HT550 - 2017

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Javi
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Javi »

Neil Beltchenko wrote:Hey Friends,

I'm coming over from the States to race next week, sooooo very excited!

(...)

Edit: Also, looking at the first 100 miles, man, thats a lot of road. I have been training with some big knob tires specifically for this race, now I'm considering going with a fast roller, any thoughts on that?

My email is Neil.beltchenko@gmail if anyone wants to contact me.

Best,
Neil
Welcome!!
On a 29er I'd go something like 2.2 front and rear minimum, plenty of protection casing and no really knobbly tyres. Lee Craigie last year used Schwalbe Thunder Burt and survived. 2 years ago on 650b I had Conti X -King 2.4 protection front and rear. Last year and this year is Maxxis Ikon 2.35 protection front and rear.
JMich
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by JMich »

Richard G wrote:Obvious I know... but just to be sure, there's a big difference between a 0c limit bag, and a 0c comfort (even bigger difference to extreme :lol: )
I'm assuming 0C vs -10C limit as it is the rating located on the bag. However I'm comfortable in the 0C to about 0C. I haven't pushed the limits of the -10C bag yet.
ianfitz
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by ianfitz »

touch wrote:By my reckoning, 31.8% of the route (by distance) is road.
I'm surprised it's as much as that. Not doubting your figures, I suppose it's due to most of the roads on the route being singletrack roads that you hardly see any cars on!
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whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by whitestone »

JMich wrote:Can anyone give advice on nightime temps... Is there a big difference in temp from low laying towns to 1000 ft? Trying to decide between a 0C and -10C bag (both with bivy and tarp).
I was also hoping someone could comment on the weather thursday or friday before the race. I'll be checking weather but it's nice to get a locals take on it. Thanks.
There'll be 2-3C difference between the valleys and the tops. The bigger problem is that much of the route is very exposed, I did the northern loop three weeks ago and there is very little shelter especially once you are out of the glens, I'd be more worried about 10C with horizontal rain than 0C. Current nighttime temps in the towns are 8-9C.

There's a guy in Aviemore (I think) who does local forecasts - Scotroutes might have more details

On the subject of tyres I'm going with Bontrager XR2 2.35 on the front, XR1 2.2 on the back
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touch
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by touch »

ianfitz wrote:
touch wrote:By my reckoning, 31.8% of the route (by distance) is road.
I'm surprised it's as much as that. Not doubting your figures, I suppose it's due to most of the roads on the route being singletrack roads that you hardly see any cars on!
Yep, also the road sections are a lot faster and i've based my calculations on distance. If it was done by % of time spent on the road it would be a lot less.

This is my full breakdown:

Gravel %48.63 (263miles)
Road %31.88 (172.4miles)
Technical %12.31 (66.6miles)
Singletrack %4.27 (23.1miles)
Hike %2.9 (15.69miles)

I've been using this to work out anticipated time for various bits of the route. The gravel/fireroad and road numbers will be the same for everyone but you might find my definition of a hike is your idea of singletrack, for example. (The "technical" part is kind of halfway between singletrack and hike - not as fast as flowy singletrack but not as slow as walking.)
ScotRoutes
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by ScotRoutes »

https://www.facebook.com/highlandweather/

Facebook only I'm afraid..

Daily temperature variations are quite extreme at the moment. We can have 20C during the afternoon and -2C at night. Generally calm weather/clear skies means camping in hollows and near water should be avoided.

I'm surprised at only 15 miles of "hike".
Neil Beltchenko
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Neil Beltchenko »

WOW, by those calculations, I indeed need to re-think my tyre choice, especially if conditions are dry. Yes, a little bit of confusion, I should have said "not singletrack"

Dave hooked me up with the map, so I'm all set with that, now just to figuring out resupply locations and hours of operation. Thanks Dave!

Ian, I may hit you up on a ride friday, I'll keep in touch. Alan offered a ride up to Tyndrum on Wednesday mid-morning, but I'm just not sure if my flight will be late or what. What is the train route, is it direct or would I need get on a bus? is there a website?

Good stuff, getting excited. Now to remember about riding on the left side of the road. :)

Thanks very much for all the help everyone!

Best,
Neil
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whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by whitestone »

Neil, the site is scotrail.co.uk, the stations you need are Glasgow Queen Street to Tyndrum Lower. The cost is £20.40. I don't know about getting from the airport into the city centre as I've never had to do it.
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AlasdairMc
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by AlasdairMc »

whitestone wrote:Neil, the site is scotrail.co.uk, the stations you need are Glasgow Queen Street to Tyndrum Lower. The cost is £20.40. I don't know about getting from the airport into the city centre as I've never had to do it.
You can get the train to Upper Tyndrum as well, because bike spaces might be full on one train and not the other - the stations in Tyndrum are about a quarter mile apart.
ScotRoutes
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by ScotRoutes »

Site/track works just after Laggan Wolftrax.

http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/News ... 052017.htm

The track that leaves the road and heads towards the Corrieyairack will be impacted, though actual works should be complete by the time the race goes through.
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Alpinum
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Alpinum »

ScotRoutes wrote:Site/track works just after Laggan Wolftrax.

http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/News ... 052017.htm

The track that leaves the road and heads towards the Corrieyairack will be impacted, though actual works should be complete by the time the race goes through.
What race?
touch wrote:
ianfitz wrote:
touch wrote:By my reckoning, 31.8% of the route (by distance) is road.
I'm surprised it's as much as that. Not doubting your figures, I suppose it's due to most of the roads on the route being singletrack roads that you hardly see any cars on!
Yep, also the road sections are a lot faster and i've based my calculations on distance. If it was done by % of time spent on the road it would be a lot less.

