Pretty mcuh all the trails a guide will take you on are signposted walking trails. Get yourself an IGN map of the area and you can't really go wrong.

Matt

Paul – some interesting cheeky routes there. I think I've asked you and parkedtiger about the BWs from Wastwater over to Ennerdale before. I could well be in Carlisle at the in-law's over the Easter weekend and keen to get out. I've generally stuck to the BW routes in the past – 4 Passes, Red Pike-Buttermere, Nan Bield, Helvellyn-Sticks Pass, that kind of thing. Quite fancy trying some different stuff and that means cheeky. More than happy to hike-a-bike if the descent is worth it. I'll PM you next week once I know what's happening.

Matt

Just Riding Along in Hillsborough for all things wheels. They like cakes.

Are Rock Shox still making the Maxle or can you only get the Maxle Lite now?

Wonder if there are other hubs available with a thicker hollow axle? But then they'd need bearings with a bigger internal diameter so the bearings would be tosh.

Have you broken the Maxle itself or the hollow axle in the Hope hub?

If it's the Maxle itself what has broken? I snapped off half the 'tightening collar' (the bit with Maxle etched on) but can still tighten and loosen by using the one remaining half.

If it's actually the hollow axle in the Hope hub itself are you using a Maxle or a Maxle Lite (with the thin centre section)? The hollow axle is only ~1.5mm thick and the stepdown where it enters the freehub body is the obvious weakpoint. I snapped a 15 month old hollow axle 3 rides after switching to a Maxle Lite from the broken Maxle.

Matt

Probably because making anything bigger than the 17" whilst keeping the toptube shockmount and linkage pivot in the same place would be impossible?

6'3" on an 18" Alpine with a 410mm Thomson post practically at the min. insert line.

I'm running an E13 on mine with no issues.

Due to the 'chunky' hollow spider, IMO thin bashguards look a bit odd, as do ones that have cut outs rather than a complete inner circle, if you get my drift.

Matt

My mum and dad rode it last week – they're in their 60's and didn't think really think it was worthy of it's red grade.

I couldn't make the meeting. I'd be interested to see the PDF to see what they're proposing please. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I saw the work they've done so far. Not really affecting the best cheeky riding round there and provides further justification (to me anyway) to be cheeky. If they can build that then if I can find the time and the place I wouldn't feel at all bad about cutting a new trail in the area.

Matt

And another for vote for the nice people at JRA. And they like cakes.

Matt

6'3" on an 18" Alpine 160 with a 50mm stem and an in-line post.

36 Van fork and DHX Air shock. ~32lbs with XTR cranks, Stans Flow rims and Maxxis DH UST tyres.

Had it for 9 months now and it replaced a 3.5 year old Patriot when the dropouts sheared off. No complaints there as it had been well (ab)used. No complaints with the Alpine 160. Briefly considering going down to a 5 but wanted something that can do everything from all day rides to sessioning DH tracks.

Owned a Patriot 66, now own an Alpine 160. Snapped the dropouts off the Patriot after 3.5 years of abuse as my one do-it-all bike. I was running a 200/57 shock rather than the stock 215/63 so that gave 160mm travel rather than 178 and found I was running it with the same angles as the non-adjustable Alpine 160.

It's a great all day bike if you want to spend all day riding good downhill trails and just need something to get you to the top in a steady fashion.

Built mine up pretty light with DHX Air shock, Van 36 fork, XTR crank and Stans Flow rims running tubeless but with Maxxis 2.5 DH UST tyres.

There won't be a massive difference weight-wise between a Patriot, Alpine 160 and a Five if built with the same kit.

Replaced my EX823s with Flow rims about 15 months ago. Generally quite hard on kit – most of my riding is rocky DH tracks. Can't fault the Flow rims and they're a lot lighter than the EX823s. Still using Maxxis DH UST tyres with no problems, i.e. no burping, inflate with a track pump. Why bother with two pairs when one will do? Bought them from the nice people at justridingalong.com.

Yes. There's also the bush that fits into the shock that the reducer fits through. BETD include the bush when you but the reducer hardware.

Matt

You need a bushing to fit in the shock and the reducer hardware to fit your specific frame. 'Strong' reducer harware (like 1) is better than 'top hat' reducer hardware (like 3) – name says it all. For a Patriot (2005 onwards anyway) you need 22mm hardware with a 8.1mm hole.

BETD is a good source:
http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/items.asp?CategoryID=92&Name=Strong+Bushes

I got 12 months out of the shock bush and reducer hardware at the swingarm end of the shock on my old Patriot and never had to replace the stuff at the front triangle end.

This also works – I found it lasted a similar time and should be plusher:
http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/items.asp?CategoryID=231&Name=Fox+Needle+Roller+Bearing

Hope that helps?

Matt

As you’ve already got a DH bike I’d say go for the 5. But then you need to decide which bike you’re going to ride and one of them might end up not getting much use?
I have an Alpine 160 (previously had a Patriot) as my only bike and I can haul it round my kind of XC ride (tolerate the ups and flats to get to the downs) and its fast enough for me on DH tracks.
I guess there’s more of a difference between the 5 and a ‘conventional’ Patriot (I used to run mine with a shorter shock giving 160mm travel and the same angles as the Alpine 160) than there is between the 5 and the Alpine 160.

Liking my Flow rims from justridingalong.com. Replaced EX823s – feel just as stiff but a load lighter. And easier to build than the UST nipple faff.

Matt

I’ve been using JRA Wheel Milk with no problems here. No thorns, but lots of rocks.

215mm * 63mm on the Alpine 160. The RP23 in that length is custom made for Orange. Bit of a booboo on Orange’s part telling you the wrong size.

Should be in there now. Anyway it’s matt DOT sherwin AT btinternet DOT com.

In normal conditions the 4 Passes is a good route if you don’t mind a lot
of carrying. Wasdale Head – Sty Head – Seathwaite – Seatoller – Honister Pass – Slate Mines – round Fleetwith Pike to Warnscale Bottom – Gatesgarth – Scarth Gap Pass – Black Sail Pass. You’ll be carrying 3 of those climbs, grannying the Honister Pass on the road and grannying or pushing up through the slate mines. But the descents are worth it.

I’ve been wanting to do a reccy of the Nether Beck – Haycock – Ennerdale BW for a while – is it really just a big bog fullbouncebill? Thinking Scarth Gap Pass – Black Sail Pass – Nether Beck – Haycock – Ennerdale – 600m carry straight up the FP to Red Pike – Buttermere. Done the Red Pike descent a number of times but always carried (with a smidgen of riding) via High Crag and High Stile.