Eek, sorry boss 🙂

Yes good ride again. Think I’ve sorted my shifting problems out. Got a LifeLine Derailleur Hanger Alignment Tool today and found the hanger a good 10mm out. Also found my free hub has a big crack in it causing my cassette to wobble. It’s still under warranty which is good. Hopefully have it all sorted the next time I’m out. C u all soon.

Would any of the Man Within Compass fellas riding tomorrow if so may I tag along?

I am going to declare myself out tonight, unfortunately I have ‘other commitments’ this evening according to the boss 😥

Anyone going to make it out and lead the magical mystery tour? Robertbooton, keep em peeled on here and hopefully someone will be making it out.

Not I.
Physio doris says another month (that was last Thurs).
I will need stabilisers when I get back into it – needed them before though too 😉

Shall I or shan’t go up to man within to see if anyone is about what to do…..

Apologies Robert, a very quiet response this evening. I will be out next week at 7pm at woodhouse eves village hall, im sure there will be a few of us out so tag along.

Ok mate will do

Do you ride far when go I’m not the fastest but building.

Does anyone fancy showing me any local routes one night from 8 ish I’m from swadlincote an heard abit about whitwick an that.

ruffride – best thing to do is meet up with the usuals on any given Weds at 7pm.
Alternates between Man Within Compass pub carpark in Whitwick and Woodhouse Eaves village carpark every week.
Not been for a while so can’t remember where this week’s is – someone will be along shortly to clarify though no doubt 😉

Horay horay horay. Finally sorted my shifting and creaking issues. Got a replacement freehub and wheel tune free under warranty from superstar and straightened my hanger and not one slippage or creak. About time.

Anyway think its Woodhouse meet this week but I won’t be there as I’m on the English riviera in Torquay.

I’ll be there 🙂

I will also be there

Tag along ruffride

Its abit early for me like to get the kids asleep first toad they can be buggers an then I’ve got to drive over so wouldn’t be till 8 I’d say

How far will you be riding on Wednesday?

Ruffride – I feel that pain, mine behave shockingly on Wednesday night as soon as they see my get my riding gear on. Not sure what to suggest – I just have to head out to the sounds of screaming and a very stressed missus.

We’re usually out and about for 2 – 3 hours, then a refreshing beverage down one of the local boozers. We’re not riding solidly for the entire time – lots of milling about, piss taking, mechanicals, and general ‘being rad’ as well as riding

Sounds fun to me where exactly is the Woodhouse eaves village car park where you meet?

Google “Woodhouse Eaves cottage surgery” and it’s directly opposite, easy to find.

I’m still recovering from a knee problem which means having to ride very slowly so won’t be joining you unfortunately. 🙁

🙁 Woken up with the most god awful soar throat and chesty cough and can barely swallow (careful)

So I’ll not be making it over tonight chaps.

Any other takers then? Just me and robertbooton so far

I will be there.

Pleas bear in mind I have just come back from ten days of food, lager and water slides in France, so my usual level of unfitness will be magnified.

I am going for a blast in the peaks on Friday if anyone is up for it (late notice I know).

can’t make Friday fella – some of us have to work you know 🙂

Robertbooton – the plan is to be ready to ride at 7pm. Bring lights as we’ll be riding after sunset (or until Danny expires ;))

I’ll still be coming tonight

Thanks Sam, Dan and Jim for putting up with me I enjoyed it lots.
The only problem now is I know how unfit I really am.

Yep, and from what I can tell it is certainly no more unfit than me, and I’ve been dragging my sorry carcass around for a year on these rides! So see you next week. You’re owed ale at the very least.

Great ride tonight people. I’m bloody knackered now, mind. That pint of lighthouse did not touch the sides. At least a couple more rides to sweat out the holiday needed, I think.

Again, if anyone can blag a day off at short notice for Friday I’d be more than happy to slow you down around the Peak District for a day.

Failing that, see you next Wednesday. Man within compass Whitwick. 7pm and ready to ride.

Nice.

Hello Danny
I’m available if you want company, sadly my MTB skills haven’t improved any so I quite understand if you decline the offer (politely or not)

Another smashing ride chaps, that was a good laugh. Good to see a couple of new (to me) faces too.

The damned fatty’s eaten its headset bottom bearing again, which is a bit of a pain.

Yep, really enjoyed it thanks fellas. I’m hoping to get out much more regularly in the future!

Timba.

Yes, you’re more than welcome!

I’ve settled on riding a cut gate ‘out and back’ with a couple of bits joined on at either end. I’m planning on setting off reasonably early. We could either meet locally and drive up in convoy, meet halfway, or meet there (although the car park I am going to use is not one of the main ones. There is the potential of sharing a lift as well, although the faffing that involves means losing a bit of time.

Let me know what you think. I’d like to be on the M1 before 8am if possible, so if you choose your best option around that, then give me a shout back.

Might see you in the morning 🙂

Danny, that sounds good. We could meet at the j23a Moto Services at 8 (or earlier) at the main doors to the services building (not the fuel forecourt) and swap phone numbers, etc
Probably better to go separately as you suggest

What time back in Leics (don’t forget I’ll be slowing you down ;))?

Are you planning a lunch stop or is it best to take food?

