Another vote for Decathlon here. My bike wardrobe used to be mainly Endura but it now seems to be dominated by Decathlons clobber. Its well made, great fit, washes well and its bloody good value.

http://www.strava.com/activities/131640371 – This route takes in both side of Nan Bield – bit of a biggy but takes in some great trails
Another way which is good:
http://www.strava.com/activities/59217116 – you can make it a bit shorter by not visiting the pub on Haweswater ;D
I love it round there, possibly my fav part of the Lakes and Nan Beild (north) gets better every time I ride it

Good on you boxelder, its now on my hit list! Time to get creative and start mapping… Which i find almost as enjoyable as the actual ride

Aw man, i wish I’d not revisited this thread – was supposed to be going to Hebden Bridge on Sunday but I’m getting that Lakes yearn once again 😀

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Does anyone have a view on this trail – as a descent obviously 😉

I ordered a pair at the weekend – expected delivery date 4th October 😐 I’d have thought with them being a sale item they’d have loads of stock?

Gav, those pics have given me a yearning to get back to the Lakes ASAP. Grains Gill is a quality trail, only done it the once but its a much more “interesting” way down to Seathwaite. IMO miles better than going down Styhead Gill. Wouldn’t mind another crack at it some day and trying cleaning it.
Just wondering have you ever ridden Dalehead Crags?

Some pics from Monday

I was there on Monday – Did the Barrowdale Bash, but threw in Ullock Pike, Dodds Wood, Warnscale and Dale Head and Cat Bells – so basically nowt like the Bash 😀 I have to say I didn’t pass many folk be them on foot hoof or bike. Keswick town center on the other hand was booming at lunch time. Personally I’d be up in’t Lakes every weekend if circumstances allowed, I love the place.

Just got back from the Lakes after putting a route together which was inspired by this thread. Don’t really get to the Lakes as much as I used to with having a young family, so when I’m granted a day pass I have to make the most of it. This is the route I dragged my ass round – http://www.strava.com/activities/185315984 I Tried to squeeze in most of the stuff mentioned above, It was bloody tough but an amazing day (apart from the head wind I faced climbing back up Honistor Pass after Warnsacle – had to have some quiet words with myself at that point). Did a few trails I’ve never done before, Dale Crag and Cat O Bells to name but two. Think I dropped on with Cat O Bells as there wasn’t a soul on it! Just wish I’d had more time to have a mess about on some of the more “adventurous” sections 😀 Anyway just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration and here are a couple of pics from today’s outing

Awesome – Just got myself a burgundy one! Many thanks for the heads up 😉

Its an outstanding jacket, I had mine for 2 winters before our washing machine decided to eat it! to say I was gutted is an understatement. It managed to keep out some of the worst weather the Lakes and the Peaks could throw at me. The hood is really useful but could be a bit flappy at speed. I used off the bike as well as its a really good looking jacket (if you’re in to the scally look) If I had the cash I’d replace it in a heart beat. Size wise I had a large but if im honest it was a bit too big, however it did make it easy to wear with elbow pads underneath.

Just started The Shield which is ace, can’t believe its passed me by till now.
The mrs is really into American Horror Story – quite odd but compelling viewing
The Killing (US and Danish) is excellent

Cheers Northwind! Just bagged an orange one. Your old carbon 456 is still going strong as well 😉

No, slight rider error could end in death. Stick to Wharnscale, that’s enough to keep the best riders on their toes.
The foot path to that runs parallel to Wharnscale is also pretty tasty if you fancy a bit of cheeky 😉

I’ve done it the other way with no problems – using a 10 speed jockey on 9 speed block. The only difference that I can tell is the width of the jockey wheel. Same number of teeth – give it a whirl, I’m sure it will be fine

Love that combo. Minion up front and Ardent out back is also a cracker. Tried nearly every brand of rubber available but always go back to Maxxis

Made up for you pal, I hope the plod round my way are as efficient as yours in getting my P7 back – however very much doubt it.

Cheers guys, much appreciated. My folk live in Golborne – technically not Wigan but its the closets town. The bobby who dealt with the theft said there had been a spate of bike thefts from sheds and garages in the Golborne / Lowton area.
Stay vigilant folks
Thanks again,
Mark

Cheers chakaping, its a black frame with white lettering. The forks are also black with red decals. Oh and it’s got white Funn handle bars

Aldi frozen chicken breast & Aldi chicken thighs ( fresh). I’ll have the breast on training days with high carb diet and on non training days I’ll have the thighs with high fat diet. Aldi turkey mince which I’ll make burgers out of
I eat chicken or turkey at least once a day
Buy enough to last the week – I tend to cook my weeks supply on a Sunday evening to see me through, so I’m not prepping every night.
As for recipes I usually just chuck tumaric, paprika and chilli powder on and roast in the oven

I did Nan Beild on Friday and included a fair bit of High Street and the trails were the driest they’ve been in yonks. I imagine Sticks Pass will also be in a state of dryness. However this is the Lakes we’re talking about, next weekend it could be a foot under water 🙂

Marvellous!! Really brightened my morning that 8)

