I’d seriously consider the borders rather than highlands. We’re in Surrey and pre-kids, we used to regularly head up to the highlands for hols, although more May & Sept to avoid midges. Since having kids, we’ve taken the view it’s just too far to drive, and have spent a number of fantastic weeks in the borders, mostly Peebles area, but this New Year in Galloway.
I can highly recommend both – you’ll knock 3hrs off your drive time, have far less midges, it will be cheaper, less busy, and with the 7 Stanes on your doorstep, the riding will be awesome too!
The one exception to the above is we spent a week at Easter on the Ardnamurchan peninsular – cracking place but all the above re: travel time and midges will stand for August.

Have run 2011 SX with no problems. Wider rim vs 819 gives better profile to tyres and better stability at low pressures, plus lighter.

Stanton not available yet so unlikely you’ll get views on it unless someone’s ridden the prototype.

Would add to the list Ti 456 (owned and liked a lot), Ragley (ridden a few times and just as good), Cove (not ridden), and Kingdom Foia (also not ridden).

exactly. taking the bars on/off all the time on a car without rails is a pain.

Question answered then…..if you leave the bars on all the time, spend the extra on wing bars. If you take them off when not in use, save the money and go with the aero bars.

They’re much quieter, worth it for that

Once you strap bikes / roofbox / kayaks etc onto the roof, I’m not sure you’ll notice the difference the bars make!

Having owned both, the aero bars look a bit funkier, but to me that’s about it.

Took the kids to Dalbeattie and thought was awesome. We rode the taster loop twice, with the kids riding the blue stuff and adults ducking off to ride the red / black bits. Outstanding and can’t wait to get back to ride the rest of it.

I had one and thought it was ok. DT himself recommended me a large and with hindsight it was too big, although the medium felt too small when I demo’d it, so maybe I’m just between sizes.

I like DW bikes, and have had 3 (2x Ibis Mojos and the DW 5-Spot). I like the way the suspension is designed to “prop” the bike up when under power, eg climbing. That said, you def know you are riding a bike with character to it’s suspension, whereas the classic 4-bar design just disappears into the background.

Bushwacked….you considered a German Short-haired Pointer (GSP)? We adopted a 2yr old at the start of this year who has turned out to be a perfect trail hound. Done a few 25 milers with her at a fast pace, and she laps it up. Smart enough to know what’s going on – she usually runs ahead, esp on trails she knows, but will pull over if she thinks you are faster (not often). Regularly night-ride with her, and she’s happy with other riders around too.
They need more excercise than a lab (ours gets an hour a day min) but will be pretty chilled out afterwards.

Awesome stuff – much appreciated. Have all the maps so looking forward to some exploring. Also noted from Strava a couple of cheeky sections in Glengap Forest!

Bling ring is the way to go. Just fitted a 28T to my XO cranks on my Camber 29er.

ikimbunza – an inch taller than you and rode a 16″ 456. Asked Brant same q and response was 16″.

It surprises me though that even when the big boys get involved, they still don’t quite “get it”. I had a look at the Specialized Hotrock for my daughter this year, but it has 21 gears! My wife can’t fathom front and rear gears, so how the hell do they expect an 8 yr old to? It’s details like this that mean Isla Bikes still rule the roost.

Ooh that looks stunning. Looking forward to a ride report…..

Another vote for GSP here. We adopted a 2yr old bitch this year who makes an awesome trail dog, both day and night. Has done up to 25 miles before now, and easily takes it.

I’ve gone down the route of clubbing together with a mate and hiring a guide, albeit one that came highly recommended by another mate. This has the advantage of being much more flexible to what you want to do.

We ended up wanting to focus more on the climbing, so ended up doing Tower Ridge on day 3!

Generally blimmin brilliant tonight, although a few trails too rutted and still a bit soft (eg crackpipe). Like riding through fields of diamonds and trees of tinsel!

Actually the work done on Parklife / Yog Pots has made it one of the better trails in the grim conditions. Credit to the trail pixies who have done a tremendous job.

I went exploring over St Marthas today and have to say the sandy soil and much lower traffic made for some cracking riding. The odd patch churned by horses but had soooo much more fun today than yesterday. There’s some upside to grim trails – forces you to get the map out and explore and you inevitably turn up a few hidden gems of trails.

