European Divide

[morbihan]

Angus Young has started his time trial of this super intriguing route.
https://www.followmychallenge.com/live/european-divide/
There are some good insights into his set up and kit list out there on the web.
  Long way. I hope its not "A touch too much" 

[psyclist]

Oooh, interesting. This one is on my list to ride 'when I have the time'.

The Scandinavian section looks superb.

[psyclist]

Angus is approaching the 1000km mark. Going well.

I'm intrigued by his average moving speed of just under 18km/h. I was expecting a higher pace as its just rolling terrain and most photos of the area show firm paths. But having now refreshed my memory on the write up, there are some slow going boggy sections and dirt roads that he has been going though.

[morbihan]

Yes about to head through the first 15%.
I guess with such a long ride he's parring back the efforts and the speed to keep rolling well in the later stages.
Sounds like there has been a lot of rain too. A little different to what's going on further south!

Im interested to see how his set up works out on the route. It's the same rig as Josh had for Tour Divide.
From a personal perspective, I may orientate my future endeavours more towards trail and less road centric, without going full MTB.
My current bikes likely fall short of ideal even with a component swap out.
I want to diminish my partners concerns around traffic on these events and this could be a way to do it.
 

[morbihan]

Looks like he's grabbing a few zeds in Arvidsjaur.

[psyclist]

Looks like he's grabbing a few zeds in Arvidsjaur.

How can you see how long he has stopped for? His current position is showing as outside a OKQ8, with food options in the vicinity ... although I found the petrol stations in Sweden are good for providing food, a microwave to heat it up, and table and chairs.

From a personal perspective, I may orientate my future endeavours more towards trail and less road centric, without going full MTB.

Exactly the direction I have taken. The off-road races and challenges offer a more varied experience, and are often more remote. More unpredictable too, as the surface will dictate rolling speed as much as the amount of climbing, and the weather can further impact that speed. Far more so than road riding.

[morbihan]

Looks like Angus should reach the half way point later today around Bad Meinberg. Thats 14 days in I think, that will put him on a 4 week schedule.
Though I suspect the climbing and certainly the het is heavily back loaded.
He will likely cross the wake of TCR racers in the Rhine valley a day later just missing them by a couple of days.

[morbihan]

He's 70% through the course.
Moving time 70%.  Brutal.
moving speed 14.5 kph. A statistical graphic of the type of terrain he's encountering.
His handlebars caved in somewhere on route

I've got this earmarked as the bucket list journey for my 60th, so looking forward to drilling into his debrief.

I have bitten the bullet and ordered a new build with this in mind.
 None of my rides have the geometry or clearance for me to consider riding it on them. Though a younger, fitter,  bendier rider could Im sure.
Drop bars, relaxed geometry but room for 57 mm rubber.
I'll do a couple of shorter mixed terrain events in the couple of years lead up.

[psyclist]

I run the Maxxis Ikon on my off-road bikepacking bike, 650b and 55mm. Super comfy and good for most terrain. I don’t run suspension, so I’m slower on more technical sections, but I’m fine with that, compensating by having less to maintain / go wrong, and slightly lighter.

Be interesting to see which rides you go for morbihan in the next few years. I’m also keen to hear the story of Angus’ ride once he is done.

[morbihan]

I run the Maxxis Ikon on my off-road bikepacking bike, 650b and 55mm. Super comfy and good for most terrain. I don’t run suspension, so I’m slower on more technical sections, but I’m fine with that, compensating by having less to maintain / go wrong, and slightly lighter.

Be interesting to see which rides you go for morbihan in the next few years. I’m also keen to hear the story of Angus’ ride once he is done.

Yes I have foregone suspension in the forks too. Im a big fan of suspension in voluminous tyres!  Sounds like you have plenty of suction there too. Technically the new build will take a 30mm gravel type fork (or Lauf) but full suspension as I understood it added quite a lot of weight, moving parts, and buggered with the geometry.

I hope to have the bike built up by Spring and I have my eye on Gravel Tro Breizh, an event run round Brittany. Close to our place. It looks like some pretty technical sections but as you say, you can hike it then. The guy who sets up that event runs a few other Sea to Summit type affairs too.
The French Divide is another I have my eye on. It starts tonight.

Badlands down in Southern Spain looks super interesting. A long flight down there though. Its also pretty close to TPR which I want to try for next year which I have had to withdraw from this year. Maybe another time.

Then there is just heading off and enjoying the fire roads and trails by yourself.
On a training week in the Pyrenees back in October some of the most enjoyable riding was when I turned off the tarmac.

[morbihan]

Camille is a pretty wacky cat and has run some off beat events that have peaked the interest too.

https://www.followmychallenge.com/shop/product/further-2022-pyrenees/

[morbihan]

Angus Young has about 400km to complete the EU divide as time trial.
An epic effort where he has been riding TCR type TITS at over 70% of the day.
Average speed pushing over 13 kph too on those rough shod tracks and gravel roads.
I think this will go down as an absolute belter of an achievement.

Thats "A whole Lotta Rolling"

https://www.followmychallenge.com/live/european-divide/?37.34011,-7.28469,8

[psyclist]

Angus Young has finished. 7440km in 32 days ... 230km per day on average. Off-road, that's quite something! Chapeau.

[morbihan]

phenomenal. I  hope Angus does a good debrief online. This adventure has really grabbed my attention.
I did see that he thought the Spain section was the highlight.
A South start early in the season and maybe/maybe not extend to the Scandinavian region would appeal.