The first bit before the stone slabs after the ford from ladybower side, that is?
Tried the ride at the weekend and couldn’t believe how tough the climb was- no way could I ride up all that, was pushing from early on.

Has anyone actually ridden up it all the way? I imagine its possible for the elite among us, just wondering. I’ve heard loads of positives about the ride but not much about how hard bits are.

Didnt see much at the top as visibility was reduced to about 10 feet in the fog. Its scary fast on the way back down mind. 😀

nope. not even close.

Nope 😆 I’d imagine it’s doable though.

So close but no. There’s a really tight left hand hairpin with some rocks in. Try as I might, I can’t keep the front end on track.

As above, I was going to describe that rocky hairpin that gets me every time. If I was a bit fitter…

yeah, it strikes me as one of those climbs that are as much about fitness as skill.
I guess you could muller up it out of the saddle if you had the endurance….

what about the climb back up from north america side? is this simpler?? i didnt get as far as that in the end.

Any photos of this cut gate?

I find the climb up to Jacobs ladder to be similar. Technically could probably do it all but string it all together and the first 1/3 kills me and then I am pushing up, lack of fitness is my problem.

what about the climb back up from north america side? is this simpler?? i didnt get as far as that in the end.

It’s pretty smooth all the way to the car park on the other side, appart from the river bed at the top.

not for a few years now, its definitely got tougher too. i cleaned it something like 4 rides on the bounce back when i was fit and could be arsed

The north America side is easy, the lady bower side is bloody hard/technical.

On another note, has anyone cleaned the steps on the way back down to the steam?

steve-b77, as a climb? no chance, im not chris akrigg! as a descent, no problem

Yup I mean as a descent, that right had switch back is a PITA

Down? Yes, love it. Last time I tried and cleared that section was the peaks pootle. I think some people unfamiliar with cut gate might have followed me down there. Sorry!

These steps?

[video]http://vimeo.com/13437311[/video]

(obviously two attempts for the edit, but you get the idea!)

Yup, with the tight hairpin at the top

the climb out of north america ruins is piss easy compared to out of cut gate. cut gate must be at least 50% on the hair pins at the bottom.

I’ve ridden all of it, but never the whole thing in a oner. Annoyingly I usually make the corners, then lose concentration and spin out on one of the easier straight sections.

My mate Martin (who also cleaned Jacob’s in that MBR article a while back) got straight up it on his Yeti 4x with a 1×9 setup and a road cassette. Then again, he’s not normal…

First time I ever went there a couple of xc Lycra boys did it, I was impressed. I could barely walk most of it, though in my defence I had come off a long period of inactivity. Though it wouldn’t have made any difference if I hadn’t anyhow.

My preferred line on that vid, is to do the steep roll to the riders right, which straightens out the corner. Easy, but fun descent, always get to the stream with a grin a mile wide 😀

After moving up that way, the fIrst time I rode it I’d assumed that most people were able to clear it, simply because even though there was a lot of talk about Cut Gate, nobody ever mentioned walking any of it.

As a soft southerner, I walked most of that wee climb, felt extremely glad it was not a weekend so nobody could see my pathetic attempt, and generally felt so useless I wondered if I should sell my bike. It didn’t take long to realise that my attempt was pretty much par for the course, and that the only climb in the Peak to publicly admit walking is Jacob’s Ladder..

…added to list of nearby places to go and play… 🙂 That sounds fun!

because even though there was a lot of talk about Cut Gate, nobody ever mentioned walking any of it.

Thats what i thought yeah. Last couple of times I’ve been out i’ve definitely underestimated the severity of the peaks.
The entire cut-gate ride there and back is only 20-odd K but I was just thinking ‘wow no one said it would be this tough going’… 😐

I’m in the Peaks this weekend and want a crack at this!!

could be slightly boggy after the last 2 days of rain we have had

On a related note – anyone else setikes struggle to ride up the rocks from the Langsett end? (from the bridge by the water at flouch end of res)

boltonjon – I wouldn’t bother after the week of wet weather we’ve had. The loop will be pretty much unrideable. It holds a lot of water most of the year and you wouldn’t be doing yourself or anyone else any favours riding it in that condition.

I fail on a different bit every time… but I normally hit it after about 30 miles of riding. It’s dead loose generally at the moment though, a lot of stuff is, with rain washed rubble all over the shop.

Andyhilton +1, Cut Gate will be horrendous after all the rain we’ve had. Think we’re doing a loop round Ladybower if you want some company, it’ll be shortish though.

yet to see anyone go up that in the flesh without a single dab.

frankly I doubt rumours that people have.

I’d be interested to see someone clean the climb out of the Slippery Stones end, mainly because its pretty damn hard in places to ride down (as per the video above – but the ‘right’ line is definitely down that big rock!). So how are people getting up that? Or theres a little footpath which loops around this isn’t there? Are people climbing that? Thats cheating!

We rode Langsett > the cairn > Langsett the other night after work when it was bone dry. Was absolutely brilliant…

Ridden it before in the wet – not much fun…

yet to see anyone go up that in the flesh without a single dab.

frankly I doubt rumours that people have.

I’ve done it without a single dab. 10 or so maybe but certainly not one or less

Please don’t ride it in the wet.

It’s an amazing trail – that is showing real signs of wear. It has been rebuilt (well IMHO) in places to help maintain it, but please show it and the local riders some respect and keep well clear after wet weather.

Please don’t ride it in the wet.

cos riding in the dry doesn’t cause soil erosion?

i should have taken a pic last night but it was too wet…

anyhoo, anyone been a little further east of this?

over strines moor there is a moorland trail that has been ahem… ‘rebuilt’ using logs. a LOT of logs. perpendicular to the trail. imagine a stack of logs in the wood, but only one or two logs high, for about 1-2km.

CHAOS.

Causes less erosion

Nowhere near as much, no. Plus it’s no fun in the wet.

The steps in the video above are actually the footpath, the bridleway goes down the switchbacks – which are still fairly steep.

Cheating? There’s no way I could even think about riding up the track I ride down!

Beyond the slabs that go along derwent edge from cakes of bread(ish)?

Causes less erosion

Well I vote no one either walks on it or rides it in the we or dry to preserve it forever