Alpinum wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 10:29 am

Taylor wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2024 1:16 pm Jeez, Marshall Bird is going for another run.
How many has he done now?

Wow... didn't Marshall celebrate his 60th in 2016? We met during the HT550;
I remember how we met en route and he kind of felt he must make room for me to pass (on a single track), but I stopped and said something like too good a spot to just ride on when I realised he had watery eyes. Turns out he was deeply touched by the beauty of the land and emotional for being able to do stuff like that. So we shared a quiet moment in awe of bonnie Scotland.

My name is Gian, I look up to Marshall Bird.

You're right, it was a birthday present to himself. Nice blog by him about it https://bikedrifting.blogspot.com/2016/ ... l-550.html

Alpinum wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 10:29 am

Taylor wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2024 1:16 pm Jeez, Marshall Bird is going for another run.
How many has he done now?

Wow... didn't Marshall celebrate his 60th in 2016? We met during the HT550;
I remember how we met en route and he kind of felt he must make room for me to pass (on a single track), but I stopped and said something like too good a spot to just ride on when I realised he had watery eyes. Turns out he was deeply touched by the beauty of the land and emotional for being able to do stuff like that. So we shared a quiet moment in awe of bonnie Scotland.

My name is Gian, I look up to Marshall Bird.

Think I saw he’s 68 now so you’ll be right

The bikes are up on bikepacking.com, there are quite a few.

https://bikepacking.com/bikes/2024-tour ... gs-part-1/

So many using Mezcals

Only 20 women is a bit rubbish in this day and age. Only Ana Jager of the current crop of superstars, are the rest fed up of the route?

Liams bike looks bob on, I reckon he'll ace it.

Just less than 2:1 seems to be the goto SS gear, I'd still go lower TBH....

Ana Jager won in 2022. I finished 10 minutes behind her. She's strong! And knows about bears

@gonecaving - Brush MTN Lodge just announced they'll be open for TD racers!

Some unfortunate news from Alan Parkinson:

On Tuesday he was riding to the start Calgary->Banff with one other.
They were on a gravel road, but the First Nation authorities chased them off on to the Trans Canadian Highway. Not ideal, but it had a wide hard shoulder.
He hit some roadside debris and went down hard. Hurt his arm. Was able to continue continue to Banff.
He suspects that it may be fractured. Painful and weak. Whatever the diagnosis, he knows enough to know that he can't ride. He doesn't feel like an extra day or two of rest isn't going to change the situation.
So unfortunately he is DNS.
Gutted for him. Anyone who knows him, knows that this has been a long time coming and he's put a lot of work in to prepare.

Such is life. 2025 hopefully.

So bad for Alan I really hope he’s back next year. Same thing happened to Davy Paterson in 2018 on day 2. He came back and got a fast finish the year later.

Ah no.. sorry to read that about Alan. All that prep won't go to waste though and he could build on where he is to be even better prepared next year.

Sorry to hear that - he was one of the stars of the Highland Trail in 2015 - I've still got a flikr link to his photos somewhere.
It's one of the things that does put me off doing the TD - you do all that prep, spend all that money and get injured just before the start...

Interesting that there's a lot of Tailfins. Also interesting to see a couple of Pinion gearboxes in there.

Mezcals? Not a bad choice, fast rolling and reasonably sturdy. They don't handle slop very well, actually they're lethal, and maybe not my first choice for technical rocky descents but for most of what the TDR throws at you I'd be happy with them.

Something I'd research is what spares are stocked by the bike shops close to the route - no point in fitting say Hope brakes if none of the shops carry spare pads.

I see Neil Beltchenko in his bikepacking.com preview referred to the TD as a gravel bike race!

Otherwise, small field of female riders a bit disappointing. Mezcals make a lot of sense for that kind of ride. I use them 3/4 of the year on the rigid bike and they do pretty darn well...Liam Glen's bike caught my eye, looks really cool!

I see Neil Beltchenko in his bikepacking.com preview referred to the TD as a gravel bike race!

Right Beltchenko, outside ..



It kind of is really but you could not pay me enough $ to ride it on any kind of 'gravel' bike. A 29er with drops, maybe. I think I'd still use H-bars if riding or racing again.

But all those Tailfins and aerobars.. TDR bikes are not looking so good these days

Otherwise, small field of female riders a bit disappointing.

Time needed, perhaps? I wonder if also related to the TDR being un-promoted, no levelling up efforts because it's not an organised event? The other thought was about bivi safety - there were a number of places where I felt a bit vulnerable from both people and wildlife, though there were no actual threats there was some odd behaviour (from the people! .. the wildlife was just wildlife doing it's thing). As another article on BP.com covers - https://bikepacking.com/plog/man-or-bear-debate/

jameso wrote: ↑Fri Jun 14, 2024 3:02 pm

I see Neil Beltchenko in his bikepacking.com preview referred to the TD as a gravel bike race!

Right Beltchenko, outside ..



It kind of is really but you could not pay me enough $ to ride it on any kind of 'gravel' bike. A 29er with drops, maybe. I think I'd still use H-bars if riding or racing again.

But all those Tailfins and aerobars.. TDR bikes are not looking so good these days

Cuba to Grants without aerobars .... ughh

Loop bars with padded rear sections Same thing really. And equally ugly if not more so

Totally get that the terrain is probably gravel (having not ridden it mind!), but it'll be a gravel bike race when it's won on a gravel bike! (think Laurens ten Dam is on a drop bar mtb - so mtb having a gravel crisis - so might be covered in case he storms it!)

I think a light 29er / gravel crossover drop bar bike is probably the most efficient overall if you can stay comfortable on a lower more aero front end. Something like a non-sus corrected Cutthroat with aero optimised tubing. Some light deep carbon rims and low-rolling resistance 2.2" tyres, smart luggage system and aerobars, attention to clothing etc, though the majority of the ride is at a speed where it won't matter the race is long enough with enough open road/fast tracks or windy sections for it to add up. I've been looking at what Unbound racers are using over the last week or so and thinking about how the aero savings might influence a TD run. I suppose that makes it 'not an MTB race' for sure..

Does depend on the rider though. I could happily have ridden on thinner tyres (rode 2.3s) but they gave me the option of riding, not mincing, down the CDT alternates, Goldrush Trail and the other more technical downs with a large degree of safety.

But, there were HUGE sections I'd have loved something thinner and faster.

As for aerobars, no way I'd turn up without a set again. Much more comfortable for the long stretches and the road sections. Says the retired triathlete....

That's really crap about Alan P - hope a few days rest can allow him to start.

As far as bikes go, I think the choice of bike isn't as important as the rider. There's not a lot of technical riding, there's lots and lots of washboard gravel, there's loads of tarmac, so it ends up being the best bike is the one you're comfortable riding for really long periods. For me that's a rigid mtb, for someone else with different flexibility its a gravel thing.

I would say no to a full susser with >2.5" tyres draggy tyres though..

slarge wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 9:30 pm Ana Jager won in 2022. I finished 10 minutes behind her. She's strong! And knows about bears

That would also make you strong too

Mr Glen certainly isn't hanging about!

I noticed AP was not moving but had not known why until I read this, he will be gutted. Hope he is ok.

Justinas Leveika is going to start nudging the Mike Hall record soon. He needs to get past it as a much harder finish this year

Interested to see a few folk still using the wrong route....
Weather seems OK, although dot watcher was going on about snow yesterday.