Should I take titanium hardtail with sid team, Stans 355 (and enjoy uphill) or evil sov, float 140, stans flow with big tyres (for peace of mind)? Staying in Hawkshead and thought I’d do runs out of the VP book as never rode there before. Did Kielder on the titanium but imagine riding the lakes is much more punishing.

Either will be fine.

Either, the Ti will be much quicker overall, but the Sov will possibly be more fun on the down’s,

singlespeed

Good question! The Lakes rewards road and off-road riding. I’m just back from a week riding the passes on my ScandAL. I’ve set it up to flip easily between tarmac and XC, and I had ‘no problems’ doing the passes…well, apart from the usual heart failure! I also passed three guys on the top of Helvellyn. Not sure I’d want to heave their full sussers up there so again a lighter bike would make sense. On balance though, I prefer riding on-road in the lakes than off. Climbing out of Buttermere through the Newlands Pass in the pouring rain was more fun than I thought it’d be 😉

One last thing. They’ve been trimming the hedgerows on a lot of the lanes. Be prepared for flats :-/

Just depends on your preference really – I enjoy the downs much more so I prefer a bigger bike. I’ve dragged it up Helvellyn too and it was well worth it imo.

I prefer riding on-road in the lakes than off.

Weirdo 😛

😆 I know! It’s such a waste of Britains best landscape!

On balance though, I prefer riding on-road in the lakes than off

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT???

But, but…Wry Nose, Honister, Newlands…30% gradients…lovely!

This blog about cycling on the lake’s passes gets it spot on!

I’d take the Evil Sovereign, unless you really prefer climbing to descending.

If you’re going to be riding around Hawkshead then there seems to be less hike-a-bike in that area than other bits of the Lakes. Of course that doesn’t necessarily apply if you’re heading to Walna Scar, Garburn, High St…

You’ll only be riding one of two trails whilst your there. Either The Fox run, or the North Face trail.

If you prefer the technical, gnarly rock fest of the Fox, then take the Sovereign (or even better, get a full bouncer!)

If you like the smooth, flowing single track of the North Face then take the ti hardtail.

It isn’t really a dilema. You would have great fun on a rigid 1988 stumpy (my first mountain bike). The hard tail will take you everywhere you need to go and put a big smile on your face.

Take both?

big tyres

Nail. Head.

Grizedale’s natural trails on the hardtail.

Er, aren’t they both hardtails?

Dunno. Thought this was a full-sus vs hardtail issue, otherwise why bother asking?

I’d take the Sov of those 2 options. If you’re doing any of the big passes, you’ll end up carrying a fair bit, so the climbing ability is moot, and the descents will be far more fun on the bigger bike.

Easy. Evil Sov. No contest really.

OK thanks for the replies – think that I’m persuaded to go with the Sov. I sought of knew it would be the more versatile bike – just wondered about the hills as its quite heavy.