Those of you worried about being eaten by rabbits…met a farmer once, chatting away pleasantly for a few minutes till his prejudices began making an appearance…He reckoned he hates badgers because if a lame sheep can’t escape a badger would eat it alive from the inside, starting by gnawing into it’s stomach. Don’t sprain an ankle with badgers around!

I just ride, and have done for most of my adult life. Used to ride with family as the boys were growing up and they would pester me to join a club but when I relented we found we weren’t clubby people so carried on as we were. I also had a mate who would do trailquests with and I still ride with him but not tq any more. When the boys grew and moved, I met a few mates on a poodle and we still ride when we coincide but with family commitments that’s less often atm. Now I usually ride once a week solo, once at weekends with one pal, in the week with my old tq partner and once with me old gel, but tbh I would still ride a shopper bike with a toddler if that was what was happening

Hora to the forum please!

My son got one, found it v sensitive to mud/water/etc ingress, within weeks had to fit a goretex sealed cable then it was fine. That was one of the 1st generation /few years ago now. Was working ok when he sold the bike it was on after a couple of years

Gotta be Bobby, food of the gods and dead cheap

I used to use a vw transporter camper as my main vehicle once the kids left home but that was written off 4 years ago by a pregnant woman who had a dizzy turn while driving. Since then I have used a transit van which I intended to convert to a camper but only got as far as putting windows in and boarding it out as we realised we only use it as a camper for a few weeks per year and we could do with the flexibility of using it for bike lifestyle, wood collecting for the wood burner, moving stuff for family and friends and still camp by slinging a mattress in the back and putting an awning on the side. Works v well, we wouldn’t go back to a car now. Only down side is limited seating, not a big issue for us cos of our empty nest

Cheers, been looking to get a pair of these so a bonus to order them with a good discount

If I were starting at Ringinglow I’d go round to Redmires by road first to descend Stanage then over to Burbage and Fox House then Devil’s Elbow and join the Eastern Moors loop to Baslow/Froggatt, Longshaw (permissive), then Houndkirk back to the start

About 8 years ago I had a Langster when they first came out and built up an old Pine Mountain frame from spare parts as a ss, used to use it all the time on local woodland rides with my sons especially when the weather was crap. I loved to psych them out by attempting stuff they felt was rad on it but used to break things on it lots, not least my knees which is why it had to be relegated to papershop bike eventually. The Langster had to go the same way, especially as riding it was seen as a challenge by my roadie pals to find hills that were beyond me. Happy days but now being in my 60’s I love my big travel full susser and techy rocky trails. Riding keeps evolving

Yep, like it overall because it’s v comfy, sits even lower than previous lumbar packs. Disappointed initially because I’d been told it had a rain cover and I found the magnetic hose thing awkward to engage after having a drink (you have to line it up to slot into a groove ffs) but then the magnet came off the hose mid ride and got lost so that was a bonus. Pack forgiven cos it’s so comfy

Peanut butter and date or banana sandwiches, been eating them for years on longer rides and big days, used to be my riding food for Polaris events back in the day, still have this as my choice food 20+yrs later

As others have said it depends what you like riding. I used to ride my Superlight in the Peaks (oops, pedant alert) but had to back off a bit on the rocky descents. Nowadays I hammer them on my trail full sus. Let us know your riding style and I’m sure you’ll get plenty of route suggestions

My 5 yo grandson said to me the other day “you’re the next one in our family who’s going to die, aren’t you?” Cheered me up no end

Dunno about the cafe (even though I only live a couple of km away) but the bridleways over here are perfect for taking your kids out on, I did it with my 3 and they grew up to be riding gods who wouldn’t dream of riding with their useless old dad any more

Got any tokens in your Pikes? Mine were too divey without, causing crashes

No cartilage left in one knee

Get them serviced/replace stanchions?

Glad you enjoyed/survived it. Hoping to get up before the ban myself

+1 for Rental fatbar (apart from the plain bit)

Two mountain bikers were looking at their dream bikes in a bike shop window. “That’s the one I’d get”.
A passing cyclops smashed his head in

Hora does
(Sorry Mark, I’m a snitch)

I’ve done both Ranger and Rhyd Dhu, both worthwhile if you like techy. First km of Rhyd Dhu is a push cos of precipitous drop but then all good. Being an old git it takes me a couple of hours to push up from Llanberis and knackered by the top which makes the start of your descent ‘interesting’ but the adrenaline soon kicks in! Would love to do both in a day but it would be too much for me because of the climb. You don’t need to worry about the ban for a month, but my son got told off by a ranger for pushing up before 5pm a couple of years ago (reckon he was being over zealous though)

Eastern moors loop?

A mountain biker takes a shortcut on a footpath across a golf course. He is accosted by a golfer who he recognises as his old teacher.
“How come you can play golf here but I can’t use this right of way?”
“Because I’m a Country Member”
“How could I forget?”

They do seem a bit prone to breaking. I’ve just replaced my mate’s xc axle which sheared after a bearing seized with all the wet we had.

Agree it’s down to personal preference. FWIW I run a 50mm stem and 780 bar on a large Bronson mk2 and I’m 6ft, ride Peaks rocky stuff and love it

First time I ever did the classic Win Hill/Ladybower loop in the early 90s I was overtaken on Potato Alley by two blokes on cyclo cross bikes. Uphill, I hasten to add!

Been using a mid height tranny for biking/car/camping for the last 3 years and it’s been reliable and cheap to run. My son used to drive vans all over Europe and reckoned transits were the best if not the fastest. Mind you, a mate has converted a vivaro and swears by that too.

I assume by toboggan chute you mean the descent to Backtor farm? Love that dh, did it on Sunday and it’s got rougher in the rocky chute so even better. From Edale we usually take the bridleway that leaves the village and then divides at Greenlands. Here we turn left and head directly to Hollins Cross. You can head up Greenlands and traverse the ridge, it takes a bit longer and involves more pushing but if you’ve got 3 hrs you won’t be short of time,the whole loop I describe takes us less than an hour. When you get to Backtor farm you’ll have time to turn round and push back up for another go

Done this. Works fine

I ride both 650b and 26, both Santa Cruz, difference is marginal but 650b rolls over momentum – killing rocks better so that’s my Peaks bike choice. Still love my 26 er for agility though.

Always found it better to do Snowdon in April, over the last few years I’ve had the warmest/clearest conditions at this time of year. Rhyd Dhu is good but I just love the ranger path. Thanks for reminding me it’s time to sort another trip!

+1 for the topeak , great for winding mates up who go on “feel” (code for “can’t be bothered to pump any more”. We all have to fake accuracy on trust which gives them the chance to continue the “debate” with “your gauge must be wrong.
Stop sealant gunking it up by positioning valve at top of wheel

Grease ports for joints (I’m 61)

I’ve used Joe’s narrow conversion kit and it works fine. Just fixed a 717 for a mate,he forgot to give me the rim strip so I just used electrical tape and a valve cut from an old tube and it sealed ok. At least it won’t be me who dies (initially)

If you fall in the woods and nobody hears you…?

Sam at bikevillage is v good

40 is wasted on the mid lifers. If I could go back 20 years I’d show you how to enjoy it

If time is short, a gps will save you a lot of map faffing/checking etc. When we did the C2C we spent up to 4 hrs a day on mapwork etc!

You could try Nuthall/Kimberley for accommodation. A reasonable commute to the uni (possible to work out a mostly traffic free route), local woodland loops out to Bestwood or numerous patches of forest which can be linked to take you as far as you want to go (!) and you are on junction of the M1. Central for most UK riding, esp Peaks, Yorkshire, Lakes, Wales