End To ENd 2011

Bilbo41

Ive just entered isle of man end to end 2011
anyone got any tips
SPD or normal pedals V8's etc
bottles or Camel back
other equipment needed

richvass

what's end to end?

richvass

what's end to end?

an_original_name

is this an organized ride that you are signing up for, or is it you by your self/ a bunch of mates doing it? are you staying on road, taking some forest roads etc, or doing the whole hog and heading for every byway/bridleway you can find? how many days are you doing it in? where are you staying (camping, B&B, hostels etc)?


use whatever pedals you are comfortable with. when i did it (camping solo) i used my road bike, but put my superstar ultra mag pedals onto the bike because i was very comfortable riding with them, and they were the most reliable (sealed cartridge bearings etc)

i'd personaly go with water bottles over a camel back for touring. i took 2 750ml bottles with me, but wish i'd taken a 3rd and 4th as well. on really hot days I was getting through 6 - 8 litres a day, so was having to stop and fill bottles up more regularly than i would have liked.

take atleast 3 spare tubes, and a crap load of patches. dont get self adhesive ones, use a good old fasioned tube of glue. I took self adhesive ones and had 2 of them fail on me. i got 5 punctures when i did it (+ the 2 patches that failed), but met a guy going the other way just north of the peaks who had gotten 11 already!

take a spare inner gear cable (and brake cable if your not running hydros). a spare spoke or 2 might come in handy at some point as well. make sure you take a multi tool that has fittings for every single bolt on your bike. 1000 miles of riding takes it out on your bike, and you will more than likely end up with a loose stem bolt or something.

if you can, do a test run. try and get out for atleast 4 days (3 nights) with everything you are going to take with you. you'll be surprised how much harder th big hills are when your bike is fully loaded.

before you do your test run, pack everything you think your going to need, then cut it in half. i started with about 4 changes of cycling clothes + a set for the evening. when i finished i just had 2 sets of biking clothes.


expect to spend alot of money as well. i spent around £1000 on my trip (and i was camping!). i did eat out at pubs most nights, and had a few beers etc, and had to buy a new sleeping bag half way through, as well as the train ticket back home.


sorry if this post is a bit long. i hope it is of some help to you. it is a fantastic ride to do, and something that you will remember forever!

Bilbo41

Sorry guys its the isle of man end to end MTB race

an_original_name

haha fair enough. when people say end to end i automaticaly think of lejog. my bad.

Bilbo41

Its a MTB race over the fells tracks farm lanes etc on the isle of man 73km

cat_with_no_tail

Hey,

Use whatever pedals you feel most comfortable with. The course is not particularly technical.

I'd almost certainly go for a camelbak. 3l one min. Last year wasn't too bad, but the year before was baking hot and I went though around 5l of liquid in total. There are refreshment points along the route, but the main ones get emptied pretty quickly.

Make sure you've got some split links for your chain, and a couple of spare tubes AS WELL AS a punchy repair kit, maybe a tyre boot too. We do have some sharp rocks over here, especially on the descent back down to the Brandywell CP off the top of Ballacobb.

At the start line, do try to be honest with yourself about what sort of time you'll be aiming for. Be realistic! If you slow down the 3-4hr riders, they'll not thank you for it.

Don't overcook it by trying to race along the first road section to the bottom of Ballacob.

Be warned, unless you're in the first 100 or so riders to Ballacobb, you WILL be pushing up a good portion, if not all of it. Traffic backs up horribly up there and people simply do not grasp the need to get the fark out of the way.

Essentially, the rest of it is common sense, stay hydrated, and pace yourself. Also, make sure your bike is well serviced before you start.

Hope that is of some help

Bilbo41

Thanks for all the help guys
If i can get nr 5 hr mark i will be very happy but lets see how it goes !