Dirty Reiver: 200k UK Gravel event

[boxelder]

Pleasantly undulatory.

[JezS]

The fear is subsiding and I'm starting to actually look forward to this...

Never ridden at Kielder before.... will Schwable Sammy Slick 700x35 do the job?...more tread needed if it's wet?

cheers

[GregMay]

Yeah, 18.5m per km isn't actually that much. Actually given those numbers, I'm predicting an almost flat course.

My memories of Kielder are more of the grit than the hills. Am packing a shed load of pads just in case.

[mountainbaker]

Thanks for that Greg, will bring some spare pads if it's going to be a grit fest.

[GregMay]

Thanks for that Greg, will bring some spare pads if it's going to be a grit fest.

Pray for dry weather. Kielder is renowned for eating pads.

[JohnClimber]

I dithered about doing this but it was full when I finally decided to put in

So if anyone (JohnClimber?) wants to do the route another time I'd be interested.

Only just seen this.
Count me in with an over night bivi at around 100km

[padonbike]

[quote] Pray for dry weather. Kielder is renowned for eating pads.[quote]

A myth spun by Southerners.
Have spent more time there than my living room this winter and pad wear is very low as those remote forest tracks are cleaner than country roads in winter.

[boxelder]

Count me in with an over night bivi at around 100km

That would be Kershopehead bothy (almost exactly half way - let me know if you manage to access the 'spare room' with the vase of flowers in the window). It's haunted tha knows......

Don't fret about brake pads. As a survivor of the Kielder 101 in 2011(?), when all the brake pads/drivetrains were sacrificed, I'll confidently predict that no-one on the DR200 will be inconvenienced in such fashion.
Take spares though...........to be sure, to be sure.
As padonbike says, most of the carefully selected fire roads used are smoothish and hard - 32mm tyres for speed, but it's not a race, so 40mm for max smiles/hour.

[Rob A]

I'm also doing this, really looking forward to it now. Probably not done enough training but that always seems to be the way!

Traveling up Friday with my missus and staying at the campsite.

[GregMay]

Pray for dry weather. Kielder is renowned for eating pads.

A myth spun by Southerners.

Nice, north of Manchester is now the South.

FYI, I've raced in Kielder multiple times - and had brake pads eaten - comment is based on my experience.

[boxelder]

Good deals on chalets and rooms at Calvert Trust, Cranecleugh. Ask for Hazel.

[boxelder]

The brake pad eating stuff is only on certain tracks/trails, and mostly not on this route.

[TimBB]

I've cycled a few of these routes on my last two bivvy trips. I cycled many of the south eastern roads a couple of weeks ago and I stayed at Kersopehead in early February. I can't report on the state of the track as it was covered in 3 inches of snow ; )
The upstairs room is pretty big and could fit quite a few weary bikers on the floor.There's a sleeping platform by the fire downstairs for the first to arrive. It's a great little bothy ~ If you do stay please respect it and leave it as you find it.

Actually the forest roads are very good in the main. Nothing stupidly steep nor rough (if along the main routes used by the forestry vehicles)

You really are out in the wilderness with no sign of habitation for miles. No phone signal and maps are pretty useless with old paths being grown over and non existent and new ones being laid down which don't feature on the map. If signage for the route has been put in place so you should be OK in that respect.

One thing that I found was the lack of streams that I was happy to drink the water from so fill up when you can.

Best of luck one and all!

Tim

[boxelder]

Tim,
Did you access the room top left (above and left of the stair)? There's a vase of flowers in the window. I wasn't there long, but couldn't see how to get in. It is a really nice bothy - planning a trip with the kids.

Andy

p.s. plenty water at 60, 100 and 150 Km on the event, but the burns passed don't look ideal.

[Ray Young]

One thing that I found was the lack of streams that I was happy to drink the water from so fill up when you can.

, but the burns passed don't look ideal.

I was wondering what problems you have encountered. Large areas of uninhabited land with no agricultural run off or livestock to pollute water sources should provide decent enough water should it not?

[TimBB]

An owl lives in the room top left!! Honest....
No access for unfeathered visitors





The problem was that there weren't that many burns around. The forestry folk try the drain the land as much as possible and so the water goes down quickly to the bigger burns. Thus there weren't many fresh little burns, just bigger ones or swamps. I did drink the water to no ill effect but I did become aware of the fact that there weren't many places to fill up.
If the ride supplies water you won't have a problem

Tim

[Ray Young]

I dithered about doing this but it was full when I finally decided to put in

So if anyone (JohnClimber?) wants to do the route another time I'd be interested.

Only just seen this.
Count me in with an over night bivi at around 100km

When are you thinking of doing this?

[GregMay]

If anyone fancies a pre-ride beer I'll be kicking about from Friday evening with a few of the folks from Grit/Singletrack. I'm hoping they bring free beer

[Richpips]

Should be there by 8 Greg.

Beers.

[JezS]

Beers

Subject to arrival time...sounds good - be good to meet some of you guys.

My riding buddies are mates with the Grit.CX folks too Greg so this could already be in the plan...although we are staying at the activity centre place rather than the fully booked campsite.

Jez

[Firmo]

What type of bike is everyone using for this event?

I'm 90% swaying toward MTB.

[boxelder]

There are only a couple of Km where an MTB is better suited. the vast majority is better suited to CX with big tyres. Less spray if it's wet too.

[Kumquat]

I am going to bring the mtb but have put narrower tyres on it.
The commuter bike, which may well be better suited-needed a major overhaul which I still haven't got round to doing. Am going for comfort not speed.
Looking at the weather I might leave the mudhugger on.

[Giacomo]

I'll be on a cross bike. Still trying to decide which tyres I'll be on.

Smart Sam or G Ones...

Hmmmmm...

[GregMay]

I'll be on the TD bike in cruise mode. 2.2 Saguaros...but with higher than normal pressure.