Is the track from the forest down towards the Chapel a PROW though? I know the FC allow bikes on fireroads but is that part FC or is it Welsh Water or owned by the farmer? The lower part from near the farm access turn down to the Chapel is Bridleway but the part above that from the forest boundary doesn’t appear to be a PROW.

Onzadog – Member
That’s blown it…

😆

Doesn’t appear to have been any rain in the night. At the moment it is cloudy but not raining 🙂

Best/biggest camp party

😯 😆

Aunty Beeb seems to be changing her mind every hour…

…and so does mother nature!

It is currently a very pleasant evening, high white cloud and sunshine. We’ve had a few downpours today after a wet night last night; my guess is that the trails will be greasy tomorrow but not quagmire-like mud. Enjoy 8)

For those of you living next to the trails, was that one of the deciding factors in choosing where to live?

I’d have thought bigger wheels on road bikes would make the most sense on tourers where steady speed performance and comfort would take precedence over acceleration and low weight.

Interestingly, tourers often come with smaller (26″) wheels for strength.

Same as futon, literally straight from the door onto trails people travel to ride from all over #smugb’stard 8)

I had a similar experience to you sharkbait but surgery was more immediate. Surgery was successful and uneventful. I do however since suffer with acute pancreatitis if I over-indulge in fats, hot spices, or alchohol 🙁

fr0sty125 – you really don’t want to suffer with gallstones; the pain is cold-sweat-vomit-inducing agony. Not to be confused with kidney stones which are, apparently quite bad enough 😯

Well, it’s been chucking it down here for the past couple of hours…

Had a good ride out last night and found very little mud. Most of the area drains well. Don’t know which trails they’re using for the event but expect roots and, if it’s wet on the day, slippery roots 8)

That would take some organising qwerty; BUT with each person starting at a totally different spot, all at the same time, and each doing a different route and never actually meeting up at all… 😆

Surely these sort of rides have been happening for years, you just need to be ‘in the loop’ as it were. Loads have been put together on STW . Social networking, various ‘groups’ on the likes of Faceb00k, work groups, etc., all arrange get-togethers of various sorts. It’s already happening.

The commercial events (I know they’re not necessarily all profit making endeavours) become focal points in the yearly calendar for a lot of people but take a lot more organising and have a lot of legal niceties to consider.

In both cases all it takes if for someone to undertake to do the organising, however formal/informal 8)

White Horse at Staunton
Saracens Head at Symonds Yat East
Fountain at Parkend
Rising Sun at Moseley Green
Boat Inn at Redbrook

All the above are bike welcoming with good trails on the doorstep 8)

Another vote for a great weekend. Arrived Saturday, did the Kington Festival Sat.pm, followed by an early night [lightweight 😉 ], really enjoyable ride on Sunday in glorious sunshine, stayed over Sun night [red van, further down the field from you guys] then had a chilled Monday in the Black Mountains.
Email pinged off to the organisers to thank them for 10 years of a great event; a pity it will be no more 🙁

Whilst footflaps may well be right… damp may be a minor problem, chimney repointing is a regular, a bay window roof may be cheap to repair… but my comment would be that without seeing the property he really doesn’t know!
Your friend needs to get it independantly inspected if he’s keen on the property, either by a good builder or a good surveyor.

Would be a shame if this is the last.

Times change I guess, at a time when the Rough Ride was oversubscribed you could enter the HONC on the day; now if you don’t enter the HONC within 30 minutes of it going live you don’t get in while entry to the Rough Ride is falling. It’s a week befor MM, clashes with Bristol Bike Fest and doesn’t have the marketing of a Wiggle/Merida/Whatever.

It is a big ride, too big for a lot and nowhere near technical enough for many but that’s why I like it! Plus, the tee shirts are great (except maybe a couple of years although last years was better quality again) 8)

I may be wrong but wouldn’t 700c CX tyres fit, eg 35mm Twisters/SB8s/etc..

