+1 for the Atera Strada.

Atera actually make the roof bars and roof carriers for Skoda, Seat, VW, Audi, BMW & Mini (except you pay twice as much for the car manufacturers badge if you buy the stuff from a dealer from the dealer).

I bought a Strada for my wife’s car after putting a removable tow bar on it and also bought some roof rails, roof top bike carriers and a roof box for our trips to France with 5 bikes and a tent. What can I say.. I breed, cycle and travel !

I recently bought a Mini Countryman and I bought the Mini roof rails because I can use the same roof top bike carriers I bought for the wife’s car. The rear carrier for I got for the Mini is just a Strada with a special fitting to screw it into the bumper as opposed to putting on a tow bar. I can actually get 5 MTB’s on the Mini now !

Westfalia also make all the tow bars for all the VW group of cars. Order one with a new car and you’ll pay £300 more than you would if you buy one after picking up a car up. The removable one I had fitted even fits in a foam cut out in the boot with the car jack etc !

@nickswolves

I’ve sent you a GPS of a route I’ve done that has the Ladder up & down and all the best bits around Hayfield.

It’s 50k with some hard climbing but some great rewards. Thankfully the Ladder is climbed at the beginning, not at the end !

Give us a shout if you have any questions.

Marple mud fest, with some loops out and back from Hayfied added in to make up 50k.

Went out on the old HT too, made a nice change to have some twitchy descents to make the nuts tingle. Note to self… Keep the HT going and think about changing the frame.

I’ve have forseen your next ride out with your mates…..

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/mv-eyji/run_forrest_run/

Don’t bother. Too heavey, no grip, suck up water, cold, impossible to manage in the winter and crap sizing.

I had 2 pairs over 4 years an then someone put me onto these….

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=56219

Sooooo much better. Half the weight, warm, easy to get on and off, proper grip for bike hiking and they come in half sizes….. (If you dont mind the ‘more reasons to shop at Morrisons’ look !)

I’d put the Advantage at the back and an Ardent up front.

Imagine how long a complete Hope bike would last for. They keep talking about it but……. ?

c’mooooooooon Hope !

CP – stuck with the 28-42 rings now, cranks and rings are already here but they can be changed later on without changing the spider (just checked) if I’m not getting on with the set up. The way I go through chain rings I won’t have to live with the wrong choice for long. You’re probably right though, a 26-39 would have have suited me better. I definitely do feel I run out of gears on the current 33 if I stay in the middle ring, so I did need some more.

alfabus – 12-36 at the back but you make a good point. I very rarely sit down for the ups and when I’m doing that the 22 is way too small. When do you need the 22 ?……. those last long road climbs at the end of a trail ! (Sounds like you’re getting on fine with a 28)

Yes I do consider myself quite fit. I do lots of big stuff once a week in the Peaks, Lakes and North Wales and the routes average 50k. I obviously use the smallest granny ring for the hardest of climbs and very rarely use the big ring on the current 3x set up.

Don’t get me wrong I’m prepared to give it a go with the 42 and I appreciate that the 28 will probably improve the fitness again but I was just a bit worried I was buying a new outer ring in the 2x that I’d never use again and end up missing that super granny for the big big climbs.

I suppose I want someone to say that I wont notice much of a difference on the 28 bottom gear compared to the bottom gear on the 22 ring and the 42 ring is amazing on the downs !

Hope Hubs…. still as loud and as proud as the day I bought them 18 months ago, and with no bearings replaced yet either !

I had a bird sh1t on my head once…..

I finished with her the following day :D

Easy…. it’s because once again my FS bike is off the trail waiting for a complete new drive train after wrapping my rear mech round the chain, cassette, hub and everything else (note-not the other way round !), and this was after a 5 week lay off the trail waiting for a warranty replacement for my rear wheel.

You watch, next week I’ll be back on the FS, the HT will be packed away again and the world will turn to sh1t once more :roll:

Thanks for all the tips. Never seen the any with the hot soapy water method before !

There is a reason why CRC have most of their goods cheaper than anywhere else. It’s because of who else they own and who else they control or have exclusive deals with. There are also lot’s of other places where CRC are selling but you wouldn’t know it was them.

If you look hard enough you’ll see that they are the only stockist of lots of items and for those items you can’t find at CRC there are auction sites where you’ll come across a seller who has every derivative of it with a selling record of 22900 items ! Look at Sram X0 crank sets as an example !

They are controlling the whole bike industry and making it uncompetitive for LBS’s.

DON’T DON’T DON’T buy the Endurance Strikes.

You’ll end up taking a pencil out with you so can push the liner back in. The liner also comes out after you wash them, they are a complete pain in the arse. I had 2 pairs over 4 years, I thought I was just unlucky with the first pair but the second pair went exactly the same way.

