I’ve done this a fair frew times now. Despite what you may think, there IS a perfect bike setup for the ‘Peaks. Every year I get nearer to it, but there’s always something and somewhere you can improve. A classic way that this race grabs you and draws you in.
I’ve ridden almost all editions since my 1995 debut and this year, I thought I’d run through a few of the subtle bike things that spring to mind – and things that specifically say ‘3 Peaks’ out loud.
Trigger’s broom
Firstly – the bike frame. This is possibly one of the oldest, most Peaks-ed bikes out there on Sunday. I first rode the titanium On One Pickenflick in the 2012 edition of this race. It’s a race bike, with race geometry and pretty much pre-dates gravel frame thinking. But the frame and forks are the only part that survive that 2012 outing. Titanium lends itself to that – always the ability to look undated and fresh. Always ready to support some accessory upgrade.
Tyre width is 33/35/37/ whatever!
With a 35mm event limit and 33mm tyres you must think I’m nuts. But the caliper test on my lovely and wide Low Mass gravel wheelset (light and lovely with Sapim XRay spokes) shows a width of 37mm. (Remember – it’s the manufacturer’s printed width that is used to judge). Tubless liners inside the strong-sidewalled Vittoria Terreno Mix should help in the event of pressure loss, and help prevent smacks on the larger stones. I’m not a total fan though because of the cavity’s ability to distribute sealant, but it’s a trade-off.
Tread-wise, I always like a bit of tread rather than faster-rolling semi slicks. This is almost all down to the braking stuff and highter tyre pressure. High pressure = not your normal ‘purchase’, and braking on grass (Cold Cotes, top end of Penyghent) can be quite high speed and full-on.
Under Pressure?
The usual trade-off. Too low, you puncture, too high you hate your bike and can hardly handle it. Add to that the problem that tubeless sealant hates high pressure and you get the picture. We do all this with our fingers crossed. I’m 83kg and will start with 40 rear, 38 front in those nice wide tyres. We’ll see.
Gears are never low enough
For those of us incapable of putting out over 400 watts for 25 minutes or whatever that Drake freak does, very low gears are a blessing. I normally run a 46 front ring on this single-ring ‘cross bike but desparate times call for destaprate measures. I’m 40 up front and 50 on the back of the 12 speed cassette. Shifting is helped thanks to AXS wireless, and there’s no chance of draggy cables. I do carry a spare battery though… not because of battery life, but because I once took one off in a crash and didn’t realise until I’d ridden off. Worth carrying light, small things like that.
Uncaged
You’ll see on the photo there’s no bottle cage. This is a first for me this year. I’m not a Camelbak person, but I have found, over the 23 editions, that there is simply no time to drink over the 3 mountains themselves, so I will be taking a bottle at Cold Cotes, and one at Ribblehead, and shoving it in my pocket, with the strict instructions to fully consume it before the road sections end. The psychological benefit of not having a bottle cage digging in your back are quite picking me up at the moment. Comfort counts.
Going spare
So what’s in the tool bag?
- Tube x 1
- Tyre levers
- Tubeless bung
- CO2 canisters x 3
- Inflator
- Emergency fold-away glasses (seriously, if I have to repair anything, I need specs!)
- Multi-tool
- Chain link
- Fresh brake pads (absolutely last resort- you never know if it’s hideously wet or you somehow dislodge a pad spring)
… then in my pocket
- whistle
- blanket
- 2nd inner tube
(and my gels…..)
You’ll also spot the mini pump on the bike. It’s light and I’ve had issues with Co2 and valves occasionally, so it’s worth carrying.
Constantly seeking perfection
I’m sure I’ll refine it next year. What do you think? What did I miss? Comments please.