EDIT: Well, now the photos have appeared it would appear 700cs do fit; you obviously want to go bigger, not smaller… 😳

The other beauty is that there is always new stuff being created as old trails disappear 8)

…cars have right of the way on the road.

Not strictly true but a spectacular reminder of the mindset of most people these days and the reason why all other road users have to be extra aware of car drivers assuming that right of way 😕

Medieval style? Cutting the grass with a scythe, eh…? Mice have been known to exact terrifying revenge whilst the perpetrator sleeps; they can access the smallest of orifices you know 😯

The older the frame the more likely you’ll need to re-bush/refurbish/service the suspension so go for something for which spares/parts are still available. Unless you’re lucky enough to pick one up with “one careful owner”…

Hope it was a good holiday… 😆

I’m guessing he’s fed-up/had enough/wants to get home.

He should either get into cheap b&b for a couple of days, park the bike up in the room and find a good cafe and book to read to give his head a chance to clear OR get on a train with the bike to any destination available just for a change of scenery to continue his journey.

Don’t know how tall you are yunki but I’ve got an old Orange P7 frame you’re welcome to (steel, disc tabs, will take 100mm forks, 19″ – suit 6’ish) which Stu may be happy to transport if he’s coming my way at any time before he heads your way??!

My next door neighbour has one. He’s out running around all day, curled up all evening. They ride (horses) and he runs out with them which is fine if he stays with them; if he wonders off on a scent he’s got no sense of direction (although he does always seem to find his way back through the woods to the pub 😉 ).
Earns best part of four figures every time he’s introduced to a bitch, too…

He’d have probably lost his deposit. To a MP that would be humiliating…

Might I throw Robin Trower into the mix, don’t believe he’s been mentioned yet.

Reckon you earned that icecream simondbarnes!

Me, I set out on a long all day ride in the FoD. Stopped at daughter’s (13km) for a brew, next door neighbours were firing up the bar-b-que so spent the next four hours sat in the sun eating, chatting, drinking and then rode home again 8)

I am a great believer in the totally unscientifically proven “some bikes ride lighter” irrespective of their actual weight 8)

Superglue?

Some kind of vulcanising glue maybe?

Temporary repair with AE Black card?

Agree, Riemann P20. Though I do use a childrens’ waterproof cream on my face rather than P20.

#1 You need to fund 5% deposit.
#2 Gov’t scheme would fund 20% deposit interest/repayment free for 5 years. This still needs to be repaid. If not repaid at 5 years it will start accruing interest. You need to know this figure.
#3 Interest only mortgage for 5 years. After 5 years you will start paying interest (at what rate?) or will need to remortgage. You cannot just walk away, you will ‘own’ the property and will need to pay off the mortgage and the deposit loan.

In addition to above you will have legal fees, insurance costs, maintenance costs, furnishing costs. It’s a shitter really 🙁

#4 Get advice from an independent mortgage advisor! You will get there eventually but don’t tie a millstone around your necks.

Nothing wrong with the killer loop but there is so much more good riding in and around the area that it would be rude not to try some other routes… 8)

Wish him a Happy 5th Birthday from me DrP

I would talk to the shop. They seem to have been understanding and helpful so far, talk to them about your options.

Good coffee & cake in their cafe too 8)

Saw arrows, signs & yellow paint around the area today and they’ve been setting up the start village for a couple of days now. For anyone doing it, the trails are in just about perfect condition here at the moment. As long as it doesn’t chuck it down tonight (not forecast) then tomorrow it will be sweet as… 8)

Edit: if you do die can I have your Gryphon please; would be a great bike round here 😉 😆

Pump the tyres up.

You need to put at least 100psi per tyre on the road bike. After a winter of storage it will see the rewards 😉

I was always taught that the gains are made by riding through the hill, that is, maintaining cadence on the climb then driving on over the top; surprising how many ease after the effort of the climb. But then I was never any good at climbing 🙂

Depends on the event too. I mean, if it’s a hill climb event then…