Viewing 40 posts - 41 through 80 (of 148 total)
  • Peaks that good?
  • handybendyhendo
    Free Member

    Cool ta…..not great knowledge of that bit so will wait for a mate who knows that part to be back in the mixer 😀

    marc
    Free Member

    I did the two day NATS off road tour of the Peaks years ago on a fully rigid bike, on the second time I’d upgraded to elastomer front forks.

    You don’t need much more than that. Hardly worth bothering 😉

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    When I wa’ a lad we didn’t even have disc brakes never mind this new fangled suss-pension the youth of today keep ‘arpin on about.

    I rode the Peaks faster then on my fully rigid mountain bicycle and never diid me any ‘arm.

    Cheers

    Danny B

    Yep, this is my normal Peaks bike. 🙂

    Although it did protest about a rocky descent a few weeks ago when it threw me off causing me to break my collarbone. Bad bike.

    mattrgee
    Free Member

    Yep, this is my normal Peaks bike.

    Is that a very snowy Chinley Churn?

    PeterPoddy
    Free Member

    h4muf – Member
    Peaks are crap.

    See, that’s just a straight, wide track. Quite boring to ride, but a nice place to be.

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    Is that a very snowy Chinley Churn?

    Yes. Very very windblown too – some bits where the wind had blasted the ground almost clear of snow, other areas where it was 6ft deep!

    h4muf
    Free Member

    This any better PP?


    WP_000976 by h4muf, on Flickr

    WP_000974 by h4muf, on Flickr

    WP_001008 by h4muf, on Flickr

    rob-jackson
    Free Member

    dr’s gate?

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    The Peak District is ace, the normal everyday routes are great, the cheekys even better same applies for white peak too!

    Tis funny watching some of you outsiders/ southern ponces trying to ride it sometimes! You come up here with your balls all shiny mincing around the rocky descents/ get off and push

    Yet us northerners could come down south and nail your southern soft fairy like singketrack!

    If you can ride the dark peak at speed and climb it all at speed you can ride anywhere in the uk easily, it can’t be said the same for vice versa as some of you lot clearly can’t handle it

    And boring?!?!? Seriously?!

    h4muf
    Free Member

    Of course Rob!

    el_boufador
    Full Member

    I love the peaks, cut my teeth riding around the Macclesfield forest area, which isn’t as technical as the dark peak area around hope but is still predominantly rocky, wide trails.
    I do remember not really liking the very technical stuff when I first tried it (like Cavedale), but you get better technically and then you enjoy the challenge much more than the sum of all the other tamer stuff put together.

    The riding I have locally now in Leeds is I would say *about* as good in pure riding enjoyment terms, but in a different more woodsy, flowy, singletracky, (southern-ly!) way – and there is more of it and more variety.

    However I do still really miss being able to get right out onto the middle of a high moorland trail on a warm summer’s evening. Perhaps that’s because its what riding used to mean to me in its entirety, and I can’t do that so easily from where I am now without either doing a very long ride or getting in the car first. Maybe I would feel differently if I had grown up riding mostly woodlands.

    rob-jackson
    Free Member

    oscilate wildy – i applaud you sir – soooo right! BTW get carlos to bring you out saturday for a cheeky feast!

    stomlinson
    Free Member

    Oscillate wildly too right! Some of the descents in the books are best taken flat out gives you balls the size of water melons and the cheeky trails are just rude been riding the cable ridge descent down the back of ladybower inn for years and it always puts a smile on my face! I could show you a ride in the peaks that’s in no book that would take some beating but I’ll never tell 😀 check out jack reading playing in the peaks films and then tell me it’s shit!

    twang
    Free Member

    Ok, spot the location Peaksters

    el_boufador
    Full Member

    Howden Dean?

    twang
    Free Member

    Howden Dean?

    Very good, your turn

    el_boufador
    Full Member

    🙂 Frigging scary is that trail!

    hora
    Free Member

    I like the Peaks but the Surrey hills had already stolen my heart.

    twang
    Free Member

    Frigging scary is that trail!

    Hehe, its a bit of a sphincter nipper

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    Yet us northerners could come down south and nail your southern soft fairy like singketrack!

    Now then, in their shandy drinking deffence, it took me at least 5 minutes to figure out you can corner with one pedal down rather than level to avoid rocks when I moved here.