Was out for 1.5 hours round Holmbury and Pitch this afternoon, and it was probably the worst / most depressing ride of the year, and bearing in mind how bad it’s been this year, that’s saying something. Having a hangover from the office Christmas dinner last night didn’t help, but even so, trails were just awful. Even the stuff that holds up well was pretty grim. I resorted to riding the big sandy tracks.
Not sure even a hard frost will help, because there are so many deep puddles on most of the trails. If these freeze over, it will be entertaining to say the least!

Ska-49

Can’t see your email but would be interested in the Yelli if selling…..

Result – thanks. That’s maps for our New Year jaunt to the borders sorted.

Boots arrived, and very neat job. First ride out today in the Slurrey Hills and toasty dry feet, but with bags of grip on my Nukeproof pedals. All in all seems a bit of result.

Annoyed the hell out of me by showing something as being in stock…placed order only to find it wasn’t! Why do mail order places do that??

Netdonkey – yep got what you want and live nr Holmbury St Mary. You’re welcome to try it.

Just got the call from Feet First in Chesterfield to say my Inov8 Goretex boots are about to be shipped back to me complete with 5-10 sticky dot rubber. Should be interesting! Given it’s an experiment, I got a pair cheap off ebay to try.

I’ve compared them. I have lumenator, mate has ay-up. Post test, he’s ordered a lumenator and will use ay-up on his road bike….nuff said!

Yup the Pipers Gate BW is now a steamrollered motorway. One to the N of it isn’t touched though.

Chess? Have been very impressed with our 6 & 7 year old’s ability to pick it up!

As someone who lives 2 miles as the crow flies, I find this a really disappointing thread, mainly for crossfire’s confrontational attitude and deluded responses.
However, I do understand some of the frustrations given the focus on parking in Peaslake – walking bottom today was overflowing, with parking down the centre and on the verges around the exits.
There is a pretty simple solution to this:
(1) Produce a map with alternative car parks.
(2) Charge people for parking in Walking Bottom, and perhaps give exemptions to people displaying something saying they are Friends of the Hurtwood Estate, as per the National Trust
(3) Make parking in the village “Residents Only”

In that way you either reduce the number of people driving into Peaslake to ride or generate a decent amount of revenue from them. Either way local residents “win”.

I’d also point out that a not insignificant percentage of cyclists passing thru Peaslake are roadies – little mention of them in crossfire’s rantings.

Hey crossfire80……

Enjoy your ride. You’re not welcome.

Assume you still want us back a few times a year for the Peaslake MTBO to pay our tenners towards the running of your school? Thought so.

First ride out with mine last night. Ordered Monday pm, turned up Wednesday.
Great light when judged on it’s own. Add in the price and it’s unbeatable. We stopped at one point and judged it against mates with an Exposure 6 Pack, MaxxD, and a Lupine Betty. Only one that got close was the Lupine but at 4x the cost!

Have been v impressed with the Spesh Camber I’ve been riding for a few weeks now.

Brant…..another “wot size”…..

Am 5’10.5″ and rode a 16″ 456 Ti. Prefer running short stem / wide bars for larking about in the woods type riding. What do you think?

Run XO here too with a 30T bling ring and loving it. Got mine off here for approx £100!!

Rode a Spesh carbon Camber round the peaks last week and thought was awesome in the rocky stuff. Reckon it’s bigger brother the Stumpy would be about perfect for Scotland.

Done a couple of rides on a 2013 one. My first 29er so difficult to judge what is the Camber vs what is a 29er. Impressions are very positive though – fast, light, very good climber, has “only” 110mm travel but this doesn’t seem to hold it back.
Only criticism of standard spec is forks are QR rather than bolt-thru.

Hopes up here too – got a set that need servicing and tempted to drop to 140mm too.

Have an email in my in-box from Easton saying you can go from 15mm to 20mm.

Get up early and go to the fish market. Get a platform ticket for Tokyo Station and watch the Shinkansen (bullet trains) glide in and out.

The Llechwedd slate quarry at Blanaeu Ffestiniog is good for kids and you could sneak on the uplift too!

Ffestiniog Railway always good for a day out too, and if kids / you into steam trains you can wander round the sheds at Boston Lodge and chat to the mechanics & volunteers.

Beach-wise, Harlech is closer than Aberdovey and just as good IMHO.

Plenty of geocaching in the area too.

Was planning on doing Moel Siabod recently but had to change plans at last minute. Have heard it goes!