No worries rich. I have had to give tonight a miss as well. See you tomorrow.

The more the merrier! Maybe a swift half in the eagle & child after as well!

I will give you a shout tomorrow to see if I can twist your arm.

Cool, just posted up for Tuesday night but going out tomorrow night as well if you fancy it? Probably ride out from Kendal.

Is that map i did working out ok for you?
🙂

Rich,

Didn’t mention it last night as I assumed you were going back to the garage that carried out the repair but I would reccomend Kendal VW centre. One of the lads I work with is a massive VW fan (mostly old air cooled vans and variants) and I believe he uses them.

Pete

Drac – Moderator
As Sanny says some good flooding will sort it out, was there in March and they were just starting some work on it.
POSTED 24 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Thanks for wishing more rain on us!! 😥

The most siginificant work is from the bottom at troutbeck.

The Howe was relaid with stone an appears to be stacked rocks from the bottom up. In effect a dry stone wall lying down on its side.

From Limefitt up to the cross roads there have been ditches dug either side of the trail to help keep the water off the trail and the trail itself has been graded to some extent though to say it was smooth would be pushing it. There is still an awful lot of loose rock on the tops.

From the crossroad up to the summit on the troutbeck side it is pretty much as it has been for the last couple of years. There are 2 areas where the dry stone wall has collapsed on to the trail higher up which I think has been caused by water coming down of the fell.

On the Kentmere side there have not been any significant changes as far as I can see in the last couple of years. the only ‘graded’ section is the hairpins about half way up but that has been the case for quite some time.

I would say it is entirely feasible to ride from the bottom at Troutbeck all the way to the summit without dabbing. From Kentmere? I am not so sure. I have heard of a couple of people doing it but both are very handy trial riders who are happy to trackstand and bunnyhop up steps most people wouldn’t even bother trying to ride up.

Robin in Kendal still does it and they are Scott UK suspension centre so if you send a Scott shock to get serviced that is where it ends up.

My experience with the Kendal store has been excellent and they always seem willing to talk to customers. I know others have had problems with other stores but I have only used Kendal and haven’t had any problems.

I think you’ll find they aren’t supposed to be there right now but they are. I think you will find making the ruling banning them permenant will have no effect on the people which are currently ignoring the ban already. I think you will find they use the pass when most aren’t there to complain or report them. Pretty much like every footpath mountain bikers use.

Get over it. Banning motorbikes only enforces the opinion that that is where we should be not that we should have greater access to the rest of the countryside.

Problem being the legislation is only as good as the enforcement and as there was motorbikes up there last week on the troutbeck side I dont think a great deal is going to change. I maybe wrong but I think the minority of bikes are not going to take much notice unless the effort to keep them off increases dramatically.

Placed order for a black helmet in Large last Thursday paid extra for quick delivery
Friday Morning Grey helmet in large arrived.. Sent that straight back.
Marked as recieved back at wiggle on Monday.
Tuesday morning recieved email stating the correct helmet would be dispacthed that day.
1 hour later recieved an email stating it was out of stock and now on back order.
Sent an email asking WTF was going on and recieved an email saying sorry the stock was incorrcetly logged hence the wrong item being dispatched and then the mistake saying they would send it out only to realise they didnt have any stock. Bear with us we will chase the supplier and will email you back as soon as we have confirmation of the delivery date.

Chased them up a couple of times later in the week and have just been getting fobbed off each time. One of them telling me the site says 2-7 days and ‘who said they would contact the supplier and let you know because we never say that’.

Finally sacked it off today and cancelled the order.

First time I have had a problem with them to be fair but the service has been shocking and less than helpful. I wont be hurrying back to use them.

I am generally UK size 9. I have both in Euro 44 and they are both spot on.

Re the Bontys, I had the RL version as well but had an issue with them and sent them back to Trek UK. Got sent a set of RXLs as a free replacement super quick. No one wants to test customer service out but it is great to deal with good reasonable people so double thumbs up from me.

I find them absolutely fine. Decently stiff but with a curved sole which makes walking pretty natural. I am happy enough to wear them before and after the ride as well, like a favourite pair of trainers.

I also have a pair of racy Bontrager RXLs.

To be honest I normally wear the MP66’s as they are so comfortable only using the Bontys for rides with definately no walking. Not always the case in the lakes!

These are what you need. Shiman MP66W

Cant reccomend them highly enough

I can do weekday evenings no problem, daytimes are a struggle as I work in an office but we can maybe sort something out.

Rich, no bother mate. Feel free to drop me a mail at pkgraham at btopenworld.com and we can get something sorted out.

When you coming up? Route choice is entirely dependant on the weather and how long you have to ride really.

I live in Kendal so am happy to show you around depending on timings.

Hi, you’ve quoted me at the top so I thought I had better clarify my comment.

