Have a good time Tom. I did it last year and it tipped it down start to finish, Buxton to Leek was horizontal driving rain and strong crosswinds, quite possibly the worst half hour ever on a bike. The weather isn’t looking too bad tomorrow, but a lack of childcare has ruled out my chances this year. There’s a great selection of cakes and sandwiches at the end, enjoy.

Must of been the 16 that came with sektors and 1×10.
Go for it OP, you won’t be disappointed.

I’ve got the 2016 build 3. Does the 4 still come with sektors? That would be my only worry, the 130mm pikes on mine are a perfect match IMO, it feels like a bike with more travel than it has.
I came from a 650b carbon stumpy before this and the smuggler is so much more impressive. PB’s on strava have all been beaten going up or down, I was surprised by just how much quicker it is going uphill even though its heavier than my previous stumpy.

Interested in this too, I had a good look at them yesterday at the cycle show.
I’ve seen Merlin have plenty of frames in stock but no build kits. Does anyone know where I could source a build kit? If I’m going for one I’d rather get the build kit than buy parts one by one.

Does anyone have a discount code that’s valid for tomorrow? Thanks

Works Components oval has done 500+ miles in all conditions on my full sus and it’s hardly showing any wear at all. I’d definitely go back for another.

I can send you a few links to recent strava rides from this year. May even be out tomorrow myself so I could show you a few trails if you wanted?

Very wet ride past Ribblehead Viaduct on Easter Sunday

Excellent, thanks a lot both of you.

Dore is actually quicker to get to, Stafford to Stockport, then its direct into Dore.

I’d be getting the train from Stafford. What sort of distance was the Macc forest to Stoke route?
Overnight is possible but there wouldn’t be too much traveling on the day, 6.30 out of Stafford and I’m ready to ride by 8.30 depending on where I got the train too.

I noticed this morning that Dore & Totley could be another option for a start point and go east to west.

Thanks to both, I’ll start building a route online and see what the distance and elevation is looking like.

Yeah totally agree, I know the Macc Forest and Goyt valley areas that I have rode were lower on the average speeds but I’m happy to put my head down and climb. Last train wouldn’t be till 10pm so I’ve got almost a 14 hour window including food and rest stops.

Cheers OP, couldn’t resist.

Stevelol, they have 31.8mm for £50 but only in blue.

Rich & FB I’ve just had a quick look through and I have all the cards you need. PM me and I’ll post them this week for you.

My son completed the full set last week, friends and family are still giving us cards so I’ll have a look through the piles later and see if I can help any of you out.

Wheh I used Halfords a couple of years ago Leisure Lakes were one of the places I could use along with a few smaller local stores.

I’m using a RH zee cage with a BBB tool case and it also sits at a very slight angle. Nothing to worry about it hasn’t ever moved in all the time I’ve used it.

Cat and fiddle loop?

https://www.strava.com/segments/1989643?filter=overall

It’ll probably be bleak up the top of the cat this time of year though.

Definitely fishy. I was offered the same Merida one forty in his sales history as a swap for a bike I was selling last year. The photo was identical but it was from a different account in a similar location IIRC.

Thanks all, that’s the sort of feedback I needed. I’ll research some Lenovo’s tonight.

I should of said we already have a separate hard drive, but will be looking into cloud storage for more important bits.

I’ve seen a couple of Lenovo’s but didn’t know much about the brand so it’s good to know you regard them high.

Specialized swat cage that carries multi tool and pump, then a tube, chain tool, links, levers, patches, cash and keys all go inside a tool bottle. Water bladder is on my back using an alpinestars vest and phone in the side pocket. You can ride as long as the bladder lasts which in winter is a long time.

The Mrs put my 510 through the wash a while back. The altitude has been a bit out since then but apart from that its fine so there’s hope yet.

Are they new groundskeeperwilly?

I’ll take a look at some deathgrips, thanks.

@SOAP there were 900ish in the main enduro last year.

I was quite tempted by this too, it would be good to hear if anyone has experience of it. I can’t see there being any pushing involved, I’d guess the climbs are all on roads.

The stumpy has bottle mounts ;)

A side entry Specialized cage will take a 750ml bottle just.

If you look at a trail map you can join up at the start of the Endor section easily from the centre of Betws. Cross the river in the centre and follow the lane that runs parallel north of the A5.

Same experience as JAG, I had two large patches on my shins for a couple of years. We went on a 10 day holiday and the combination of relaxation, sun and Mediterranean Sea water cleared it up and it’s never come back.

The alpinestars one I referred to holds a bladder on the rear so no need for bottles, the tube feeds under your arm and out of the neck of your jersey.

To save your body from tools and pumps in a crash I’ve gone for the storage water bottle option. I’ve got the alpinestars paragon vest which will carry water in the rear pouch, gels and food in a side pocket, mobile in the other side pocket. Then a SWAT cage carries my multi tool and pump, with the rest of my tools, keys and spares packing into the storage bottle. It’s a great set up which is working well for me, you easily carry enough for a big day out.

Alpinestars paragon. It’s pricey for what it is, £80, but it’s a good bit of kit.
2x side pockets without zips, 1x zipped pocket on the lower back, water pouch on the back which also holds the back protector.

4 of us on the Saturday enduro, one has backed out due to a collar bone break so that’s at least one ticket that will be going to the reserve list.
The full schedule was announced today Click[/url]
Stages 1,2 & 5 open for practice on Friday to all riders (enduro and sprint), so it looks like they’ll be the stages used for Saturday afternoons sprint loop.

I rode some of the quieter off piste stuff on Saturday (first time since December) and conditions were fine. I can’t see a small group ride doing any more damage than a normal weekend up there.

@wrightyson. Some of the very top times down that section will be when there was a diversion in place and people were hitting the parallel fireroad at full speed. But I’d still say the legit top times will be 23/24 seconds.

Tomaso, how much are you after for the grid?

Where abouts are you OP?

I’ve got a pitch for sale at the moment, lots of almost new upgrades on it, might be suitable for you?

The problem with people saying it should be one entry per person means it would of put way more strain on the site coping with the extra traffic.

The harsh reality of the whole situation is that people were bound to miss out and that’s the way of the world. This years event was sold out (roughly 800 in the enduro and 300/400ish I think? in the Saturday event) and the camping fields were packed. They haven’t got the space at the Dales Centre to make it much bigger so the only way they could possibly expand and keep more punters happy in future is put on even more events. But in turn that puts more strain on the local community and the private land that they are lucky to get access to.

Where’s the extra £10 coming from survivor?

I wasn’t planning on entering this year but have done the previous two full enduros and IIRC they cost £52 and £56. I’ve just checked and the enduro is £58 this time round.