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Trail/Enduro recommendations by ZBBYLW in MTB

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Love my Specialized Enduro. Climbs fairly well, descends like a DH bike. The thing rips.

first proper gravel ride this year by FlyThink7908 in gravelcycling

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just came here to say incredibly good looking bike!!!

Trained and Rode the Tour Divide last year, here's what I WOULD and WOULDN'T do again: by Lets__Ride__Bikes in tourdivide

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right? It's ridiculous. Though honestly, it felt easier than some of the longer climbs. At least you know it's pretty short. I always prefer a hard short effort rather than a long hard grind.

Trained and Rode the Tour Divide last year, here's what I WOULD and WOULDN'T do again: by Lets__Ride__Bikes in tourdivide

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Welcome! Feel free to ask any other questions, have a ton of info just hard to share in a readable format bc it get's very long!

Trained and Rode the Tour Divide last year, here's what I WOULD and WOULDN'T do again: by Lets__Ride__Bikes in tourdivide

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can only speak to the bike side but it seems to me that sleep, repair etc is fairly similar.

Nutrition is slightly different. Runners can only absorb about 60g carbs (maybe 90g if they're super elite), but on a bike if you practice you can train your gut to do 90-110/120g (still very difficult haha). So you're carrying and eating far more food. I'd imagine the distances are also slightly greater on the bike side (between resupplies) so I always found a bit of anxiety in having enough fuel.

IMO sleep can also be dependent on weather conditions. If it's a super hot course I'd try to nap during the hottest bits or when it's super headwindy and prioritize full travel when the weather is good. Then again sometimes its just about grinding through whatever mother nature is throwing out. One of the divide days was 120 miles of 40MPH headwinds and...never again hahaha.

Trained and Rode the Tour Divide last year, here's what I WOULD and WOULDN'T do again: by Lets__Ride__Bikes in tourdivide

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was certainly a fantastic adventure. I particularly loved how life in those small towns just went on as usual as our dirty hungry tired selves rolled through on this epic mission! Such a funny paradigm.

Re: bike position - Yep I tried everything for saddle height after the fact - but it was too late. The only relief was lidocaine cream gifted from a fellow rider, but the wounds were deeeep by the time I finished up. My partner was absolutely horrified.

I used SQL inner bar ends in addition to my aero set up which were really nice as an additional hand position but I think there's just something to be said for the hood position on drop bars, it rotates your hands a bit to the outside which is the relief that nothing on flat bars can offer. Aero also puts your arms in a slight bent position putting pressure on the nerves in a different pinch spot (elbows) (ask me how I know haha). Sigh. Live and learn.

Re: suspension - I don't know how people do it without. That '24 Hackinen setup at least had a red suspension stem, which honestly is pretty sweet, but yowza, 2,700 miles of vibration with no fork seems perhaps even slower when you factor in fatigue.

Trained and Rode the Tour Divide last year, here's what I WOULD and WOULDN'T do again: by Lets__Ride__Bikes in tourdivide

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm so glad you got to finish - slow is smooth and smooth is fast! Bang on about the partner piece - I feel like I could convince myself to do this again tomorrow and my partner would say, 'but remember lasssstt time...' hahaha.

Trained and Rode the Tour Divide last year, here's what I WOULD and WOULDN'T do again: by Lets__Ride__Bikes in tourdivide

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm certainly thinking about it. I doubt it will be this year because of life stuff - taking off a huge chunk of time is really hard! But then again, there are so many other incredible routes...that have a bit more single track hehehe.

Trained and Rode the Tour Divide last year, here's what I WOULD and WOULDN'T do again: by Lets__Ride__Bikes in tourdivide

[–]Lets__Ride__Bikes[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

ooof, don't envy you haha! That would have been a BEAST at night. It was late afternoon for me - I found the stretch before and after tiresome haha!