie trails, but it will get me to Mexico hot on the heels of that bloke with the sideburns.

It is all about getting weight off the bike for this particular race, so the lack of sensitivity in handling won’t cause me an issue as its a pretty straightforward course, even if its longer than most rides….

There is a ride on the cards for summer 2017 that is 5000 miles, offroad, self supported and already calling me. Check out the TransAm Trail Race.

My tribars are mounted on a homemade stem-handlebar clamp rather than a Fredbar as I wanted a bit more rise than the Fred offered. The Fred is pretty darn good if you are looking for more real estate on your bars though.

With regard to my speed as a club rider, please come and join us at the http://www.southdownsmtb.co.uk/ and find out for yourselves; we meet on Wednesday and Friday evenings and have a Sunday ride starting from different venues from the Purbecks to Arundel.

Cheers

R

hummerlicious – glad to see you have the maps early – they are inspiring. I read and re read them and have just dug mine out ready for next years jolly to Mexico.

Today fed ex (does that count as the postman?) delivered a beautiful Lauf fork with its excessive 60mm travel, in matte black.

No piccies.Just a trai of drool to the workshop where it got trimmed to length ready for testing.

Well, I’ve been on SB8’s for the Tour Divide (popular choice for this race for lighter racers) and all my South Downs Way training and the x4 event itself. I rarely puncture (tubeless system).

When you see what something like the Thunder Bert’s can offer in terms of less effort used, better puncture resistance, the only thing is to shove a pair on for a couple of months.

There is more to riding than RR, but if these T Bert things grip, brake and hold together, then I will report back.

They are only £50ish for a pair – whats the worst thing that can happen?

OMM Last Drop rucksack is 10litre, the lightest you can buy and if you customise it and it falls apart, they will send you another one.
Space for a 2l bladder and side pockets that fit your bear-spray.

Whats not to like?

Never do more than six hours on one, or they get boring.

The window things weigh too much – I tried to get them in the UK when I changed to 10sp and had no luck….. purchased a new bike in US and the bike comes with loads of extras/spares/options and one spare was a set of blankers for the ‘beginners window’.
Perfect. Thanks Competitive Cyclist.

Kenda Small Block 8’s do me for pretty much everyting.

Folks look at them and say ‘they can’t possibly grip’, but they got me 4 laps of the South Downs Way and Banff to Mexico with only one fall and that was in snow!

They settle tubeless without much fuss, are light and their only downfall is that I can’t get them to grip on green chalk….

45 Nrth boots. They are called Wolfhammer. I have all the Raynauds you could ever want and can ride these boots straight through the night in winter. Change socks every 6 hours or so (I use Bridgedale merino hiking socks).

So, 500ish miles on one chain.
Thats only just over one ride.
Bugger, I’ve just gone down the 1x route on my new fatbike.
Better lay in a stock of chains.

I have busted a carbon rim fitting a new tyre (though it didn’t come from LB)… it came from a good wheelbuilder in the UK who agreed to build another wheel for me. When it came, it was a different profile to the dead one, so I think there could have been a design update.
The new rims are so much better, I can fit the same tyre that killed the old rim and not even need levers.

Sorry, can somebode point me in the direction of this thread please?

My Tallboy is nearly 6 and has done 20,000 miles so would be a prime candidate for fatigue issues.

I should check this before heading to the Tour Divide oon it again next year!

Just finishing up seven weeks in Fernie – never got as far as the ski hill to ride – there is so much to ride around town for free (apart from the effort getting up the hills)
There are some crazy folks here and some brilliant bike shops too for when you bend something.

There are loads of old logging trails to explore if you fancy a bit of XC riding too.

Not sure about Whistler -my only other experience of alpine riding is Morzine and I would say the Euro red runs equate to Fernie blue/green.

You have to be bear aware.

I’m coming back to Fernie next summer – don’t fancy spending time looking for something else that may not be better…..

Duct tape on the propedal switch will fix that.

Single leg on the TT is a good way of butt conditioning.

Dry trails will win the day.

I was lucky and had dry trails for my 4x and couldn’t have done it without.