The Sam Houghton challenge, which is what that comment was made about, includes a number of very rough descents upon which a more trail orientated bike rather than a xc race whippet will make up time on the descents. All but the very best will be carrying on the climb from Kentmere up Garburn and the descent from the top down to limefitt will be significantly faster on the longer travel bike. This is in contrast to the Whinlatter challenge which the OP in the other thread was asking for a comparison against. My comment was to illustrate that in the Whinlatter challenge there is absolutely no point in making any concession to anything other than getting up the hills as fast as possible as the downhills are pretty much billiard smooth.

Sorry for the confusion.

PS I am less than 11stone myself and flatter myself that I can hold my own on the descents!

I wouldn’t say the Sam was harder or easier than the whinlatter challenge. It is certainly more technical and proficient descenders do have plenty of opportunity to make time up on the descents on the XC race whippets. I prefer the start format of the Sam as it totally avoids any bottlenecks and overtaking is easier.

I rode my general heavy duty trail bike so was slower on the climbs but then couldn’t make the time up on the descents as I invariably ended up behind a fitter but less confident rider on the descents.

From the conversations I have had it seems that the secret is to concentrate solely on the climbs as virtually all the climbs had enough room to pass people. I don’t know whether I will enter next year yet. If I do I will be certainly be riding the hard tail, camping at the front of the start line and being prepared to spend the first 10 minutes in the red to get a clearish run at the singletrack.

What a coincidence that, when viewed from the Earth, the Moon is the same size as the Sun. Makes an eclipse worth watching just for that
That’s deliberate, not coincidence…

Its not deliberate and it is only coincidence at the moment. The moon is constantly moving away from earth so there will be a point at which total solar eclipses are no longer possible.

Trekster – Member

smuttiesmith – Member
100% in the Lake District (never ridden my Mountain Bike anywhere else)

98% Natural trails, only ride on the purpose built trails to join the traditional bridlepaths together. Not through any partiuclar ideal just riding the best trails that are available

Are BWs and lots of footpaths not manmade [/quote]

Jesus, this place….
I specifically used the phrase purpose built trails and traditional bridlepaths as opposed to using man made and still you have a problem with it? Your really that anal? Could someone please advise me on the correct terminology for the various trails as I have fallen foul of the STW police. Oh hold on I dont give a ….

100% in the Lake District (never ridden my Mountain Bike anywhere else)

98% Natural trails, only ride on the purpose built trails to join the traditional bridlepaths together. Not through any partiuclar ideal just riding the best trails that are available.

The big factory is James Croppers paper mill.

I dont have any personal experience of the school so can’t comment on that. The village itself is nice in places but Hall Park is rough.

Blue Pastures – James

I’ve done it several time on a fully rigid 29er and as others have said there are a few hairpins which require some finesse but apart from that it is all good.

Billy boy, I have some tin foil left in my cupboards. If you give me your address i will post it to you. I reckon you’ll get at least 3 hats out of it.

Welcome to Cumbria, the UK centre of corruption

voodoo_chile – Member

dickie doodles !

Try saying that whilst pissed!! Dookie diddles

What are these licensing laws you speak of? 😉

billyboy – Member

Smuttie

Bit of an unfortunate name for someone who is denying corruption exists in Cumbria!!

Not 100% sure what that is supposed to mean or even why I feel the need to respond but I will. My forum name is the same as every other forum I use. It is made up of 2 parts Smuttie and smith. Smuttie from my first cat as a child and Smith is my mothers maiden name. Some people may recognise the reasoning as being the porn star name game. First pets name plus mothers maiden name equals Porn star name

I trust that is ok with you but by all means let me know if not.

AND yes I can justify that comment BY THE BLOODY BUCKETFULL. I could do about twenty pages worth from a standing start. I wish I couldn’t, because I have found the various experiences I, and several of my neighbours have had, very depresssing.

If you and your family have missed it then you are fortunate………. or blind…..or a mason.

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt seeing as you are on here…. fortunate.

…………….or maybe we were just unlucky…. but then cast your eye about a little and you will find loads more.

Please do not give me the benefit of your doubt. I have absolutely nothing to gain or lose from your opinion so save it.

Your statement regarding corruption would give rise the suspicion that it is a greater problem here than it is the rest of the country. I do not have any experience of corruption in other parts of the country so I cannot speak with authority on corruption in ‘for example’ the Manchester Police service so I wont. I only have my own personal to go on in the Town council, District council and the Police and I have never experienced any corruption. I would say with the positions I and my family have held we would be in a good position to witness some, but we haven’t. Your experience is obviously different however I am intrigued by how your experience in Cumbria differs from elsewhere in the country? You must of been a busy boy to have a ‘bloody bucket full’ which would run to 20 pages.

PS I am not a Mason nor was my father. I know quite a few Masons though. They are just a regular bunch of guys who like knocking about together and sharing a drink. Like most mountain bikers except with out the weird compulsion to go out into the wet and muddy countryside and ride bikes in circles. Come to think of it I might just get my application in….

billyboy – Member
BUT expect a certain amount of corruption amongst…… solicitors/ local politicians-authorities-officials/police etc.

