Article in support of video here: http://orangebikes.co.uk/news/view/big_wheel_believer

Myself and some mates went with Basque MTB in may this year and i’d recommend that. Doug was a top fella and fitted the rides with our skills pretty well. We rode a good variety of terrain and it was only a bit of bad luck with weather that messed some days up (though we still rode and enjoyed it). It depends on what kind of riding you want to do.

It’s not uplifted in the traditional chair lift sense, there are some trails where you use a van to gain some height but a lot of it is down to pedal power to earn your descents.

I will happily be booking another trip out there again in the next few years.

Hoping to get back MTBing soon though, watch this space

Good stuff let me know and i’ll pop down for a ride on your local trails

I might be wrong, but I think there’s been no mention of 650b bikes so far?

Already tried a Bronson, someone did mention a turner burner which come in 650b flavour as well

what would you just love to try out?

Well none of yours that’s for sure :P

I love the look of the new 29er Intense Carbine so if Jim could fix it for me…

I wouldn’t bother with the footpath that leads passed Dock Tarn and down Lingy End, you’ll mainly be carrying or pushing the bike. The steep stepped section down Lingy End is very very difficult to ride.

The usual Watendlath to Rosthwaite descent (or right through Frith Wood) is much more fun.

Really like my Bandit, superb little bike, I run 150mm up front also

That’s fair, I guess I just assume folk riding a Bfe will be giving it a lot of abuse but it’s only a slightly stiffer heavier version of Soul anyway so no reason why it can’t be built up in whatever way is needed.

Both Soul and Bfe are good frames i’ve owned both.

I’ll tell you after this weekend as my hub was recently replaced under warranty and I got the newer version.

I doubt i’ll notice much difference apart from the noise it makes mind.

The older style Pike is a heavy fork so is worth replacing it if you can but with a Reba?

The Bfe is meant to be ragged, jumped and beaten, can the Reba take that kind of abuse? Have you looked at the x-fusion slant or 2nd revelation maybe?

I don’t know how much cash you have spare but i’d be looking at something a little more robust if money allowed.

Just got myself some Teva links in size 9, seem ok size wise, maybe not quite as wide as my previous 5.10s but still comfortable

Depending on which version the front caliper is this one may fit: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/hope-mount-adaptor-front-is-to-post-20mm/rp-prod13735
I used this with a 183mm IS mount caliper onto similar aged Lyriks.

And this one may fit the rear, again depending on caliper size: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/hope-mount-adaptor-is-to-is-20mm/rp-prod13736

Was just thinking another trip to Lee Quarry would be good, we never stay long enough when we go (or it’s covered in 2 foot of snow)

Hob Nob how do you like the High Latitude, i’m thinking about getting the new one on cyclescheme, how much abuse you think it’ll take?

Good little edit, not too long and not dull like some headcam footage can get, should of filmed some pump track action though :P

There’s not much of a difference between the Soul and Bfe, the Bfe has just been stiffened and strengthened to accept the longer travel forks and weighs around 1b more than equivalent Soul frame. So I can’t see changing frame to make a huge difference.

Some stuff in this post (including Cy’s input) http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/whats-difference-between-soul-and-bfe

The shorter variant I do gets all the best bits (in my opinion anyway). The spin back to Keswick along the west side of Derwent water is nowt special (it just helps avoid the road) once you’ve done the Castle Crag descent the fun downhill is all over really (unless you do cheeky up Catbells).

The shorter loop we do starts from just outside Grange. From there you ride back down the road to the bottom of the Ashness Bridge road climb, go all the way to Watendlath, descend as normal to Rossthwaite, up Honister then across and down Castle Crag to finish at Grange. This only takes about 2 hours and is about 10 miles.

You could also extend this version by going all the way back down the road to the the Great Wood car park (instead of Ashness Bridge turn off) and use the footpath to go up and round Walla Crag then do route as I describe above. That’ll probably take around 3 hours and should be close to 15 miles or so.

