Nukeproof mega. 515 reach 450 stays .

As said above loads of old lines routes that would take you as far as you want, use sustrans to find them all , also beamish woods some are a bit more trail oriented but I know a fella that used to night ride round there on his cx, so more than possible. Just do Strava segment search over beamish wood, ( about 3 miles west of Chester le street) and on the c2c. You could also ride or drive up to bolts law and do the bolts law loop 24 miles of beautiful countryside.

I wouldn’t get too righteous, its two way traffic. The other week I was at a certain woods a few miles over the south side of the border and 1/2 the riders and walkers I said hello to had Scottish accents. They were worried about the social backlash of enjoying a day out in their own country.

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Opening up pedal only with limited staff won’t be viable, I bet it doesn’t even cover the cost of rent, never mind staffing and maintenance. If they did you would get a bunch of near locals and a few hardcore going. BPW rely on large numbers of people traveling from all over the country, sometimes for 5-6 hrs, do people really think folk will travel those distance to pay £8 to pedal up a hill 3-4 times?

As for a lift, no business would spunk £1m+ on something that, given the constant changes to regulations over covid, and the length of time it takes to get planning, then find a chairlift ( if you can) install it, train up staff etc, unless a chairlift had long term viability irrespective of covid, over vans. Which clearly it doesn’t yet or it would have been built.
Seems to me they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Let’s hope the regs change soon for them, or like the rest of the hospitality and tourism sector they get some proper government support.

Unlike my 2013 xtr cranks that are on their 3rd bike and still going strong. My xtr carbon cage on the other hand , like others have mentioned, only lasted a couple of weeks and disintegrated after touching a twig.

@ robertgray05 yes you can https://www.probikeshop.com/en/gb/shimano-xtr-m9100-sgs-12v-rear-derailleur-long-outer-cage-y3fa98080/167004.html

However for that price it’s cheaper to buy a brand new 12 speed xt mech.

The majority of Bb92 tends to take shimano 24mm spindles, and there are loads of good options, praxis and hope are pretty solid. you can get an adaptor that reduces the non drive side down to 22mm for sram GPX spindles, I’ve used a hope one before and they do the job but it was a bit creaky if not kept clean and greased. Raceface also make a bb92 that takes a 30mm spindle, but the bearings don’t last as long as some others.

So does this mean that it’s ok to pedal round kielder but if you ride over to Newcastletown wee jimmy krankie will send out a hit squad to track you down?

I had the same issue a few years back with an xt, I just ground a little bit down, wasn’t much and never compromised the mech, worked fine after that.

Yes, the Mrs and I were peddling back to isolation central from the food shop yesterday evening and were just saying the same thing, counted at least a dozen green latex gloves on one stretch of country lane, fly tipping is also massively increased around us.

Can’t comment on hydra but Have used torch hubs for almost 6 years, and can’t fault them. Had to replace the pawl springs once as I packed the rear hub with grease and not the recommended oil, changing them is a bit of a faff as they are tiny and easy to ping off and loose. Replace my bearings every year or so, and use standard enduro bearings that are easy to get hold of. Engagement is fantastic and I’d imagine hydra are better, it’s one of those things you take for granted until you move onto wheels with less points of engagement. Something I have recently done on a new bike and safe to say I miss the instant pick up.

I’ve noticed the same thing moving from a 160mm 650b enduro bike to a 170mm 29er enduro bike. It just doesn’t react as well to leg input. It Is definitely not all 29ers as my long low slack bird zero 29er HT feels spritely even with 35mm rims. The new FS has DH wheels so I’ve put it down to a combination of slightly heavier wheels and additional weight in the rubber plus maybe a more active suspension. You could try lighter wheels but if the weight saving is all in the hubs it’s not going to make a huge amount of difference as it’s not going to alter the rotational mass much.

Ultimately big travel 29ers are winch up, thrash it down bikes and not much else.