This is my full breakdown:

Gravel %48.63 (263miles)
Road %31.88 (172.4miles)
Technical %12.31 (66.6miles)
Singletrack %4.27 (23.1miles)
Hike %2.9 (15.69miles)

I've been using this to work out anticipated time for various bits of the route. The gravel/fireroad and road numbers will be the same for everyone but you might find my definition of a hike is your idea of singletrack, for example. (The "technical" part is kind of halfway between singletrack and hike - not as fast as flowy singletrack but not as slow as walking.)
Surely from what I gather how folks cope with some of the tracks (judging from two HT participations) I estimate the average HT rider will do much more hiking than 16 miles.
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whitestone
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by whitestone »

Alpinum wrote:
ScotRoutes wrote:Site/track works just after Laggan Wolftrax.

http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/News ... 052017.htm

The track that leaves the road and heads towards the Corrieyairack will be impacted, though actual works should be complete by the time the race goes through.
What race?
touch wrote:
ianfitz wrote:
touch wrote:By my reckoning, 31.8% of the route (by distance) is road.
I'm surprised it's as much as that. Not doubting your figures, I suppose it's due to most of the roads on the route being singletrack roads that you hardly see any cars on!
Yep, also the road sections are a lot faster and i've based my calculations on distance. If it was done by % of time spent on the road it would be a lot less.

This is my full breakdown:

Gravel %48.63 (263miles)
Road %31.88 (172.4miles)
Technical %12.31 (66.6miles)
Singletrack %4.27 (23.1miles)
Hike %2.9 (15.69miles)

I've been using this to work out anticipated time for various bits of the route. The gravel/fireroad and road numbers will be the same for everyone but you might find my definition of a hike is your idea of singletrack, for example. (The "technical" part is kind of halfway between singletrack and hike - not as fast as flowy singletrack but not as slow as walking.)
Surely from what I gather how folks cope with some of the tracks (judging from two HT participations) I estimate the average HT rider will do much more hiking than 16 miles.
There's the big Hike-a-bike sections like the Ledmore traverse but there's also quite a few bits that look like they should be rideable but aren't. For example on the track from Gobernuisgach Lodge up to Bealach Horn you might ride for a Km then there's 50 metres that it's just more energy efficient to get off and walk then you'll ride for 500 metres and there'll be a 100 metre section of track that's so steep and or loose that you'll walk it. It's the same on the climb out of Achfary. We were doing these when reasonably fresh not with 300Km+ in our legs. Some of the climbs on the road to Drumbeg might get walked as well :oops:
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ScotRoutes
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by ScotRoutes »

Alpinum wrote:
ScotRoutes wrote:Site/track works just after Laggan Wolftrax.

http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/News ... 052017.htm

The track that leaves the road and heads towards the Corrieyairack will be impacted, though actual works should be complete by the time the race goes through.
What race?
Good try! :lol:
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GregMay
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by GregMay »

First ITT en route, Rich+Tom Seipp.

Maybe fourth time lucky.
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touch
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by touch »

Alpinum wrote: Surely from what I gather how folks cope with some of the tracks (judging from two HT participations) I estimate the average HT rider will do much more hiking than 16 miles.
It might be a bit on the low side as I might have included some of the hiking in my "technical" category. I should maybe have named my categories by speed rather than terrain. Anything with lots of short rideable sections with lots of short hikes in between have been categorised as 'technical' which I anticipate to be 4-6mph. The hike category is nearer 2-3mph (I'm a slow hiker!). Like I said, the definitions of gravel and road are likely to be the same but the other definitions are subject to opinion.

It's also quite deceptive how short the hike sections are. The drop from glen golly, across the stream at the bottom and back up to bealach horn is only a little more than a mile but feels longer because it took me almost an hour.
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fatbikephil
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by fatbikephil »

Looks like Tom and Rich are heading up the Corrieyairack - good days ride from them, furthest of all their attempts in their first day. They will be in for some proper rain tomorrow so hopefully they can keep pushing on...
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Richpips
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Richpips »

MrPips didn't log out. Mrspips aka Dotwatcher.here. Just had a spot track all Ok message. just short of 100 mi. mark. They are trying to get around (without freezing or drowning - boy still can't swim) to see the main start.
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by fatbikephil »

Looks like they are in blackburn bothy for the night - luxury!
Asposium
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Asposium »

where are these "unofficial" traces?
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GregMay
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by GregMay »

Asposium wrote:where are these "unofficial" traces?
*sigh*
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Bert
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Bert »

So I see Monday 29th is a Bank Holiday. Should I stock up extra in Contin on Sunday?
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fatbikephil
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by fatbikephil »

Drumbeg stores and the two supermarkets in Lochinver will be open Monday normal hours. The Lochinver Pie shop is open until 8 and the panini van until 3. Plenty of choices!

Its interesting doing all these calcs on percentages of hike a bike / roads etc. pre ride but when your into the middle of it none of this matters a f***, you just deal with whatever is in front of you
ianfitz
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by ianfitz »

htrider wrote:Drumbeg stores and the two supermarkets in Lochinver will be open Monday normal hours. The Lochinver Pie shop is open until 8 and the panini van until 3. Plenty of choices!

Its interesting doing all these calcs on percentages of hike a bike / roads etc. pre ride but when your into the middle of it none of this matters a f***, you just deal with whatever is in front of you
Drumbeg stores will be open extra hours for us. Likely from 7am but they'll be a sign about a mile out to confirm times.
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Ian
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Ian »

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Rich&ShonaKP
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Re: HT550 - 2017

Post by Rich&ShonaKP »

Don't talk to me about hike a bike :wink: you want to try it with a tandem, rideable takes on a whole new meaning...
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