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a group of us are doing our annual May Highland trip, this time a 5 day jaunt to the Western Isles. Leaving cars in Uig and combination of quiet road, some machair paths and some other bits and pieces, all well planned with prior knowledge by some of the group and advice from scotroutes and others 🙂 Accommodation all booked, some bunkhouses, some BnBs, so bikepacking light.
Current group of bikes range from Tarn 20 at the gnarly end to a couple of old school crossers, with some gravel bikes, rigid 29ers and others in between.
I'm between my Croix De Fer, which on paper is the ideal bike for this stuff, albeit it sports Clemenst xPlor Ush 35c tyres - I can't get anything bigger in due front mech clearance.... and my Cube Ltd Race - a light 27.5 hardtail with fast rolling tubeless Racing Ralph/Rocket Ron setup.
any thoughts ? Seems that the current crop of gravel bikes all now come with 40- 45 mm tyres..
The CdF will be perfect Iain. There's nothing you'll be doing that needs more tyre.
Colin - that was my feeling too, lots of debate, as you can imagine, going on in the mail group 🙂
Many thanks
Yup, was going to say the same - the only disadvantage would be if you wanted to ride a bit of the beach potentially.
1.5" slicks for me:
The wife's 28mm slicks didn't quite cut it here - the only bit she didn't ride!
For Harris, a light bike. I've taken various bikes over there, and almost always had to carry it.
A riding position that lets you tackle headwinds is useful too. (Don't worry, you get a tailwind as well 🙂 )
Although there's some great tracks, there's not many that loops, which means there's plenty of road riding, so a gravel style bike is probably the best compromise.
(But I usually go when the weather is dire and the tracks are soft)
I is jealous of that trip Iain.
Just back from Barra,followed up PSA from scotroutes about flights last year,cheers min 🙂 ,now fancy doing the whole Hebridean way. I would feel fine taking my 35mm tyred commuter/gravel/CX/tourer .
Just back from Barra,followed up PSA from scotroutes about flights last year,cheers min 🙂
Glad someone found it useful. How were flights / Barra and what did you get up go?
Ha ha yeah the flights are a bit special in a 12 seater ,felt like being on a motorbike in the sky 🙂 ,but the landing on the cockle beach was smooth as smooth. We just hired some bikes from the local guy at Barra bikes (Tony) and went round Vatersay and Barra .Had a great time,it's a beautiful wee place and we got cracking weather.
thanks all, Croix de Fer and 35c tyres it will be !
I was stuck between using the steel roadie with full guards and 28mm road tyres and ye olde Ti hardtail currently fitted with 26 x 2.3s. Have burst the wallet on a pair of 26 x 1.75 Conti Tour Ride's (£7.99 each plus postage) for the Airborne to find a middle ground between decent tarmac rolling and machair-able grip. Hope this substantial investment proves worthwhile!
I'm sure this was on 32mm tyres.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/5097/5388316651_3ee7fa40c9_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/5097/5388316651_3ee7fa40c9_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/9d9wPe ]2008-05-25 11-14-43[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/ ]Colin Cadden[/url], on Flickr
I'd take some eye bleach, for after you get a look at crewlies bike....😂
^^^^ we may have to photoshop it out of the album 😜
Function over form...and anyway I now think it looks pretty good, I’ve added some cork Ergon grips to match the skinwalls...sets them off nicely 😎