There's probably not much I can say about the Whyte T130 the hasn't been said already - it's the bike of the year in countless magazines and online sites - and I probably can't say it so well as the full time journalists.... and I certainly don't know the correct jargon. However, as I picked up an RS version of this bike from my local bike shop (as a demo whilst my Camber had it's chainset replaced), I figured the least I could do was document my first ride, and contrast it with what I know so well... the 29er Camber.
The Tyre
I decided to head straight to Swinley. It's a great trail centre for putting a bike through it's paces. there isn't anything too extreme, but for a limited amount of ascent over 13 miles of track, it certainly puts your through your paces. The conditions were fairly wet, though I've definitely seen it worse, and the trails were holding out quite well (there were even a few new / refreshed sections along the way).
My first impression was it was easy to jump and lift, and had nice acceleration. As I progressed through the ride, I found the grip to be superb - and the steering was very responsive. I could really pound into the berms, and it went where ever you wanted it to go (stubby stem and wide handlebars apparently can do this). The shock setup was really nice. Where ever I took a landing, it absorbed it without any after shocks... it was smooth.
Swap for DMR Vaults please
OK - I have to admit, there were elements that I didn't like, but these were purely because they were the same as my Camber. For a start, the pedals don't hold anything on the DMR Vaults. That's it - Vaults rock, and anything else is in second place... so far that is (I use flats with Five Ten shoes).
dropper post allen key point is below this
button, but a lever would be better
And then the dropper post. Everyone raves on about the Reverb, but it took some getting used to. The return is smooth, compared to the Specialized IRC - and I'm used to pushing the under handlebar lever, and the post being there - immediately. Of course, this can be a problem if you are hovering at the wrong height - and very painful for the tender parts... but that has only happened once with me. No, with the Reverb, the return is smooth... and on this occasion, the post was just a little too low, and I couldn't figure out how to lower it. It was only after, that I learnt that the allen key location was an inch below the frame cutoff. So I did use up extra energy getting up the hills - which meant not as much stored energy for the downhill sections (anyone who has done Swinley hill before the Labyrinth will know what I mean). The post also had a little sag from it's position, which was a fault. All that said, by day 2, I had grown to like the Reverb, and found it's adjustability better than that of the Specialised Command Post - it was just easier to move to mid positions. I would say, that the under lever adjuster is ergonomically much better than the standard button release. I would change that immediately on this bike.
Another large drawback on this particular bike, was that the gears were very sticky. The bike shop told me this was a fault, but they didn't have a chance to fix it - as a demo bike, it's been out pretty solid, and I didn't want to wait. However, it didn't really give the full enjoyment of riding, when you literally had to push to get the gears to move up. And on the trail at Swinley, there are sections where you are going up and down the gears quickly. I tended to remain in an unsuitable gear just to avoid the hard push of the gear lever.
clean after day 1
Aside from the pedals, dropper, and gears, the bike performed well... and these are elements which could be easily fixed / adjusted. The handlebars seems noticeably wider, but this just added to the manoeuvrability. I didn't have any problem in The Labyrinth section (tight turns, lots of close trees), though was mildly aware. I definitely felt connected with the trail - a much better experience than with the Stumpjumper + wheel size bike I took out previously. The bottom bracket didn't give any problems with ground clearance - again a problem I felt with the Stumpjumper - which once again, showed up in the Labyrinth section (checkout the youtube video below - shot on the Camber... though the conditions were very different).
Towards the end of the trail - the blue sections - there were some lovely sweeping berms that had been 'renovated'... which were an absolute joy to ride. By the time I hit the car park, I was wishing I'd stayed out longer.