I have the 2020 29 mega, and I’d say possibly not. It’s a big bike, fine for winching up fire roads and tracks, but not best suited for those long technical climbs over rock and roots you find in the lakes, it’s just a bit too numb. Hike a bike up Helvellyn or Skiddaw then thrash it down definitely, big long xcish loop like bowderdale near sedbergh, doable but I could think of better tools for the job.

Lovely looking bike, very similar frame to the 2013 norco sight I used to have and love, all be it with the Banshee, slacker head angle and up to date geo. Enjoy.

Is that a Norco ?

That will work fine. I’ve run sram cassette with shimano 12 speed for a while. If you want to save yourself a few quid just go xt mech, I recently took an xtr mech apart to replace a snapped cage, other than the cage which is made from carbon and in my eyes inferior to a metal cage as it can’t take the knocks, and a couple of the linkages they are identical, same spring, and clutch. You are only saving 30-40g with the xtr. XO1 chain any day GX chains are junk.

Must have full face helmets even though most of the riding, ah sorry motoring is up hill

Hamsterley for trails and trail centre xc

Edmundbyers as above

You are also on the w2w that links up with the c2c, you can do a good 50-60 miles mainly off road loop on the lines from Durham

Reeth and North Yorkshire about 45mins drive.

Crem woods for a cheeky dry trail play around.

As a + 115kg kitted rider a coil is probably the best way , however as a short term fix, increase volume spacers, speed up rebound ( probably not far off / or maximum) you are unlikely to get bucked like these scrawny 90kg sparrows, and firm up the compression settings. I’d also recommend TF tuned they will reshim to make it better for your weight. I’d also get used to using that climb switch.

On a side note between those 2 builds I’d probably go fox.

I’ve got both and I prefer the lyrik to the 36. Both are great forks but I prefer that supple initial stroke on the lyrik . 36 always feel a bit harsh, which I have heard the grip2 addresses. The 36 take a bit more to get going, but do handle bigger hits better. If all I rode was uber steep or bike park , I’d go fox but for roots and and rocky chatter with occasional trips to DH and steep trails, I’d go lyrik. I also feel like the lyrik chassis is stiffer. All personal preference and I’m sure someone will say completely the opposite. Either way you can’t really go wrong. Shifting I prefer shimano over sram as you can downshift in both directions. But both my bikes are currently sram Eagle in various levels of budget, and I’ve not had any major issues. Shimano is slightly easier to set up and index but again not by much. That’s my take it’s only my opinion and definitely not a statement.

you know what I’d totally forgot. Ridden the bike 4-5 times and got used to the contact point. I’ve just check after reading your reply and still stuck solid. So maybe a bleed as and when. As for them as a brake. No complaints, really good stoppers. Except for this one little issue.

Reggiegasket . I had this conversation just the other day, a mate and I are running the same mix and match setup, basically what you have, with the only difference been the chains, he also has a kmc and I run a sram XO1. The X01 chain did give much better shifting. I can only think it’s more matched up to the cassette. I have full x01 Eagle on one bike and shimano xt mech / shifter with gx cassette and x01 chain on the other, the mix and match is no worse in shifting, you get the better shifter with shimano being able to back downshift, and is less sensitive to the odd knock .

If you are set on going 12 speed a good option would be to keep the Xd drive run a sram gx or nx Eagle cassette and shimano xt 12 speed mech and shifter. All told with a good hunt for lowest prices you could bring it in for £160-£180 . You will have no issues with sram cassette and shimano mech. Work well together.

I’ve run a non boost crank with narrow wide on a boost frame for over 3 years and never had a single issue, it started life as a 2×10 then converted to 1×10 now 1×12. Id try it on the inside first, I’d have a bet that it will work.

You will always have those that seem to hate them ^ . But personally I’ve never had an issue, I’ve built various frames up with and without PF and if installed right with a good grease, I tend to use copper grease, which I’m sure I will be told is wrong, but it’s always worked for me. I don’t get creaks and if I want to change them out, they come out easily. They are a good bb.

