Capital Trail Entries open Fri 20 March

[Ben98]

Trackleaders is live, just got to pay my spot subscription now!

[gravitysucks]

I'm in and will be heading up to Edinburgh for Fri afternoon. Weather looking ominous on the Saturday here, hope its a bit better further north!

[Ray Young]

I'm in and will be heading up to Edinburgh for Fri afternoon. Weather looking ominous on the Saturday here, hope its a bit better further north!

Sat. 11 degrees, 30% chance of rain am reducing to 10% pm. NE winds 16 mph
Sun. 9 degrees am rising to 12 degrees by 4pm, 5% chance of rain all day, NE winds 9 mph

[fatbikephil]

The trails are bone dry just now and I don't expect the rain on saturday to make much difference, which is nice

[Ray Young]

The trails are bone dry just now and I don't expect the rain on saturday to make much difference, which is nice

Yep, running a race king front and a panaracer hardpack rear.

[jamiep]

I did the final route Wed-Thu. Everything is utterly dry - go for pumped up, fast rolling tyres

[Ben98]

Damn, I can't change my tires now, gonna be hard work on nobby nics

[MussEd]

Just shouted (well I thought so anyway) a jake and hearty Good Luck to Russell Stout of Shand Cycles. His Stoater looking resplendent kitted out and heading down to Portobello for the start of the Capital Trail.

Meanwhile I'm packing the car for a family odyssey to Germany.

Wee bit jealous. Good trails to all taking part...

[Richpips]

Apparently David King was the first back.

[jamiep]

I arrived back at 0341. Wasn't even planning on pushing through without a bivi stop. Was hallucinating the last 5m

[AlasdairMc]

I got in at 4:15. Home now after riding another 12 miles each way on top. Bedtime soon...

[Bearbonesnorm]

Looks like a good turn out ... it even looks dry

[AlasdairMc]

It was dry until about 2am, then it wasn't

[fatbikephil]

Good one Alastair and JamieP. I got to the forest just past Peebles and decide to get some shut eye. Except I kept on getting awoken by peoples brakes squeaking as the entered the single track. It was rather damp over the Pentalnds but rolled into Portobello at 8.30. If I hadn't had 2 bleeding punctures I might have just sneaked in under the 24 hours - guess I'll have to give tubeless a go...
Phil

[jamiep]

Well done Phil. I think we kept passing each other the whole time: me - pink top and green bike

[AlasdairMc]

Good one Alastair and JamieP. I got to the forest just past Peebles and decide to get some shut eye. Except I kept on getting awoken by peoples brakes squeaking as the entered the single track. It was rather damp over the Pentalnds but rolled into Portobello at 8.30. If I hadn't had 2 bleeding punctures I might have just sneaked in under the 24 hours - guess I'll have to give tubeless a go...
Phil

Well done for finishing. Clearly you had to deal with the trails that soaked themselves up as we were riding through them. My climb from Ninemileburn into the Pentlands was horrible - ten feet visibility on a vague trail...

I didn't notice your bivi at all, how did you find it?

I think our earlier chat about tubeless was foresight. Do it!

[fatbikephil]

Well done Phil. I think we kept passing each other the whole time: me - pink top and green bike

A ha nice to meet you and cheers for keeping me right near to Pencaitland! I guess you cracked on when I went into Peebles for chips and supplies. I pushed too hard to be honest but figured that even if I blew up I could still stagger through to the finish...

Alastair, I'd been eyeing up the woods next to the single track climb up through Cloich forest and then tried to see if I could get into the Courshope (it was firmly locked!) then spied the clump of mature trees just after the single track turn off after Courshope. I had to fight my way through some windblow but there was plenty of dry spots.

Re tubeless, having to change a fecking tube on the royal mile in the dreich with only a few miles to go has convinced me to give it a shot!

[Ray Young]

17.25 finish for me and I'm very happy with that.

Jamie, that time is stunning, well done fella.

Tubeless tyres, I had to put a tube into my rear one this morning in Glentress after getting a slit in the side wall that wouldn't seal.

Time now for a bath, a beer and a curry. Oh, and an early night.

[Ben98]

34.37 for me and adman, really hard on a singlespeed! A great event ruined only by front and rear punctures and a knackered brake lever! I WAS running tubeless as well!

[Ray Young]

17.25 finish for me and I'm very happy with that.

17.25 pm, not hours, just thought i'd clarify .

[Ian]

Apparently David King was the first back.

What time for the winner?

[Ray Young]

Apparently David King was the first back.

What time for the winner?

15 hrs 15 mins according to Facebook "Capital Trail" group.

[fatbikephil]

Aye he made last orders apparently!
Good one Ray - I meant to introduce myself but was too busy blethering to many others - was a great social on the way through East Lothian.
To be honest the thought of riding back through Niddrie and Craigmiller at 2 am was the clincher in deciding to stop....
Dead good route and a joy to ride on dry trails but there was an awful lot of hill climbing and I was having a navigational shocker! To used to getting onto one path and there being no turnings for hours. My best / worst was at Bunny's bothy where I started heading up the hill rather than down the valley....

[AlasdairMc]

Are there many people still out there?

[NewRetroTom]

When I was in the pub earlier Markus reckoned there were only about 5 still out there, but they may all be done by now.