Dales Divide.

[whitestone]

Shafiq, we lived in the NYM for a couple of years. The "ridges" aren't alpine style knife edge arêtes but broad spurs that are wide enough for several football pitches. The local word is "rigg" which means "back" as in the back of an animal.

[techno]

Does thw rpute have plenty cafes/youth hostels closeby (anyone know??)

yha.jpg (47.63 KiB) Viewed 10571 times

[sean_iow]

I spent my lunch break doing some research, googling shops and opening times etc.

Just remembered that the group start is on Good Friday So just a heads up to anyone like me who'd forgotten that the opening hours for shops will likely be reduced on the Friday and the Easter Monday. The pubs and cafes should be ok.

[techno]

I spent my lunch break doing some research, googling shops and opening times etc.

Just remembered that the group start is on Good Friday So just a heads up to anyone like me who'd forgotten that the opening hours for shops will likely be reduced on the Friday and the Easter Monday. The pubs and cafes should be ok.

Oh, oh yeah....

[redefined_cycles]

Shafiq, we lived in the NYM for a couple of years. The "ridges" aren't alpine style knife edge arêtes but broad spurs that are wide enough for several football pitches. The local word is "rigg" which means "back" as in the back of an animal.

Thanks Bob... you'd be surprised by my fear of heights not sure if you've been up the Long Mynd off road. The track that goes straight uo the centre of the mountain. When I got to the top, even though it was probably almost as you've described, it really swnt my head dizzy. Obviosuly the hills around NYM are not as the ones of Shropshire so I will keep it on target for next year.

My elite training plan currently includes trying to ride the MTL as many times per year as poss... Then once the legs can handle that nicely it'll be a few gos on the Moor100... In between anything else that puts me as much out of my comfort zone as poss and a Bam2019.

Feel free anyone to input on this "highly thought out" regime

[redefined_cycles]

Does thw rpute have plenty cafes/youth hostels closeby (anyone know??)

yha.jpg

Saved and will be put in a 'DD' folder. Thanks TM

[fatbikerbill]

@redefinedcycles, as your presumably a local you might like this alternative to the MTL for a change.

https://m.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xypmhmuaoewfnsqb

Quite a lot of MTL involved

[ZeroDarkBivi]

One question: what bike?

I am totally unfamiliar with the route or general area, so no idea how knarly the off-road gets. There is clearly a lot on roads, by distance, if not time, so would a drop-bar bike be quicker, and would I need knobbly tyres? Thinking about 47mm semi-slick byways, or 2.1” Schwalbe XC tyres.

Or I could just take my hardtail and maybe enjoy it a bit more, not getting battered!

[sean_iow]

I've not done much riding in the area, only part way round a YD300 ITT a few years back, but from what I remember I personally wouldn't want to ride the Dales on a drop bar bike but maybe I need to toughen up? I'll be on the mtb (rigid) and just have to put up with the roads. It looks like they are mostly little back lanes which if anything like the ones local to be can me as rough as a gravel track anyway

.......There is clearly a lot on roads, by distance, if not time, so would a drop-bar bike be quicker....

They said that about the BB300 before the event.... the first bike back was a mtb and it was a singlespeed

[whitestone]

One question: what bike?

I am totally unfamiliar with the route or general area, so no idea how knarly the off-road gets. There is clearly a lot on roads, by distance, if not time, so would a drop-bar bike be quicker, and would I need knobbly tyres? Thinking about 47mm semi-slick byways, or 2.1” Schwalbe XC tyres.

Or I could just take my hardtail and maybe enjoy it a bit more, not getting battered!

I'm sure there was a ridewithgps link on this thread showing the route so this is from looking at Stu Taylor's SPOT track.

For me most of the tracks in the Dales would be at the upper end of what I'd be comfortable with on a drop-bar bike. That's not to say that they are unrideable on such a bike but they'd be hard work. There's one climb up from Helwith Bridge that would definitely be hard work. One BW that I've never done heads north to Grinton, some friends who did it said it was "interesting" and basically hike-a-bike across the moor.

The NYM sections might depend on whether it's wet or dry - in the latter they'd be fun. If it's wet then even on an MTB they'll be hard work.

If it's dry (and things are really dry here in the Dales) then some fast rolling tyres like Bontrager XR2 or Maxxis Ikons would be more than enough.

An interesting route in that there are long sections that are tempting on one style of bike and might be a nightmare on another

[Jurassic pusher]

I am going use Maxxis Ikons, Front 2.35 and 2.2 rear

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Thanks guys - Hardtail MTB it is then. I'd much rather lose a little bit of speed on the roads but enjoy the trails without getting beat-up. I've always contended that the best gravel bike is a HT MTB anyway; drop-bar 'gravel bikes' are only a good choice when the route is at leats 50% road, linking up smoothish sections of undemanding trail!

