Fair dues. It ain’t happening then. I like the idea of steel bikes, UK manufacturer and aesthetically they look the nuts.

However just for the record my worst bike was a carbon Cannondale full susser several years ago. Workmanship was appalling. Everything that could go wrong..did go wrong. Customer service is everything

Hmm well I’m surprised. The £499 price point for the frame only was tempting but then again there are other options.

Customer service appears to be a problem which I find most worrying

Cotic Soul 275 looks nice as does the Kingdom Vendetta

I like these aggressive slack angle HT but in truth I’ve been on full sus bikes for almost 20 years

That RS build spec is definitely what I’m looking for. Been looking at hard tails for a good while now. This ticks all the boxes and it just “looks” right for chucking around the Peak District. The new Pace HT is a close second though.

Difficult to get further information on this but the Orange Crush has been given rave reviews. I’m definitely very interested in buying this bike. I just need someone to review it properly

Places like Glossop often get a rather cynical review as do other towns in the High Peak like New Mills, Whalley Bridge and Chapel en le Frith and so on. I like them all.

Traffic aside I think they are all great places to live for families. Solid gritstone architecture and access to sensational countryside. Depends obviously on your circumstances.

Glossop has usual spread of decent restaurants, pubs etc If you can afford Hayfield/Padfield nearby then I would check them out too but it can be a bit more parochial.

I’d avoid and look somewhere else if you are after for a more active transient social life. Its a place to put down roots and get involved with the community.

20 odd miles in the Peak District, two coffee stops, 1 bacon butty.

An Autumnal chill in the air, an occasional shower and that distinctive smell of Derbyshire.

Home, shower and roast dinner with my family. Priceless.

6 months of fun around the Peak District on my Norco Sight Killer B and I am convinced. Its a fantastic piece of kit and I would not go back.

Depends on the bike and the terrain of course

I am loving my Norco Sight Killer B-2.

My advice is test ride as many bikes as possible. Even a short demo ride around a car park is worth 10 times more than any magazine bike review (oops sorry Singletrack)

“interested to hear more detailed thoughts on the other bikes that you mentioned too”

I think the price was a big factor as it shaved a few hundred off my spend limit but also the 29er wheels on the others was not for me. Close second place was the Cube (another 650b) but triple chainrings seem pointless these days.

I’m a great fan of BJ’s……receiving end.

Failing that my dogs give me no end of pleasure (absolutely no relation to previous sentence)

Well 6% is what I want and its like pulling teeth.

Thanks Jason. I feel a whole lot better already this weekend. I’m going to stick to it.

If your prices rises are justified then show them your costs.

I guess you have a point but undeniably its a huge gamble. I suppose if we are uncompetitive then we lose the business simple so why tell them anything.

Just fed up of lack of straight talking. Buyers appear to be educated liars.

If I said I don’t really give a monkies I suppose that would that qualify me for an instant beheading. Right?

On the other hand if I said I think this was a disrespectful thing to do would the same people (no doubt outraged by my rather muted infidel response) still chop my head off?

Maybe they just rather like chopping off heads.

I bought the Cube Agree (its aluminium) SL and since I got last years model it’s prob not within your price range at 2011 RRP (£1500).

I’ve only ridden it once (yesterday) and after 15 odd years of ridding only mountin bikes I am simply blown away by the speed and acceleration of road bikes. Very very good (just wrap up warm).

I nearly bought the Planet X carbon. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with either

Agreed

go with whatever system you prefer to use on your mtb.

this means more TIME pedals.

I had Eggbeaters several years ago. They lasted a couple of years and then fell apart. I liked them though performance wise they were spot on

A more boring pic

Bike to work scheme purchase. It’s cost me approx £600. RRP for 2011 model is £1500.

London Road Fire Station (Manchester). Empty and future in the balance. Edwardian quality.

Sorry not a public building (deco Express building). Another manchester favourite

I did this route about 15 years ago. In mid winter after a 3am session the night before with the biggest bunch of dik edz Stockport can muster.

After staggering out of a local B&B we started around noon in Llanarmon DC.

We reached a point of no return. One of lads cramped up bad somewhere exposed and cold. The party split up (contrary to rescue advice) into ‘fact finding teams’ with the official rescue party reaching their B reg Ford Orion after dark (which promptly broke down).

Seem to remember the pub in DC being open and rendering assistance.

Not proud of any of it. We narrowly avoided serious trouble. Taught me a lesson I badly needed.

I’m sure you’ll have a blast!

Exchange rates need to better for us Brits! Sterling V Euros are not in our favour unfortunately.

I want to rip your beating heart out of your throat, bite a chunk out of it and I’d still not be satisfied. From British manufacturing…

Jimbobrighton – the only reason I posted tonight was I was in my local off licence getting a bottle of wine (actually thats a lie it was 4 tins). Anyway few lads came in buying chocolate probably about 16 years old and gave the guy behind the counter loads of abuse. Very uncomfortable situation and I feel bad that I didn’t deal with it (especially after a good day on the bike). No reason for it just idiocy.

