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I've finally booked a holiday at Les Arcs, having never ridden the Alps before. 5 days guiding 'backcountry enduro'.
So, what bike do I need? I have an. Orange stage 5 29er (135mm rear, 160mm front). Will this be outgunned or OK? Just how full on will the riding be?. I have back and neck issues and am currently suffering after riding Fort Bill on the orange on Friday. Am now thinking that 5 days consecutive riding will destroy me. Would I be better off with a 170mm/160mm full on enduro bike?
Depends.
I took my yeti asr5 "cross country" bike to Morzine years back and it was great, because it was my bike and as capable as I needed it to be (I don't consider myself to be an xc mincer, we were riding dh/enduro trails).
Thinking I was probably under biked, I hired a Santa Cruz something or other for a day - near-DH bike - and had a shocker. Fell off a couple of times, felt over biked, unfamiliar.
So ride the bike you know and are comfortable with to match your riding rather than what you think the trails need - would be my advice.
You'll be fine.
If it’s with the White Room then you’ll be absolutely fine on that bike, it’s wheels on ground stuff, with quite a few tight switchbacks so a massive bike can be a disadvantage.
I’ve always had a great time there.
Yep, with the white room.
Thanks for the replies!
I’ve not actually ridden Fort William, but I think it’s much harder going than the riding that the White Room routinely do.
Sustained long runs, rather than steep tech, seem to be the issue with my neck/back. Sounds like the orange should be fine (with a 200mm rotor on the back!)
I’m 90kg and run a 220mm front, 200mm rear HS2 rotor when I’m out there. Some people manage on 200/180. Quite a few have upgraded their rotors midweek when I’ve been out there. 🤣
The nutters group did ~ 7.5k vertical one day I was out there, but that was lift served. There’s a more relaxed group that goes down the same stuff but a bit more socially. They’ll get ~ 4k + done in a day.
You’ll be fine on that bike.
When are you booked in @Teenrat? We are doing their backcountry enduro early-mid September. Have doen Les Arcs many times before, first time on a 130-140mm 26" trail bike and was fine. This year I guess I will be on the Rise which is 140/150.
BTW one of our regular Alps companions won't be out this year as he has had a really bad back for last couple of years. He always used to ride Orange bikes (Alpine & 5). Conincidence 😉
I hired a dh bike while my 160/135 travel G13 was being fixed in whistler. I was faster on my bike.
I'd say ride your bike.
Maybe size up on the rotors a few months before you go.
First time in the Alps I went from 160mm to 200mm on the front and it was much better.
Massive sticky dh tires make uplift days much more pleasant for me. Stiffer sidewalls at lower pressure help my hands last
Do you know what gave you the back injury? Hard landing off jumps, all the rocks or just loads of dh in a day?
@welshfarmer - I'm booked in for the 15th June.
@tall_martin - not sure on why my back/neck hurts. Seems to be in the following days after alot of long dh - hence my worries over 5 days of alps riding! It's fine whilst riding though. I have had neck muscle spasm issues in the past and my shoulders/neck/upper back are very tight in a 'relaxed' state.
Just stock up on brake pads before you go....
DH tyres would be overkill for the White Room backcountry weeks. I use Exo plus equivalent with Cushcore, if I wasn't using inserts then I'd probably go Double Down in the rear.
There's a fair amount of climbing on the White Room backcountry weeks. Not excessive, but enough to know that you've done it.
Now Sounds like an ideal time to see physio and get looser muscles.
Bias alert- my wife's a phisio and spends a lot of time helping people with stuff like your description of you neck after they have over done it
If you think you'd make use of the longer travel bike when not on holiday it sounds like the perfect excuse for new bike time!