Seems counter productive to me, alot of guys I've asked to come along for a pootle won't because they are sure they will get hurt or be expected to do dangerous things when really we'lljust be riding around to the next tea stop.

I know what you mean, but sometimes, what seems tame to someone who's ridden for a while, could be pretty techy and therefore relatively dangerous to someone who hasn't. To the extent of falling off and hurting them selves anyway.

Crikey, I take your point, and I'm certainly not super fast. So do must riders who arn't hitting really fast times ride with triple rings to spin up the hills?

Also, is there anything to be said for momentum? When I ride my mtb on the road (especially at the end of a long ride) I find it much more draining to drop into 1st and spin on a hill, as you loose all you momentum.

don't fall into the MTBer trap of attacking every hill. Just ride them steadily and "within yourself".

What are other peoples opinions on this? I'm mainly a mountain biker at the moment but do some road riding, and I've done a lot more road in the past. At the moment, I have a double, so it's not really possible to sit back and spin on steep climbs. Also, I've never been one for spinning and always prefered to blast a hill in the middle ring.

Is there anything to be said for riding like this if it's more natural? I did a solo 24hour a few months ago (mtb) and everyone was saying spin spin spin, but I found that I felt much better in the later laps when I gave that up and just rode in the middle ring how I would normally.

Another vote for hard knot and wrynose, you get to do them back to back. Head from eskdale toasted wastwater.

Geetee's suggestion is also a good option IMO. The wall does have a lot fireroad climb, where as the Whites/Skyline climb is singletrack and much more fun.

I'd do Whiles Level, but if you have time, make it W2 which is a figure of 8 of Whites Level and The Wall.

I can't help but wonder what you were looking for when you found those….

I think my bb tool is a bit crap, as the only way to turn it is with a socket on the end, so you can't really attach it to the bb. Anyway, tried the hot water thing and hey presto it worked!

Thanks for all your help and advice!

It's an alu (scandium if that means anything) frame. Will the hot water thing work? You mentioned if it's a steel frame.

I'm using a 3 foot pipe to increase the leverage, but no good. Can't see a way yet to fix the tool to the bb.

The non drive side has loosened with some wd40, and that's off. But the drive side is having none of it. Nice idea about the qr but it won't fit through the middle, hole is too small.

Any other top tips?

Thanks!

Either. None of it is rough enough to really need a full sus (but then when do you ever really need one)?

tragically1969, sorry, was just keeping with the terminology that seems to be used here, didn't mean to offend! It is a mtb site after all, and if we really thought road riding was that dark we wouldn't be posting about it.

Edit: hope you enjoyed your hols!

A lot of manufacturers produce a standard case for all there glasses, and yes, sometimes they don't fit. Went through this with the opticians who gave me a case from a different brand. I couldn't understand it either!

Well a I right in thinking that you can't compress a liquid? If so, there's no reason it shouldn't work.

Edit: I'm not an engineer!

Got a course booked with Jedi next month, so can't comment yet, but will be great from what I've heard.

+1 Orange P7

Is it general practice then to change your chain and cassette every 1-2 years? Probably been really lucky in the past, as I've never had a chain snap before. Probably also something to do with bikes getting stolen before they get chance to wear out! Grrrrr! Not this time though!

Thanks,

I'll take a look at the mech, but don't remember hitting anything. I'll also try and look closer at the teeth etc, probably replace.

Minion again, and I've tried both. Now using a DHF on the back after a DHR and very happy.

Partyboy, depends what you want it for. The stick would be much better for scratching your back.

Sounds dangerous to me! I'd be worried!

If you can, take it down to an Apple store and they can run some diagnostics. Probably salvageable if it shows something on the screen. My iPhone did something similar, but wouldn't respond at all. The Apple store had a play then replaced it there and then.

Yeah, if you can stretch to 50 go for the proper bike light from dx. That's what use. Nb, one of the versions comes with a helmet mount too for the same price.

Deal Extreme have a load of p7 led torches very cheap that you could easily helmet mount with zip ties.

Afrade to say, bridleway just means that you are "permitted" to take a bike/horse there. No requirement that you actually can!

Whites climb is much better as it's most single track and a bit more techy but the descent is crap. Its all roughed up and its difficult to carry any sort of exciting speed. There's some jumps in it, but for some reason they seem like they're built uphill. Probably the worst though out section of the trail.

Sorry, have to say WTF? Don't you like riding "rough" terrain on your bike? I've certainly had no issues carrying speed and I'm not that fast. Last section Darkside is probably one of my favourite decsents in South Wales. Suppose if you don't like rocks, then the Wall would be a little better…

Related question: Does this reproofing stuff like nikwax apply to any waterproof fabric, or does it depend on the membrane? I.e. Would you do the same thing for heletech xp, as with goretex performance shell, as with northface hyvent dt?

Borrowdale bash 1 day, and stay at borrowdale, derwent water or Keswick yha.

Again, this isn't going to help now, but I've learnt your lessons my self, several times. What sort of lock did you use? My experience tells me that anything short of the biggest badest D lock you can get, is pretty much useless. Even inside a building. I've had a bike taken from my garden locked with a flat section abuse (solid steal plates, rivitted together), now my bike lives in the flat always and I'm even thinking of installing a ground anchor in there.

Again, 5, ha!

I have a NorthFace DIAD jacket that's awesome. Very waterproof and breathable, and the lightest and most compact jacket I've seen. You can pack it down into a large mug!

I have no real legal knowledge but if you just saw the signs and assumed the building had working CCTV, then I guess you don't have a case. It's proper shite though! If on the other hand you where told by the management or letting agency that there was CCTV, or they implied that the building was secure because of CCTV in anyway, then you might have some grounds for a complaint. Still don't know what, if anything, you could achieve though.

Thanks for the recommendations. I've spoken to Tony and looks like I'll be heading over to Woburn with a couple of mates.

They are a great tire, but also consider the Minion, very similar, but rolls a bit better I think.

From my experience: Don't try out spds for the first time without checking that the cleats are screwed tightly to the soles of the shoes. You won't be able to unclip. Options will be stop and fall over, or try and unlaise the shoes while riding.

From a friend's experience: If you're defending down the road at Cwmcarn, in the dark, at high speed, because your chain broke, don't try and change your light from low to high, end up turning it off all together, panic, and with only one hand on the bars, slam your front brake on!

The gap is fun, but the loop I sid had a lot of fireroady stuff for what you get. Last time I rode it I just went over one way then back the other. No fireroad, just challenging climbs and fast rocky descents.

The black mountains killer loop looks good, but the only time I tried it was this winter and was wading through waist high snow, so after about 5km we turned back! Great fun all the same though!!

IMHO they give you the worst of both worlds, rather than the best.

One thing to remember about riding spds is that if you stack it you're very unlikely to stay clipped in. And if they're set loose enough, you can dab your foot pretty easily without thinking about it if you need to.

Budget Option:

My mate just showed me 2 led lights he got from a pound shop, yes £1 each. Yeah, they're not 1000 lumins, but stick 10 along the bars and you might have something useable! This is untested, but for a tenner!?! Could even sick a few on you lid too!

Def don't worry about Hard Knott and Wrynose. They won't kill you.

Edit: and very satisfying when you're riding past cars that have failed to make it, sat there with the hood up smoking! 😉

I did Whitehaven to Sunderland, road but with a load of off road alternate routes. 150 miles in two days. Def a challenge with, for anyway, with a) the off road additions and b) the fact you're riding mountain bikes not road bike for the rest of it. Great fun, would recommend. But take lights, so you don't get caught out like I did!