Footpaths, bridleways, woodland trails – if you can ride a bike on them I will. Like many have said previous if you employ a bit of common sense and courtesy I really don’t see a problem. I’ve had a couple of run ins with walkers on FP’s but nothing that has ever made me think twice about using them
hahaha @ gears “traveling in meters” I’m having that one ;D

Amazing movie. Captivating performances performed by all.

That the one!! Many thanks tomato, you’ve just made my day

I got one of the Membrane 7 Jackets yesterday after foolishly melting my MT500 (don’t ask 👿 ) and for £30 you cant knock it. Went for a quick blast round Delamere wearing it. Kept me very warm and water splashes beaded straight off. if it only lasts two seasons its still a hell of a lot cheaper than a Stealth 😉

I got one of the Membrane 7 Jackets yesterday after foolishly melting my MT500 (don’t ask 👿 ) and for £30 you cant knock it. Went for a quick blast round Delamere wearing it. Kept me very warm and water splashes beaded straight off. if it only lasts two seasons its still a hell of a lot cheaper than a Stealth 😉

Dollywagon is my favourite KOM decent and my favourite climb is this one in’t Peak A57 Climb and this one has been a battle between me and another chap for a few months now. At the min i’m on holding on to it but i think it could be lost if we get a hard frost Goit All won on my rather over the top Nukeproof Mega 😀

Found these beauties the other day. Think they might just be twenty yeras old. The klein was one of the harshest bikes I’ve ever ridden – but bloody quick. Sold it to buy some decks and feed my ever growing recreational drug habit 🙂
The Rocky Mountain got robbed from the shed, my dad nearly caught the theieving gits as well. The image of him running down the street in his gruds, screaming and waving a claw hammer is one that’ll I’ll never forget. Almost worth loosing the bike for the comedy of my old man going all caveman

as Scarcat says you need recovery time and nutrition. Your muscles need time to repair. If you feel like you’ve hit a plateau, mix your training up a bit, do some weights, try high intensity interval training. Your body over time will get used to the repetition of the same routine. If you throw a few different exercise types and styles your muscle will adapt and grow…. but only if you give them time to recover and repair.

56624m since April – All off road. Rather chuffed 🙂

Sanny – on your Saturday ride did you track back to Langdale??

WL- I think i did the trail you’re on about on Sunday – Gains Ghyl. I’d say its slightly better that the BW down to Stockley as its all down. The BW (from memory) has that middle water logged section which i cant be doing with. Its a bit “stepy” in places but there are some nice techie feature thrown in to keep you interested. There are alos some fairly sketchy exposed bits to be minful of. I say give it a go. I had a quick look at the footpath down Fleetwith and it looked unridable in places.
This is the route i did – 😀
http://app.strava.com/rides/25021163
Mark

Not sure if the below link will work as ive done it from my phone. But single leg deadlifts are great for lower back and hammies. Single leg squats when done correctly are a killer

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=single+leg+deadlift&hl=en&client=ms-android-samsung&tbo=u&source=android-launcher-widget&v=141338691&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ZCl9UPK2CYbOhAeC2YG4DA&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=320&bih=533#i=4

Mark

First gig – Nick Kershaw at some dive in Liverpool. I was nine and obsessed with Dancing Girls so my folks thought they’d take me to watch him. I’m sure were Tapau supporting.
First gig (without the folks) – Ultra Sonic live at the Zone in Preston
Next gig- Black Keys at MENA

3 miles each way on’t road – lots of options to make it longer & more exciting but I never take them… always running late in the morning and too wrecked after the gym in the evening

just finished season 2 – Love it!! It makes it all the better having it on Net Flix 😀

I did question my mental health after that ride Peter haha

Fieldy – yep that was me. Did Rhyd Ddu and felt cheated that I’d not done Rangers so went back up. Not moved off the sofa today as a result 😀

I was up there myself today. Amazing day. Managed to do Rhyd Ddu in the morning and the Ranger in the afternoon. And yes I went up Llanberis twice. I will never do that again…. Im broken now 😀 toughest ride ive done in a long time.

Wl – that route was brilliant. I’m hoping to do it again very soon when its not so windy. I didnt get to Causey due to the wind so cant say much about that. There’s so much good riding to go at round there its untrue!!

I rode it 12 months ago and it was quite Dollywagonish towards the bottom. The top section was still good and techie. Thats the only time ive ever rode it so I cant tell you if its any better or worse.

