Ok thanks.

Glen Loin sounds ok for what I’m after. Did see that McTrail Rider video, didn’t look a great descent but def ticks the logistics box. Will try and sniff out the Ardgartan stuff.

Can drive but would prefer to keep it to the West side.

I’ve hiked the Cobbler a few times, never appealed to me as a ride but maybe I’m wrong?

I’ve never understood why its trendy to say Paris isn’t a nice city. For me any flaws would be mirrored in any mega city like London or Berlin and it has a lot to offer.

I suggested Riga earlier but Copenhagen is also amazing and not as expensive as people think (I’d rather pay £7 for a pint in Copenhagen than £6 in Manchester).

I really enjoyed Riga for a winter weekend away. Beautiful architecture without feeling as touristy as Tallinn. Hearty food and drink with more variety than German.

I won a pair of CrankBro Stamps with BOAs. If, like me, you hate tying and untying laces, then they are very nice bonus. They also stop you stamping (intended) your shoes off, potentially making them last longer. If 5.10 made a Freerider Pro with BOA I would pay more for them, but probably not the extra £100 they would no doubt be!

Suspension forks for gravel bikes

@continuity!!

@continuity well yea you’re not going to match the Lakes or Scotland locally.

You’ll either have to make the commitment to driving to the Lakes and spending weekends crossing the border, or learn to appreciate the local riding.

I’m Yorkshire born and bred, sure I prefer riding in the Lakes and Torridon is my favourite riding spot in the UK, but I can still have a brilliant day out on a 20-30km loop round Hebden Bridge taking in plenty of tough descents, cracking views and ending with a pint at Vocation. What’s not to like?

Also +1 for @BenjiM comment above regarding lots of riders only having one bike and compromising on most rides!

@continuity have you ridden in the Peaks? Most of the riding sports are Derbyshire not Yorkshire but no further from Leeds than some of the places you’ve mentioned.

Ladybower Classic and Jacob’s Ladder style routes might be the goldilocks ride I think you’re saying you’re looking for. Plenty of tech sections but not too techy. A proper day out in the hills, not mini DH trails.

Yorkshire only do you use Trailforks? You can piece together very good full days out in Hebden Bridge and Reeth linking descents from the app, no local knowledge needed, happy to be specific.

The 5am alarm was worth it!

Atmosphere is amazing!

That Capra looks good value and it’s good too see the prices include customs….battery chat is pretty dry

@Beagleboy exactly why it’s impossible to generalize. I guess my concern is an acceleration in rider volume undoing long term attempts to improve access. But equally you cant shut the door on new riders and I’m sure encouraging more tourists to spend money in the Lakes is used as a positive too.

@chrisdavids is it time to ban ebikes?

My argument with more access to the Lakes is ruined by ebikes. Nobody is sat on the sofa on a weekend avoiding riding the Lake District because Walla Crag isn’t a bridleway. Increasing access would only spread out the mountain bikers, causing less impact on trails and other trail users. There’s no mountain bike logic in what is a bridleway and what isn’t so the safety argument is null, and you could implant local rules on the most popular areas like they have on Snowdon.

Ebikes are the spanner in the works because surely they are increasing the volume of bikers riding in the Lake District. Maybe some people think that’s not a bad thing and they have the right to be there. But if mountain bikers are wanting more riding access I think it is a problem. Just as mountain bikers are building a case for more access ebikes come along and dent the chances, they haven’t used the Walla Crag trail since the 90s but they are now, they need to wait their turn!

I’m not trying to generalise and say all ebikers are lazy and wouldn’t have been there (especially don’t want to offend anyone who rides an ebike for health reasons who would 100% have been there if they could).

@malv173 no worries its hard to go wrong! Def going to start going more.

Thanks for the tips guy. Successful trip to Wharny! First time in many years and first time not on a DH bike. Can confirm modern enduros are better!

@malv173

Yea I’m thinking Greno will be fine. Years since I’ve ridden Wharny so any suggestions on trails to look for?

Yea keeping an eye on the forecast, could be OK if we get there early!

God bless who ever picked the age splits (from a 34 year and 11 month old)

I’m a fan of Aberfeldy 12….could be due to familiarity as the father in law gets a discount from work.

I really like this route

Walna Scar

Descent to Seathwaite is excellent and the Newfield Inn are welcoming however muddy you are. The pull up to Walna is deceptively tough and some of the descent has been sanitized but the top section and bits around the mines are great.
Might not be the best value ride but definitely a great day out. And good in the winter.

If you couldn’t get to the ride due to isolating, or if your yearly trip to the Lakes was moved back a year, no one really minded..

Disagree

We have the same massage gun. They’re adamant about what it’s not to be used for….

@dc1988 I owned a pair of OWN (get it…?). They were excellent in the wet, kevlar outer didn’t hold any water and the neoprene booty kept your feet warm and dried in hours.

They just didn’t have anywhere near enough grip which is ultimately why I went back to 5.10. Has crossed my mind to use the booty in a Freerider Pro but that would require ridiculous upsizing.

Also they were so hard to put on that the classic mistake of putting shoes on before pads escalated from a mild annoyance to may as well quit and go home.

5.10 Freerider Pros.

In the winter use waterproof socks with an under sock or even two if it’s really cold. Waterproof trousers will stop the socks from soaking up water from the top.

I’ve never been uncomfortable with this set up. Not been out all day in the absolute worst conditions but have done 6 hour rides with snow and rain in the Lakes.

@scotroutes the light in that 2nd shot is stunning

Short video of the ride

Yea the water wasn’t a problem!

@Jordan if you know you know

Success! No dramatic sunrise but we got up just before the dawn and had a great ride. The love tunnel was gushing!

Thanks pacman and Hannah. Aiming to be up there before 7.30 for a brew! Met office claiming a day off the rain tomorrow…

If the issue is noise why not grind some beans before bed then use a caffettiere.

@docrobster yea I’d assumed that!

Thanks @tuboflard

@1timmy1 is correct

@markgraylish that video has a mix of both sides. Both are brilliant! I think the lower half of the Achnashellach descent has more of the relatively unique (for the UK) rock to ride which is what makes the trail so interesting. The upper section is real big mountain riding and should definitely be included in the rating of the trail.

Although starting from Annat I’m bloody knackered by the final descent after the demoralising drag from Coulags, so the Annat descent is probably even better than I realise!

Definitely seems like Torridon, Skiddaw/Ullock and Esk Hause to Cockley Bridge are the top 3 in the UK. Full agreement from me!

Achnashellach descent in Torridon, its unbelievable its not made for mountain bikes.

@jimmy748 did you follow the red dots that was actually my blood then lie in the ant’s nest too?

@bikesandboots yea that bit. It’s a rideable line but I realised too late that it was a drop. There’s also an ant nest in the grass at the bottom who’s inhabitants aren’t above biting a winded rider.

I can validate a few of the above points having crashed breaking my wrist and bruising my ribs on it a few weeks ago.

There was nothing on the trail that was above my riding level however I crashed bad on the first run.

It’s interesting red dots are mentioned, for anyone who knows the track I fell off the drop option on the large rock slab rather than taking the board walk that I’d missed on the rider’s left. Totally my fault for not looking on my first run but it did occur to me there was no signage.

I also think a major factor was tensing up on the bike, I’m not a huge fan of heights and the board walk is strangely intimidating for what should be very easy riding!

But there are no mandatory gaps or drops so if you’re sensible on your first run most riders should be OK.

Thanks @chakaping needed a sanity check. Think the shop had suggested a Whyte T-140, I thought that would be ideal but of course they’re out of stock.