HT550 - 2017

[ianfitz]

Just had my email.

I'd better get training...

[AlasdairMc]

Just had my email.

I'd better get training...

Same. See you on the start line (and probably never again as you all disappear into the distance).

[philipft]

Yes!! I'm in, can't wait.

[fatbikephil]

In....
Re doing an ITT in the Autumn, the landowners either side of Loch Rannoch used to have a bit of a rep for chasing people away pre Land Reform and they do shoot off the track on the climb up to Loch Ericht. If you knock these bits off on a Saturday / Sunday you will be OK however. The rest of the route is unlikely to give any bother as long as you keep an eye out for any signs warning of shooting and at worst wait until early morning or evening to do a section.

From the end of June to September the Postie path will be bracken (and midge) hell....

http://www.deerstalkingscotland.co.uk/walkers.html Is a good resource

P

[ianpv]

Not in the first wave
Not that surprising as my cairngorm loop was only strava'd and not complete (missed out the sting in the tail) and the braunton 150 isn't on the qualifier list (although I reckon that it is a much tougher physical challenge than the cairngorm loop, albeit obviously less remote - nearly twice as much climbing in less miles!).

Hoping to make the second wave, and if not it'll be an ITT!

[stucowp]

Dear highland trail, thank you for the adventure of a lifetime this year and wrecking my achilles and ruining my dream of finishing and winning, yet still giving me a lifetime of memories.

Amazingly it's that time of year again already to decide if you think your ready to take on the challenge and put in your request to be considered by Mr Goldsmith.

I decided in the end after much soul searching and struggling to think of a better way to ruin my 40th birthday to throw my name in the hat again to be chosen and i am lucky enough to have been selected again, at least I think that's the right way to put it...... so to you I say highland trail
"watch out, I'm coming right back at you again, with avengeance!"

[journeyman]

Yep, sucked in for a second round . Not sure how the 2017 opportunity crept up on me after confirming on the home front every day through November "nope not doing it." but Anna sees that I've got the Goldsmith Confirmation; and the quote for a new set of wheels from Keep Pedalling.

[whitestone]

Oh crap! No dot watching for me next May/June

[PJG]

Woo Hoo, Alan Goldsmith thinks I am enough of a badass, and I'm in !


See you in May, just got to shift this chest infection now, and get training...

[ianfitz]

Oh crap! No dot watching for me next May/June

You riding then Bob?

[whitestone]

Oh crap! No dot watching for me next May/June

You riding then Bob?

Yep. Group start. If Alan had decided no then I was going to ITT it the week before.

[ianfitz]

Oh crap! No dot watching for me next May/June

You riding then Bob?

Yep. Group start. If Alan had decided no then I was going to ITT it the week before.

vaguely exciting

[Ben98]

I'm in, oh sugar.

[whitestone]

I'm in, oh sugar.

Good one Ben. We need some young 'uns around to show up us old buggers!

[Ben98]

As I know very little about the terrain, does a 650b+ rear wheel and 29+ front wheel sound reasonable? Overkill? Underkill?

This will be the first of several questions I imagine

[PJG]

does a 650b+ rear wheel and 29+ rear wheel sound reasonable? Overkill? Underkill?

Are these 2 rear wheels mounted side by side ?
Or one behind the other ?

Either way, I'm no expert - but it does sound like overkill to me

[Ben98]

does a 650b+ rear wheel and 29+ rear wheel sound reasonable? Overkill? Underkill?

Are these 2 rear wheels mounted side by side ?
Or one behind the other ?

Either way, I'm no expert - but it does sound like overkill to me

C**p

[Ian]

As I know very little about the terrain, does a 650b+ rear wheel and 29+ front wheel sound reasonable? Overkill? Underkill?

This will be the first of several questions I imagine

Sounds good to me. I ran rigid 29+ up front last year and it was great.

[ianpv]

Alan has kindly given me the nod too . 24 weeks to get ready!

[stucowp]

Ive been riding 27.5"+ since getting the Ti stooge on the trail and haven't seen any reason to go back to 29", and my original idea is to run 29"+ up front and 27.5"+ rear i think your onto a winner, so long as you have sufficient repair equipment for these sizes no problems at all.

[whitestone]

AAAAAAGH!

I was thinking of building up a dynamo front wheel in 29er format. 29+ just throws a spanner in the works There's room for everything in the forks but I'm not sure if it would throw the geometry out too much.

[GregMay]

How about training. Historically works a lot better than gear.

[Ian]

How about training. Historically works a lot better than gear.

How about both?

[padonbike]

How about training. Historically works a lot better than gear.

[Mark E]

Why not go for a 35mm wide rim Bob. That way you can use + or normal 29er tyres. We have a blunt on our tandem and it gives good volume with a 2.4" tyre on. Last year I used a normal 29er front wheel and a 100mm suspension fork and found that spot on. I used a rigid fork and + tyre on my Easter trip round the bottom loop with IanF and think I preferred the suspension fork on balance