    I’m still yet to find the gnarrly braking bumps everyones complaining about at Swinley, it’s all just smooth to me 🙂

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Great riding there, whether on a hardtail or a suss. I’m lucky enough to have Surrey Hills on my doorstep but I get up to the Peaks whenever I can.

    vickypea
    Free Member

    Well, I ride in the peaks every week and I love it, and just ride a hardtail, no fancy full suss!
    There are lots of other great places to ride MTB but I happen to live here and I love having the peaks trails on my doorstep.

    carlos
    Free Member

    Dave, pure class mate. I too applaud you. BUT you must have the right tires no?? 😉

    Rob, no play for me, sorry. Sent you a text.

    fizzicist
    Free Member

    I miss the Peaks. South West corner of Sheffield was the perfect place to live. Loads of wooded singletrack for the Soul and then head out to the Peaks for the 575.

    As has been said, the guidebook stuff is crap. The off-piste stuff is sensational in places. Trail centres are dull as hell by comparison.

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    Rob – will do bud should be free in a few weekends time so we’ll try head up and check it out he’s been buzzing about that cheeky route you do for ages do should really check it out this summer

    I know it’s horses for courses etc but to say the peak district is boring actually has me questioning if you actually like mountain biking, to me the lakes and peaks and some Wales is ultimately what MTB is about, I sometimes crave pure single track that goes on and on admittedly but the Peak District has is to in places if you explore and are willing to FP it. I’d probably love Surrey hills/ quantocks etc as I’d enjoy the singketrack but even if I didn’t find it better than the the Peak District I’d still never say its boring, natural rocky stuff is what MTB is all about to me!

    I still stand by if your riding the stuff at peaks well and fast and fit enough to get up it all then there’s nothing else in the uk as challenging

    It’s also very epic feeling if being out there in the wilderness, look at the pics above they look amazing!

    A 4-5 hour hayfield/Edale/Jacobs route is a proper buzz fest, amazing climbs amazing descents, amazing views and if you get the summer weather it’s possibly one if the best days out you’ll have all year, love the fact that every time it rains or drys or snows etc the terrain changes and properly keeps you on your toes

    Peaks FTW!

    Edit : haha Carlos! I’m still actually quite stunned just how well that racing Ralph is holding up! It was a risk albeit a well questioned one, but if I get a full summer like this out of it on the routes were doing its been a mint buy!

    Ps did you get out tonight did you get my email?

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    Twang that looks a great little ridge ride that, not heard of it mind is it cheeky?

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    Can’t argue with that oscillate, but a wilderness? Nowhere near mate – it’s the busiest national park in the UK. Even at the top end, which is v quiet, you never get that wee balls-shrinking feeling you get when setting out into the Scottish mountains.

    adsh
    Free Member

    OW – I’m tempted to say that for someone who spends about 3 weeks whinging on about how.draggy rear HDs, RQs etc are on the road you a) may not be as tough as you think and b) by this admission it seems the good bits need connecting.

    I never said it was boring and you’ll note I did enjoy it in the end. Hollins was stunning at 9pm.

    rogerthecat
    Free Member

    Did a ride out into the Dark Peak this evening – it was dreadful, rain, mud, fast trails, winding stuff, rocky stuff, hills, climbs, descents – think I may move to Norfolk.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    I miss the Peak now it’s too far away.
    Also being STW I’m amazed no body has corrected the OP on the biggest issue. It’s singular.

    Anyway I can get my 150mm HT to flow down stuff in the Peak, you don’t ride through the rocks more leap between the smooth bits 🙂

    hora
    Free Member

    Doctors Gate- never done it. Is it worth doing, any loop/route? I could do it this weekend.

    Howden Dean- Never seen that, where is it?!

    nickc
    Full Member

    Speaking as a southerner, there’s nothing in the peaks either up or down that’s particularly difficult to ride. Straight lining little rocks on a long straight descent really isn’t as hard as you all seem to think it is.

    hora
    Free Member

    nickc. Erm. I disagree but if I point out the locations I’ll get ‘in trouble’

    crikey
    Free Member

    Meh.

    Peak is a trail centre in all but name, right down to the names for the trails. It also points out the overwhelming sense of entitlement which characterises so much of modern mountainbiking; I’ve bought a bike so I’ll ride it where I want.

    hora
    Free Member

    Re its busiest place etc.

    If you start early you can get by without seeing a soul. The week before last whilst out it was 2 hours before I saw another person. When I’m finishing a ride back at the car, thats when you get people queuing up looking for spaces (circa 12.30 onwards) but that’d be anywhere nice.

    Normally at this time of year you just a gaggle of Duke of Edinburgh types. Thats it.

    Whereas (even though I love it) – the Surrey Hills is bloody packed compared.