Like many people I don’t know what real places or community are anymore. This isn’t just a rural problem

Certainly my grandparents wouldn’t recognise where I live.

I politely disagree with the OP. I live in suburbia and have my annual holiday in a cottage in Devon with my kids and missus. I’ve rented it for last 7 years.

I work (reluctantly) in chemical manufacturing.

My wife and kids like the ‘gift shoppe’, ‘tea shoppe’ and ‘Antique shoppe’ experience. They also like the beaches, countryside and also maybe the idea (real or otherwise) that there are some nice places in this country.

Replace gift shoppe with off licence, tea shoppe with kebab house and antique shoppe with tatto parlour and we won’t go on holiday there again.

If the local pub applied to have extended hours so that the local kids had somewhere to go then we won’t go on holiday there again.

I’m surprised to hear this especially on this forum. I bet there are many here who’ve just spent their hard earned money in such tea shoppes on their weekend ride.

Recall parking a ‘showstopper’ in my parents bog. Gave up after 3 flushes and went in search of a disposable plastic spoon or something similar to chop the behemoth up into manageable chunks.

Cue my father confronting me in the hall. He had heard the multiple flushes and came to help his lad.

He was bearing (and I still can’t believe this) a plastic spoon.

‘Think you’ll be needing this!’

People like this are rarely ‘one hit wonders’. He will have previous.

Therefore go the official route.

I suspect trawling round Paisley will be in vain. There is a slim chance that he may be back if he believes there is more money to be had.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Workstands-Boss-S1200-Rigid-Workstand/BOSSWORK200000000000

This is a bit sturdier, still the same price from ribble

I have used it daily for about a year and it hasn’t missed a beat, very sturdy and adjustable.

Spock / carlosg; I hope your pleased with yourself! I just spent the kids dinner money.

We are ‘local’ family. My son is 5 years old and mad into biking with his dad. This would be a good way to spend the summer. Go for it!

When it comes to bikes I never buy cheap (on purpose). I like nice shiny quality bling things.

On this occasion I am seriously tempted by that EBS stand though. Damn you all.

I’m going to have my tea and if its still bugging me afterwards its going to get nailed.

WHATEVER GIRLFRIEND!

Nice one. Lets go gay for 2011!

Here is my email. james.hudson@bimkemi.se

Confirm later to see if May 8th is still ok weather wise etc

I’m going for Sunday the 8th May. Got to plan well in advance due to family / work committments etc

Start at Blencarn at 9 am (unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be any immediately obvious parking spot)

Ride will be as per GaVgAs. Dress code will be as per samuri. Lunch will be at Garrigill

Anyone welcome to join me and my mate for what appears to be an amazing long anticipated ride.

7 Head North on the road for a couple of miles until you get to a “trikey to find” path/Bridleway/Boat heading Down to the South Tyne River. (A clue is the Trail Bike tyre marks in the grass!)This is known locally as the old North to South Coaching road.

Thanks for detail GaVgAs. Followed your suggestion on Google Earth and I’ll do it your way. Need to know where this is first though.

I sympathised with HBC character (not sure whether she was typecast as a villain).

Wonder if Slater has relented on his views of her?

I work in Lucca from time to time. Its beautiful and food is best in the world IMHO. My only comment is that you are looking at very warm summers (high 30’s). Not good for Anglo Saxon / Celtic folk.

Make sure you are fully acclimatised to get the best out of your break or leave the mid day sun to the mad dogs. I find it seriously sapping.

Ivan! Throw the fricken bone at this!!

Not this….

Introducing the russian anti tank dog mine! Must be disobedient and have no name.

Six years ago we were broken into while we were upstairs in bed. My mistake was to leave a window open.

Wife is still upset and I’m similarly scarred. It changed me as a person (for the worse). Put it this way I stopped buying the Guardian.

Social justice and inequality is one thing. Criminality is another.

Photos 2 & 3 show your cycling buddies to be true northern legends. Real men!

Photo 1 however is as camp as Christmas. Who’s the mush in the purple shorts and top combo? Even George Michael would think twice about wearing that.

No but fair dues well done. I’m really fizzing at the bunghole now

Reading with interest and hoping for renewed forum rage. If I may make a suggestion though..isn’t it about this time on this thread that the liberal wishy washies accused the ‘hang em all brigade of being Nazi’s / fascists?

Come on lets get all annoyed.

Full ration pack and a bivvy I reakon. I regularly drive on the Alston road and got to say the view towards Cross Fell and back to the Eden valley has to be one of Ingerlunds best. Its just amazing.

Got wet knickers just thinking about it. Roll on summer

Cheers mate the landscape reminds me of east falkland back in ’82.

One question. At top of bastid climb is it easy to lose trail to Troutbeck. Looking at Google Earth it looks very missable.

Its been a while since I last did any Yomping