+1 give up coffee. Managed to give up the black stuff for a good three months earlier in the year but drink more now than ever! I know I’m in for a rough first week as I felt like turd last time I abstained. I found giving up a 20 a day death stick habit easier :/

@ rickon – only just noticed my grammatical faux pas hehe 😀

On one 456 carbon 18″ inc slackset £145
Reba race fork £130
Crest rims x2 £80
The bits below came off my Evil Sov which I sold to help fund the above bits
Hope Pro 2’s
Exotic 750 carbon bars (new)
Nukeproof war head 50mm stem
Slx chainset
Xt shifters
Slx rear mech
Cont vert tyres
Thompson seat post
Charge spoon saddle
It does look like it would be too small for me but it fits just right. I’m only 5’10 but I’ve got freakishly long legs, with an inside leg of nearly 34″ hence the height of the seat.
It’s far and away the lightest bike I’ve ever owned, and I love it!

to lose three stone, I’d address your diet first buddy. But training wise compound moves will be better as you’re using more muscles per exercise. Weight training will help boost your metabolism so even at rest you’ll burn more energy.

I’ve been weight training for nigh on ten years and its benefited my mtb-ing no end. I tend to train three times a week but only use big compound movements where you use several large muscle groups – squats, deadlifts, power clean and press, bench press, etc… basically moves that will improve strength and power When I first started doing weights years ago I did loads of isolation exercise such as flies and bicep curls but I stopped doing those a while back as all they serve (for me) is adding definition.
Don’t let people tell you you’ll put loads of muscle on doing weights – you’ll only add big slabs of muscle if you eat shed loads and lift big weights. I tend use several rep ranges such as 5 sets of 5 reps and traditional 3 sets of 8-10 reps and If i’m looking to improve endurance muscles I’ll do 3 sets of 12 reps. There a whole host of benefits from resistance training – if you’re new to it, start off with light weights till you perfect your form. And in my opinion free weights are superior to machines.
Mark

Fox DHX 5 here. Weighs a ton but is far and away better than the RT3. Its great going down, bobs a bit climbing overall very happy with it and you can tune it to your hearts content. When funds allow I’m thinking of upgrading to the Monarch Plus to save a bit of weight, as in its current guise my Mega is heaavvyyyy

+ 1 for BETD I stripped the thread on my Mega two months ago and took it to these guys and the service I received was second to none. Highly recommended. How they do it is to ream out the old thread and bond in an Italian thread, they then fit an Italian to UK conversion thread and jobs a good en. Get em phoned 😀

That is a very nice looking bike indeed – I’ve never ridden a 29er and feel its an itch I’d like to scratch but seeing that makes me realise I could build a quick hard tail without having to do a smash and grab on the piggy bank…. “wanders off to On One”…..

I was thinking along those lines mangatank, Might be a touch over budget, I was also thinking maybe the 456 carbon??

5’11” I ride mostly Lakes, Peaks, Rivi, Hebden Bridge… most of the usual northern haunts. The carbon would have Pike airs that would be off the Sov along with Thompson bits, Stans Crest wheels, Formula oro brakes, and a mix of SLX and XT drive. I recon I’d be looking to spend no more than £1200 on the 29er (inc deposit) any more and I’d be in fear of loosing my manhood 😀

Done, be interesting to see the results

Got of couple of me, the angle of the camera probably makes them look steeper than they are –

http://youtu.be/6hUjkJUNTMM
http://youtu.be/7huhg9BF-2k

Can’t seem to get them to embed for some reason – probably me being daft

Mark

I use http://www.maptogps.com Does more or less everything I used memory map for but cost nothing

Rode Garburn a few weeks back and it is all ridable if you’ve got the legs. Nothing too technical just a long slog

Sorry, that link did nee work. Second time lucky

Nan Bield

My personal fav is go up Garburn from the Troutbeck end, at the top take a cheeky left on to a foot path that takes you up to the Yoke. From the top of the Yoke you’ve got some ace techie trails down to the bottom of Ill Bell. Then carry on up Ill Bell, down some more ace techie trails (all this is FP by the way but very quiet) then its up on to High Street. Once on High Street head over to Mardale Bell. The descent off Mardale Bell is tough but all ridable and that drops you off nicely at the top of Nan Bield. I’ve ridden this way countless times and descended Nan Bield both ways – down to Haweswater is especially challenging 😀
Here’s a Strava route I did few weeks back to give you some ideas of whats on offer round there http://app.strava.com/activities/59217116%5B/url%5D

+2 Simon. Doing techie or fast trails on my bike is possibly the only time I can say my mind is clear. Absolute clarity and focus on the job in hand. Its why I do it really – pure escapism for the mind and soul

More of a Tuesday morning debrief from me. Had a rare Monday off from work so I decided to head north to my spiritual home of the Lake District. I set out with the intention of riding till I could ride no more. I achieved my mission. 81km round Coniston with just shy of 3000m of climbing – I’m absolutely broken today 😀 Took in some very cheeky trails that would be a no go at the weekend inclding this one….

Never done it before and I have to say its no up there with my best descents in the Lakes