3 Pistes Cycle Scottish Highands

[tug benson]

Tug, I wouldn't worry based on what you put up on Strava, if you can get up the steep part of the Redstone Rigg you can climb most of what Scotland can throw at you I would say. The Lecht climb is pretty brutal at the start but I suspect the guys gearing is the issue, have you got a compact?

Aye i will have a compact

 

[Waspie]

Aye i will have a compact

It will be easy then

I'm really looking forward to it now, just hope we get decent weather. And a tailwind the whole way.

 

[tug benson]

It will be easy then

I'm really looking forward to it now, just hope we get decent weather. And a tailwind the whole way.

Should be a good weekend, we`re booked up to stay in Pitlochry from the Saturday...I know a couple of other guys who are doing it and we plan on getting p!ssed in Pitlochry on the Sunday night....If we make it back


I think i will feel better after i do my first 100 mile ride of the year...i need to do it soon

 

[Donger]

Is that Bealach Na Ba I see on your avatar Waspie? Ever cycled it? I'm looking for inspiration before taking it on later this year.

 

[Waspie]

Is that Bealach Na Ba I see on your avatar Waspie? Ever cycled it? I'm looking for inspiration before taking it on later this year.

It is indeed. Cycled it a few times, signed up for the Bealach Mor again this year. When are you planning on doing it?

It's a belter of a climb, the view is stunning if the visibility is good. Starts off fairly gently but gets harder the further you go, there is a brutal half mile or so ramp (on the left hand side of my avatar) up to the hairpins near the top, it doesn't actually look that bad in the photo but from memory I think we are talking a sustained 15 to 20% incline. I'm not the lightest so a compact is essential for me for that bit. The hairpins look pretty foreboding but they are not bad compared to the ramp preceding them.
Make sure you have warm enough clothes for the descent, I was absolutely freezing on last years Bealach Mor.

Have you done climbs of a similar nature before?

 

[Donger]

It is indeed. Cycled it a few times, signed up for the Bealach Mor again this year. When are you planning on doing it?

It's a belter of a climb, the view is stunning if the visibility is good. Starts off fairly gently but gets harder the further you go, there is a brutal half mile or so ramp (on the left hand side of my avatar) up to the hairpins near the top, it doesn't actually look that bad in the photo but from memory I think we are talking a sustained 15 to 20% incline. I'm not the lightest so a compact is essential for me for that bit. The hairpins look pretty foreboding but they are not bad compared to the ramp preceding them.
Make sure you have warm enough clothes for the descent, I was absolutely freezing on last years Bealach Mor.

Have you done climbs of a similar nature before?

Doing it in September. Have done my first Alp recently (>500m of climbing over 7km), and a couple of long drags in wales, as well as the Mam Rattagan Pass above Loch Duich. I've also done a sustained climb of 20% over 1km in Languedoc, but not at the top of a long climb! Want to really put down a marker, and can't think of a better way than doing the longest climb in Britain. It'll all be at snail's pace, and I'm not kidding myself that I won't need to stop for a rest where it ramps up - but my only rule is never to walk, however many times I have to stop. I'll tell myself I'm the first 20 stoner to do it. As to the hairpins, do you find that traffic coming down gives way to you here, or do you have to grind to a halt while you give way to cars?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I'll tell myself I'm the first 20 stoner to do it.

You won't be, I rode it with "Big Jim" a few years ago and he tipped the scales at over 20 stone. And made it no bother; no stopping either.

You can do it!

 

[Donger]

You won't be, I rode it with "Big Jim" a few years ago and he tipped the scales at over 20 stone. And made it no bother; no stopping either.

You can do it!

Thanks. Always good to challenge your preconceptions. I will do it, I will. Just got to shift this chest infection and then I'll get back out there ASAP and start hitting the hills again, big time.

 

[Waspie]

Doing it in September. Have done my first Alp recently (>500m of climbing over 7km), and a couple of long drags in wales, as well as the Mam Rattagan Pass above Loch Duich. I've also done a sustained climb of 20% over 1km in Languedoc, but not at the top of a long climb! Want to really put down a marker, and can't think of a better way than doing the longest climb in Britain. It'll all be at snail's pace, and I'm not kidding myself that I won't need to stop for a rest where it ramps up - but my only rule is never to walk, however many times I have to stop. I'll tell myself I'm the first 20 stoner to do it. As to the hairpins, do you find that traffic coming down gives way to you here, or do you have to grind to a halt while you give way to cars?