[redefined_cycles]

@redefinedcycles, as your presumably a local you might like this alternative to the MTL for a change.

https://m.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xypmhmuaoewfnsqb

Quite a lot of MTL involved

Thanks @fatbikerbill and will definitely take a peek at that there route...

[techno]

I've "joined" this page https://spotwalla.com/locationViewer.php?id=619 but haven't appeared in the Users list. any idea what i'm doing wrong?

[EDIT]
I think i've joined, i'm AM and my initials have appeared next to Dales Divide 2019 ITT but i havent appeared in the users list on the link above. will i pop up when the spot tracker is turned on? (i've not got it yet so can't try that)

SPOTWAL.jpg

(31.35 KiB) Downloaded 2868 times

[sean_iow]

I joined that page as well but I'm the other missing user. Have you had your tracker on since you joined? I'm sure I used to show up so does it only show users who have sent in a location and there's a cut off for older points?

[techno]

I joined that page as well but I'm the other missing user. Have you had your tracker on since you joined? I'm sure I used to show up so does it only show users who have sent in a location and there's a cut off for older points?

i've not got the spot tracker yet, it'll be turned off as it's in the post.
I have used it's details to register. will look again tomorrow when it arrives.

[fatbikerbill]

krampus for me on maxxis chronicles, it was either that or the fatty.

apprehensively excited. Never been that far before.

[whitestone]

If it stays this dry (we had a few, count 'em, spots of rain last night) I'd be concerned about water. This winter has been really dry, BWs that are often a bog even in summer have been dry and rideable. Now that plants are reawakening they'll be taking what moisture they can so even a fairly heavy shower won't have much of an effect.

[In Reverse]

If it stays this dry (we had a few, count 'em, spots of rain last night) I'd be concerned about water. This winter has been really dry, BWs that are often a bog even in summer have been dry and rideable. Now that plants are reawakening they'll be taking what moisture they can so even a fairly heavy shower won't have much of an effect.

This has been preying on my mind a bit - I remember Mike saying him and Hux had to go knocking on doors for water a couple of summers ago on the YD300 when it was similarly dry. I was hoping to not have to take the Camelbak and manage with a couple of bottles on the bike.

tbf outside of the Dales and NYM there's actually quite a bit of stuff on or around the route. The return leg through the Dales might be a tough one though if timings go to plan.

[techno]

If it stays this dry (we had a few, count 'em, spots of rain last night) I'd be concerned about water. This winter has been really dry, BWs that are often a bog even in summer have been dry and rideable. Now that plants are reawakening they'll be taking what moisture they can so even a fairly heavy shower won't have much of an effect.

Forecast is bone dry for either side of the Pennines until well past the weekend.
Will dig out some additional water carrying capacity. I've a bum bag that takes a bladder which will give me an extra 1.5L.
Cheers Whitestone.

[techno]

This has been preying on my mind a bit - I remember Mike saying him and Hux had to go knocking on doors for water a couple of summers ago on the YD300 when it was similarly dry. I was hoping to not have to take the Camelbak and manage with a couple of bottles on the bike.

tbf outside of the Dales and NYM there's actually quite a bit of stuff on or around the route. The return leg through the Dales might be a tough one though if timings go to plan.

Andy, I've put together a big list of resupply points, I'll send it to you.

[In Reverse]

Cheers Andy

[techno]

Cheers Andy

No sweat.

[sean_iow]

I can only fit 2 x 500ml bottles on the bike, do I need a plan to carry more? I've got a list of supply points from the poi's Chris sent out but they obviously have opening times.

I'm hoping it won't be as bad as my failed YD300 ITT in 2017 when lack of water was a contribution. I was hoping that as we're crossing the Dales rather that riding in them the whole time that water would be easier to find once across.

[ChrisE]

Press to turn on and all the lights flash

Then press the footprint symbol button for 2-3 secs till it lights up

Then put the tracker outside somewhere in view of the sky

Then go to trackleaders web page map and you should appear. 


You need to do that every time you ride.


If you don't move fir some hours, it automatically turns off.


The green power light flashes all time it is on.  It goes red flashing if battery flat, mine has 5hrs only left when it turns red

The footprint light flashes all time as long as you are tracking

The "gps" light flashes when it takes a fix (every 10 min?)

The satellite symbol flashes while it is sending the captured fix up to satellites



Dies that make sense


Let me know how you go on