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Since I'm at it, I also fully forgot to post the newest addition to the swarm, which has already been around for a year. After the GT got flat bars I was back to the whole reason of building a gravel bike, spare 1x10 shifters, so this time I actually did it sensibly. Rim brake Ridley X-Ride (I think?) from PaulMilnesCycles, wheels off the winter bike, various other parts lying around or purchased cheaply, and hey presto an actual gravel bike was created!
I think it's like 8.5kg or something, surprisingly fast it actually spends a lot of time on tarmac, which was never enjoyable on the GT. It has even gone bikepacking, good bike 👍
The Supersix also got new bars (38cm bontrager, the reach is crazy long might change them again), black tape, and Challenge Strada 25mm (had a torrid time setting up tubeless, but glad to be back on tan walls)
So much has happened to the GT that it's gonna get its own post, maybe in another 6 months -
damn i should really keep up with sort of this thing
Ditched the gears a while ago. The entire purpose of this bike is to ride to the bus station, leave it for two days, and then come back knowing it will definitely still be there. It's great. -
Very niiice
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No gravel in fife
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Jesus. Quite the experience. But I'd wager us quads had it easy.
All things considered, the weather was pretty good, no significant rain and it wasn't below freezing - well it snowed later on but I was asleep by then. Had a tent for sleeping in the night before and once dead, but sat in the van for warmth during the race. Changing clothes on top half immediately after stopping helped keep from getting too cold.
Did the absolute classic move of going insanely hard on the first lap and then tried to be sensible after that, I think my first lap was 45mins and then stretched gradually to an hour-ish. We did 3x ABCD at first in our quad, and then changed to ABABCDCD, was absolutely finished after my 5th lap and went to sleep, feeling sorry for our C and D guys. Not sure if that was the play, if doing it again might stick to those three hour rests between laps. Managed our goal of 20 laps though!
Hardest part was keeping eating, especially when you've only got an hour to rest the appetite just starts to not come back in time, sugar water and plain baguette saved the day I reckon, but was craving warm soup. Course was definitely a bit soupy in places and I was rather scrappy through the first rocky single-track part, but the rest was super fun even in the dark. Ancient 100mm hardtail was just fine, but a modern full squish XC bike is clearly the best bike. Given 400m of climbing each lap it is basically a w/kg test as long as you can be vaguely smooth through the technical parts.
Final #insight we were late and parked wayyy up the forestry track climb, almost at the top. Sooooo much quieter than the bottom where it was mega noisy with generators and general bustle. Less exciting atmosphere I suppose, but much more relaxing and was nice to start the single-track not redlined from the climb.
Dunno if I'm built for 24hr events but I'm glad I did it, super fun most of the time ;)
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Me! In the St Andrews Uni Mountaineering Club quad
Slightly bricking it about ice, Barzo/Mezcal tyre combo isn't exactly optimal for grip even when it's not frozen. Also had never ridden off road in the proper dark until like two weeks ago, seems kinda fine with front light and head torch combination, especially at the low speeds I'm certain to be descending at. Most worried about staying warm when not riding tbh 😶🌫️
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bike appears to be straight fire tho, full pic?
I always had so much fun checking in on this thread, Maj's personality just shone through it. I'm so sad to hear that she's gone.