I used all the travel on this.. possibly not enough pressure on setup
My aim was to just do the one ride on the bike, but after Swinley, I decided to take it out on my local trails as well, in The Devils Punchbowl. It was a wet and misty day, but I was very much looking forward to getting out and trying the bike again - a good sign.
probably nice gears, but a sticky shifter
It was on my local trail that I could really compare the 27.5 and 29er wheel size. I've been riding the 29er for about 4 years now, and much of it locally, so it was a good starting point to make the comparison. Trying to get away form the sticky gear changes, it took to the hills quite well. It was very muddy conditions, but I didn't find grip a problem. It didn't feel like it could roll up the really steep hills as well, but it didn't feel difficult or restricting. Traction wasn't a problem. Speed on the flat didn't seem as smooth as the Camber, but again, not a worry. It was lovely coming off drop offs, and was noticeably easier to get the front end up. There is a lovely section called The Bomb Holes, and this was great fun to ride - I felt I could really push it through the sweeping dips, and even when the back jittered off roots, it stayed on track. Patrick's Passage, another great section, was super fun to ride, but just too waterlogged (I would have to put front and rear mud guards on this bike - mud hugger at the rear, crud catcher up front, downtube AND shock).
In conclusion, this was a super fun bike to ride. If I were a Strava fanatic, then it didn't give any amazing times, though the combination of the sticky gears, badly adjusted dropper, and non-sticky pedals would all go towards that... and the conditions were pretty wet and slimy - especially locally. The 27.5 wheel size is simply more fun than the 29er... there is no doubt that it's easier to pop of jumps, and added to the stubby stem and long handlebars, it makes for a very nippy and connected ride. Could I justify effectively side-grading for the Camber to the T130? It's a very similar priced bike (the T130S), when you include the add ons I've put on the Camber. Honestly, if I could, I would have both, but they really are just too similar. Fun, shorter rides, I'd say the T130, but for longer rides, the Camber. I think when it's time to upgrade, I'd go for the Whyte, as I do like the fun side, and did appreciate the extra travel on the shocks. I don't know really how much more of a ride you get with the RS, than the standard... apparently they effectively weigh the same, but the RS has some nicer components, with Fox shocks as opposed to Rockshox on the 'S' model. I'd say the cheaper 'S' looks nicer, with it's orange paint job... if that counts.
130 travel on Fox shocks
looking mean at Swinley
tyres gave plenty of grip
See below for details taken from the Bike Radar review (though my front shock was a Fox):
Ok, I like my bike - a Specialized Camber Comp 29er 2016 - so was disappointed to find out that the front shock was in fact only giving me 100mm of the 120 it promised. The result, was sending the shock back to Rockshox to be fixed under warranty, or fixed at my own cost. Either way, it would mean being without my full suss for a period of time, and I really didn't want to head back to my hardtail to get my riding kicks. Luckily, I have a friendly bike shop who said they could sort out a 'loan bike' for the time the shock was being fixed (or until somebody else wanted to try the load bike).
So I arrived at Cycleworks, handed over my bike (or rather the faulty shock), and was handed an elegant looking Specialized Stumpjumper 650b Fattie. It felt lighter than my bike, and the wheels were noticeably wider... though I think they are not as wide as the 'fat bike' standard. Hence it is called '27.5+'. I have wanted to try a 27.5 for a while, as it is what everyone goes on about, so this would be a step closer to it from my 29er. Also, I was interested to try a 'carbon' framed bike out, as again, it's what folk go on about. Basically, this was in theory a better bike than mine.
Shakedown in The Punchbowl
I took it out for a ride as soon as I could. The setup was very similar to mine, though the dropper post was pretty violent when pressed, making me think that mine is low on pressure. Another point, is that when the dropper goes down, it seems to move forward, making it easier to get low behind the saddle. I would guess the seat post angle is bigger, to allow this to happen. The handlebars seem wider, but I couldn't be certain.
First impression when peddling, is that it accelerates fast, and with ease. The big tyres didn't feel cumbersome, and didn't give much road noise (I was running them at 20psi, though was told I could go lower).
After the road section of my ride, I head onto loose sandy / rocky track, and the bike had no problem. It actually felt like it floated over the chunky parts, and without much effort. Bearing in mind I was used to less travel shocks, it would be expected, but I'd say it was fun and quick to climb. On off camber sections, it held it's edge, but it was too early to draw any conclusions.
A I approached my first downhill, I dropped the post, and noticed the seat coming forward, and accelerated - the gears were pretty slick (pretty sure they were SRAM, meaning my current ones are Shimano). It had no problem with the roots - and the ride was very even and quick, and I felt it kept the line I was taking. I basically felt more connected with the ground, and it was really fun
Then on to the climb, which was steady - I'd say an improvement on the Camber. This is odd, as most would say the 29er is perfect for the climbs.. though I'm not really comparing like for like, as the carbon frame may make a difference.
