What bike for WAR Glunmalure?

Stevegeraghty

Just wondering what bike people recomend for war Glunmalure, I see there is a rocky bit in the middle, is the road bike a no go?

Oryx

A road bike is fine. You might want to walk it through a bit of that rough section if youre worried about the tyres. The rest of the course is on tarmac and I reckon a road bike is best suited overall. Its two years since I did it but I presume its the same as before.

Dilbert75

Sorry for resuscitating an old thread but I've a similar dilemma - I've a cheap heavy-ish mountain bike with full suspension and normal pedals or a lightish road bike with no suspension and clipped pedals. Don't fancy walking the rough bit in cycling shoes but don't fancy the mountain bike for 19km either! Wonder would it be worth putting tougher tyres on the road bike or maybe skinnier tyres on the mountain bike. Any advice?

Andrewf20

I did that race on my racer in 2011 (the short course). Definetly the way to go. My tyres can handle 140 psi but I put them to 125 psi to cope with the rough stuff (puncture avoidance). We had to cross a rocky stream but I jumped off the bike and walked it across and up the slippy small hill after. Then it was back to tarmac for the rest of the course. Thats as complicated as it got.

Just practice walking in the bike shoes on gravel and undulating terrain somewhere if unsure. The tricky section probably only lasts about 2-3 mins (assuming the course is the same). It a hilly loop and would be way tougher on a heavy mountain bike. I think pretty much everybody had racers apart from 1 or 2 hybrids.

Heres a pic off the web of the stream we had to cross: http://actionphotography.ie/images/APL_0799-20110618.jpg

ThisRegard

The road leading up to that point, if it can be called that, is pretty poor, all holes and rocks but nothing that can't be done on a road bike anyway.