Highest Cycleable Point in Scotland

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 arandall 15 Jun 2014
I've cycled up snowdon and helvellyn, the highest points in england and wales you can ride a bike, so where is the highest one in scotland?
 TheGeneralist 15 Jun 2014
In reply to arandall:

um, is this a trick question?
 Jack B 15 Jun 2014
In reply to arandall:

Well, I would think there is nothing to prevent you from riding up Ben Nevis.

I'm not a mountain biker, but I guess it might prove difficult to ride around on top, as it's mostly broken rock. The path should be rideable though. If for that reason you're discounting Ben Nevis, then Ben Macdui is your best bet.
In reply to arandall:

I've done both Ben Nevis and Ben Macdui. Ben Macdui was the most rideable and is good from both Spayside and Deeside.
 Nutkey 15 Jun 2014
In reply to arandall:

I presume the OP means legally, i.e. it's not a trick question (there's a bridleway on Helvellyn, but not on Scafell or SP.

Surprised no one has mentioned this yet:

http://tuckettbrothers.co.uk/News/Ben%20Nevis/Ben%20Nevis.htm
 DaveHK 15 Jun 2014
In reply to arandall:
Of the 4000'ers only Nevis, Macdui and Cairngorm are worth taking a bike on. I'm not counting Aonach Mor by the gondola!

Depending on ability and route it is possible to ride all the way to the summit of Cairngorm, there are a variety of descents, the best of which is probably round the northern corries and down the Macdui path.

Macdui is mostly rideable up if you go via Cairngorm but there is a few hundred metres of scree which is not rideable. The best descent is to the Hutchy hut.

Ben Nevis is largely a carry on the up, the best route being via the CIC hut as an out and back. The section from 1/2 way lochan to the CIC is mostly unrideable on the down but the rest is good if very busy above the lochan.
Post edited at 22:21
 DaveHK 15 Jun 2014
In reply to Nutkey:
> (In reply to arandall)
>
> I presume the OP means legally,

It's all legal in Scotland.
 peebles boy 19 Jun 2014
In reply to arandall:

Mount Keen is widely seen as one of the best big hills for actually biking rather than just trying to hang onto your bars/maintain momentum over ridiculously rough ground.
 jethro kiernan 20 Jun 2014
In reply to arandall:

apparently ben nevis has a range of benches and bike racks on the summit
 JLS 20 Jun 2014
In reply to DaveHK:

There must be a challenge in this.

Highest elevation (in the UK) reached riding a bike.

The rules.

1) The challenge must start on the public road system.
2) The challenge will deem to have ended upon the cyclist using a third point of contact to maintain balance. (ie. no dabs, bike ridden all the way).

Unless you can ride like Danny MacAskill, gates and fences may prove challenging.
 Bob 20 Jun 2014
In reply to JLS:

Possibly Carn Ban Mor, it's regarded as a classic MTB ride - http://www.mtbtrails.info/Trail_Venue.aspx?VenueNumber=14
 Trangia 20 Jun 2014
In reply to TheGeneralist:
> (In reply to arandall)
>
> um, is this a trick question?

Must be, so I'll guess

the Inn Pinn?
Rigid Raider 20 Jun 2014
In reply to arandall:

You can't ride the last few hundred feet up the summit cone of Mt Keen. All the rest can be done easily though.
 Horse 20 Jun 2014
In reply to JLS:

I've been working on my own challenge, the 1000m summit to sea plummet. Deal is start at sea level (toes in water) then get up to at least 1000m (portage permitted)then turn round and ride back down (no portage) and put your toes back in the water.

I think it should be doable from Kinlochleven up to the end of the Mamores from the 1062 top between Binnein Mor and Sgorr Eilde Beag down one of the Enduro tracks into the back of KLL, not the landie track to the Mamore Lodge.

Any other suggestions?
 DaveHK 20 Jun 2014
In reply to JLS:

> There must be a challenge in this.

> Highest elevation (in the UK) reached riding a bike.

> The rules.

> 1) The challenge must start on the public road system.

> 2) The challenge will deem to have ended upon the cyclist using a third point of contact to maintain balance. (ie. no dabs, bike ridden all the way).


Last night I rode from Glen More to the summit of Cairngorm. I took the Allt Mor path at the bottom so there were a few short bits of pushing (maybe 100m in total). From the Ski Centre car park I rode up the landy track to the Ptarmigan and via Ciste Mhearad to the summit.

Nae dabs from car park to summit so if you took the road to the car park it would give c925m of height gain in a single push.

Is there anything bigger that's doable with nae dabs?
 DaveHK 20 Jun 2014
In reply to Horse:
>
> Any other suggestions?

Summit of Beinn Fhada at 1032m to the sea at Morvich. Couple of K on the road to finish unfortunately. It is all rideable (Edit- on the down! it's mostly a carry up) but to do it without putting a foot down would be pretty tough.
Post edited at 15:44
 DaveHK 20 Jun 2014
In reply to Bob:
> Possibly Carn Ban Mor,

Only (!) about 722m of height difference on that one although from memory it might be possible to continue all the way to Sgor Gaoithe for an extra 60 or so m.
Post edited at 15:40
 JLS 20 Jun 2014
In reply to DaveHK:
So, reached an elevation of 1,309m "nae dabs". That's a good marker.

I declare you the current UK record holder.
Post edited at 15:43
 DaveHK 20 Jun 2014
In reply to JLS:

Only 1245m.
 Horse 20 Jun 2014
In reply to DaveHK:

I'll have a look at that one.

I think a few dabs are permitted in descent particularly on fast corners where it might be regarded as good style

What one can't do is carry round anything that looks a bit gnarly.
 JLS 20 Jun 2014
In reply to DaveHK:
I've checked with Roy Castle via a medium and you still have the record!
Post edited at 16:18
 DaveHK 20 Jun 2014
In reply to JLS:
> (In reply to Dave Kerr)
>
> I've checked will Roy Castle via a medium and you still have the record!

You know me, don't like to blow my own trumpet.

 JLS 20 Jun 2014
In reply to DaveHK:

Sounds like a bit of bull' to me. Possibly a horn section.
 DaveHK 20 Jun 2014
In reply to Horse:

@Horse

Have a look on here if you're on FB:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/461643593920740/

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