If there were a UK 'gravel race' ...

[Dan_K]

Does this track feature in both routes?

Can I start a "what potholing lamp?" thread?

[pistonbroke]

Ian, that's just after the Doethie valley track turn isn't it? How's the sod of a climb up from the Chapel on the other side of the hill, similar rain damage I guess. BTW did you get my PM re parking/ camping?
Dan, yes it's about 5-6 miles into the 100 route so if you need lights by then, you're in serious trouble :)

[Bearbonesnorm]

Matt'd bunnyhop that

[Ian]

Dan - this section is on both routes, but as Duncan says, it's half an hour into the Wildcat 100.

Duncan - got your PM - thanks. Haven't rung the chappie yet but on my list of things to do next week.

The section that is worst affected is SN 762533 to SN 756533 - about 500m in total. The approach up from Soar-y-mynydd is all fine, bar one or two puddles that you'd be as well skirting around the edge of.

Stu - undoubtedly

[composite]

It's a shame as that is quite a fun descent down to the stream. JonnyStorm might not agree though. :?

It's roughly this bit.

[Ian]

Thanks Neil - that's the section.

I'm hopeful that it'll be fixed pretty quickly, but will endeavour to speak to the Local Authority about it to find out more. It provides important access to stock fields on the top, and if left as it is, will only degrade further and be more expensive to repair.

[Matt]

Matt'd bunnyhop that

Looks do-able as a Endo really :)

[Mike]

I know that bit of trail and I wouldn't want to be coming over the top at spd to be faced with that lets hope it gets repaired before we go so that we can shoot down that beauty

[restlessshawn]

Just awaiting a 29/40 after removing a 34/48 ... My heart kept telling me not to bother but my head kept saying otherwise

What cassette you gonna use? Still trying to man up to mine as it is :?

[johnnystorm]

It's a shame as that is quite a fun descent down to the stream. JonnyStorm might not agree though. :?

It's roughly this bit.

I think I caused the damage in the photo with my knee, as I ran my right side down the trail under the bike for a bit. I still get flashbacks.

[Bearbonesnorm]

What cassette you gonna use?

I thought I might as well go the whole way and fit a 10spd 11/36 ... my excuse is that I set out to build something practical rather than something I'd regret getting out of the cellar. Hopefully my bits will be here today so I'll report back.

[restlessshawn]

That's a nice wide spread of gears. I am pretty reluctant to go for a MTB cassette as they are quite gappy and I don't like that on 'road' bikes. Have ordered a bottom bracket and dug out an old 94bcd xt 5 bolt crank to run with 29/44 rings. Sticking with the 13-29 cassette I get a decent 1:1 bottom end though it may prove too spinny with only 44-13 top (probably be ok as I am a weakling).

Shame Wales is such a long trip or I would probably have signed up for the 100.

[Bearbonesnorm]

That's a nice wide spread of gears. I am pretty reluctant to go for a MTB cassette as they are quite gappy and I don't like that on 'road' bikes. Have ordered a bottom bracket and dug out an old 94bcd xt 5 bolt crank to run with 29/44 rings. Sticking with the 13-29 cassette I get a decent 1:1 bottom end though it may prove too spinny with only 44-13 top (probably be ok as I am a weakling).

New bits fitted, set-up is now:

Deore 29/40 chainset
SLX front mech'
SLX 11/36 cassette
LX 9spd rear mech'

Initial trip down the lane impressions are very good. There shouldn't be any need to cough a lung up, no matter how steep things get. Obviously I may spin-out on long road setions but I consider it a lightweight mountain bike rather than a heavy weight road bike so I'll accept that

[JohnClimber]

I might be belt drive Rohloffed by the time.

Otherwise I might change the 10speed mtb cassette on to the cx bike. Or just go lightweight 3 x 9 mtb.

Choices, choices

[slowupslowdown-under]

are there that many long road sections to look forward to??

Looking at the profile it looks like you are either going up or down!

Sadly my rear mech can only handle a 30T rear. Front is 39/52T. I will road train for the next 3 months on it but will change to a 29/44T for race day!

[Ian]

are there that many long road sections to look forward to??