The ride then progressed, and I got to know the bike, and again, it was fun. The acceleration was definitely plus - it just shoots away. When I arrived at my favourite local downhill section (Patricks Passage), I was looking forward to what it could do. I know this trail very well, but am always a little cautious on the top, after a few tumbles there. Still, it ate up the roots, and rolled quick over the rocks. I still felt the bumps, but in all fairness, I hadn't checked any of the suspension settings, so was just assuming the rebound was set as standard, front and back. The usual jump, halfway down, was soaked up, though I was travelling so fast, as it was getting pretty boggy.
By the bottom section, I was wishing I'd transferred some front mudguards over, as I was getting totally splattered. I kept the speed up into some deep mud, and the bike lost it's grip. I'd go out on a limb and say that this would not have happened with the Camber... but I'd need to ride the Stumpy more to get a definitive opinion. For now, it doesn't seem to handle so well, at speed in deep mud... I guess the big tyres act more like dinghies.
Later, in the thick sand section of my ride, the bike shone again. It was wet sand, but still it seemed to hold it's line well.
In all it was a really fun bike to ride. Next stop Swinley - lets see how it handles a purpose made bike trail - I may even lower the tyre pressures!
The Fattie at Swinley
Swinley is very different to my local riding conditions. The tracks are purpose built, there are huge berms, jumps etc, and all in a 13 mile circuit (half blue, then red, then second half blue). As before, the bike felt good under acceleration, and was good cornering. However, when I pushed it, on the super fast Red 15, I wiped out. Wheels basically lost grip with the trail on the corner, and with no bank to push against, it was kind of bound to happen. I may possibly not have attempted the turn at such speed on the 29er, but still, it re-enforced my view that it could be skittish around the front end when cornering. Luckily I was wearing my knee pads, so no harm done, to me or the bike, but it was interesting to experience. I had checked the tyre pressure before I went, and had it at about 18psi. Could I actually take it lower, and expect more grip? I let a little air, and slowed the rebound of the front fork slightly. There is so much experimentation with these setups, but it's worth doing. My feeling is that I could take the tyres right down in pressure.
I did notice the lower bottom bracket - in the way that my pedal strokes caught on the trail where they wouldn't usually. This led to a frustrating 'foot down' in The Labyrinth... In the same section, I was aware of the width of the bars, though I'm not 100% sure they are actually any bigger than the Camber.
As a whole, my times around Swinley weren't any quicker (a few were), but I'd have to put that down mostly to me being in the depths of man-flu... I wasn't quick up the hills, and didn't have energy down them. I'd have to head back again when I'm on form to get a more accurate feel for the bike. That said, it was great over the nobbly trails, and easy to twist and turn in the long berm filled blue section. And it flew over the roots as before.
I noticed a creak, presumably from the headset - I would guess from the bottom bearing... as I had the same on the Camber. Can't they design anything to stop this form happening, or is it a design flaw?
Once again, I noticed the front end felt noticeably lighter and livelier - though this could be too much rebound on the front shock, or too higher tyre pressure. I actually think it's because it's a lighter bike.
