Used the EBC last year touring in the pryennes around Mt canigou and durban corbires, it did the job. Lost some bolts in the first few rides in the uk and then reijigged, worked better, it has survived some rocky detours.
TJ it was fine for me on the climbs slow and steady, and I never noticed and I was concerned initally I was riding an ellsworth moment with the trailer on the back only one nightmare when i overload the trailer by 70%.
It was loved by the ‘hobos’/local drinkers who were amazed by the idea, a real talking point.
We did not buy the bob due to cost.

Simon,pictures tell a thousand words :D

places I’m seeing erosion the vegetation is undisturbed

see the pics above that bit in the pic very rarely dries out now, the pathe has widen massively…..I have ridden the fell for 15 years in that time seen it change dramatically and have been appalled by the damage in the last 3 years. If there are quagmires do not ride it…..let the plant grow back, let it dry out and replenish. Green thorn was not a mud wallow it has become onedue to the large groups using it.
Good luck to clubs and organised rides as long as they show respect to the environment, other riders, and understand the impact they/we have on the paths and the countryside. :-)

quote]I’m talking about the places I ride, not everywhere else I cannot see[/quote]
Simon, that why I chose Longridge fell not loads of people in the pics granted but this part of the fell has got loads worse due to large numbers of rider

jan

apr
[

sorry Simon but it is just irresponsible riding neither good for the fell or for mtbrs generally.
I do think people should be able to ride in a large organised groups but responsibly and with some respect for longevity of the surroundings.
Green thorn is that not a footpath? I admit to using it, Regardless opposite the farm the track to the left is now a quagmire due to overuse by bikers.
[/quote]I’ve also noticed devastation caused by felling.

ahh yes management of the natural habitat, where has that had an ill effect on the fell?

On my local fell used by large groups of mountain bikers, I have seen the damage, complete mess caused by riders in large numbers avoiding the correct path and either seeking ‘new rad’ lines, avoiding the mud or cutting corners. Some of the paths are now non useable to anyone be they bridleways, footpaths or cheeky trails, 20 riders or so in one group create havoc on some terrain, sorry but you are wrong Simon on most terrain has altered in the last 13 years, look at Longridge fell, altered massively in the last 3 years alone, riders cutting the trail in large numbers is not good. The thread was about what annoys you about mountain bikers, this is my bete noir, the ignorance of the damage that can be caused by large groups riding inplaces where the damage will not repair easily.

cool, i am off on 16th may , apparently col de tourmlet still closed accordong to the owner of the flat i am staying at.
Have a good time and post pics :D

ton where are you going to be based?

edingburgh cycles revolution trailer, cheaper and works hopefully they have a better bag

yeah, there IS such a thing as being too friendly Any more than 40 really does my head in.

sorry Simon, but the damage large groups of riders do to the moors around the north west is shocking, plus not all groups are as polite but my worse experiences have been with large groups of riders who completely disregarded common decency, politeness and where very unfriendly.

huge groups of riders all out together…….sorry but there you go……..

being told what is ‘rad’/cool/or not acceptable………without people understanding………..i use riser bars with bar ends at times due to injury but i get the comments.

going on 16th May col de tourmlet………….currently looks cold snowy and sunny….hoping that it will be fine for most of the time……agree with ed been to either end of the pryennes later in the year and it was freezing coming down.

jules, personally i would recommend a HT, a steel one that can run adjustable forks, and large tyres if needed, try a Dialled bikes PA great all day bikes and good on the ups but inbreds are good/cotics/pipedreams/sandersons all recommended and incredible value for money, all good for learning on, progressing on and total hardcore, if that is your thing. they are all porches none are protons, the PA was one of the best bikes I have owned.
Good luck but do tell us what you get

too sensitive ……indeeed

khs
marin bear valley
marin pine mountain
santa cruz heckler
santa cruz bullit
turner xce
turner rfx
intense tracer
dialled PA
litespeed Kitsuma still got
cove g spot
giant trance
ellsworth moment
titus supermoto, still got
nicolai heluis cc
Yeti Asr sl just got

as above try as many bikes as you can, and as shinsplints says take all our advice with a pinch of salt as it comes down to what you like. I ahve owned the ellsworth moment, fab bike and if you ask opinions they will rave. The system of ict is brill but Turners did it better and first, i have owned them as well wife still does, I am a Horst Link fan but the trance is outstanding and one if the best bikes i have ridden if you can get the sizing right. They have a system that is great at climbing and neutral in braking and they are as tough as old boots, they can easily match the abilities of longer travel bikes. If you are going to do more all mountain, no idea really what that means but all day up and down in the mountains then a adjustable fork on the trance is they way to go.
My wifes 1999 turner xce with SID 100 has 4 inch travel front and rear and she has managed Morzine/Les Gets/Lakes/Yorks Dales/Pryenees as well as touring. She has chance to ride most bikes our daughters have had from hardtails to full suss and keeps riding her turner because it fits really well, makes the ride intresting and works for her. Never every got on with stumpies, great bikes but not for me!
If you go down the full suss route also try single pivot designs, you decide what you like, we are all different. Also get the right size!
Good luck

pretty much as above get a good hardtail to start with, steel is a good choice, if you must have full suss go for a giant trance, as great choice as there is, a great all round and forget about oh i need 5 or 6 inch travel when a quality suss system with 4 inches or so can perform brilliant. enjoy

we used one trailer last year for 3 of us, as mcmooter better than panniers and for us cheaper.

titus el guapo

very late entry I got a supermoto from Fat Treads, really really good people, I ahve owned turners, xce/rfx/spot and ellsworth moment and the sumo is brilliant, climbs really well for a big slack bike, far too capable for my skills downhill, agreed not the plushest over small hits but big tyres deal with that. Looking at a ml or racer x as a companion. I would say that that the ml is a stronger all rounder than the orange, I am not a fan of single pivots.

