Lakeland gravel grinder Fermanagh

zindicato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118002093#Comment_118002093

Grass routes is also brutal never ending double digit climbs and some really dodgy downhill sections... but in saying that the lakelander just edges it due to grip issues on the loose gravel on the climbs which makes it harder its either your front end wants to make a wheelie and your rear just spins when you try to stand up , the mayo xtrm havent heard about it but it is on my list now, thanks for mentioning it... but dont have any mtb for it😥 ...someday maybe when the missus allows me to have one 😂

kenmc

Hated every minute of it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Already planning next year with the lads. Had a great first section to the food stop, was flying, really enjoying myself. Dunno what happened, maybe stopped too long, but had a miserable next 25 or 30. Barely got up the Navar ending climb to the food stop, thought I was going to spew, even considered making it happen to lighten the load. Then just before the last food stop came good again and finished strongly. Didn't threaten the podium by any stretch of the imagination, but delighted to get to the finish.

Super tasty local beer in the clubhouse and really nice quality t-shirt and medal topped it off.

a148pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118002590#Comment_118002590

I did the first two thirds of the Grass Routes and while its a fantastic route its functionally no gravel at all, you can do the entire thing on a road bike? Unless they changed it this year?

Flicked through the Audax site last night and Mayo XTRM said MTB only? Mayo Western Lakes 200 / 100 said you could do it on a gravel bike if cautious. That might be a runner unless someone has intel on the XTRM. No way I would do 200k though, absolutely no way! Had maybe 20 or 30 more k in the tank on Saturday and would have been unpleasant at that.

Would Tubbercurry off road be viable?

Macy0161

Grass Routes is a road bike event, but ideally you'd want disc brakes/ cantis. And not sure I'd fancy a full wet Grass Routes on slicks tbh.

There was also Gravel Grind West this year - same weekend as Grass Routes. I think it was a 2 day event - shorter 20km on the Friday, 100km on Saturday. On my list for next year, if it comes back.

Gutted to have missed the Lakelander for the second year running, after doing 2019. Definitely be aiming to be back next year.

delynet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118003119#Comment_118003119

I hated/loved Gravel Grinder this year. The last time I did it on MTB and got a gravel bike since. Knocked about 50 mins off my time. No punctures (WTB Resolute 42mm TL) but I got damn lucky. Gear cable snapped just after the finish line.

Mayo XTRM - Ideal bike for this is a gravel bike. Nothing too technical. Some of the route overlaps the Gravel Grind West route. I did it last year, still remember how goosed I was at the finish.

Tubbercurry MTB Audax - Again gravel bike is ideal. I did this a few weeks ago. 200km which makes for a long day out. Watch your feeding, very few shops along the way.

Mayo Western Lakes 200 / 100 - Mostly fine on gravel bike. However, there is a few technical bits in Tourmakeady woods, another on a climb up to a lake and there is a section in Clonbur around a lake I would avoid. It is a bike carry in soft ground with very high rushes. Not worth going anywhere near this section.

Grass routes is definitely a road bike/tyre event. I did it a few weeks ago with 30mm Schwabe Pro One tubeless tyres on gravel bike and they were ideal.

Gravel Grind West, I also did this one. Gravel bike job. A few technical sections. No where near as hard as Gravel Grinder as you don't have the elevation gain. Some video I captured here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh4g-RNMGUc

a148pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118003384#Comment_118003384

Super info thanks. Although it now makes it harder for me to cry off because I'm not sure its suitable for a gravel bike!

Altheus

Huge shout out to a148pro for the lift up! Great day out. Really enjoyed it, first time ever doing gravel like that and never at such speed! Numbers felt perfect, with people coming and going, registration a jump in and out affair. Definitely one of the hardest things I've done a bike, at times I just put it in to granny gear, sat and grounded my way up the climbs.

Very disappointed that a sidewall tear and eventually a giant tyre slash resigned me to having to carry the bike over the line.

Can't wait to do it again next year :D

zindicato

Exactly forgot tp mention that the grassroutes is one event wherein you go with your everyday roadie and leave the nice bike at home ,just switch it up on the tyre size and you are good to go I used a schwalbe marathon 32c touring tyre for this event . The lakelander is nearly all gravel with short tarmac sections MTBS, gravel and cx bikes with knobbly fat tyres are the way to go on this one . I used a 700x35c crossking for the lakelander which was ok but maybe next year ill go much wider.

Macy0161

Or just do the Grass Routes on your good bike...

Grass Routes obviously isn't a gravel event, but I'd have it as similar type event tbh, having done both. Different bike, similar vibes, similar hardship