The Technical Details (taken from tredz.co.uk)
"Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp Carbon 6Fattie 27.5+ Mountain Bike 2016 Product description The new 2016 Stumpjumper FSR Comp Carbon 6Fattie is a fun, full sus MTB that is ready to take on anything. With the new 27.5 plus (650+) wheel size the 6Fattie Stumpy is a mountain bike that is at home on the most technically demanding trails. You get the same diameter 650b wheels with wider 3” tyres that are accommodated with a plus sized fork and a wider 148mm Boost rear hub. These 3” tyres give you more grip and extra float. The additional grip allows you to corner faster, brake later and nail those technical climbs. The extra float supplements the suspension so it feels like you have more the 135mm (150mm front) of travel. Rolling resistance increases slightly but this is far less important than the extra grip you get in return. At the heart of the FSR Comp Carbon frame is a FACT 9m front triangle with a M5 alloy rear. The FACT composite front is super stiff, light and strong. The SWAT door offers storage in the down tube for trail essentials meaning that you need to carry less weight in your backpack. With a slack head angle, short chainstays and low bottom bracket height the Stumpjumper 6Fattie shares the same dialled angles as the regular models. This translates into stability at speed and a lower centre of gravity for better handling in the corners. The Fox 34 Plus Performance fork offers premium level trail performance with 150mm travel that matches perfectly to the DPS shock that controls the fully active FSR rear suspension. RX trail tune on the rear suss means that every shock has the volume, compression and rebound range tuned for each Stumpy. You don’t get this from every manufacturer. The new SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain offers all the gears that you need in a simple system that offers excellent chain retention. Specialized Deore hydraulic disc brakes are powerful with great modulation. Control your speed with confidence. Hit the trails with more traction and control with the Stumpjumper FSR Comp Carbon 6 Fattie. Key Features: 27.5+ tyres offer more grip and float FACT carbon composite frame is lightweight and stiff Fox Float shock and 34 fork for plush suspension travel SRAM 1x11 speed drivetrain offers a wide range of gear ratios Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, X Large Colour: White The Stumpjumper FSR Comp Carbon 6Fattie is available with 0% APR finance The Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp Carbon 6Fattie 27.5+ 2016 Features are: Frame: FACT 9m carbon, Trail 6Fattie Geometry, FACT IS carbon construction, M5 alloy rear triangle, SWAT Door integration, PF30 BB, fully enclosed internal cable routing, 135mm travel Rear Shock: FOX FLOAT Performance DPS, AUTOSAG, Rx Trail Tune, Kashima coating, 197x47.6mm Fork: FOX 34 Plus Performance, 150mm travel, 3-position compression adjust, tapered steerer, 51mm offset, 15mm thru-axle Headset: Hella Flush, 1-1/8" and 1-1/2" threadless, Campy style upper w/ 1-1/2" lower, cartridge bearings Stem: Specialized XC, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise Speed: 11 Rear Mech: SRAM GX X Horizon, 11-speed, alloy cage Chainset: Custom SRAM GX-1000, carbon, PF30 spindle, 28T, direct mount Bottom Bracket: SRAM, PF30, OS press-in bearings, sealed cartridge Cassette: SRAM XG-1150, 11-speed, 10-42t Chain: KMC X11L, 11-speed, w/ reusable MissingLink Front Brake: Shimano Deore, hydraulic disc, Ice-Tech resin pads w/ fins Rear Brake: Shimano Deore, hydraulic disc, Ice-Tech resin pads w/ fins Rims: Roval Traverse 650b, alloy, disc, 29mm wide, 24/28h Front Hub: Specialized, Hi Lo disc, sealed cartridge bearings, 15x110mm thru-axle, 24h Rear Hub: Specialized, Hi Lo disc, 4x sealed cartridge bearings, 12x148mm thru-axle, 28h Tyres: Specialized 6Fattie Purgatory Control, 60TPI, 2Bliss Ready, folding bead, 650bx3.0" Front Specialized 6Fattie Ground Control, 60TPI, 2Bliss Ready, folding bead, 650bx3.0" Rear Seatpost: Command Post IRcc, cruiser control technology, micro-adjust height adjustable, alien head design, bottom mount cable routing, remote adjust SRL lever, 30.9mm, S: 100mm travel, M/L/XL: 125mm Pedals: Nylon, CEN std., w/ toe clips" Checkout a video comparison made by GMBN - 27.5 versus 27.5+:
It's raining, it's cold... and I'd say Autumn has finally taken grip. From now on, it's mudguards, long sleeves, cold starts, and a 'grin and bear it' attitude. To think a few days ago I was completing this years 'big ride', in glorious sunshine, through some of the most beautiful scenery this part of the country has to offer, whilst chomping on energy bars, sucking away at energy gels, with the occasional 'coffee and cake' stop along the way. And that was the 'There And Back Again Ride' of October 2016.
This ride was a follow on from doing the South Downs Way last year. My riding buddy James had done the SDW loads of times, and fancied a 'circular' route that left the Godalming area, headed down the Shipwrights Way, hopped on to the South Downs Way, then back up the Downs Link to Bramley... and on to Godalming... There and Back again!