Open BB’s on 30mm crank spindles, now they are the work of the devil.

Many thanks will give those tips a go to release that adjuster wheel. Not ridden them in anger yet, but they seem to have plenty power very easy to pull an endo on the front.

Bird Zero 29 with 130/140mm fork. Don’t get put off by the slack head angle , very good climber and a load of fun on trails .

Hope the recovery goes well, one thing that really helped me after surgery on my shoulder was riding my full suspension bike on the road and local gravel paths. My first ride was on my CX and every bump , small pothole and dead cat that I went over would send shooting pain through my shoulder, where as the 160mm travel big bouncer with a few psi out the front folk really took the sting out of riding for a month or so.

Damn, thanks for the quick response.

460w… it’s not a ebike it’s a moped.

Another one for Max at endeavour, it’s based at descend, Hamsterley and so you have access to the 4x track for jumps and the DH trails for drops, he will build you up as the day goes on.

Only caveat is I don’t know if he is still doing it? Was told the other week that he has gone and got himself a job in the real world. Website is still there so maybe he is. If so definitely worth a look.

Fort platte to bourg. Fast flowy switchbacks, nothing technical but just so fun, and a bar at the bottom to finish off. Super nice.

Why don’t gravel bikes have 29 wheels instead of 650b

Tiredness can be a multitude of factors , I was the same at the start of the year, for me I had a blood test and it turned out I was vit D deficit even though I work outdoor. Everything else was normal . Started taking vitamin d tablets and I’m now fine.

I total get why they are focusing all the money on one location rather than spreading it thinly over several sites in Scotland. The tweed valley probably has the most extensive and diverse range of riding, granted there are individual places in Scotland that equal or exceed specific trail areas in the tweed valley, but collectively it has to be the top destination, particularly when you factor in accessibility.

My only concern, and maybe a local will put me right. Is that with such large amounts of money been accessed, and with such a large proportion going on the centre and not the trail structure and facilities for riders, that those in charge are local individuals that have for a number of years worked hard to promote and drive mountain biking in the valley. Not individuals chasing the money who know how to access grant funding, pay themselves 100k+ salaries for several years to oversea the project and don’t deliver something any where near what was originally anticipated for riders who would in turn pay back into the local economy, though stays, eating etc. Probs just means being cautious and if they fall into the former I wish them every success.

Sorry Could easily read. Arrogant cyclist rides on pavement to take short cut because he can’t be bothered to use the correct route, is confronted by mid aged to elderly pedestrian ( do you have proof he was drunk? Maybe he had a condition) , who objects to him using a pavement at a cycle route, cyclist doesn’t like what is being said to him, so assaults pedestrian by punching him 4 times until the man is rendered unable to stand. then goes on public forum to justify his actions and place blame on the victim. Hope cctv footage is available to show that your version of events is correct and that he showed clear aggression towards you rather than just a bit of gesturing. Good luck.

OP sorry I think you are out of order coming on a public forum and suggesting the venue is in the wrong and that a mud slinging exercise might be required if you don’t get your desired outcome. If I knack myself before a holiday in the alps and don’t have insurance is it the mtb companies responsibility. Nope. I might ask if there was anything they could do to transfer dates etc but if they say no so be it, except that sometimes companies can’t give gestures of good will, it not a consumer right. Then go on a forum under the pretext of asking for advice and in doing so tarnish their rep. Stop trying to get the sympathy vote because the wee lad is only 10. It’s no fault of descend your mates lad crashed.

Saw him the other night in Newcastle , I enjoyed it you could tell he hadn’t had much experience of speaking on stage, he came across as a genuinely decent person and there were some interesting insights, but at times it felt a bit disjointed. he is definitely better at living it than talking about it. Still worth the £20.

Yep, looks like a new xt 12 speed mech is cheaper than the xtr cage replacement, might as well buy the xt mech swap the cage over and keep it for spares