Join racers from across the Maritimes in racing to the finish line in one of four mountain bike races: the 120km, the 80km, the 40km, or the 20km.
For more information and to register, see our event page on Race Roster: 2021 — Tour of Elgin 2021 — Race Roster — Registration, Marketing, Fundraising
Any truth to the and lots of fast flowy single track (30%) ?
I’ve heard they really came through with this claim in recent years.
30% would be on an aggressive estimate. Not what I’d classify as “flowy.” Elgin has a lot of everything, especially climbing and rock.
Reality is when you’re doin’ the long stuff you’re only into hitting any aggressive singletrack for the first 2/3rds. By the time you’ve done 80k you relish every fast section regardless of surface or width b/c it means you’re getting closer to being done with every km. Nothing worse than hitting jank or gnarly s’track at 100+kms 
More like 35 km of fire road, 5 km of green double track and 5 of decent single track. It’s an XC race it’s expected but due to that and fitness being way off the mark this year, riding the area for a weekend and picking what I ride is more fun.
I’m ramping up the km, aiming to add another 120k belt buckle to my “palmares”. 
In 2022, though 
Always a great time.
Elgin is a lot different than it use to be. It probably isn’t quite 1/3 of decent sidetrack but it is pretty darn lose in recent years. Each of the past 3-4 years they’ve added more single-track.
Yeah that’s what I’m hearing. I did it for a few years and every year they promoted amazing awesome singletrack and amazing views etc. Now, I’m pretty realistic and don’t expect 80km of singletrack (or even 20km ffs) in an endurance event but what I do expect is that the singletrack that does actually make up the course to be as awesome as awesome is. I gave it the benefit of the doubt the first couple of years but lost interest after riding abandoned skidder roads and singletrack that looked like it was flagged and cut the day before.
This has been a bucket list race for me since the mid-2000s. I’m on the fence this year, because I’ve done zero structured training and I don’t even have a race bike anymore. That belt buckle sounds sweet though.
The single-track portion they have in there now is pretty good. Not buttery smooth, but not haggard either. Its enjoyable to ride, especially with it being the second loop and not at the end, hahaha.
I’d say the single-track is comparable to the stuff at spider outside of of skull - not new school smooth, but not like wrandees.
I’m 2019 there was 2 or 3 very brief fun sections of single track the rest was meh. I had a good time but I wouldn’t pay to go suffer when I can go ride the good stuff only for free.
I think the best way to approach an event like Elgin (at least the longer distances) is to expect Type 2 Fun, and hope it doesn’t become
Type 3. A bit of Type 1 Fun is gravy.
The dinner after the race, the supportive vibe, is really great. I like almost all trail and look forward to returning.
Here are Fun Scale definitions from one of my heros, if I have such a thing (Kelly is being a bit tongue in cheek obviously):
That’s brilliant and so true. I’ve seldom finished an epic mtb marathon event and immediately been stoked to return. It takes a bit of time (could be hours, could be months) to numb the suffering and re-ignite the desire to challenge yourself.
and get the feeling back in your hands and sit bones!
Yah man, all good points here and previous. I didn’t want to dwell on this too much or really get into it because of the fundraising aspect of it. Always had a great time, overall. The sit down dinner was icing on the cake.
Maybe some day I’ll get off my butt and get one of those buckles, finally.
Can happily confirm that @AustinM is 100% correct on this now.
Saturday I hit the 40k/650 mtrs Elgin race with my son and the loop was about 75% sweet singletrack, def the best 40k compilation of trails I’ve ever raced there.
There was singletrack on the other two 40 loops also but feedback suggested that it was loop 2 (the 40k race loop) that was the most singletrack heavy.
2600 metres of elevation gain in total for the 120k race (put that in perspective next time you bang off a 15k/200 metre ride!) and NS riders took three of the top five in the overall.
Excellent organization, on-time starts, prompt results, great meal option and about 185 riders across all categories (120k, 80k, 40k, 20k, kids race).
Results:
Anyone know if/when Tour of Elgin might be happening this year? Sadly I already need to be thinking about organizing my fall schedule.
I sent them an email through the contact section on the website a few weeks ago-no response.
The past 4 or 5 years it’s always been on the first Sat in Oct. If that helps.
This event has always interested me.
What is the cut off on the 120 to receive “The Buckle”
Also, it seems as if its 3 laps. Does anyone have a solid description of a lap?
It’s three different loops, they just call them laps. Dunno what the cut-off is.