Sounds like you're pretty well prepared. Do you have a route in mind?

The Rattagan Pass is on my to-do list.

Haven't found traffic an issue on the hairpins, the hairpins themselves are pretty wide. Although a couple of times I've ridden it the pass was closed to traffic as I did it as part of a sportive, so I'm maybe not best placed to answer this. Plenty of passing places for most of the climb, they are a bit sparser on the steep ramp leading up to the hairpins, or maybe it just felt that way due to the speed I was going!

 

[Donger]

Sounds like you're pretty well prepared. Do you have a route in mind?

The Rattagan Pass is on my to-do list.

Haven't found traffic an issue on the hairpins, the hairpins themselves are pretty wide. Although a couple of times I've ridden it the pass was closed to traffic as I did it as part of a sportive, so I'm maybe not best placed to answer this. Plenty of passing places for most of the climb, they are a bit sparser on the steep ramp leading up to the hairpins, or maybe it just felt that way due to the speed I was going!

Thanks for that. No "route" planned. Will just drive out from Inverinate and do the climb on its own - with perhaps a mile or two of warm-up on the flat first. Can Recommend the Mam Rattagan. Even if you like to do a whole climb without stopping, I would recommend stops at both view points. Fantastic views over Loch Duich. Interesting stuff over the other side of the climb, too ....... pictish brochs and a little ferry over to Skye. Would like to do a loop some time over the pass, across the ferry and back to Inverinate via the Skye Road Bridge and Kyle of Lochalsh.

 

[Waspie]

Thanks for that. No "route" planned. Will just drive out from Inverinate and do the climb on its own - with perhaps a mile or two of warm-up on the flat first. Can Recommend the Mam Rattagan. Even if you like to do a whole climb without stopping, I would recommend stops at both view points. Fantastic views over Loch Duich. Interesting stuff over the other side of the climb, too ....... pictish brochs and a little ferry over to Skye. Would like to do a loop some time over the pass, across the ferry and back to Inverinate via the Skye Road Bridge and Kyle of Lochalsh.

If you want a flat warm up you will need to avoid the fair sized hill between Lochcarron and the Bealach turn off.

That loop you describe sounds lovely, a beautiful part of the country - if you get the weather.

 

[tug benson]

Lets hope by this time next week i have crossed the finish line and i have a beer in my hand...


Not the best prep for me, i have been suffering from a tight ITB band for the last 10 days or so, i am getting a foam roller tomorrow, been rubbing deep heat on it and am hoping its away for next Sunday, the pain isn't enough to stop my cycling but it's a pain i could do without right now, think i'll take a week off the bike after i have done this ride next weekend..I've managed to drop a stone in weight for this ride so that should kelp me on the climbs, still got a few more lbs before i am where i was at the end of last summer, i should shift a wee bit more weight this week...Then i'll drink my body weight in beer and rum in Pitlochry on the Sunday night.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

TBH my concern was more putting the bikes in the lutons on the way back. "we accept no responsibility for scratches or damages". "Bring a sheet or cover for your bike". GIVES ME THE FEAR!

I think it is easier than it looks @tug benson. Ride at your pace and by the end you will be fine. Pints after would be awesome but i'm homebound. :-(

I done a 104 mile ride yesterday with 6000ft + climbing at 19.5 mph so feel my form should be good enough for 3 pistes. Some cracking climbs though!!

Yesterdays ride for the data nerds (like moi).

 

[tug benson]

You and your club mates are going to fly round this route pedro, my aim is just to finish it as I've not done any sort of ride with this amount of climbing and I haven't done a century ride this year, I sort of go at my own pace up the hills anyway it is when I hit the down hill that I can make up for time lost, that's when the extra weight comes In Handy.

 

[format]

Don't feel like i've trained enough for this at all, but there's no way I'm backing out! Just going to deal with it.