hmm, thanks ir_bandito
I feel a Lingy End detour coming on next time anyone suggests BB.

Unfortunately I’m not insured

You muppet Tom!

On a slightly more constructive note though…, you’re a tall enough guy, I can lend you my Rockhopper (21″) to get you back in the saddle.

That’s bad, sorry to hear about that Tom.
Eyes peeled here.

Reversed onto driveway as I normally do

Glad to hear that CG (but not the damage bit, obviously).
It’s the people who draw in and reverse out that do my head in.

[bookmarked for later]

I agree with Plum, Pendle is best done as a nightride.

Also, don’t even try to get up there at Halloween as the police close the whole area off to keep the witches away. Seriously.

Best route (at night) is up the diagonal (left hand fork) cart track to the top, then follow the singletrack all the way down Ogden Clough.

Pendle and Ogden Clough from Barley (slightly cheeky, best done out of hours!)

Worsthorne, over to Hebden via windmills and back via Gorple Rd.

Yes, Great Hill from Brinscall is fine.
Climb (or descent if preferred) from White Coppice is also fine.
Descent off Great Hill towards Tockholes is surprisingly dry at the moment. After a few weeks more rain and you’ll start to sink on that descent.

To connect up Rivi with White Coppice and Brinscall, a low level route on the lakeside and then the Goyt would be better. You could return via Healey Nab if you prefer that to Great Hill.

Pretty much any XT, SLX or Deore will do, so long as they’re the correct BCD, if I remember correctly.
I run Deore steel rings on SLX and Hone cranksets. XT will be the same.

Least tyre-fussy place I can think of. It’s a BMX-esque all-weather surface.
Anything will do so long as it’s tough enough to resist being cut by the local slate.
Dual ply HR/Minnion for me.

Granny ring is standard steel construction. Shimano ones are cheapest at about £7
Middle ring introduces all sorts of fancy materials and you can pay as much as you like. I still go for shimano steel ones.
Outer rings are just spikey bash-rings 😛

NB. did you know that granny rings are reversible? THey have no ramps. Fit your existing one backwards and get some more miles out of it.

A body

Done bits of that route twice in the last week. All round White Coppice and lakeside cheeky stuff is all very dry.
Everything’s holding up well at the moment.
I haven’t tried the Horden Stoops climb to the flagstones over Great Hill for a few months now. It was still wet up there in the middle of the heatwave. It won’t be any driers now.

Still loving my 2012 Patriot.
Brilliant with a ‘zocchi 66RC3ti fork on it.
As I’m 6’2″ and also ride a 20″ Five, the Patriot does feel very short but that’s not been a problem. I can still pedal it up reasonably comfortably with a 420mm post at full height and a double & bash setup.

Garda, top of Mt Altisimo, about to start 601 trail.

Genuinely shocked that so many folk on here are not getting 13/13. 😯
This is mostly basic highschool stuff (and a bit of current affairs).

Sadly, I shall no longer be able to place the absolute confidence that I previously did in the all-knowing oracle that is the STW forum. 😐

‘cos it’s still sugar and water

Danny,
When you leave the road, then track, and get onto moorland, the path is fairly distinct and easy enough to follow. You’re aiming straight over Birk Rigg, so it’s just a case of keeping left and keeping to the higher ground. Hopefully Skeggles water will be visible on your right once you’re high enough.

Mostly what Plum said ^^^

Grew up in Wheatley Lane and Newchurch. They’re far enough out of the whole M65 corridor to be nice places to live but they’ve got no public transport etc.

Also lived in Barnoldswick for a year or so, long time ago. It’s OK these days but not top of my list.

North/West side of Pendle is nicer IMHO. I’m in Grimsargh and would be happy enough in any of the other towns/villages around Longridge.
Pretty good road links from around here too, which was one of the reasons we chose this area.

I’d happily sell it with a clean conscience.
But I’d not be confident to buy it.
Therein lies the problem.

annebr, I wasn’t defending anyone, just commenting on a factor that might contribute to the perceived imbalance of attendees skewed towards 30-40-50 agegroups.

Most people on the course had had their licence for 25+ years. And they are the people who are “generally” complacent about their skills and experience.

complacent or unconciously competent?
Do any of us actually remember anything about the drive to work this morning? I don’t. I wasn’t thinking about any of it.

where did you get to in the end?

link/copy of the pic and we’ll see what we can do.

you need new forks

OOPS, sorry DBW 😳

Always good to meet some new folk out on the bike and to be able to show ’em some trails they’ve not done before.
I’m not sure if I can cope with the apres scene though! 😯

Not seen the new stuff but I was pleased with the old “professional” range.

I took two 3/8″ drive ratchets back earlier this year under lifetime warranty.
I bought them about 20 years ago and the ratchet mechanisms had started to jump under load. I didn’t have any proof of purchase so was reliant on the fact that they have “Halfords” printed on then.

They replaced both on the spot without question. Exactly the same item, unchanged in 20 years. 😀

Twenty-odd posts and no-one’s said it yet!!!
Orange Five.

I’ve got the 2010 44RC3ti on my 20″ Five. An extra 30mm on top of that sounds rather a lot.
No you won’t die. I’ve even seen 66 ‘zocchis (180mm) fitted to a Five before today … but he didn’t leave ’em on for long.

OK, I’m in.
Broken toe seemed OK on a quick circuit of Guild Wheel yesterday so I’m going to risk it offroad.

Route suggestion:
From there we could do a circuit North around Healey Nab and Wheelton Plantation, with some cheeky lakeside stuff along the way.

wittonweavers: what pads do you need?

yep, downhill all the way to the lake shore.
Starts off easy and wide like that then gets techy and interesting in the lower sections.

yep, 2012 large = 18″
I’m 6’2″ and can just about get away with pedalling it up with a 410mm post at full height.
Just a bit cramped for an all-day bike but I’ve got a 20″ Five for that.
Bloody brilliant for playing around or anything with uplift.
In it’s element on Fort William WC track.

Calderdale = you’ll be needing a granny ring then. Either that or hiking boots.

Top of 601 trail:

Pregasina urban:

(Bit less exotic) Hike-a-bike up Blencathra:

Needs different fork maybe 😉

ArchEX ….. Nah, deserves FlowEX

Garda trip in May this year:

I can only guess “tamped” = tapered maybe. (in which case, no not on a 2009)

Mine’s a 2011, 140mm ‘zochi 44RC3ti fork, CCDB coil shock, Flows on Pro2s, 2×9 double and bash (mixture of SLX/XT & Saint), DRS chain device, XT brakes, SS Nano flats, wide bars/short stem.
Not amazingly light but plenty capable for Lakes & Calderdale stuff.

Just right for round here but your build needs to reflect where you’re going to ride.