So what bike did you use for this years BB200?
Remember pics so I can work out who was who

On one lurcher, pic taken yesterday, i still can't be bothered to clean it.

Too much stuff in the drybag, but I was glad of the warm (heavy) sleeping bag later.
Dropper post and long forks made the descents in the first bit to Mach and Barmouth lots of fun

This was mine, plus a 12 litre Inov-8 rucksack containing food, water, tools and some small items of clothing:

I wish I'd put my pump in that position Ian, mine was annoying when I had the bike up on my shoulders, it kept digging into my neck. Next time

This was mine - Giant Anthem 29er. In hindsight I should've left the cement mixer at home - it was an unnecessary luxury



Thanks for the company Ben You might have had to get off and push up some of the hills with your singlespeed but you were still pushing much faster than I was riding!

I was on a rigid, geared Swift, carrying too much food and gear in my MYOG seatpack and bar harness. No pics because my arms are still too tired to lift a camera.

Another Traverse... Need to find the energy and motivation to sort it out.

Lessons Identified:

- PF BB Bearings have no place on a Mtn Bike, but we all know that anyway!
- Tubeless tyre plugs are brilliant - plugged a 3mm gash in the sidewall that the Stans fluid could not cope with and held for another 20 hrs.
- 1x11 provides plenty of gear range without the risk of chainsuck, but SRAM stuff needs regular lube to keep it shifting and wears out out too quick.
- Elliptical chainring (Rotor Q Ring) really does feel better, especially on climbs.
- Had enough kit for a safe, if uncomfortable bivi, if forced to, but not enough to make me want to stop!
- SPOT provides peace of mind when going through areas with no GSM coverage (most of Wales on O2).
- Feed plan went well; 150-200 Cal every hour, real food early, jelly babies later, and caffeine gels for a wake up boost.
- Fitness is secondary to mental resilience!
- Need to trade the weight weenie race saddle for something I can live with on multi-day trips
- Nothing kills average speed like stopping; leisurely afternoon tea is not fast!
- GPS is critical to night nav, has Garmin made a unit that is entirely reliable? I've had several and they've all let me down at some point.
- I need to work out a better way of carrying my bike.
- Warm gloves and shoes are essential; I had the former but not the latter and still have numb feet.

I'm the right hand one of these folks...



On one ‘tinbred’ 29er running 1x10 – 30t chainring and 11-40 via the hope T-rex range extender. Carbon rigid forks (do have a set of rebas that go on sometimes) Jones loop bars. and specially for this year a rear clip on mudguard! worked well for c.180k then had to be thrown away!

Matt black Planet X Dirty Harry 29er here. (No photos though, sorry) just an 8 litre seat pack with bivvy bag, sleeping bag, spare gloves and warm jacket in, with food, drink, spares and waterproof etc in my camelback. 32T front and 11-36 cassette, which didn't quite go low enough for some climbs.

I wanted to keep the bike nice and light for the carry sections, and didn't want a bar bag as it can make the bars want to stab you in the face during the carrying bits.

Apart from punctures ( well one that I struggled to fix as the patches wouldn't stick to a damp tube) the bike was faultless.

Ian

Can I go 1 x 10 on my ck rear hub?

Time for a change me thinks!

Bike as of this morning post clean down!
Investigating the granny ring issues revealed that the lost bolts had caused a huge amount of damage - off to the mendererererers and changing over to 1 x 10/11 I think!

I recognise that worn out frame round the Bottom Bracket on carbon bike scenario, I know it far too well actually It's what has put me off carbon mtb frames with tight clearances and trying to keep one long term

TraversBikes wrote:

Do I spy carbon 29+ rims there

Glad I went for a carbonal cheap frame rather than anything Gucci that's for sure!

Good news is its recoverable and not compromised to the point it would end its days hung up in the man cave as a homage to my best efforts on a bike to date!

Investigating the granny ring issues revealed that the lost bolts had caused a huge amount of damage - off to the mendererererers and changing over to 1 x 10/11 I think!

I've found my 1x1 gear system to be quite reliable

I think I would have to loss 3 stone and get even bigger legs to make that work over that distance (although to be fair from 60 miles in I was down to a 1 x 4!)

1x10 with a one-up 42t rear was pretty much perfect. Shimano XT clutch mech, 32t thick-thin front ring. anything i didn't get up, i wouldn't have bother riding up with granny gear either.

Wondering whether as an alternative to ss anyone has used hub gears. The Alfine 8 speed is very tough or of course there is Rohloff.

Obviously heavier for the hike a bike but more reliable than any derailleur?

#ILoveHubGears

I wouldn't agree with the reliability advantages of hub gears, I've run an Alfine 11 for 3 years and had nothing but trouble with it. I finally gave up a fortnight before the BB200 and replaced the lot with 2x10 XT. The fear with hub is that it can go bang in the middle of nowhere (Rohloff included) and cannot be bodged into a single speed to get you home. Also the gear ratios that will get you up steep off road climbs are much shorter than Shimano or Rohloff will back under warranty.

pistonbroke wrote:I wouldn't agree with the reliability advantages of hub gears, I've run an Alfine 11 for 3 years and had nothing but trouble with it. I finally gave up a fortnight before the BB200 and replaced the lot with 2x10 XT. The fear with hub is that it can go bang in the middle of nowhere (Rohloff included) and cannot be bodged into a single speed to get you home. Also the gear ratios that will get you up steep off road climbs are much shorter than Shimano or Rohloff will back under warranty.

Interesting. I am coming from a utility cycling perspective.

I ride with Alfine 8 and 11 and Rohloff. Of these the Alfine 11 is the most fussy. The Alfine 8 has no lower gear limit and certainly seems more robust than the 11.

I had 2 years of Alfine 8 on my Bullitt cargobike and 2 years with Alfine 11 (I upgraded). That has coped with over 200kg total load and been very reliable.

I've done over 5,000 miles with my Rohloff and never had any problems at all.

However, as I say. No mountain biking and your point about total failure is very true. Just not heard about that being a Rohloff problem.

Here's my Giant Anthem X 29er with 8 litre Alpkit Airlok Xtra dry bag (containing Hunka bivi and down bag), a pair of old Lezyne energy caddy's that I used to use for triathlon (stuffed with Nak'd bars). Spare clothes, batteries, lights, and two rounds of sandwiches were in a Deuter Race rucksack.

My Alfine 11 experience was very poor, but at least JRA recognised it was a widespread problem and gave me a refund. I've yet to meet anyone who has not had problems with it. Shame, as I really like the concept but reluctant to spend a grand on a Rohloff unless they produce a lighter version.