Loved the insight and honesty in this series! Good to see you didn't push too hard when things were beyond your skills levels! Have fun, and come back stronger next time! I look forward to seeing a series on the January Event!
Hey Chris, Happy New Year. Well done on this event mate, for someone who doesn’t ride mtb that often i would consider that a huge achievement. No negatives to take from this mate, you got to ride your bike and we got to come along for the ride via your videos. New year and more rides to come. Keep up the good work mate.
Interesting hear your experience with shoes. I bought a pair of Shimano gravel shoes of some model that I paid a relative fortune for in 2023 (I don't like to spent much on shoes), by the end of GranGuanche gravel this year they were total trashed from hike a bike, general wear and tyre from bikepacking adventures before the event and I guess the rigours of the GG itself. As for pertex in clothing.. I first came across pertex on a giveaway musette and thought wow this is so great, and then again another giveaway this time a cap and so far really impressed by it's feel and comfort. Then an emergency purchase during PCR when I reached Wales, a pertex rain jacket from Rab - it was a godsend not as warm or dry as sunny warm Brittany a few days earlier. So year really impressed with it's ability to keep out the rain and it's relatively good breathability. More recently but yet to be worn is a pertex rain jacket from Albion looking forward to see how that fairs. As a material, pertex for me at least, based on zero scientific evidence it seems like a successor to those banned "forever chemicals" that you can no longer find in outdoor gear. Happy New Year Chris!
Great little video series Chris, some absolutely stunning scenery! I'd be interested to know more about your filming setup, how do you mount whatever camera you use (or multiple) for both the out front capture and also your 'vlog' sections on the bike?
I literally use one action camera for everything, which is a bit of a compromise but on trips like this it’s more efficient. I then have it on a grill mount (I think that’s what it’s called?)
Good one mate, looks like you stayed at the same hotel I did the next night. Really enjoyed watching the whole series, thanks for putting all the work into filming and editing! Just a question/comment - you say you only used the dropper a few times, I used it loads, I felt like at least 50% of descents really benefitted from it - was that a conscious choice of yours or is that because you don’t mountain bike much and just lack the habit of dropping the seat? To be fair I don’t think it makes or breaks the race, you can maybe win a minute on a 45 minute descent, I just find it helps with taking the edge off on the rough stuff resulting in slightly less mental fatigue overall.
Thanks mate I appreciate you appreciating the hard work with this one! Haha! Yeah I only used the dropper when it got proper technical. I'm used to descending a lot of that kind of thing on a gravel bike, just the super technical parts I struggle so yeah I don't have a dropper post on the gravel bike so to be honest I think I just forget about it.
@ yeah, my mtb has a weird geometry to the point where I actually use the dropper to get on the bike comfortably, so that definitely helps as a reminder that it’s there. (Or maybe my body has weird geometry 🤔😀)
super set of videos Chris - pleased your taking the positives from the trip rather than dwell on the negatives.
Yeah lots of good to take from it. I was pleased
Always a pleasure seeing your videos mate.
Thank you for watching :)
Really enjoyed the series Chris, what an effort I’ve no idea how you guys do these events!!! Happy New Year and keep the great content coming.
Happy new year! Thanks so much for watching!
Good to see you're still at it.
Always!
Loved the insight and honesty in this series! Good to see you didn't push too hard when things were beyond your skills levels! Have fun, and come back stronger next time! I look forward to seeing a series on the January Event!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching : )
Hey Chris, Happy New Year. Well done on this event mate, for someone who doesn’t ride mtb that often i would consider that a huge achievement. No negatives to take from this mate, you got to ride your bike and we got to come along for the ride via your videos. New year and more rides to come. Keep up the good work mate.
Happy New Year to you too and thanks so much!
Nice one Chris...💪
Thank you!
Enjoyed your content of this event. Good that you applied common sense/balance/reality to the situation. Thanks for sharing
I appreciate that! Thank you
Interesting hear your experience with shoes. I bought a pair of Shimano gravel shoes of some model that I paid a relative fortune for in 2023 (I don't like to spent much on shoes), by the end of GranGuanche gravel this year they were total trashed from hike a bike, general wear and tyre from bikepacking adventures before the event and I guess the rigours of the GG itself.
As for pertex in clothing.. I first came across pertex on a giveaway musette and thought wow this is so great, and then again another giveaway this time a cap and so far really impressed by it's feel and comfort. Then an emergency purchase during PCR when I reached Wales, a pertex rain jacket from Rab - it was a godsend not as warm or dry as sunny warm Brittany a few days earlier.
So year really impressed with it's ability to keep out the rain and it's relatively good breathability. More recently but yet to be worn is a pertex rain jacket from Albion looking forward to see how that fairs. As a material, pertex for me at least, based on zero scientific evidence it seems like a successor to those banned "forever chemicals" that you can no longer find in outdoor gear.
Happy New Year Chris!
Yeah shoes seem to get battered on Hike a bike bits. Not too sure exactly what would be the right solution for it to be honest.
Thanks for the great videos it was great meeting you at the race. I'm looking forward to the next one, Dave Tilly.
Great to meet you too!
Great little video series Chris, some absolutely stunning scenery! I'd be interested to know more about your filming setup, how do you mount whatever camera you use (or multiple) for both the out front capture and also your 'vlog' sections on the bike?
I literally use one action camera for everything, which is a bit of a compromise but on trips like this it’s more efficient. I then have it on a grill mount (I think that’s what it’s called?)
happy New Year thank you for the video👍
Happy new year!
Love the 'stringy thing' for the glasses. May stop me losing some....
Honestly I proper rate them
We had a hotel on the other side of the motorway in las Chafiras and getting the boxes was an adventure in itself 😅
Hahaha yeah i can believe that!
Good one mate, looks like you stayed at the same hotel I did the next night. Really enjoyed watching the whole series, thanks for putting all the work into filming and editing!
Just a question/comment - you say you only used the dropper a few times, I used it loads, I felt like at least 50% of descents really benefitted from it - was that a conscious choice of yours or is that because you don’t mountain bike much and just lack the habit of dropping the seat?
To be fair I don’t think it makes or breaks the race, you can maybe win a minute on a 45 minute descent, I just find it helps with taking the edge off on the rough stuff resulting in slightly less mental fatigue overall.
Thanks mate I appreciate you appreciating the hard work with this one! Haha! Yeah I only used the dropper when it got proper technical. I'm used to descending a lot of that kind of thing on a gravel bike, just the super technical parts I struggle so yeah I don't have a dropper post on the gravel bike so to be honest I think I just forget about it.
@ yeah, my mtb has a weird geometry to the point where I actually use the dropper to get on the bike comfortably, so that definitely helps as a reminder that it’s there. (Or maybe my body has weird geometry 🤔😀)
Mountain bikes do tend to get a bit battered, do like the headtorch. Best of luck with the road one.
Thanks!