One thing I've always liked about the route is the long sections of off road. Anyway, out of curiosity, I've just worked out the amount there's about 20% tarmac on the 100 (I've excluded the few sections there are half a mile or less). If I'm honest, that's more tarmac than I expected as it doesn't feel like that much at all because it comes in short bits, and not all of them are flat:

mile 10 - 2.5 miles after Ty'n Cornel Hostel (up, down, up)
mile 16 - 2 miles after Cwm Berwyn plantation (up, down)
mile 30 - 1 mile after Twyi Forest (up)
mile 38 - 3 miles on approach to Nant-yr-hwch (down, undulating)
mile 52 - 4.5 miles down the Irfon Valley (false flat, down, flat)
mile 64 - 5 miles through Llanwrtyd (down, gradual up)
mile 89 - 1.5 miles after the Sugar Loaf (flat)
mile 101 - 1.5 miles after Esgair Dafydd (up, down)

Total - 20 miles tarmac (or 82.5 miles of gravel )

For comparative purposes, I once worked out that the BB200 has 40% tarmac

[restlessshawn]

Looks good Stu!

but I consider it a lightweight mountain bike rather than a heavy weight road bike so I'll accept that

That is a very good point! I figure if I run out of gears I must accidentally be riding somewhere dull

Still waiting on the postman here.

[Chew]

Sadly my rear mech can only handle a 30T rear. Front is 39/52T. I will road train for the next 3 months on it but will change to a 29/44T for race day!

That seems to be my approach at the moment to. Not sure my legs could cope with 36/50t for 100 miles

[Ian]

For anyone thinking of taking a 50t chainring - don't expect to use it much

I don't think I got into top gear (36:12) at all last weekend :?

[composite]

are there that many long road sections to look forward to??

One thing I've always liked about the route is the long sections of off road. Anyway, out of curiosity, I've just worked out the amount there's about 20% tarmac on the 100 (I've excluded the few sections there are half a mile or less). If I'm honest, that's more tarmac than I expected as it doesn't feel like that much at all because it comes in short bits, and not all of them are flat:

mile 10 - 2.5 miles after Ty'n Cornel Hostel (up, down, up)
mile 16 - 2 miles after Cwm Berwyn plantation (up, down)
mile 30 - 1 mile after Twyi Forest (up)
mile 38 - 3 miles on approach to Nant-yr-hwch (down, undulating)
mile 52 - 4.5 miles down the Irfon Valley (false flat, down, flat)
mile 64 - 5 miles through Llanwrtyd (down, gradual up)
mile 89 - 1.5 miles after the Sugar Loaf (flat)
mile 101 - 1.5 miles after Esgair Dafydd (up, down)

Total - 20 miles tarmac (or 82.5 miles of gravel )

For comparative purposes, I once worked out that the BB200 has 40% tarmac

Is the 200 about the same ratio?

[Ian]

Is the 200 about the same ratio?

Haven't worked it out yet...
I suspect it'll be more as a %, as there are some longer sections to link generally more fragmented forest further north. Stu and I did discuss this, and the conclusion was route flow was more important than working every last bit of gravel into the route, and the tarmac sections will probably come as a welcome break in places. I'll work them out tonight, but these are the key sections:

Strata Florida through to Ystradmeurig
Road through Pontrhydygroes
Cwmystwyth to the Arch
Section either side of Ponterwyd
Section around Nant-y-moch
Glaslyn to Hafren (via Dylife and Staylittle)
Arch back to Cwmystwyth (return)
A bit by Pontrhydygroes on the return
A bit by Ffair Rhos on the return
Strata Florida back to Twyi Forest

[thomthumb]

I consider it a lightweight mountain bike

that's an important point.

'gravel' bikes are a new thing (run with me roughstuffers) and things are still being determined. it's not like cross racing, it's not like american gravel riding: comparative climbing figures show that.

My roadie mates look at me very strange when i tell them the 50T ring was replaced by a 44T, and it makes a much better ride. but it's not a road bike it's for a different purpose.

[composite]

What are the characteristics that make a gravel bike different to a cross bike?

[restlessshawn]

I think actual specific gravel bikes have a lazier geo, longer stays, taller headtube, maybe lower bb, more bottle bosses sometimes and room for bigger tyres*

Cross bikes are for riding flat out in a muddy field for 45 mins though I bet most never do, sharper, steeper, lighter hopefully

Can someone organise something much further north please!


*so more like a lightweight tourer that the marketing dept got to as far as I can see

[Bearbonesnorm]

There was quite an interesting and fairly indepth article in CX Magazine about 'Gravel' ... when they discussed bikes there really wasn't any consensus. Everyone had slightly different ideas, although as Shawn says 'proper CX' bikes didn't really feature ... too twitchy, too tiring to ride for long distances and not enough places to bolt your crap to