Good luck

I have the same feeling so have used Pace but currently using Fox 36 talas very very very impressed

Titus el guapo/ older supermoto……just brill

hora what is the chumba xcl like??????

cheers

Thanks Sheldona and all the maverick owners,seems what I am after to be honest just worried over the sizing issue I am 5ft 11 &1/2 or on a good day/ego day 6ft I have shrunk with age and injuries, so right on the border of most bikes. The Nicolai did not help my injury, just could not get comfy. Last year i had a ellsworth moment in medium which was great only sold it because I was not able to ride for a few months. have a 18inch/med Litespeed but the large Supermoto which are more or less the same size. I had a large Trance for the summer great bike but just a tad too big. Do you know if there are any demo bikes in the North of England? Ideally N/W or Yorks?

Hora apologies yes the Maz SLs are sold but pending payment.Did you not have a SC Blur LT or 4x what was that like?

sheldona how tall are you and what size mav are you riding?????

Hora I wasn’t selling a SL a nicolai yes but sold thanks

Cheers for the comments so far, I have just sold a nicolai cc which i liked the suspension but hurt my back and neck due the shortish top tube and angles, I own a titus supermoto which I love climbs well and brill down but at 36/38 lbs after 4 or 5 hrs it wears me down a little, so given I will be riding some cat 1 road climbs in the pryennes it is just too burly but really looking for a similiar angles.
I have owned a 5 spot and loved it but new too expensive and second hand well still mega expensive, plus I could get a new frame for what people are asking for second hand but they are a great bike, never got on with the oranges or most single pivots. I will put the foes on the backburner as i am a fit and forget person, I do not ant to be fussing all the time
How do the mavericks size up? Chumba does look nice……Anyone ridden a Knolly?

I used to have the large frame being 5ft 11/6ft

Pryennes in 4 weeks cycling for a week,
June 2 weeks in Picos de Europa

What size frame do people ride? Say for 5ft 11/6ft rider?

Giro pnuemo…top of the range a couple of years ago great for xc stuff but limited rear coverage but saved my head when hitting the tarmac at 30mph. 50.00 quid off ebay new St Johns cycles.

or TSG superlight borrowed one off my daughter, very good

Martinxyz, what do you mean re seat angle andleg length? Is the seat angle too steep to get full leg extension? How tall are you riding a medium? Thanks

lol……….intresting where these terms come from!!!

I agree as dull as dishwater,

the ride journal outsstanding
STW
Dirt

both great

Bike and dirt rag still ahve some intresting graphics
Content wise

The ride and STW are for me the most intresting I get Dirt every now and then, what mbuk and mbr no more.

I emailed after placing order on 7th this is the reply

Thank you for your e-mail

Unfortunately this item has now been cancelled due to no stock and you
have not been charged.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the inconveniences this may have
caused you.

Kind Regards
Katie Osbiston
Sports Direct International

Not impressed at all :!:

Road/xc bike :D

as with all things on forums it comes down to personal I have this and I like it, if you have decided it is a choice btween hopes and xt great. In our family hope brakes have been fine as have xts, avids two pairs 5 and 7s were awful brakes with no end of problems sticking pistons, leaking and so on. At 210lbs i use the magura louise fr 180/160 in the pryennes last year stopped me, bike and trailer over loaded with much brake dragging down 2,500mtrs no problems. For me they have the best lever and feel, no problems other than bed the brake pads in, I have stillgot an originial 4 pot xt and it is great never been bleed. Btween the xt and the hope, go for the hope back up is fantastic.

Saw a japanese bloke cycling one of those fold bikes over the col de aspet, madness

Try Magura Louise, great brakes

I ordered one yesterday supposed to be with me on 17th april…………….oh well…………are field and trek part od soccerworld/sperts direct/mike ashley empire?

Hi, sorry to hear your condition, I have two areas which have suffered from prolapsed discs, lower back first episode at 17 last at 24, stopped playing rugby lost weight and started different exercises (lots of core work) and on the whole have not had too many problems apart from stifness, and creaking. Second area is my neck that has caused me loads of problems.
With my lower back they wanted to operate and i said no, with my neck the risk was very high if it does not work or any complications then it would be severe.
What has worked for me is acupuncture and physio, pain relief and then gentle manipulation. Increased bold flow via exercise but that is the catch 22, at times in too much pain to exercise. As above find soemthing that works for you, people will recommend this and that but it is your body and operates differently, chiro’s made things worse for me. As above try all the ‘natural’ methods before surgery or injections. Read as much as possible, and be patient.
Good luck

wingnut…………..if you can find one.