Dirty Reiver 2022
Discussion
k-buster.
wobert said:
That bad… 
I’m closing in on 4K miles for 2021, so consider myself reasonably fit, so no worries there.
I think doing as part of a group will help, we’ve ridden similar distances on ‘gravel only’ here in N Wales, so nothing too perturbing about the route.
What didn’t you like?
Fitness was ok, but up to that point my longest gravel ride was 70km/1000m ish, and this one was 130km/1900m, so a big step up. I wanted a challenge, and certainly got it, but felt it was just a 10 hour grind, with no time to actually enjoy the process. I'm much happier with shorter routes where I don't feel rushed and can stop to take the odd photo. Might not have been so bad if I was fit enough to get round in 5 or 6 hours, so my own fault for thinking a couple of hours on the WattBike over the summer was enough prep! Also I was riding solo, I imagine it would be more fun as a small group.I’m closing in on 4K miles for 2021, so consider myself reasonably fit, so no worries there.
I think doing as part of a group will help, we’ve ridden similar distances on ‘gravel only’ here in N Wales, so nothing too perturbing about the route.
What didn’t you like?
Agree with Lima, the route is OK but there’s not a lot to see apart from miles of tree lined poor condition gravel roads. The route is very tough with challenging boulders (the size of lumps of coal). The descents would have been stunning but was too busy watch8ng the road for giant rocks to be able to enjoy.
I did the 65k route, im a half decent club rider (average 100 miles a week), so fitness was fine. Issue for me were my skills -off road, I ie I passed plenty of riders on hills and they passed me on descents !
Plus points - community of riders was great, food stops were plenty, start and finish at kielder castle was great, good T-shirt. I rode with club mates and we had a laugh.
Top tips - don’t even attempt unless tubeless. And fit as wide a tyre as frame will take. My 38mm SKs were a little too narrow.. Dress for cold, Kielder is like the Arctic all year round (was warmer in Sept but April will be freezing) !
I did the 65k route, im a half decent club rider (average 100 miles a week), so fitness was fine. Issue for me were my skills -off road, I ie I passed plenty of riders on hills and they passed me on descents !
Plus points - community of riders was great, food stops were plenty, start and finish at kielder castle was great, good T-shirt. I rode with club mates and we had a laugh.
Top tips - don’t even attempt unless tubeless. And fit as wide a tyre as frame will take. My 38mm SKs were a little too narrow.. Dress for cold, Kielder is like the Arctic all year round (was warmer in Sept but April will be freezing) !
mie1972 said:
Agree with Lima, the route is OK but there’s not a lot to see apart from miles of tree lined poor condition gravel roads. The route is very tough with challenging boulders (the size of lumps of coal). The descents would have been stunning but was too busy watch8ng the road for giant rocks to be able to enjoy.
I did the 65k route, im a half decent club rider (average 100 miles a week), so fitness was fine. Issue for me were my skills -off road, I ie I passed plenty of riders on hills and they passed me on descents !
Plus points - community of riders was great, food stops were plenty, start and finish at kielder castle was great, good T-shirt. I rode with club mates and we had a laugh.
Top tips - don’t even attempt unless tubeless. And fit as wide a tyre as frame will take. My 38mm SKs were a little too narrow.. Dress for cold, Kielder is like the Arctic all year round (was warmer in Sept but April will be freezing) !
I'm with you on the descents, always wanting to make up time there, but they are heavily cambered and slippery even when dry. Kielder is heavy on brakes and if wet the mud is like grinding paste. You will be on the brakes a lot so bring spares.I did the 65k route, im a half decent club rider (average 100 miles a week), so fitness was fine. Issue for me were my skills -off road, I ie I passed plenty of riders on hills and they passed me on descents !
Plus points - community of riders was great, food stops were plenty, start and finish at kielder castle was great, good T-shirt. I rode with club mates and we had a laugh.
Top tips - don’t even attempt unless tubeless. And fit as wide a tyre as frame will take. My 38mm SKs were a little too narrow.. Dress for cold, Kielder is like the Arctic all year round (was warmer in Sept but April will be freezing) !
Just to counter the tubeless point - I passed dozens of riders with punctures that day, I was on tubes and had no issues at all. Might just have been lucky but they worked for me.
I did the 200km route on my cross bike in 2019.
I would second the recommendation for tubeless, some of the tracks have quite large, sharp stones and a couple of spots have rocky descents. That said, I always carry a couple of tubes if on a longer ride. Tubeless is fine until you din a rim or tear a sidewall.
LimaDelta said:
I'm with you on the descents, always wanting to make up time there, but they are heavily cambered and slippery even when dry. Kielder is heavy on brakes and if wet the mud is like grinding paste. You will be on the brakes a lot so bring spares.
Just to counter the tubeless point - I passed dozens of riders with punctures that day, I was on tubes and had no issues at all. Might just have been lucky but they worked for me.
Slightly OT, but just ditch resin pads (and resin only discs). They're useless for winter off road. Sintered/semi sintered may screech a bit, but..Just to counter the tubeless point - I passed dozens of riders with punctures that day, I was on tubes and had no issues at all. Might just have been lucky but they worked for me.
I've entered the 65km route for the first time. I'm using it as a fitness goal, im way overweight at the moment and I'm starting from almost 0 fitness wise. Hopefully I can drag myself around the short route.
I'll be doing it on a hardtail mtb so lots of travel upfront for the downhills and hopefully not too much of a penalty on the rest of the course.
16 weeks(ish) to regain my lost fitness!
I'll be doing it on a hardtail mtb so lots of travel upfront for the downhills and hopefully not too much of a penalty on the rest of the course.
16 weeks(ish) to regain my lost fitness!
So here we are….a week out, training rides completed and kit bought (Apidura half frame bag and new rear tyre, which needs fitting).
Did a 50 mile road ride yesterday to stretch the legs, but I just plan a couple of shorter rides this week to keep my legs active.
Hoping to get a sighting loop of Kielder in on Friday pm and also plan to catch one of the sponsor rides on Sunday am.
How about anyone else…??
Did a 50 mile road ride yesterday to stretch the legs, but I just plan a couple of shorter rides this week to keep my legs active.
Hoping to get a sighting loop of Kielder in on Friday pm and also plan to catch one of the sponsor rides on Sunday am.
How about anyone else…??
To update, 65km route completed.
Burned too many matches on the climbs early on and suffered on the final climb after the first food stop.
Also did a lake reccy on the Friday with 3k of climbing in 26 miles, which didn’t help!
The descents were ace, managed to hit 37 mph on one.
Having done this as a reccy, we plan to hit the 130km route in 2023.
The five of us had no issues either tyres or mechanical, but there were loads of punctures on the first two ascents and descents.
Really well organised event with a great community feel to it.
I’ve posted pics elsewhere, but here’s a few:
Burned too many matches on the climbs early on and suffered on the final climb after the first food stop.
Also did a lake reccy on the Friday with 3k of climbing in 26 miles, which didn’t help!
The descents were ace, managed to hit 37 mph on one.
Having done this as a reccy, we plan to hit the 130km route in 2023.
The five of us had no issues either tyres or mechanical, but there were loads of punctures on the first two ascents and descents.
Really well organised event with a great community feel to it.
I’ve posted pics elsewhere, but here’s a few:
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