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Hi, am mulling over a trip up the WHW in April, probably skipping the glasgow - loch lomond stretch with its' side of the loch shenanigans, and starting somewhere south of Crianlarich. Am considering either trying to hammer it in a day, or enjoy it over two.
Bike choice though - for anyone that's done this top stretch, is it doable on a cyclocross or would that just be silly? People seem to tend towards needing a full suss, which I'm ok with, but same advice was given last summer for a trip to the Devil's staircase, which I subsequently did on a 20 year old Klein hardtail.
ANy insight gratefully received....
A full sus can be more comfortable if you're banging it out in a day.
You'll not come across anything more gnarly than the Devils Staircase section so whatever you think you need for that.
I'm not sure you'd enjoy it to its full extent on a CX, but a HT is definitely fine.
Cyclocross wouldn't be an ideal choice IMO, although do-able and probably the quickest for a few sections of it. There are long sections that are pretty rough and would be grim on a CX bike with a high risk of pinch flats from drainage ditches and rocks.
A decent 29er hardtail or light-ish full sus would be the ideal choice for me.
Only done the Crianlarich to FW section but the descent to Kinlochleven is by far the most technical. The drop in to Glencoe is rocky but easy. Most of the rest was easy estate type track though the old military road is basically riding on cobbles. We were on hardtails, FS might be overkill but if it's what you've got then don't fuss over it.
Tomd +1.
Read a few threads on here over the years and the Salsa Spearfish 29er gets mentioned (funny that's what I have :D)
thanks guys, the CX will be a no-no then. I've a few others to choose from - HT and lightish full sus included. CHeers!
Enjoy it, it's a really fun ride from the top of Loch Lomond onwards. If you're thinking of doing it over a couple of days, you could consider some add ons around Kinlochleven to add more technical riding and a bit of distance. Maybe over the Devil's Staircase and up to the dam and down the Ciaran Path, or down into KLL on the WHW and up to the lodge and towards the Loch Eilde Mor and down one the tracks into KLL.
I'd go for the lightish full sus, we did a wee out and back section (bridge of orchy to kinlochleven and back) I was on a 29er hardtail, I wish I'd been on my full sus. Nothing to bad mind but felt a bit beat up after it.
If you got the choice (which you appear to have), take something light. North of Inversnaid, you will be carrying your bike for nearly 5 miles so best make it light.
I rode my full-sus which made some sections more comfortable, but was a beast on the hike-a-bike section. If I did it again, I would ride my HT.
I also rode slightly more conservatively and smarter, looking for clean lines and walking the larger water-bars, rather than risk getting a pinch flat bunny-hoping them.
TomD +1 basically
I did the Ski Lifts at Glencoe to FW and back in a day (early start) a few years ago, used my HT. Glad it'd big forks for the descents 🙂
If you got the choice (which you appear to have), take something light. North of Inversnaid, you will be carrying your bike for nearly 5 miles so best make it light.
OP not doing that section.
I rode from Tyndrum to fort William and back a few years back on my SS fully rigid 29er- didn't think anything was too difficult and wasn't too shaken up by the end. Left fairly in the morning and got back mid afternoon...maybe 80/90miles all in?
Was good fun mind you!
Your OP seems to suggest you have already ridden the Devils staircase descent into kinlochleven (I can't imagine any other reason to make a trip there?).
If having ridden that on a 20 year old Klein and thought "hmm, this would be better on a CX bike", then you've answered your own question.
clearly though, your definition of fun differs from mine...