I think the Seal Skins are too bulky, not really made for MTB as it’s the same glove they market to everyone.

If you want warm, hard wearing, waterproof and build quality…. Gore Bike Wear Countdown gloves are the latest I’ve bought and they are amazing. Fantastic grip too, they actually stick to your grips and I’ve never suffered from cold fingers with them and I wore them all winter. You do get what you pay for in this case.

The Dolly Waggon trail IS one of the best descents in the Lakes. I have never had such a big grin across my face as I did coming off the back of the Waggon !

I had an off on one of the switch backs but even that was comical- An OTB where you land on your feet and the momentum propels you into a run down the trail whilst the bike stays firmly lodged in the crevice you landed in. :D

Parkamoor is good from Grizedale Forest, very similar to stuff in the Peaks. The Garburn is good down to Kentmere (and the pass after that (can’t remember the name)). The Nan Bield before and after the bike hike up past Small Water (and you can link that onto the Garburn for a full day out). Walna Scar road before it was sanitised was great (I beleive it’s washing away again :lol: ). Several routes off and round High Street… All good descents but basically IT’S ALL GOOD IN THE LAKES !!!

Oooooh you’ve got me in the mood now. Lakes on Sunday it is !

@ singlespeedstu

Any chance you could post a link or send me an email with details of that route. If it’s where I think it is I’ve done some of it but it wasn’t as long as you’re suggesting.

If they still drag when you’re not pulling the lever……

The pistons do have a tendency to stick a little. Take out the pads and then pull a rag soaked in white spirit through the pistons to give them a good clean. Then pump the lever a little to bring out the pistons a bit (don’t over do it or you’ll get air in the line or pop a piston) and use a small flat screw driver to apply a silicone lube round the exposed edge. If you lube them a few times after each ride they shouldn’t stick anymore. Do the white spirit thing again when you next change the pads.

Then again you might have a slight warp in your rotar.

and apologised for getting stroppy

WTF…. how the hell did you do that ?! 8O

I have NEVER got my OH to apologise and neither has anyone else in the world that I know of. Even when we were having a heart to heart and I pointed out that she had never apologised to me for anything she replied ‘that’s because I’m always ferkin right !’

Why not do them both. Penmachno in the morning and then drive to the Marin and stop for a sandwich from the garage on the way. I do it a couple of times a year and if I can get to Penmachno by 9:30, I’m on my way home by 3pm(ish).

If you’re a quick rider you can do loop 1 & 2 at Penmachno in about 2 hrs 20mins with no stops, the Marin about 2hrs 10mins. If you’d prefer to take it in a bit more and stop a few times then 3hrs for Penmachno and 2hrs 45 for Marin.

Personally though, don’t bother with the Marin. There are some nice bits in it but there is far too much climbing and far too much fire road. Penmachno feels like a natural trail, has more techy sections and some really quick ST if you let go, plus you can wave to your wife from the back of loop 2 as you get a nice view of Snowdon.

Be warned, they don’t call it Wetmachno for nothing and after this weeks weather it will be river like in places.

Drop me an e-mail and I’ll send you some GPS’s of 3 big routes I’ve done where I’ve linked up several of the regular shorter routes. One in Macclesfield which drops past Buxton; one that starts in Marple Lakes but links up some loops around Hayfield and one that links up most of the routes around Ladybower.

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/jamie-oliver/brussels-with-hustle-recipe

Ferkin great !!!

I bloody love sprouts. And brown sauce too actually, although obviously not together. Although now you mention it…

Your sir would bloody love Jamie Olivers shredded sprouts with Panchetta and (tons of) Worcester Sauce.

I could take or leave 29ers, although I do like the look of the new Santa Cruz FS ones !

…. as for ferkin Coconut, you can take that crap and shove it in a deep hole somewhere. Just wrong in soooooo many ways !

I got an 800 a month ago. Great for maps,(especially if you can work out how to get some sneaky 1:25 maps on there); great for plotting a route (sorry course – those in the know what I mean); and great for recording your route….

….but turn by turn navigating off road along your course – bag of shite, still haven’t got mine to do it properly yet; and the software, that’s a bag of shite too – drives me up the bloody wall that you can plot your course on your OS maps through Garmin base camp but you can’t toggle between and edit it on Google Earth, so go to Garmin Connect and you can plot your course on Google Earth but not use your own maps.

I have learned to live with it’s short commings and stopped stressing over mad pink lines (another one for those in the know). 7 out of 10 (maybe 6.75)

Have you thought about doing the Dolly Waggon instead ? Very techy loads of fun and all BW.

Which way are you going up ? last year I went up via the great Dodds. Makes the route longer but some nice up and downs on the way.

