We bailed out of it the weekend before last as the Geldie Burn was in spate. We just did the inner loop and stopped at Feshiebridge because doing the outer loop too and getting caught out before the top of Glen Tilt would have been horrible. First time we got to the Geldie it was a mere trickle, and...

I'm watching Daniel Jessee on this, he is hoping for ten days and I will be very impressed if he makes it in that. Sounds like an epic ride.

That looks like it could be a really nice ride. The overall lack of gear being carried in the photos fills me with confidence in the climate too.

There is no right answer, but if you're looking for a 29er tyre, I love my Geax Saguaros. Quite fast rolling but they corner well and slide predictably. However, they're an utter bastard to fit first time. Edit: I ignored the part when you said you run Ralphs on your SS. So do I, and I think they're...

Its definitely worth doing and much easier than the HTR (!) I'm looking to do the whole lot end of august and I'm already looking forward to it! I love the route. Watch out at the end of August - the reason I'm riding it next weekend is because it's before the Glorious Twelfth and the route covers ...

I'm 50/50 at the moment Alasdair as my Mum is under the knife today and I may ahve to do a lot of parental caring. Can't do the weekend after due to a stupid bloody wedding that I have to attend. No worries, hope all works out well. It's a real shame they were selfish enough to clash their wedding ...

Use that set up myself. Has been in a few downpours and have stated dry. The thing i like about it is that it gives you a lot of room. Packs up really small too! The only down point I found is the condensation if you don't have the end vents open. Thanks. Do you need the footprint or will it pitch ...

I've got a Laser Comp 1, but haven't used it since discovering bivvying and stopping hill walking. I've seen that you can pitch them fly only using just a footprint, but is this any good? How does it compare to a simple bivi and tarp combination? Is it particularly stable and weather proof?

Are you doing the Cairngorms Loop this weekend? I'm doing it with two others the weekend after if you fancy it? Fewer horrible push sections than the HTR, but that's not to say there are none of them... My previous comments on the Goldsmith sections perhaps don't express the fact I enjoyed them all ...

'a Goldsmith special stage' I like this phrase. Although at the same time, I hate it with every part of my being. I lost it on the climb into Coire Lair in Torridon, shouting insults at Mr G for making me drag my bike up something that would probably be a mountaineering route in winter and a summer...

I said this on fb already, but great video. I personally had one moment in Torridon where sweary words were directed at the route organiser - I'd describe it as climbing up a hill path lifting the bike up rocks. F-ing horrible throughout. I had many moments of negativity - I found that these simply ...

Hi,

Change of date for this unfortunately - the guys I'm doing it with can't make it so we're postponing for a fortnight. 9:30am start on 2nd August instead.

I've been looking at the Cumulus summer bags. Seem to be similar spec but a bit cheaper. Anyone used them? Not used the summer bags, but I've got a Cumulus Quantum 350 which is my new bag of choice. Far too warm for general summer use (comfort -6) but it's only 700g and good for year round with a w...

That was a good write up - it looks like a fun route and one I'm looking forward to riding.

I can empathise with the mis-reading a map and not expecting a big ascent - sounds like my normal riding!

Stuffing it makes it easier to both pack and unpack it, as you just stuff it into a dry bag bit by bit instead of having to compress it before you put it in the bag.

Excellent story - interesting reading his comments on the weather - it looks like he missed Sundays rain as he was ahead of it! Where were you when it hit? I woke up in my bivi a few miles beyond Blackburn and it rained for a few hours, but it was fine by the time I hit Cannich and was just mist on...

Tyres you say? I've got a set of Trail Kings that have had only a couple of months use. The only issue is one of them has a tiny nick in the sidewall so it doesn't seal if you use it tubeless, but run with inner tubes they'd be fine. EDIT: 29" x 2.2", folding bead. Anything else missing? I...

If it wasn't this weekend, I'd be up for this.

As it stands, looking at doing this in August, so it would be interesting to see how you get on. Are you riding it with Alan?

I also met a couple of chaps at the top of Devil's Staircase who were embarking on the 440. At Mayhem last week, I met one of them who said they didn't get round as his mate had got very ill and they had to abandon. OT: By any chance did they have brand spanking new Alpkit drybags up front? If so, ...

I think this is broadly a good thing. I came into the HTR430 with no experience at all, just a mix of MTB and road riding, a WHW and a LeJog, and quit on the morning of day 3 - I really wasn't ready and gave up too easily. I went out and did a Cairngorms Loop ITT that July to prove to myself I could...

Why down?

The synthetic standard answer should be the Mountain Hardwear Lamina 35 - a great bag at a kilo.

Excellent. I took that last smiley as a shocked one. I'll probably be on the train up that morning unless we take a car up.

Was that a sarcastic smiley or are you up for it? It's a great route and on dry trails rides really well.

There's under 24hrs riding at my pace, which is pretty slow to start with, so a three dayer works well for it.

A mate and I are doing the Cairngorms Loop on the 19th July, starting at 9:30 at the Old Bridge of Tilt car park per the race. We are intending to do it at a sociable pace, so three days of riding and two nights out. Distance-wise, there's a ruin at 120km, and again at around 250km so I'm thinking o...

Does anyone ever start out on either rigid forks or single speed these days? If you're not used to either, you run the risk of putting yourself off MTB early on. How tall are you and how close to Edinburgh are you? I've got a rigid SS and a geared front suspension version of the same bike, so you're...