Anyone who enjoys dreaming about 'off-road' cycling in the Alps, especially those long forgotten, hard to find routes that take you beyond the remit of a general guidebook ... should order themselves a copy of Rough Stuff Cycling in the Alps.

The original was compiled by Fred Wright many moons ago and the only people I know with a copy are Jameso and me (smug) ... here's a pic of Fred back in the day.



The new version is far less (dare I say) basic than the original and features updates where required, new maps and pictures.

Anyway, I'd advise you to take a look on kickstarter and part with £25 for the privilage of 'owning' this information.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/68 ... 30c66deb62

Very interesting, thanks Stu.

Oh, I should just say - Max is a member of the forum so if anyone has any questions, post the up and I'm sure he'll be happy to answer them.

What tyres for....


I joke. I joke...

Interesting.

I'm in.

I've pledged

thanks Stu. Done.

Wheres the ladder??

Chew wrote:Wheres the ladder??

Could be any number or places. I've carried a bike up a few in the Chamonix area. Reasonably common.

Like that - will pledge too - thanks Stu

Fully funded already

Looks interesting, but I can't tell if it's a guide book for the 'now' or a history book, recording 'then'?

Pledged!

GregMay wrote:

Chew wrote:Wheres the ladder??

Could be any number or places. I've carried a bike up a few in the Chamonix area. Reasonably common.

Yeah, they're all over the place. Fun with a fully loaded bikepacking bicycle

(Edit: hilarious that 'rìg' is included in the swear filter!)

Proper mountainbiking

Funny how things have evolved and how 'rough stuff' turned to 'regular fun bivybiking trip'.

Cheers for pointing it out Stu

The image gives a little clue besides the landscape as to where it is

gairym wrote:Pledged!

GregMay wrote:

Chew wrote:Wheres the ladder??

Could be any number or places. I've carried a bike up a few in the Chamonix area. Reasonably common.

Yeah, they're all over the place. Fun with a fully loaded bikepacking bicycle

(Edit: hilarious that 'rìg' is included in the swear filter!)

That ladder is the Pas de Chevres, in Switzerland… I believe that they've just all been replaced and upgraded. Thanks for the interest and supporting the project everyone

ZeroDarkBivi wrote:Looks interesting, but I can't tell if it's a guide book for the 'now' or a history book, recording 'then'?

A lot of the entries have a personal aspect to the tale of the journey over the rough stuff, and you're right that 30 year old info about high mountain trails should be regarded with a pinch of salt, but it is genuinely useful for planning – in conjunction with google, MTB websites, German motorrad enthusiast forums etc. James used it to help plan the Torino-Nice I believe…

m_xl wrote:

gairym wrote:Pledged!

GregMay wrote:

Chew wrote:Wheres the ladder??

Could be any number or places. I've carried a bike up a few in the Chamonix area. Reasonably common.

Yeah, they're all over the place. Fun with a fully loaded bikepacking bicycle

(Edit: hilarious that 'rìg' is included in the swear filter!)

That ladder is the Pas de Chevres, in Switzerland… I believe that they've just all been replaced and upgraded. Thanks for the interest and supporting the project everyone

The ladders are 'new' but it's still the same there. If you don't like ladders there's a pass very, very close by; Col de Riedmatten. But it's not really easier and makes for a fun loop

Great to see this has hit target already.

m_xl wrote:

ZeroDarkBivi wrote:Looks interesting, but I can't tell if it's a guide book for the 'now' or a history book, recording 'then'?

A lot of the entries have a personal aspect to the tale of the journey over the rough stuff, and you're right that 30 year old info about high mountain trails should be regarded with a pinch of salt, but it is genuinely useful for planning – in conjunction with google, MTB websites, German motorrad enthusiast forums etc. James used it to help plan the Torino-Nice I believe…

Certainly a useful guidebook for now, I'd say - trails may change over time but the attitudes don't necessarily. Max is right, I'm not sure how many links or passes in the book are on the TNR but certainly knowing of the Assietta road, seeing it in Fred's book and looking up a few others, referring to google earth etc is how the links went together. Fred wasn't able to spot dirt roads from a low zoom on google earth back then so I'm still tempted to do a ride that simply picks an area in his book and see what happens.

Thinking about taking a punt on the triple book combo deal - anyone flicked through Bunker Research or Paris Roubaix? Interesting stuff?

Excellent !

Just pledged and look forward to receiving in June.

(just needs somebody to come up with easy train options from up here in Lancs to a pretty village or town east of Paris en route to the mountains, to start a trip...
Not flying with a bike has huge advantages as far as I’m concerned..

anyone flicked through Bunker Research

Yes. Very well put together. Having seen some of the bunkers first hand, I found it very interesting, I'm sure it would still be interesting if you haven't.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Yes. Very well put together. Having seen some of the bunkers first hand, I found it very interesting, I'm sure it would still be interesting if you haven't.

Cool, will take a punt on the bundle, guess the whole lot should serve as inspiration for trips a little closer to home :)

Extra value with Stefan (Pannier's) illustration.
Looking forward to it arriving.

ericrobo wrote:Excellent !

Just pledged and look forward to receiving in June.

(just needs somebody to come up with easy train options from up here in Lancs to a pretty village or town east of Paris en route to the mountains, to start a trip...
Not flying with a bike has huge advantages as far as I’m concerned..

Thanks for your support! I trained it to Paris last year, bivvyed the first night in Fontainebleau forest (with wild boar, not so good) and then bikepacked/toured down to Nice… three days to Annecy, really the start of the mountains I hit, through the Morvan, Burgundy and Bresse. Then a good dose of rough stuff in the Alps.

Thanks to everyone for supporting the Kickstarter, by the way. We'll definitely print an extended photo section now. If you've got any questions, post them here and I'll try to answer.

Cheers