In France, I marvel at the scale of things. The engineering, the mountains, the roads, the tourist attractions. I'm coming down the road from Chamonix, squeezed, as the only passenger, into an Eezy bus... Ready to be late for my Easyjet flight from Geneva. The mountains loom like layers of granite cake, with crumbling sides. The rich covering of pine and greenery seems to hold it back from falling in. I look down into the valley, towering pillars of concrete holding the motorway high up above the sprawling industrial metropolis that fill the lowlands.
I've been impressed with France, as I always have been in the past. I look at the way they tackle problems, and wonder how we would do it in Britain. It's late July, and as opposed to cutting down, Chamonix, famous for it's winter sports, is thriving. When the snow disappears, the chairlifts are put to good work taking ramblers, sightseers, and mountain bikers up the hill. I, fall amongst the latter. Mountain biking has fast become a passion of mine, and it's great to checkout how it's done on the continent. I've been to a few trail centres around the UK, and it's been fantastic, but this was the first time I'd been to an uplift one - that is, the hard work of cycling up the hill is taken out of the equation. That's not to say you feel any less tired at the end of a day's cycling. On the contrary, you just work muscles that you never knew you had... The downhill ones!
The train station in Chamonix
I went to Chamonix, not to bike, but as a family holiday. I packed light, as I was only taking hand luggage (it was in between work commitments). I therefore only had my padded cycling undershorts... And that was it. I asked around for the best hire place, for bikes and kit, though this was narrowed down, as I wanted a full suss with a dropper post... Which Intersport couldn't provide. The shop I found - http://www.slashchamonix.com - provided me with a Trek Remedy 27.5, with dropper, full suss, and included helmet and puncture repair tools. I had some walking shoes, which would have to make do as a poor substitute for my 5-10s. The hire price was 60 Euros for 3 to 6 hours.
On the morning of the hire, I headed to the shop and picked up my bike. As I pedalled to the station to catch the train, I noticed the dropper post wasn't holding it's height. This was bad news if I was to be pedalling up hill - but the bike shop guy said I wouldn't be doing this, so I pushed on. The train ticket was two to three Euros, and I was directed to platform-B of the Chamonix station. It was slightly confusing when the train came, but I finally figured out that I needed to go on the furthest part of the train to get off at Montroc (where I was heading). Secondly, when I got onto the train, it took someone else to show me that you hook the front wheel up to lock the bike in it's transport position inside the carriage (it makes sense if you see it in action).
In the bubble
It took about 30 minutes and a few stops before we arrived at Montroc. I wheeled the bike off the train, across the tracks, and then was guided by a father and two sons who were also going to Les Tours, to head up the hill. So I pedalled, without h a low slung saddle, all the way up the hill... Which was very tiring, considering I had to do it all standing up. yes, I was cursing the bike hire shop by the time I reached Le Tour, and I was sweating like a pig (it was very hot, very sunny, and very steep).
Next challenge was the ticket office for the ski lift. I didn't know how much this was going to be, but was told 20 Euros. Lift pass in hand, I pushed the bike up the bike rail next to the steps, and hit the first chair lift, which was actually a bubble car. The way to get a bike into a bubble car, is bike pushing it in, sitting down, then lifting the back wheel up high and putting it on the seat! Not sure how that works when it's muddy though...
The bars were at a 'sensitive' height...
This was my chance to adjust my helmet, clean my sunglasses, and take a few photos. It always seems like you are climbing higher and higher (you are), which feels all the more scary, that you will soon be making the descent. Below, bikes wound their way through berms and switchbacks, crisscrossing the mountainside. It did look good, though I'll admit I was nervous, though more because I just didn't know what to expect with the red and blue runs in France. Blacks in the UK are for the most part all rollable, and very achievable. Would the French have the same grading system?
Getting out of the Bubble was simple enough, and the chairlift was opposite the exit, so I pushed it over. The attendant told me to go to the entrance on the left "It is wider... For the bike". This was an open air chair lift, and the attendant then puts your bike on next to you (they sometimes send it up after you on the next special bike adapted chair. You then pull down the safety bar, and climb.. Higher and higher.