I was blazing down the Walna Scar Road last year (may have been the year before – memory isn’t what it used to be, before it was sanitised anyway – the road not my memory), and pulled up for breather part way down right in the path of (almost hit actually) Steve Coogan on his way up (walking not riding).

I said ‘Steve Coogan, well I never expected that’ to which he replied ‘well I did’,’good to meet you’ I replied and sped off.

I was quite chuffed I didn’t say ‘ah haaaaaaah’ but since I’ve heard what an arse he can be I sought of wish I had as I sped past him without stopping :D

I stopped at the Ty Nadan camp site a few years ago which is near Quimperle. There were some great routes which led straight form the site and followed the woods along the valley (even a bit of ST).

They have a national cycle route which is marked by a red & white stripe painted on kerbs, trees and lamp posts and it goes through woods, villages, towns, farmers fields etc. You can just keep going and going. I found some amazing trails which led to broken stone bridges crossing streams past abandoned farm house which looked likes scenes painted by Monet… down into Quimperle, une cafe ole, follow your nose back. Fantastic.

Buy some maps though… got very lost at least once.

Sounds like a head flu or an infection around the head area which can effect your inner ear and balance.

Also, have you had Chicken Pox ? I had similar symptoms for about 3 weeks before I broke out in the spots.

Either way you need a trip to the doctors, don’t second guess anything to do with your head.

I don’t think bumble bee is a bumble bee, he is one of a gang of giant Umpa Lumpa’s who were put out round the trail round every corner just to piss the camera rider off. A proper WTF moment for camera guy when he thought he’d passed the Umpa, just to be met with another one round the next bend !

On a more serious note I thought camera guy had been quite courteous, he hadn’t demanded to pass, he asks ‘mind if I squeeze past mate?’ and Umpa then says ‘yes’. At that point Umpa should have let him through instead of trying to out run camera guy. In the same breath though I can understand the frustrations of both as there is nothing worse than having your favourite part of a trail spoiled by someone dicking you about.

You don’t get this on the natural trails….. that’s why I only do the centres in the winter, when the Umpa Lumpa’s are hibernating !

I did Helvelyn last year. It was definitely one of the highlights and a must do again for this year. The Dolly Wagon trail is a proper techy descent. I had a huge grin from ear to ear when I got down.

I went up via the Great Dodds. This makes the route a bit longer with some nice short fast descents before you get to Helvelyn itself. But you have to watch the weather as it can get quite boggy across Bruts Moss.

@ organic355 wash it in Nikwax and every so often spray it with Nikwax TX. Even if you wash it in non-bio soap powder you’ll eventually remove the water proofness and the taped seams will fail. Word of warning though DON’T spray the TX on your jacket over you kitchen floor, we’ve been slipping on our arses for two months now.

@mattrqee You won’t regret it. I’ve stuck with Endura for years and only ever got 1 season out of anything they do these days but changed to GBW cus there were some items on offer this year. Lighter, better quality, more waterproof, windproof, warmer, better fit and long lasting, you can’t go wrong. The GoreTex winter gloves are good too. Really grippy, warm and when they say waterproof they really mean it. Oh and you can get them on and off mid ride unlike the Endura glove I had which meant carrying a pen round with me so I could push the liner back in !!!

Perfect-God bless you !

I feel so alone… Really need to get some riding mates :(

Penmachno in the morning and the Marin in the afternoon. They are 10 mins drive apart but not worth linking up on the bike. Loop 1 & 2 at Penmachno is 30k and can be done in about 2hrs 20 (with no stops) and the Marin is about 28k and can be done in about the same time with tired legs from the morning. When you’ve enjoyed Penmachno you’ll be cursing all the fire road on the Marin but it’s still worth doing as a double like that.

Llandegla claims to be Black and Penmachno is is listed as Red. Llandegla is sanitised smooth runs throughout though where as Penmachno is over natural rock gardens through streams and follows natural contours, it is easily more technical and harder than Llandegla. Don’t be fooled.

Don’t miss out Penmachno. The most natural feeling trail centre in North Wales and some really fast flowing trails, great views and some techy bits too. Llandegla is like a BMX track and gets rammed.

Message the CYB Facebook page. He tends to answer on that out of hours.

I might be heading out there on Friday but can’t be sure yet. Sorry I can’t be more helpful than that. Depends on work tomorrow.

booommmmm – that was it hitting the front door mat. No complaints from me although the postie might have something to say about the size of it!

You are still talking about the magazine…right ? :lol:

Any waffle about sunsets, daisies and feelings

EH…LEAVE IT…! That waffle is amongst the best parts of the mag. Something a bit different that makes it stand out from the other ordinary mags. I like it that someone has managed to sum up in words that crappy feeling you get when your sat in an office all week yearning for the hills, or the tingles of apprehension you get when you can sense the return of spring, longer days and dry trails.