If it’s a weekend ride there’s a possibility of some folk (myself included) being free also if a little extra local knowledge would be helpful. It’s not often I ride the full loop (I usually ride a shorter variant of it)

I’d give yourself 5-6 hours to do the full thing, that allows for stopping time, the chance of punctures coming down Castle Crag and taking pretty photos of your bike with hilly backdrops

I second what dickie suggests, I have pro2 hubs laced up to the Stans Flow rims and can’t really fault them, Stans Crest rims are just that bit lighter so should be bob on for the riding you describe.

Might take a little wander up to Dock Tarn at the weekend to see what it would be like, I have been up there many years ago (just walking) I have a feeling it was pretty wet and boggy.

Frith Wood section is just a little rockier on the bottom section, darned good fun but it does extend the road ride a little. Nowt wrong with the other route that goes into Rosthwaite though it’s still good.

I’ve done a cheeky route coming down from Dale Head, it’s pretty technical and steep from what I remember, we ended up coming onto the bridleway just above the Castle Crag descent so we didn’t go passed Hollows Farm.

More or less what crazy-legs said i’ve used Walla Crag before on quieter days, it does add time on to the ride however as the road spin is relatively easy (albeit a bit dull).

I’m not sure of the ‘official’ bash loop but I don’t spin up Honister Pass either, there’s a bridleway that starts at the bottom and meets the nice bit of trail to Castle Crag.

The fact it looks ace too

Agreed they do look great :)

Got one of these myself and I love it, yes it gets a little excited when you try tackle the bigger stuff but it still copes incredibly well. I’ve never had any issue getting it off the ground though, it’s one reason I like it compared to my older bike (np mega) it’s easy to pop up, change lines and ‘play’ your way down the trail, much more fun than just bulldozing through.

Mine has just been sent off to Hope after a cracked flange was spotted while wheel was being rebuilt, heard nowt but good stuff about customer service and they’ve always been good to me in the past for smaller issues.

The hub/axle width should stay the same and only the end caps alter the overall width between 135 and 142. Give hope a quick ring and talk to them, sounds like you just need the correct end caps.

I quite like this: http://shop.18bikes.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s442p2044

Available as frame only too

My headset works so I’m not bothered about changing it just to make the bike slacker but the bushings do need changed…

If I went for offset bushings yes I would use them to slacken it off slightly, more out of curiosity than anything else, but wanted to check to see if anyone had tried it before and what they thought

It might run fine when on a stand but when someone rides it and the wheel and frame flexes it will touch. Personally I wouldn’t risk it.

Good tyre for the cheap price you pay, been using mine on rear for past few weeks and so far pretty impressed. It’s not huge for a 2.25 no different to the nobby nic or ardent I have used in the past.

I have spare bits I could use if i went the custom build option, providing I can get frame, forks and wheels from shop via cyclescheme.

It works on my Bandit, I’m running a 1×10 set up with the Works Components 34T ring and a clutch rear mech (no chain device of any kind is used).

So far I haven’t dropped a chain while riding stuff in the Lakes, Morzine and Scotland.

I probably could top it up through the shop I will buy from as I know them but don’t want to go OTT with the build or price just yet. Solaris is probably a bit pricey but I do quite like em

My preference would be for a steel hardtail but that does limit my options and I do have a price limit with it being through cyclescheme.

I have looked at the Trek Stache as a friend has one and I do quite like it.

Some info on here: http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/hemlock

Easy enough to email Cy and just ask I would think

I’m going along with two friends also, is practice just on the sunday morning or on saturday too?

The Alpine will weigh more than a Soul by about a pound (so not much heavier).

The Soul is still a tough bike, just email Cy and ask him. He emailed around recently to tell people this as he was constantly being asked what kind of abuse can a Soul take. Friend of mine batters his Soul around the Lakes with no issues, they’re a tough bike.

Main path is easiest to get up Skiddaw, just before the top there is a steep slate path on your left that leads down to Ullock Pike.

Lower level back up plan could be Borrowdale Bash or the Lonscale Fell loop that finishes on Latrigg. http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/keswick-eng/behind-blencathra-route-26940582

Ullock Pike is a cheeky one but good fun, should be quiet enough midweek.

Borrowdale Bash is another good one, start and end in Keswick, full thing could be done in 3 hrs, if not you can shorten it to do the best bits.