WTF! Really? My dad was a police man for 30 years, my mum worked for South Lakeland Distric Council for 15 years and I have done a 5 year stint on the Town Council. Could you clarify exactly what your saying?

When you moving? There is plenty of riding and drinking to be done. I ride with a few guys on Monday’s and Wednesday’s, biketreks are Tuesday & thursdays. Feel free to mail me at pkgraham at btopenworld.com if you want any info about the place, I have lived in Kendal for 27 of my 34 years.

I am flying out Thursday and back late on Monday. I am doing PdS on the Saturday so I am hoping to do bit of exploring Friday, Sunday and hopefully Monday morning.

Thanks guys, that is what I hoped you would say!

ferrit – Have you ridden it? Is it all fire road? As I said in my post I haven’t ridden off road in the alps before let alone anything like the Passportes so I have no idea really what to expect. I was kinda hoping for Garburn x 3 without having to ride back up!! Am I going to be disappointed?

I live in the lakes & swap between riding my Lapierre Spicy and a rigid Singular Swift with alfine gears for a bit of contrast. 29ers certainly aren’t common but are they common anywhere in the UK?

Yes your right I have completely missed your point. I don’t remember suggesting wheelspin was a problem due to excess power on a mountain bike but you seemed to have picked up on it? I have asked why people think it is a good idea to run wide front tyres with narrower back tyres. A question you haven’t answered.

I think this forum has done to death that such small amounts of weight have a negligible effect on bike performance. The fact that the weight is rotational, again, is going to have very little affect on performance. So the weight saving isn’t beneficial. I guess it comes down to whether a faster rolling tread out back is going to help more than having the grip but if you don’t need the grip it might be that you don’t need the grippier front anyway?

Oh if you could you answer where this trail is that needs the 2.4 rubber queen up front but only a 2.1 nevgal out back that would appreciated as well.

In case your wondering, I live in the lakes and 95% of my riding is here. I am happy to sacrifice out and out speed for grip and 100% reliability on the rocky stuff.

show me a vehicle that generates more power in acceleration than it does in breaking

Large motorcycles produce more lateral force during acceleration than braking. Or at least they’re designed to cope with more. Hence the huge difference between skinny front and fat rear tyres. The same is true of cars to a lesser extent. You brake in a straight line, accelerate around a corner (predominantly).

Do a lot breaking leant over on your mountain bike? I have found that most braking on an mtb is done in a straight line also. The asymmetry of tyre widths between front and rear tyres on a motorbike has a lot to do with improving cornering. If you were to swap the widths around the bike would not want to turn in at all.

Which leads me back to the point that running narrower tyres on the back than the front is a waste of time. The weight saved is negligible, the sensation of the rear being looser isn’t going to make you faster and it is not going to be some kind of fail safe. If your pushing the front tyre then it is that that will lose traction.

With reference to rubber queens I cannot imagine the circumstances which would make a 1.1kg 2.4 free ride tyre on the front paired with a 2.1 XC rear tyre a good combo. If you can run that back tyre you sure as heck don’t need RQ 2.4 on the front.

Northwind, show me a vehicle that generates more power in acceleration than it does in breaking then you will have a point. Not many accelerate 0-60 faster than they brake from 60-0. Apparently a Bugatti Veyron apparently achieves a braking equivalent of 2000hp which makes it’s engine look puny.

Vim, I run mine at 30-35psi but I have never been a fan of extreme low pressures full stop.

paulrockliffe – Member

I don’t find that the 2.4″s are any worse to pedal than the 2.2s, probably they are slower, but I’m not racing, so it doesn’t matter so long as they don’t feel slow.

I’ve done a number of 50-60 mile rides on a Lapierre Spicy with 2.4s F&R and have to say I would have no hesitation doing the same again. I agree that any increase in speed on the 2.2s is more than lost in the reduced volume and grip against the 2.4 but again each to their own. I am happy with what I run, if something works better for others than fair enough.

@ 5thElefant – Thats a good example. I am happy sticking with what I like to use (Front & Rear matched) but its a good debate!

@ Buzz Lightyear – They are expensive but I have squeezed 9 months of riding in the lakes (2, 3 or 4 times a week) out of them. They really are top drawer but the new 2011 mountain king, Baron and the X King all look interesting. There are also wired and non chilli versions which are much cheaper. The cheapest queen is £15.95, £30 if you go for plain folders.

chakaping – Member

Tread is too shallow to bite into some mud and it just wipes out.

It’s an extreme example, but I thought it was particularly bad at Aston Hill (which is slippery chalky muddy hell when wet).

Agreed on being to shallow to bite. The 2.4 particularly aquaplanes across the top of the surface on muddy surfaces.