What bike for bugger all fitness???
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
- gairym
- Posts: 3140
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
What bike for bugger all fitness???
Howdy folks!
Next week I'm finally heading down (mum not well earlier in the year so missed the mass start) into the Italy to do my annual Tuscany Trail pilgrimage.
And.....I'm in fairly crap shape.
Not horrifically poor form and to be fair my back is currently as good as it's been in a decade so
But I'm not anywhere near actually fit enough to do what I'm planning to do and so I'm now investigating suffering management scenarios and could do with some advice.....
My options are:
- Skinny tired gravel bike (40c Nanos)
- Monster Cross (2.4" Rangers)
- The Rooster (29+ with 3" XR2's)
I'll likely be riding +/-85km per day of mixed gravel roads, roads and a smattering of single-track for 5 days straight.
So do I.....
A) minimise rolling resistance and go skinny tyres?
B) take a sofa of a bike to minimise rattle fatigue?
C) take the middle ground with the reasonably ok rolling, mostly comfy Monster Cross bike?
Based on your experiences which option is most likely to result in the happiest broken person by the end?
Answers, thoughts and opinions on a postcard please.....
Cheers, Gairy.
Next week I'm finally heading down (mum not well earlier in the year so missed the mass start) into the Italy to do my annual Tuscany Trail pilgrimage.
And.....I'm in fairly crap shape.
Not horrifically poor form and to be fair my back is currently as good as it's been in a decade so
But I'm not anywhere near actually fit enough to do what I'm planning to do and so I'm now investigating suffering management scenarios and could do with some advice.....
My options are:
- Skinny tired gravel bike (40c Nanos)
- Monster Cross (2.4" Rangers)
- The Rooster (29+ with 3" XR2's)
I'll likely be riding +/-85km per day of mixed gravel roads, roads and a smattering of single-track for 5 days straight.
So do I.....
A) minimise rolling resistance and go skinny tyres?
B) take a sofa of a bike to minimise rattle fatigue?
C) take the middle ground with the reasonably ok rolling, mostly comfy Monster Cross bike?
Based on your experiences which option is most likely to result in the happiest broken person by the end?
Answers, thoughts and opinions on a postcard please.....
Cheers, Gairy.
- Bearbonesnorm
- Posts: 24037
- Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:53 pm
- Location: my own little world
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
You appear to have missed out - 'hire an e-bike'
May the bridges you burn light your way
- Specialist Hoprocker
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 9:31 am
- Location: Deepest Darkest Surrey
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
Monster Cross. I reckon take your time and enjoy it. The other two options sound like hard work!
- gairym
- Posts: 3140
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
I know!!! But.....I literally, actually and genuinely built the monster cross bike with the tuscany trail in mind and so have done it the last three years in a row on that bike.Specialist Hoprocker wrote: ↑Sun Sep 04, 2022 5:08 pm Monster Cross. I reckon take your time and enjoy it. The other two options sound like hard work!
I've previously done it on the 29+ bike (my second logical choice) but I've yet to do it on an actual gravel bike (also done it on a Fatbike, rigid carbon 29er and steel hardtail).
It's (the skinny gravel) the only bike I've not tried and it's the most similar to what most folk ride it on.
I'm conflicted!!!
-
- Posts: 9788
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:19 am
- Location: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
I'd say the monster cross please Gairy. I'm slowly coming back down from 3 inch tires and now on 3 up front with 2.6 at the back for full mtb duties (rigid obviously) on the Pinnacle Ramin 3+
Taking the thin tires on too much gravel. I'm sure you'll suffer to the point of minimal enjoyment. Full fat is (IMO) overkill for a gravelly type route (though in my opinion theres still only 2 types of bike - road or off) with I assume a decent coverage of broken tarmac.
C
Taking the thin tires on too much gravel. I'm sure you'll suffer to the point of minimal enjoyment. Full fat is (IMO) overkill for a gravelly type route (though in my opinion theres still only 2 types of bike - road or off) with I assume a decent coverage of broken tarmac.
C
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
Dales 300 had me in bits from riding a rigid mtb on 2.2's, sore right wrist for 2 weeks and still suffering from what I think is hotfoot (not pleasant at all) so I'd be thinking pure comfort and use the fitness you have to ride and not getting rattled about
Last edited by Leerowe76 on Sun Sep 04, 2022 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Living On Dreams & Custard Creams
-
- Posts: 357
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 7:15 pm
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
Comfort is king. That is all
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
Put 29x2.6 mezcals on the rooster, failing that, put the 2.4s on it.
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
Plus one for 'hire an e-bike'.
Zazen - nothing happens next this is it.
- gairym
- Posts: 3140
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
Still no.
Precisely zero interest in riding a motorbike* instead of my actual bikes**.
(*bike + motor = motorbike)
(**other opinions are available and I'm not for a second judging those who need to use an eBike to keep riding nor am I criticising those who simply like playing on eBikes for fun but it certainly ain't for me)
- gairym
- Posts: 3140
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: What bike for bugger all fitness???
You'll all be (quite rightly) disinterested to know that I chose the sensible middle ground and am taking the Monster Cross bike (again).
Up and at 'em at 05:30 hours.....
Up and at 'em at 05:30 hours.....