Finally, at the top, I stepped off and pulled my bike backwards off the chairlift. A few steps down, and I was facing the entrance to the Le Tour downhill track. I waited about a minute, not knowing what to do, then decided to go for it. A Scandinavian man, with fully armoured suit and full face helmet stopped me. "Your, ur, helmet. It's not done up". That was my false start. I awkwardly hopped my bike away rom the entrance, and tightened up my helmet, then moved to the entrance again. There were bars either side, that you have to push aside to progress, and hurt slightly when cycling into them. I cycled into them, they swung out then snapped back, just missing my soft unprotected parts. Then it was down...
a few interesting features, including boardwalks
I chose the blue run to start off with. Les Tour is split into two - the top, and the bottom part. The top, as I discovered, was made up of a small red section, followed by the blue. The bottom gave you a variety of options, though I just went for the red.
It was all rollable, though some sections required you to commit, or gravity would take the back wheel sliding past you. You could also find yourself going at the kind of speeds that mean you will leave the ground at the sections marked as jumps - and sometimes, you are not concentrating on the signposts, so you will miss the yellow hazard signs. Some of these will tell you it is a very steep dip approaching, others will give warning of jumps. Basically, they are pretty useful markers. At the top of the chairlift red run, after the entrance gate (the hut, which I backed out of as it seemed a little too narrow), there is a drop off, which is a unavoidable. It's not big, but you have to commit to it. I hit my arse on the wheel after this the first time, but it was fine after that.
Another patch to master, was the tight switch back after the nearest gate to the Bubble exit, going down. It turns tightly downhill to the right. I tried this slowly the first time, but found gravity pulled the back wheel down as I turned. The knack was simply to keep rolling - a simple technique, but a useful one.
At this point, I'll mention one fundamental issue with hiring a French bike. It is something the hire shop will not tell you - probably because they assume we do it wrong, and the French way is correct. That is, as you take your first jump, then realise there is a tight bend immediately after, you will slam on the brakes... It's only natural. At this point, if you are not aware of the 'French issue', you will pivot over the front wheel, and tumble off down the mountain. The point is, the French have there front and rear brakes reversed. Yes, you brake with opposite hands. And the man in the shop told me "No... It is because.. Uuuh, eet haz Shimano.... Brakes.... Eeeeur.... Leeevers " (he points at the brake levers, and I nod in agreement, as if I know exactly what he is on about). So when you slam on the rear brake for the all important show off slide at the end of the run, it turns into the all embarrassing and highly painful front flip. And at that point, you wish you'd paid the extra 15 Euros for the body armour and full face helmet. Anyway, it's something to be aware of, which I was, so no front flips this time... Just one mildly painful, and embarrassing post jump crash.
map of total route - 28.9 miles, 10,168ft vertical ascent
So what's it like? I can say that by the mid point, I had taken my hands off the bars, and were shaking out the aches... And at times physically straightening my grip shaped claws. It was pretty full on all the way down, because if you really let go at the wrong part, you would have a huge drop down to follow, and if you're like me, you would panic, grab the brakes, and loose it. There are jumps on the first red section, but there are also tamed versions, or simple get out routes (or chicken runs, as were described to me by someone). I took the tamed versions, but these still took a certain amount of faith, as you are effectively dropping down a hill, which is very different to jumping on the flat.
The second red is a longer section, and has a few boardwalks - not technical though. There are a few big drops, but return switch backs to catch the momentum. Half way down, the track changes to a looser grey slay material, which feels pretty fast (though is hard to stop on - I took a jump and slid to a stop nearly missing the boardwalk). The very bottom opens out - but make sure you stick to the worn track, as drifting left puts you on the larger gravel as you approach the start of the Bubble, which is a nightmare to stop on.
In all, I took the bubble then chair up four times, which meant four downhill runs top to bottom - over 13 miles of downhill. I was beginning to know what to expect on the corners, but as my confidence grew, I felt the effect of all that downhill. It was on the fourth run I lost it after a jump. It wasn't a bad off, but I just wasn't concentrating on technique. It was the first time I'd ridden downhill without the pain of riding UP the hill. But I would say, it was equally tiring.
I took the 'red' route down the Chamonix Valley, crossing the railway at Argentiere, which took me up the side of the mountain. This was actually incredibly tiring, as it kept climbing, and there were big sections I had to get off and push. It definitely was NOT a bike trail, but I was trying to do the right thing by the map, and follow the 'one way' signs. My advice would be to follow the river down, and do the left hand side of the valley - it has to be better than the railway side.
