Thanks again so far all.
The purest in me says off road whenever there’s an option on the return leg but by the time we get back toward Stockport, I reckon we’ll be nicely knackered already so maybe a slightly quicker more on road route than off out of Sheffield might not be cheating too much?
Anybody feel like joining in yet?

Ay’up James! I’m reading that as “I’m in!” 🙂

I have no knowledge of off roading out of Sheff. The furthest I’ve been out that way is Grindleford, Fox House pub thingy, round the back of it and then through that little village (saw a sign that said Sheff. 7 miles) and then back via Stanedge. The plan from there was to drop down that steep track to Bamford, Yorkshire Bridge up to Hope Cross, Jaggers to Edale, Jacobs into Hayfield then the Peninne Bridleway to Rowarth, Mellor Cross to Roman Lakes, local stuff (and possibly food at my house) to Stockport and then Mersey Cycle Way back into Manchester.
Getting to Sheffield is easy, A57 nearly all the way and from Redmires’ish to Manchester is easy (planning the route anyway, we know those bits) but Sheff to there? Dunno’…..we need your help.
Oh, and thanks for the replies.

From the other side of the fence, even when somebody has been invited and paid to do it on somebody’s wall, it can be vandalism. Enter stage left the monstrosity on the wall of North West Mountain Bikes in Stockport.
Dearie me…..

Only 6 of the stores country wide are offering it at the moment Jon as it’s a pilot scheme. We’ve resolved to only use it once a week from next week so that others in our area can have a go of it.

Is it really that hard to police the scheme though? Credit card or debit card details taken to register for the scheme and you have to to input your card to release the bike and input the card to put the bike back. An attendant at the bike stations to give the bike a quick once over to ensure it’s not had some stick while it’s been out and away you walk unless it’s damaged in which case you get a bill?
Our local Waitrose has a cycle trailer loan scheme which is not just free, they also give you the fixing bracket for your seatpost (and fit it if you like). You get the trailer for three days but as we normally do two small shops a week, we seem to be hogging it on a permanent basis. It holds the groceries better than the EBC trailer and you can walk round doing your shop, self scanning the items and put them straight in to the trailer as you can wheel it around with you. Minimal person to person contact which suits me fine 🙂

We’re full grown men dressed in various gawdy layers of lycra and wear silly carbon soled shoes you can barely walk in and ride bicycles : – ) .
Usually (well always mid week anyway) head off in to the Peaks. Anyone can come. It’s a right laugh. Never very serious unless somebody brings an ego and then they all come out to play.

It was us and you were right not to stop, we’re right weired.

This Wales thing? It wouldn’t be the Sarn Helen would it? I had a go at it unsupported last summer. I got in to my sleeping bag to find that drenched at the end of the 2nd day and as I hadn’t been dry once since setting off early morning the day before, I jacked it in there and then. Rode to the next town, got a taxi to the nearest train station, kipped on the bench on the platform and started the multi train journey home in the morning.
I’m going back to do it all the way this year, no give ups.

I know a slightly bonkers woman from Whaley Bridge who plays the bag pipes. She’ll do it. It’s her job so it won’t be free, sorry.

Impossible to recommend a saddle for comfort as everybody is different surely? I have fully stripped down SLR’s on all my bikes. They look like they should cut you in half but are supremely comfortable for me. Another thing that I found, the thicker the pad on the shorts, the more uncomfy they are. Currently riding in lycra running shorts. Works for me.

Is the Cube LTD Race a bit rubbish then?

I hadn’t thought of that. I was just looking at the paint jobs.

Very drole, very good 🙂

Pennine Bridleway as suggested but from the start at Middleton Top to Widdop Res (I think) on the other side of the Mary Townley Loop. Just under 100 miles and doable on a cyclocross bike in under 12 hours*

*If you have the fitness and abilities of Nick Craig. Otherwise, I’d factor doing it close to the summer solstice or doing it in two days.

Thanks for the comments, I’ll do some more digging. I’ll also remember to check that I qualify for the minimum watts per kilogram of body weight produced parameters to own one 😉

Apart from carrying a bit of stuff in a rucksack, I ride pretty much the roads that is my direct commute as I ride at the start or end on around half of my frequent road rides, quite often on the ‘weekend’ bike.
Not really getting the buy a cross’er for the crap roads comments. It’s the same road on Saturday morning as it is on Tuesday tea time.

Cut down the seat tube? I think the idea is if the seat tube is too long, buy a size where the seat tube (and I’d imagine top tube) fits? 🙂
Just from the picture, I think if you cut anything off of the seat tube to get the saddle lower, you’d be in Chopper riding nostalgia land.
Get yer arse high and yer nose low, man.

thanks chaps

I could have a word with the collections team here if you like?

“They don’t work at all”?
They’re doing a mighty fine job of stopping me on my Langster Monaco and LeMond Filmore.

Yes. The cable end stop fits in to the lever rather than runs through to the drop lever.

But can you get a decent jog going on rocks in them Gary? Any idea what guys doing the three Peaks and that kind of stuff use?

I was just thinking that so many of the bridleways around The Dark Peak that are not predominantly rocky are in a real mess. I was mentally planing a route to do on Sunday and I wanted to do it with as little hub deep slop as possible. It looks like (as BDW pointed out) it will be a Hayfield to Hope and back ride probably…again or another road ride instead.