This is one of my all favourite routes. The highest it goes is High Street, It has a bit of everything and most of the climbing is ridable (ish) There a few ways to go at it but the descent of Ill bell is awsome.
http://app.strava.com/rides/20600910
Cant beat Ullock Pike as well 🙂

It was a belter of a ride. Have to agree with you Sanny the wind at the top of Gisedale was too strong to atempt the top section. Gutted as it looked ace! Defo going back for another go. I also went over to the Knotts but I think I went wrong some where as I was faced with unrideable cliffs?? Gasgale wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be either and as a descent would be…. Let’s say challenging hehehe
I bailed on too as the wind was doing my head in, so I sold my soul and did a lap of Winlatter (have to admit I kind of enjoyed it)
The walkers I passed today were brilliant, full of encouragement and banter and I got no static what so ever. In fact I rarely get grief in the Lakes for riding on foot paths. I think if you act accordingly and don’t take the pi@& everyone can enjoy the fells in harmony. its a bloody stupid law that we can’t, but that’s another thread entirely
http://app.strava.com/rides/21376824 this is my route from today. As you can see my sense of direction isn’t great hahaha
All in all a top day out, helped as well by the comments and advise from the ST massive 😀
Check out my route from last week on Strava… Now that was a quality ride…. And shockingly some of it was legal
Cheers
Mark

Some great info folks, cheers,
d45yth I’ve never done the four passes, Warnscale Beck looks tasty though 🙂 I’ll make a mental note to add that one to the list.
Everyones comments are convicing me that my route is a goer – I’ll post some pics up (if i remember to take any) and what the final route turns out to be. Cant wait 😀

I suffer from this too. I’ve read somewhere that being slightly dehydrated can cause restlesness. I try to wind down as much as I can after longer rides, making sure i have at least 4-5 hours before going to bed. I feel your pain – all you want to do is sleep, but its the last thing you can do. I’ll be watching this thread with some interest

I’d recommend the Superstar one. I over tightened the DT one stripped the teeth off the lever, was going to replace like for like till I saw the price :/
If you plumb for the Superstar one don;t forget to take an 8mm allen key with you when you go riding

My Mega has a similar issue, when its bolted up its fine. I do wonder though if pinching the frame together does put extra pressure on the frame bushes and bearings? Its had the rear end replaced and thats the same so I assumed thats the way its supposed to be.

I’m just about to fit a pair of 180mm Domains (tapered) with a 1.5 degree slackening headset. I’m experimenting to see if I can turn it into a mini downhill bike. I’ve fitted the Domains with a soft spring so as freeridenick says they should sit well. It might ride like a complete dog but nothing ventured nothing gained 😀

Try taking the mech hanger off and give it a good clean and put a bit of grease on the back of it when replacing. My Five used to make a similar noise and as the frames made our of scaffold bars it’s hard to tell where some creaks and moans come from. Could be worth a try

I bagged it once a few years back (climbing up from Troutbeck) but as Cammer says its eroded a lot of late. It was by no means easy and I’ve tried many times since and failed at the last steep section where the worst of the erosion is. Gatesgarth climb from Sadgil, now thats a climb ;D

Nukeproof Mega will take a 180. Climbs like a much smaller bike and decends like a much bigger bike.
If you consider one of these, factor in the price for a new shock as the RS Monarch is pap

Bwaarp you sound like you ride like me so i would defo recomend a coil. I may if had a duff shock
but i just couldnt get it to feel right. I understand the weight thing but the performance of the coil
will more than make up for the weight sacrifice. Not sure about the Vivid shock, the guys at NP are
very helpful and are probably the best people to advize on which tune.

I’ve had a Five (2008) and now own a Mega. The Mega (imo) defecates from a great height all over the Five. The Mega is stiffer, more stable at speed, more balanced when the wheels leave the ground, better at climbing…. all round I find it a much more capable bike. The only down side is the Monarch shock, I’ve swapped it for a DHX4 coil and its transformed the bike.
The Mega just seems to inspire confidence and for the money, gives you so much more bike than the Five. I’m going to stick a set of Totems on mine with one of those headset slacker jobies and I’ve got a decent mini downhill bike!
If I was in your position I would try and test both, but the Mega is where my money would be going
Ta
Mark

Glad to hear about the upgrade. Mine snapped this morning 🙁 anyone know how quick they’re turning the replacements round?

Brilliant post….. so brilliant in fact that its just convinced me to brave the elements and get out on my bike! Good work fella 😀

Dead lifts and squats are real core building exercises. There are loads if variations of each. I would chuck some of these in with your current plan and you’re on to a winner. If you’re not used to dead lifting get one of the instructors to give you some tips, its an easy exercise to get wrong and injure yourself

Nan Beild in the Lakes. Start it from the top of high street down Harter Fell. Lost count of how many times i’ve ridden it and it just gets better and better

I’m also very interested. Great work by the way 🙂

We did: Lanberis up – Down Ranger back up and down Lanberis. From memory it took up roughly six hours. We started coming down the Lanberis at about 5pm and there wasn’t a soul on it…. wish it was like that all the time:)

Stake Pass next to Rossett aint too bad – nowhere near as nasty or challenging as Rossett though.
One of my favourite routes is over Harter Fell then down Nan Bield to Haweswater. Bit more natural feeling as as there aren’t loads of water breaks.

£9.99 a month 😀 I joined the local Pure Gym before it opened and got it at that rate for 12 month
I use it 4 times a week and for the money you cant knock it.