More bike parks and spread them around a bit

Sandals shorts and t shirt. I go touring in July not January 🙂

I’m going to have a crack at this. With commuting, plus a weekend ride and the odd event I should manage it.

1. To ride 100 miles per week, on and off road, including commuting.

2. To not buy another bike.

3. To enter an event every month. (Great Yorkshire Bike Ride, Dunwich Dynamo, Calderdale MTB Marathon, etc)

I have the Pro spec. I love it and can’t stay off it. It coped with everything at Bike Park Wales and has made a serious dent in my lap time at Gisburn. Not a scientific opinion because I’m not a bike expert, and I’m too long in the tooth to fuss about spec. Presently I see no reason to upgrade anything from the factory spec (except maybe a dropper post). Just demo one and haggle with your LBS over the price. I paid nowhere near RRP.

Sealskinz chap

Does it absolutely have to be a 29er? You could build a bridleway flyer onto an old but high quality steel mtb frame. I did it and recently rode the Pennine Bridleway fully loaded.The frame was a 1990s M Trax with titanium front triangle. I got it from Retro bike for £30. The build was a lot of fun and the bike a dream to ride.

Also look on OL21 for the Calder Aire Link trail which runs very close to you and is a lot of fun. Also Crag Quarry and Lee Quarry (not in Hebden but 30 min drive)

I used to suffer terribly from knee pain with SPD pedals. On advice I moved over to Time ATAC and hey presto no more knee problems.

Oh and give me a shout if you want me to show you a few gnarly bits in and around Hardcastle Crags, Heptonstall etc. And did you know the Tour De France will be going past your house in July? john dot mediasuite at g mail dot com

Look south from your house. See that big monument sticking up on top of a distant hill? That’s Stoodley Pike. There’s a choice of routes up to it and down again. For starters, head up Horseholt Lane starting behind the Co Op in Hebden and keep going up until there is no more up. You can’t go wrong. Enjoy. And welcome to the neighbourhood. You’ll never leave. Mu ah ah ah!