So after around 30 miles (I started Strava when I got off the train in the morning), and 10,000 feet climbing, I arrived back at the bike hire shop. I told 'the man' that the dropper wasn't working... He tested it, then agreed with me!! So I was charged 50 Euros instead of 60 - which was a result, even if my knees did feel buggered. Then it was into Chamonix village for a pint of the finest local 'cidre' - which rather disappointed turned out to be Magners...
End of ride reward...
So what lessons would I take from my first 'downhill / uplift' mountain biking experience abroad ? Firstly, take as much of your own gear as you can. I took my padded 'under-shorts'. That was a good start - but I should have brought the actual shorts as well. And shoes were hugely important. You realise how much trip the 5-10s give when you ride without them. Walking shoes just don't stick to the pedals. Gloves - I didn't have any gloves, and I could have done with them for sure. Camelback - this would be a luxury / necessity. I had to borrow a rucksack to take water and food in, as well as puncture tools and a waterproof. The rucksack was more of a snowboarding style, so my back was soaked with sweat pretty well immediately. With regards to protection, I would say take knee pads if you can, or think about hiring the full kit. It's a tough one, as you could go all the way, and this time I didn't need the padding - but that doesn't mean I won't next time. The descents require more endurance, and you are more likely to make a mistake, so it may be worth it. The hire helmet was OK, so no problems there. I would take your own shades - I always wear sunglasses, as they stop dirt from hitting you in your eyes. Goggles would steam up - but you wouldn't be out of place wearing them (50% of the folks on the mountain are in full downhill gear). Socks - these depend on your shoes. The longer the socks, the more protection, but in the end, it's the fit that matters. Hydration goes alongside the Camelback, which would be recommended. I got very hot on the downhill, and it was hot in the Bubble going up. Having to wait to stop and take out your water didn't work. You dehydrate, loose concentration... And wipe out. The same goes for food - pack supplies... Or stop at the mountain cafe (there is one at the mid point, and one at the bottom). Water is about 1 Euro 50 per bottle, but was essential.
map of downhill section - approx 3.3 miles from top to bottom
Finally, the bike. I would definitely say if you can take your own bike, then it will work, as long as it is tough enough. The Trek I was riding was certainly taking a hammering, and being a 27.5 wheel, was in theory, easier to sling round tighter corners than my 29er at home. The travel was the same - in fact, I would imagine it is a similar spec to my 2016 Specialised Camber Comp 29er. However, the pedals were thick and chunky, and having the 2 x 11 gears was a step backwards from my 1 x 10 setup. The chain actually came off during my 'off', or rather it got stuck in the front de-railieur, and it rattled like hell as I hammered over rocks and drops. I basically wasn't sold on the bike, and definitely disliked the dropper post - the return was sluggish, and as mentioned, would not stay up when required. It made me realise how nice the super fast action of the Specialised dropper is, and how nice the 'gear style' lever is for the dropper itself.
The brakes were good, though I noticed they dimmed slightly as the riding progressed... And they started to squeal. Still, they did the job. Overall, I didn't feel the fit of the Trek was that good. My legs ached like they hadn't before, and it wasn't as natural in feel. Of course, I've adjusted my Camber to suit, moving spacers on the handlebars, and fine tuning where the brake levers sit. How could a 10 minute setup in a bike home shop ever hope to come close to this. And then you go out and ride the most challenging downhill ever... On a strange bike??? Something has to give.
If you are hiring a bike, you should be expecting to pay 60-65 Euros for 3-6hours. The more expensive shop didn't offer the dropper post - which if working correctly is a must. So maybe call up in advance - I tried 2 different shops, but I know there are others. And checkout the Chamonix app, which has a few links and maps. If you can afford it, then a guided ride would be the best, but this was beyond my price limit.
In all, a great days riding, and I'm glad I did it, even if it was on a strange bike, without any of the kit I was used to . Some times you've just got to take the bull by the horns... Or rather the bike by the bars... And just ride!
Checkout this youtube video - it's not mine, but it shows the same downhill section I repeated
