Saturday coast run and cycle on the 29+

Saturday dawned better than forecast with some blue sky's and fluffy clouds. Not the cold overcast forecast, it was cooler though. The gales through the week have dropped a lot of leaves, i crunched through them on the John Muir Way on route for North Berwick train station. I was heading to meet coast running friend and fellow bloggers Peter who was on his way from Edinburgh with Mary.

Any pics i am in were taken by Peter;

Mary bought a one way ticket and was running home along the coast, Peter a return so we did a loop, the pace was quite quick as Peter and i rode and  ran along the east beach then took to the trail around the East Links Golf Course to Canty Bay. First time i have ridden the Surly KramPug 29+ on the beach with it`s 3" tyres, i wanted to see what it was like...

The pace was quite quick as Peter raced over the rocks that i took my time on.
The Surly 29+ is i would term it a `Fat Lite`  bike. It is deft better than a regular 29er MTB on the wet sand and rocks with its larger lower presure tyres, but not quite as good as my 4" Pugsley.
With the tide too far in to get around to the access road at Canty Bay, we climbed up the steep banks, i hike a biked with the bike on my shoulder. Here it trumps the bigger fatbikes as so much lighter...

Onto the road and past Tantallon castle...

-:)

And down to Seacliff...

What a great way to spend a Saturday!...

He certainly thought so!... -:)

Down and across to the harbour...

East along the coast and now on more ride able stuff for myself our pace was more even...

Plenty of pics coming by Peter in his blog of the day...

Peffersands...

No probs on the wet sand, but bit of a slog on the watery wet stuff and powder dry...

Tumbling surf and big fluffy clouds...

Photo time!...

We then went around St Baldreds cradle and along the secret trail...

Then across the salt marsh and to Mosshouse Point. Peter had run the secret trail but not been to Mosshouse Point so was nice to show him this corner which hardly sees any people...

From Tyninghame woods we headed along the road to Binning Woods...

Smeaton Mill and onto the John Muir Way towards John Muir Park.  Chestnuts are a lovely autumn colour this year...

Great to see the geese coming in at Hedderwick sands...

The sky was clouding over and the temperature dropped noticeably, never mind as we were enjoying ourselves too much...

We did a loop around the woods at John Muir Park, topped up with water at the building, then started to return to North Berwick...

Alongside the Tyne to East Linton, and i took to the stubble, 29+ tyres are nearly as good as 4" fatbike tyres on stubble!...

Stopped for a pic of us both...

coastrider and coastrunner...

Peter stopped for some food at East Linton Co Op to refuel, then we were up Drylaw Hill, and we were met with a flat light view, still we had seen the best of the sky this morning but it was dry!...

Onto the JMW through Craigmoor Wood,  second time today!...

The end in sight..

Moo! -:)

Rowen trees have loads of berries this year...

And back to the train station, 30 miles ran and cycled with Peter...

Peter caught his train and i cycled home, on the JMW for the third time today. It would be 44 miles cycled by the time i was home...

Some words for the bike geeks;
So is the 29+ wheel/tyre set up ok for the beaches and coastline?.
It is ok for hard sand, and not too technical rock riding. My legs were a bit sore after slogging a bit on the soft sand and very wet watery sand so still not as good as a 4" or 5" fatbike, but i guessed that would be the case already.

The wheels now have 29 x 2.5"  Scraeder Valve tubes in now so i can use Tyre Weld if needed (i still carry a spare tube and patches too)
I left home with the tyres set to 15 psi - half that of my regular 2.2" 29er bike,
That`s the differance between 29er and 29+
This was far too hard and the bike was skipping about on the JMW on the way to North Berwick.
Waiting at the station for Peter i aired them down a bit. Guessing what would be right.
Back home i checked them and the gauge read 11psi rear 10psi front. Not a bad guess!.
I managed to ride rocks with this pressure and only once tapped the rim - to be honest i think these rims are too light weight for the type of rock riding i do on my fatbikes on the coast.

These wheels shine on regular trails though, esp with soft  patches that slow a regular MTB 2.2" tyre.
The comfort and roll and less trail clatter over roots and stones make them a far comfier ride than a regular 29er tyre. The difference to my other Surly - the Karate Monkey 29er is quite a noticeable. My KM is a very flexy bike but still beats you a bit being rigid, the 29+ i am finding to be the best compromise for cycling above the High Tideline on the coast.

To have these wheels for a 4" fatbike is brilliant. I  love the speed of them on the roads, for climbing, and on our regular trails and Byways here in East Lothian...
Other manufacturers of fatbikes are re marketing fatbikes with `trail` geometry. This bike HAS trail geometry!, and so do all other original designs and makes. Everyone is using their fatbikes on trails just fine here in the UK!.
I don`t need to, or want to ride any faster on shared trails away from other users than i can with this bike.
I proved it is fast enough too on trails a few weeks ago at Glentress Trail Centre


I just wish i could get a hold of a new black Pugsley frame to get my next fatbike built over winter, they seem to be out of stock at present.
A Jones Truss Fork `Super Pug` with two wheel sets - for the best of both worlds... -:)

This old Pugsley needs to be restored to original grey and spec being Scotlands first fatbike and retired, along with the purple Pugsley i have. Both have done a lot of riding. Be 6 years this Halloween -:)

Feel the `fat` folks! -:)

You can read Peters blog with his pictures and words from the day Here