I think I saw Apidura have got a drybag version.
I’ll try to hunt down a piccie, though how to post it on here…..

Its always good to read about other folks having fun on the SDW.
Sounds like you have a sub 12 in you easliy….. I tend to go out a bit slower (2h 20 to QECP) and keep the brakes on going up hills until past Chanctonbury Ring, but always have the brakes off when going down hill from the start!

The weather always plays a part and knowing how much water to carry for each section between taps and with that knowledge, next time go for a sub 11?

Or you could get a CC XTR for $8699 if you happen to be in the States….. mind you it will be pink.

The XT build is only $5119 in black.

Or you could get a CC XTR for $8699 if you happen to be in the States….. mind you it will be pink.

The XT build is only $5119 in black.

Get in touch with the guys at http://www.southdownsmtb.co.uk/

They have rides all over the area (regular Wendesday and Friday meeting points and a variable meet point on Sundays)

A fine bunch of pals they are too, and very welcoming.

As a guy with the circulation disaster called Raynauds, this is the site to choose winter cycling kit from.

http://45nrth.com/

Want to ride day and night through the year?

Pay the money once and ride with the warmest boots made.

As a guy with the circulation disaster called Raynauds, this is the site to choose winter cycling kit from.

http://45nrth.com/

Want to ride day and night through the year?

Pay the money once and ride with the warmest boots made.

Some of these hubs are not very field-serviceable, though sweeter than a DT240.
I put 20,000 miles on my 240 with only one greasing in 5 years.
The bearings died in the housing long before the ratchet wore.

My next years Tour Divide rear hub is a DT240 again, though laced to a plastic rim from Strada.

You may be able to engage power quicker with other hubs but in the long run time spent fixing a bike is bad time….

I’ve tried loads of tyres and keep coming back to the SB8’s.
The lightest were Spotted Cats (wouldn’t keep me upright in a light shower). The grippiest were some tractor tyre of a Michelin (filled with mud and then slid sideways)

Best grip, fastest shedding and longest lasting (2750 miles off road with no punctures) are still the 8’s.

If its not broke…..

How about that?

The new edition of MBR just did a page about my ride and its pretty darn accurate.

It brings back happy memories of a great weekend ride!

Don’t fit them.

They weigh too much.

Its quite a good ride…..

The INSTANT solution – meaning you can go out and ride right now, is to take an angle grinder (leatherman, chisel,stanleyknife etc) to the saddle and scullop out a dip in the saddle so the lump can sit there undisturbed until it is ready to burst and run down your shorts.

It works.

And is a wonderful feeling too.

You may end up getting a new saddle at some point, but it will save your holiday.

LT plastic Tallboy on its maiden journey from Whitefish to Fernie via Red Meadow lake (piccie location) and a continental divide pass.

140 miles that started in brilliand sunshine and finished in one of the most frightening storms I have ever been caught in. If it wasn’t for the quick thinking of my wife and her keeping an eny on my SPOT tracker, it could have ended horribly.

The bike is as awesome as the mountains it plays in.

Eat early.
Eat often.

Ride out?

This has been the best TD so far. The physical and mental punishment the riders deal with is awesome and to have three riders bunch together after Abiquiu (around 1900 miles into the race)and not be able to separate them by more than a fag paper at the finish is incredible.

To get a feeling for the race, take a look at

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/tour-divide-2015-race-discussion-thread/
and log in to see the pictures of some of the rigs that folks use.

I considered myself pretty fit, but this is another level.

There is no entry fee 9or any prize money) for this race – it is all still handled with a gentlemans handshake and takes bike racing back to its pureist form.

I’m going to have to do it again. Bugger the cost.

I stick to the traditional 3x system for nearly all my riding and for my SDWx4 I had 22/30/40 up front and an 11-36 on the back and used the lot.

The lads who did a single with me last weekend were mainly on 1x or 2x setups (more modern bikes) and could see the benefit of being able to twiddle when tired rather than mashing down with heavy legs on the last 4 hills.

The only benefit I can see of a 1x system is that it gets yu there quicker.

I hope I can keep up with the South Downs mountain bike club ride tomorrow…. not used to the speed of a single. Please wait for me at the tops.