I guess I'll be there as it will be a good final fitness and kit check before the HTR. It would be nice if the Strath down to the Lairig and leoch is one flat patch of hard neve....

Doing several 100 + mile off road days this year, particularly the 130 I did on my second and last day of the HTR. Deciding to do a ride in the cairngorms on midsummers day, at about 10am, throwing bags and gear on the bike, driving up to Blair Atholl and heading up glen tilt with no clear destinati...

The Ice cream truck weighs a ton but I don't care. Light bikes are for wimps :cool: So you'll be riding the ice cream truck on the ht550 then? (I want an ice cream truck) I'm seriously considering this albeit with Schwalbe jumbo jims which will drop a pond and a half off the weight and roll a bit e...

The Ice cream truck weighs a ton but I don't care. Light bikes are for wimps

That seems quite pleasant compared to the highland trail. Could see myself fargoing round that next summer

Iona Evans asked me to put this post up on her behalf. As you know Iona was the only female entrant and finisher of HTR14 after an epic ride described eloquently in Singletrack mag a couple of months back - well worth a read if you haven't already. Iona hasn't entered this year as she is currently t...

Problem with those kind of tools is that the multi headed thingy prevents the allen keys getting to awkwardly placed bolts plus you'd also need to lug a chain splitter with you.

I'll stick to my topeak alien - heavy but solid

For flips sake don't give Alan Goldsmith ideas! Although you could eliminate the crappy west highland way bit of the current route.... What's wrong with Tyndrum to Kinlochleven? Probably the longest stretch of rideable off-road on the current route. Its on the WHW = hundreds of walkers... Tanadog -...

AlasdairMc wrote:Anyone else Cairngorm Looping it three weeks beforehand?

Aye I reckon I might if the snow conditions are good - I'm anticipating the entire strath from bynack more to Glen derry will be full of firm spring snow over which the ICT will cruise in less than an hour

I was having a virtual wander round the route on bing maps earlier and I noticed they have been buying some new aerial photos - more up to date than google ones as they show the new pylon access track near to Cannich so that means they must be only a year or two old. Not all of the route is covered ...

Hell - I'm no 13...

I think the hardest bit of that route is turning right at the Geldie and continuing on. Having done both exactly what you did as well as managing to keep going on my second attempt I can entirely sympathise with your decision (it was sore butt and wrists that did for me!) and 95 miles in one day ove...

12.02 for me.... Afterward I felt a bit stupid but looks like I'm in good company! Early training in staying up late!

I space mine out at the fork end using an ortelib light bar you get with their bar bags - also keeps the straps away from the lower headset cup on unicrown forks.

ICT is just shy of 36 with Bud and Lou. Only a problem when you have to carry it. Once the Schwalbe jumbo jims go on it it'll be around 34 and a bit. Lightweight bikes are over rated

I wonder if there is scope for an event which is a cross between a trail quest and a normal adventure race with a fixed route. This would add navigation skills into the mix and get away from the requirement to stick to a fixed track. So you have to reach a number of check points but its up to you ho...

Buy one in July or August - there are usually some great deals from the usual outdoor kit outlets. I got a mountain hardware lightweight down jacket for £60 a couple of years back

I use vinyl self adhesive film on all my bikes - not as hard wearing as gorilla tape but a fraction of the cost and its been good enough to resist some serious frame bag / granite filled mud abrasion on Krampus, mukluk and fargo.

Richpips wrote:A glove puppet.

You can then idle the hours away chatting to it when your miles from civilisation and haven't spoken to anyone in days.

A bit like the football in the Tom Hanks movie Castaway.

For flips sake don't give Alan Goldsmith ideas!
Although you could eliminate the crappy west highland way bit of the current route....

+1 raleigh Grifter which I got just before the bmx craze in '80 so it got single speeded and a brooks mx seat to drop some weight and had f**k knocked out of it down the local woods.Then a cheap road bike, saw my first mountain bike in '83 so my road bike got used off road until I got a raleigh mave...

Its funny Bike Biz were banging on about this saddle last april so I assumed the usual but then they announced a UK distributor the other week....

I cannot see how that could be anything other than agony but it seems too elaborate for a wind up.... Oiyaa!

Paramo Quito - light for paramo and totally waterproof

I use Sealskins mitts for skiing - good to -14 plus windchill, waterproof (used in plenty of wet Glenshee ski days) and plenty of bargains around

I was a bit underwhelmed by the missions. I got them for my ride round the cairngorms loop and found them to self steer like mad below 10psi. they were also pretty crap grip wise and by the end of the ride canvas was showing through the side wall on both tires thanks to caringorms granite. OK on the...