    The Peak tends to get busy on the ‘fashionable’ routes; Mam Tor etc which I don’t really bother with or the top of Kinder where you don’t get riders anyway.

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    Doctors Gate- never done it. Is it worth doing, any loop/route? I could do it this weekend.

    You’re all about ‘the flow’ this week, right? In which case the answer is probably not. It doesn’t have much flow, bits of it are great, other bits are broken and nasty and boggy and steep at the same time, which is quite an achievement, but it has atmosphere.

    It’s also a pig to reach legally. You basically need to ride a big chunk of the A57 complete with brain-dead tourists oohing and ahhing at the sheep instead of looking where they’re going. Otherwise, use your imagination and a map and there are options, the classic loop would take in Cut Gate, but you could equally do all sorts of stuff particularly if you’re prepared to start early.

    Loving the usual STW black and white thinking where the Peak has to be either brilliant or complete rubbish. Or a trail centre full of people who’ve innocently fallen foul of someone else’s personal prejudices… oh…

    Peak is a trail centre in all but name, right down to the names for the trails. It also points out the overwhelming sense of entitlement which characterises so much of modern mountainbiking; I’ve bought a bike so I’ll ride it where I want.

    You really do squeeze out the last drop of acid from your ‘back in the day’ lemon don’t you? 🙂

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    Garry_Lager – Member
    Can’t argue with that oscillate, but a wilderness? Nowhere near mate – it’s the busiest national park in the UK. Even at the top end, which is v quiet, you never get that wee balls-shrinking feeling you get when setting out into the Scottish mountains.

    yeah defo! on saturday we were up there, did a four hour route, and i reckon we saw proabably 2 other mountain bikers and very few walkers! i get a sense of being out there mostly everytime i ride it (but i tend to avoid the ‘MAIN’ routes on summer days etc)

    its a busy national park dont get me wrong, i agree, but i still get a great sense of adventure and being ‘out there’ on the routes we do, same again applies for white peak too

    crikey
    Free Member

    You really do squeeze out the last drop of acid from your ‘back in the day’ lemon don’t you?

    Nothing to do with ‘back in the day’, all to do with people riding in environmentally sensitive areas where lots of work to stabilise the edges of the peat by seeding is being ridden over and undone.

    That’s happening now.

    We should be treating the area with respect, avoiding damage, recognising that the people who come after us might like to use it too.

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    adsh – Member
    OW – I’m tempted to say that for someone who spends about 3 weeks whinging on about how.draggy rear HDs, RQs etc are on the road you a) may not be as tough as you think and b) by this admission it seems the good bits need connecting.

    I never said it was boring and you’ll note I did enjoy it in the end. Hollins was stunning at 9pm.

    ohhhh dear! 😆

    so because i want a fast rolling rear tyre im suddenly a shit rider/not tough? 😆

    1) its less grippy, less traction, less volume

    2) its more skittish on peak rocks, its narrower etc

    and im now using that for the same rides i did with a bigger ‘eat up the terrain’ type tyre 😆

    so how does that make me not as tough? if anything its made things more challenging, but its made road sections feel quicker

    we do have to tie up road sections yes, but again its natural, these natural trails were’nt made with mtb’ers in mind im afraid, if you want to stick to all off road and it bothers you that much go to a trail centre

    i cant believe your having a pop at me for wanting a faster summer rear tyre 😆 WTF? shall i ride a draggy as hell tyre in future to satisfy you??

    anyways, im not here to bicker!

    im glad you enjoyed it in the end, all i can say is i guess its not for everyone, and some people will not enjoy it straight away as it does take some getting used to riding it, when your use to no rocks i suppose!

    but its definitely not boring, or if it is then i must be one hell of a boring guy!

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    Nothing to do with ‘back in the day’, all to do with people riding in environmentally sensitive areas where lots of work to stabilise the edges of the peat by seeding is being ridden over and undone.

    That’s happening now.

    Really? I know about the reseeding on Bleaklow and Kinder etc, but as someone who runs and walks up there – I wouldn’t ride on either by choice – I rarely see mountain bikers or tracks in those sort of areas. Where are you thinking of?

    And without being silly about it, it seems harsh to use the activities of a relatively small number of riders to beat up ‘modern mountain biking’ for having a ‘sense of entitlement’. Walkers have been destroying peat for decades now, hence the endless millstone slabs laid across popular paths.

    And don’t get me started on sheep and their responsibility for deforestation etc…

Viewing 40 posts - 41 through 80 (of 148 total)

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