i hope this is in forum rules:



i designed a component called a DeWidget that stabilises gas tank bags. it is a bushing with a strap mount that acts as a steerer spacer. It was expensive to have made, but the ones I had worked well and a number of folk reported no issues. As a result, the guy who turned down the original ones got the design on shapeways. I make zero money from it, but get a kick out of folk using them.

read about it here https://drj0nswanderings.wordpress.com/2017/04/30/bentley-components-dwidget/  and here https://drj0nswanderings.wordpress.com/2018/01/22/dewidget-update/

and buy them at shapeways (based in USA and netherlands) here: https://www.shapeways.com/product/RRUFHDLJY/dewidget-body?optionId=64527860&li=marketplace and https://www.shapeways.com/product/HMU4TSFEQ/dewidget-shim?optionId=64528200&li=marketplace

outstanding ride.

The bothy, btw, is easan dorcha.

Has the trail from the loch up been improved? Many years ago it was a horror show of bog, but I'd heard a rumour it has been worked on? Good fun past the ciaran bothy. If we're looking at alternatives, the climb up from annat could be bypassed by climbing up to the mid section of coire lair  from the forest track over to achashellach. This has a tiny bothy half way up and is almost 100% rideable, whilst taking in the good bit of the coire lair decent. I guess it's less 'hard' but WAY more fun.

I went back to using a back pack before DNS'ing...exactly that reason, and ability to carry bike with less fuss ie no frame bag. I grip under the top tube at the seat tube end a lot on the rougher ground.

Met alAstair on the climb up from annat at about err, 11am this morn, as I was going down. Chirpy and looking forward to the next couple days, I think.

just met alan at the Strathcarron Hotel. in good form. with 2 other guys, didnt get their names and dont see anybody else on the tracker….but they were in good form too!

phil's speed, consistency, and lack of sleep has been absolutely incredible. deep respect to every competitor for this...

tom is kicking ass on his shand as well, awesome riding.

well, phils spot came on just north of fort A right? and at this stage everyone was real close toegether, but phil is showing as 11.40 to the CP1, corrieyairack pass and steve is showing 9.17, which sounds more accurate given that they were into fort A at around 10 hours+ or so. then phil got to CP2 at 1 day and change and steve was 4 hours slower. then as you say CP2 - CP3, steve was 20 mins quicker….
steve stopped for just over 5 hours overnight and phil for around 4 i think, so im just struggling to see where phil ganed 4 hours in between check point 1 and 2….thats 100 miles….4 hours quicker in 100 miles? thats nuts! so this doesnt add up to me UNLESS phil got to fort A MUCH quicker than stever, but again, that seems kind of weird….

dunno…im probably missing something. no doubt he (indeed the top 4 or 5) have been covering ground extremely rapidly…that north loop is not easy by any stretch, even if you consider the amount of road in it….

I'm probably not reading things correctly, so can anyone explain why it looks like steve is generally moving a bit faster than phil, admittedly stopped for an hour or so longer, but he is way behind? Seems weird.

Phil s seems to have 180 miles or so done with 4 hours stoppage? That's a heck of a ride 24 hrs in...

grand> good luck all!…im aiming to be torridon way wed, thur, fri so i might see some of youse guys in passing….

is ianb sorted? if not i can help?

fingers crossed...im not around in glasgow too much over next couple days so im not going to be much use but ill keep an eye here if there is anything i can do

ugh!...do you have the right spokes? or is that the issue?....shops wise there is alpine bikes, Gear, Dales, West end cycles, evans and there is also wheel craft just north of glasgow...all will have the ability to do it - i think in reality you're going to have to contact them ahead (before you fly!) and offer doughnuts or beer! most shops wont tend to do anything on spec...

spokes too long: how much? are you building it 3 cross? can you build it 4 cross? not ideal but can always rebuild after the event? though if the flanges are pretty big it would be a beast to lace...struggling to think of another solution....

There are lots of flatish easy sections. Contin to oykel for example is a spin for the most part. There is easy road from oykel north, too. Early on, until you get to the devils staircase is pretty mild. Steep but very doable from Afric East to FA. Some road before torridon iirc. But there is a lot of strenuous stuff too. I think the thing will be combining lots of miles with multiple tough sections in one day, then repeating. *if* you are trying to really do this fast. But it *should* be really tough to do it fast! That would have been (I believe) Alan's aim. It would be relatively easy ( and I mean relatively!) to do this at 50 miles per day or so. The tipping point is doing it fast, and the combo of fitness, fuelling, weight carrying and ability to cover multiple tough sections in a day that that will require. I suspect a high chance of a winner here only just dipping into 5 days, or maybe slightly less. That will be an incredible achievement. To add 2 days takes it into the realms of a good solid athlete with experience and a solid set up IMO. Ultimately I think that was what made me a DNS. I don't want to be on the route for near 7 days, and I think that it was really looking like that would have been the case for me. Ho hum. Andy: yep would have been good to share some trail time with you on this. I reckon you'll love it!

my thoughts…fwiw!

http://drj0nswanderings.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/rise-up/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/drj0n/sets/72157644379373506/



nae bad...

I must have seen your tyre tracks. Came back yesterday from a contin around the northern loop and back to contin from ledburn over the last 2 days. It was a very hard ride. Taught me a lot, not least that I will be bowing out of racing. The trail is ( for the most part) in spectacular form. The boggy drag down is mentally and physically tough. Take care here. I would be very cautious about hitting this in the dark as I did. Couple of long pushes then some fast trail to kylesku. The coast road round is, well, very Scottish Coast road!
The trail over from lochinver to ledburn deteriorates into a on/off bike bog and rock wrestle. Timing wise it is not impossible folk might end up with these sections all in one day.
I will follow closely. It has been fun trying to get this together, and I thank alan for the motivation to get out and ride some truly stunning and remote trail.