Nice one. Let’s go with your time and place for the meet.

Back in Leics? Well, I wouldn’t bank on being back before 5pm. It will be a hot day, so no heroics will be seen on the climbs! If we do make good time and are felling fit, there is an optional extension at the very end, so I guess we will fill the day whatever.

You will need to bring some lunch. I’m planning on having lunch at the far northern end of the ride where there are no shops or suchlike, so there is nowhere to buy food.

I don’t know if you’ve ridden cut gate before, but it is a really remote bit of trail by Peak District standards. Although the ride does feature some rocky and technical bits, it is more of a moorland crossing than a lot of Peak District rides. It’s a crap ride after wet weather, so I didn’t want to miss out on riding it now given the current conditions. In the dry it is brilliant, no other word for it. There are two unrideable sections of one climb. That particular bit is also a technical challenge whilst descending it in the opposite direction towards the end of the ride.

By peaks standards the scenery is superb.

See you at 8am at the j23a services!

Jealous

How the **** is a full on man flu bout fair at this time of year?

Have fun chaps 🙁

Have a good ride tomorrow Danny and Timba. Timba it’s great ride I can vouch for that one. Did it earlier this year with Danny. Take plenty of fluids, it’s gonna be hot!

Back from my holidaying with my daughter, looking forward to getting out Wednesday. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been out my bike other than pottering around.

Looking forward to it, thanks for the fluids tip

Danny see you at 8 +/- 15 min window for mechanicals, otherwise go on ahead

Pls post RV and time in Derbys just in case

Hi Timba.

The meet ‘up there’ is the Bridge End Pasture car park on the western bank of Ladybower reservoir. This is on the road from the A57 to Fairholmes visitor centre. Basically you approach northwards from Bamford. Go past the Yorkshire Bridge Inn and keep going until you reach the A57 lights. You turn left there and cross a dam with a right turn immediately on reaching the opposite bank. This is the road to Fairholmes. 9-30am would be fine for meeting there.

Let’s hope we don’t need to use this meet as it obviously introduces more chance of getting lost on the way there, or held up by roadworks or traffic etc.

See you at the Donnington Services(!)

Definitely

If your going the peaks it’s so dry it’s perfect . I’ve just done 3 days walking round there. Loads of bugs enjoy.

The best word to describe the peaks today would be ‘scorchio’. Timba and I managed a ride taking in Hagg side and Lockerbrook before heading over cut gate to langsett via the right hand fork and back up the other side and returning over to Derwent/Ladybower. It would be fair to say conditions were nearly perfect. You’re gonna hate me here, but I might even venture that it was a tad too hot. At least there was a scanty breeze on the tops to keep things sane. Just. By the homeward leg stream crossings were being treated as an opportunity to stop for a bit and cool down! I got through 3.5 litres of squash and water no bother. I’m pretty convinced that I lost more than that.

We kicked off witht the steep, but doable climb onto Hagg Side and a rip down Lockerbrook. On the way up to the top Timba mentioned that he hadn’t ridden in the area before. I mumbled something I audible about ‘rocks’ and we were on our way! The Lockerbrook descent was dispatched and we were off for the spin around the reservoirs to the base of cut gate. The first climb is always a push anyway, so no worries there. We finally topped out after a riding a reasonable amount of it and began the sunken riverbed section. This was as dry as I’ve ever seen it. Only one or two boggy puddles left. It was great fun picking lines through this and then it was right through the stream and off down the singletrack descent proper. I pulled up at the junction to decide which way to go, but Timba didn’t appear for a bit. After a few minutes he appeared with blood seeping from various parts of his knees. Luckily he was phlegmatic about it to say the least and we pushed on. Truth be told I’d also had a big ‘moment’ on that descent, on a straight forward bit I managed to be undecided about which strip of trail to go down. I ended up sort of side hopping with my weight all wrong. Luckily the front wheel railed into the rut and I managed to follow it.

Lunch was had at the top end of the loop and we headed back up to retrace our path. By this stage the ride was feeling like something out of a spaghetti western. No fibbing, a heat haze was hanging over the moors looking eastwards toward Sheffield. Still we made it. No alternative really. A stop and a chat with a walker at the top cairn was followed by the last descent. An absolutely classic bit of trail, again I got over keen in front of a bunch of other riders and nearly binned it at pace. Again luck was on my side. Then the final drop into Cranberry Clough. One of the best bits of trail in the peak IMO, narrow and with corners(!)

A quick dip in the stream at the bottom then the spin back to the cars. Big thanks to Timba for making a potentially very gruelling day into a really fun ride. I hope this hasn’t put you off the peaks for life! Even though I have ridden around there a lot it always takes a while to get back into the habit of only filtering out every rock except those that your wheels can’t roll over, or will move under you enough to take you down. Everything else just has to be accepted, even if it feels like you’re using a pneumatic drill rather than a mountain bike.

Seriously people, if you can get to the peaks this weekend and do cut gate, do it! It won’t get any better.

Cheers, and hopefully see you all on Wednesday if I haven’t just ruined my working week by not going in today.

Sounds utterly brilliant Danny. Not jealous at all 🙂

Plus, it gives me a chance to indulge my penchant for verbal diarrhoea!