[Closed] Strathpuffer. how hard is it solo?

Depends how many laps you want to do.

more than 1, less than terrahawk.

Strathpuffer is serious shit doubt you would enjoy it there are no pubs on route!

how serious? have you done it Rich?

It's a seven mile lap. You could walk round it in three hours so eight laps should be a dawdle.

Right?

A few solo guys have said its harder in a team as you've got folk counting on you. If you're a solo you could blast round for a few hours have a nap, ride a couple more laps, have a pint, ride a couple more etc etc.

I've only done it as a quad so far but we're planning on pairs this time.

Its only as hard as you make it . Still reckon its one of the easiest 24 courses i raced on , its the conditions that make it tough 🙂

I really did not enjoy it solo, whereas friends who did it as pair/quad loved it...

The issue is not having a cup of tea per lap but keeping the bike running and working as a solo. Recommend single speed if you going solo, it will save you a world of pain in attempting to rebuild gears around hour 18.

[quote=cdaimers ]I really did not enjoy it solo, whereas friends who did it as pair/quad loved it...
The issue is not having a cup of tea per lap but keeping the bike running and working as a solo. Recommend single speed if you going solo, it will save you a world of pain in attempting to rebuild gears around hour 18.
Amateur! Go solo but take two bikes and have a pit-bitch do the maintenance between change-overs 😆

I went with 2 singlespeeds with differing gears. Was that cheating ? Swapped to 32:22 in the middle of the night by removing one bike from the back of the car and putting the other back.

Come up and do it solo Tony. We'll look after you if you need brews making and that.

might set myself a bit of a training plan. nice to have something to aim for innit.
cheers Jase. 8)

I've solo'd it twice ton and I'm a big heavy bloke. Made the top half of the results board both times. Take it easy and don't race the whippets that bomb past you'll be reet. It's more fun in snow. I prefer it solo, pairs is much tougher I think. No sleep breaks, no chilling out, support and partner are waiting for you so you give it 100% the whole time. Do it.

Are places still available? I wanted to do this but thought it was fully booked!

I've done it as a quad, a pair and a couple of solos, quads definitely easiest, pairs when doing double laps at about 4am, were a killer trying to get out of a sleeping bag. Solo completely different mindset, need to learn to,pace yourself and not bother that everyone seems to be passing you. Spare bike, wheels, tyres ,brake pads, heating, seat, warm clothing for when you do stop for a while, kettle food, jelly babies, flapjacks, jelly babies.... Spare chains. Last year broke 2 chains and a freehub about 7 laps in. If you do solo, you will hate it more each time and at the end will vow never to do it again.....until about a month later then you start thinking' if I train a little more it would be easier'. .... It never does!

Do it, but remember solos fill up in about 10 minutes of opening. I missed out last year but got an invite later on to ride it.

[quote=gravitysucks ]Are places still available? I wanted to do this but thought it was fully booked!
Entries open (and close for soloists) on 5th November

Ooooohh that's a long way north even for a "northerner"

I ran round it in an hour last year before the start the I pit bitched (forgot to sign up)

Did it as a pair the year before did six laps then went otb down the steps onto the forestry track that takes you to the dib point, got some hefty ooofts from the crowd but was fine for another two laps, then my neck syarted complaonig.

Solo thos year ?

There should be a new route over the Strathpeffer side to spice up a boring section. It'll be better but not by much.

Doing it solo is all about the conditions. The last few years have been pretty soft, more like autumn weather, but it's the conditions that make the StrathPuffer fun.

As trail_rat says, the track isn't that hard. It boils down to one long climb, some up and downy stuff with technical bits, and then some fun descents.

The tricky thing is the weather. If we get some good subzero stuff then the big thing to watch out for is hypothermia. As you get closer to exhaustion, your body loses the capacity to heat itself so you need to dress appropriately. Don't allow yourself to get to the shivering stage. Staying dry is also important. Any heat sucked out of your body is energy lost that could be turning pedals.

As for what bike to take, the less there is to go wrong, the less can go wrong.

The recommendation for a singlespeed is good, but gear it lower than you think you'll need unless you are used to 24 hour events (and that may end up too high 🙂 ). (I always ride rigid singlespeeds)

Brakes can be an issue. Doing pad changes at stupid o'clock in the dark when your fingers are like numb sausages can take forever, time that is better spent resting or eating. I prefer to be self supporting, so I use drum brakes and then I don't have to worry about any form of maintenance. However, from the sound of it, disk pads have improved, so using disks may not be such a problem. Of course, having a pit crew and a spare bike removes that as an issue.

You can expect to comprehensively trash your bike if it's muddy. Think of it like running a series of 12 XC races consecutively through mud and grit without maintenance. This may tempt you to use an old worn drivetrain on your bike - only do that if you want an excuse for a lengthy stop in the pits, or if you carry a chainbreaker for instant SS conversion on the track. 🙂

There seems to be something peculiarly abrasive about mud that's hovering around freezing point.

I'm not a fast rider, so I can't advise on training etc, but I've always thought the simplest way to do a good 'Puffer is to just stay on the back wheel of Terrahawk and follow him around, so maybe you could try that. 🙂

I've got some spiked 29er tyres if you want/need some tony.
They were amazing when I did it in a pair with Shaggy.

Amazing drive up there too.

anyone done this without any help?
looking at flying up with the bike, hopefully scrounging a lift from Inverness and using the solo saddo tent...... 😉

reason being, i mentioned it to my domestic helper, and she said 'are you bleeding deranged'.... 😆

I'll man a pit for you Tony.

geoff, that is fantastic mate. if i do manage to get a place, and the wife wont do it, i will take you up on that offer.

seriously appreciated mate.

No worries. I only live a couple of hours away and can provide most of the kit required.

anyone done this without any help?

I tried to once. Not advisable. You'll have enough on doing the riding, never mind fettling your bike.

Who was the girl that got the train to Dingwall with all her gear, rode from there, did the race and then rode back?

Ton done it once without support, loved it, lucky only had punctures, people are great, views amazing but tbh conditions were spot on, not sure would be so happy if it was raining/snowing the entire night but I guess that's what attracts people to ride it!

couple of questions for anyone who has done it.
if you say took 3 bikes, are you allowed to use all of them?
if you have a van or camper, are they parked on the side of the course, or away from the course?

You can use whatever bikes you want, and you can get parked right on the climb, no probs, unless it's snowing/icy, and you don't have a 4wd.

It is absolutely THE best atmosphere ever, like a sort of shared siege mentality. Fantastic.

couple of questions for anyone who has done it.
if you say took 3 bikes, are you allowed to use all of them?
if you have a van or camper, are they parked on the side of the course, or away from the course?

take and use as many bikes as you want to.
side of the course if you get there early enough. little campsite next to the start/finish if not.

[quote=ton ]couple of questions for anyone who has done it.
if you say took 3 bikes, are you allowed to use all of them?
if you have a van or camper, are they parked on the side of the course, or away from the course?
You can have as many bikes as you want.
The vans/campers are mostly parked up the fire road you climb/descend at the lowest part of the course (the start/finish area and dibbing point). Caravans might end up in the lower car park but even that is only a couple of minutes walk from the course.

Who was the girl that got the train to Dingwall with all her gear, rode from there, did the race and then rode back?

Lisa Kamphausen. Won female class as well.