Hi,

I bought a Genesis day one alfine (steel cross bike) last year for commuting duty, but I don’t really know what CX bikes are capable of having just ridden it on the road. I trashed my mountain bike yesterday (broke the fork) but was planning on heading out tomorrow with a mate to Edale / chapel gate / mam tor way – does anyone who knows the area know whether that’s going to be a bit much on a XC or will it be ok? I’m a fairly experienced MTBer but would prefer not to be walking home having trashed a wheel or what have you.

Cheers

CX bikes are fine on mixed surfaces (great on dirt, obv), but do start to suck when it gets very rocky IME. So I wouldn’t set out to do stuff like Jacobs or the Beast – you’d prob be going too slow to trash a wheel (although a puncture is easy), it’s more that they’re just rubbish descents on the CX.

Something like up Chapel Gate from Edale, back to Mam nick and Hollins cross, down to Backtor farm (tricky but overall OK on the cx), along up Jaggers to Hope cross then descend Roman Road at pace to Hope, see how that goes. Pretty CX friendly I reckon.

The Jacob’s ladder loop via Hayfield would be good also, if you just walk up Jacobs, and don’t descend Coldwell clough (awful on the CX). Get on the footpath to the right of Oaken clough asap, and then take that bridleway to Kinder reservoir – smooth riding. The return via Mt Famine, Sth Head, Roych etc is then good CX riding.

What he said. I don’t know that area particularly well but from what I recall the mtb routes are pretty rocky which is perfectly rideable on a CX and I doubt you’ll trash your wheel but at best you may find it frustrating as CX bikes and rocky trails are fine for a bit but soon get boring as you pick your way slowly over without really getting any flow. Or worst, you’ll tear/etc your tyre/tube.

I’d be looking to go white peak on a cross bike.

A lot of the dark peak descents are miserable on a cross bike. Far from impossible and certainly doable, but painful, very slow and very high risk of pinch flats and expensive rim dings.

I ride round there on a cx bike, and my only advice would be to pump your tyres up hard, 60psi or more depending on your weight.

Lower pressures are much comfier, but you will pinch flat.

don’t worry about rocks, just pick the bike up and run. That’s what cx is all about, isn’t it? a nice trail run spoiled by carrying 20lbs of sharp-edged ironmongery over your shoulder.

I’ve ridden stuff like Cut Gate, the Roych, Jacob’s on a cross bike and it’s definitely possible, though also an acquired taste. Did it with mates who were training for the Three Peaks for entertainment. Not exactly the ideal tool for the job and not great on big jumbles of rock like potato alley and the like, but if you’re prepared to slow down and pick a line, you can ride most stuff on typical Peak trails – bear in mind that there’s no fork dive, so it’s harder to go over the bars, things aren’t comfortable, but they are at least predictable. High tyre pressures seconded.

Well that was all good fun – we went up over Stanage and down the bridleway, then across and down the moss road and back home. Back hurts a bit now… wonder why. Thanks for the advice everyone.