My community mental health service has shut down and I’m now working nights on my trust’s 24hr crisis line. Compared to colleagues and friends in hospitals I have it very easy!!

I’ve done a few shifts this week and our service users are really struggling with this isolation, it’s to be expected, but it still worries me because we’re not even that deep into it yet.

We must isolate to save lives, it’s our only option, but it’s going to do a lot of harm to people living with mental health issues. So many coping strategies are not an option anymore and a lot of people are trapped in some pretty dire environments, either alone or with unsympathetic family members.

If you’re reading this and you know anyone who’s living with mental health issues please reach out to them, it makes a huge difference to people if they know they’re not alone.

I’m a mental health support worker in the community and the atmosphere at work is very unsettling, I can’t begin to imagine how acute colleagues are feeling. I was chatting to a social worker the other day and we both said it feels like before a tsunami where the water recedes and no one knows how big the wave is going to be.

It’s looking like our service will cease and we’ll be redeployed to where we’re most useful, I expect to be working as an STR worker/healthcare assistant on an inpatient psychiatric ward soon and I’ve told my boss I’ll do whatever I can to be useful. I was feeling quite stoical about it all until I spoke to a friend, who’s a psychiatrist in London, they told me there are cases on their wards already…

If you’re rich enough to buy property as an investment vehicle in Greater Manchester there are much smarter places to put your money than city centre flats. Levenshulme was cheap 5 years ago, some houses there have gone up almost 90 per cent in that time, there’s still plenty of head room, but its very very hard to buy a house there now.

Find the new Levenshulme and buy there or look further out in places like the Rossendale Valley, Glossop or Stalybridge…

Try this: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/lee-mccormacks-guide-to-perfect-bike-set-up.html

I’m 175cm with a 31 inch inseam and my setup up on a V3 5010 (medium) is within 3mm of the calculation.

If you’re really bothered about servicing get a new 5010 frame and the bike shop will change the bearings for free for you – mine does.

Came from a Whyte 909 to a V3 5010 and I’m loving it. It’s my first full sus though so I don’t have much to compare it to…

Yea I thought it was a disappointing read too. It focussed a bit too much on the author’s dashed expectations rather than the man himself for my liking. I’ve read interviews with Grayson Perry in other bike mags and he’s come across a lot better.

Seem to recall he made the trophies for an XC series at Eastway – they must be a worth a fortune now!

I think bunnyhops are easy to learn, but hard to master, most people can’t be bothered to learn let alone practice them.

When you watch really good riders hop (particularly BMXers) the bars always end up in, or very close, to their laps before they shove, scoop and level out.

Pulling the bars into my lap with straight arms helped me gain height. Some people might find it easier to imagine thrusting their hips towards their bars, but it’s the same deadlift type movement.

The Skills with Phill bunny hop clinic video is the best I’ve seen on YouTube:

I used to ride DMRs and they served me well, plenty of grip.

Now I ride Burgtec Penthouse and I prefer the feel and grip.

They’re also more durable than the DMRs they replaced – not lost a single pin!

Spoke to the organiser after a torrid, but enjoyable ride at Foel Gasnach and he said Dyfi is less demanding technically, but Foel G was six downhill races with a peda in betweenl!! The tracks there are black graded DH at least.

Dyfi looks a little bit less demanding from the videos of past races, but they’re natural rooty trails and apparently the transitions are tougher.

Take the point about landing smooth etc and to be fair you don’t hear horrible noises from Sam Pilgrim’s bike , but if it does go a bit wrong on an e-bike with all that weight it sounds horrible. Must feel pretty nasty too!

But the lads at Farmer Johns must have done ten runs while I was pissing about in the woods, so yea there’s some accelerated learning for e-bikers!

Met a couple of e-bikers recently.

A couple of lads at Farmer Johns using their motors to do lap after lap, but Jesus the landings sounded VERY heavy!!!

A bloke at Foel G practiced the day before the enduro on his e-bike and then raced on his pushbike. Not exactly spirit of enduro but there’s no rules against it…yet.

Today I rode at Hamsterley there was some sort of e-bike demo and lots of smug riders cruising past me. Thankfully I had enough in reserve to shout insults.

Chatting to a couple of e-bikers after and one said: “it’s great for me because I smoke and it’s easier on my lungs”.

Would I ride one yea I would, but the ones I’ve ridden are heavy and shit on twisty single track.

That embn video with Brayton and Jones looks brilliant though – my kind of e-Biking.

I’m up for that one evening next week funkmasterp.

Up at the in-laws and riding at Hamsterley this weekend. I’m pretty unfit at the moment too!

Thanks Alex just a large bruise thankfully!

Thanks @bloodyshins some useful info there, been having a look at Strava and there’s quite a bit of stuff on there.

Was planning to check out Macc on Monday, but headed to Farmer Johns for a quick sesh instead.

Had a brain freeze on a big drop and a massive crash – should have gone to Macc!!

Thanks @Chestercopperpot some great info there – I really like that You Tube channel he’s a tasty rider that Lad! Macc looks ace on that vid.

Thanks again @carlos – my LBS told me there was a fair bit of stuff around Lyme Park near Bowstones and The Knott…

Will definitely explore the Goyt too, even if I can’t find tracks in the woods there’s some great bridleways round there.

Thanks @carlos sounds like it’s worth an explore had a look on Strava segment explorer and the Forest in the Goyt valley and Lyme Park look worth a look too…

Will check out Tbe Cloud…

If Foel G is anything to go by it should be plenty dry enough!

@qtip I’d be up for that – planning to head down there one weekend before Dyfi for sure. I had a chat wit the organiser today and he said Dyfi is a lot less of a handful than Foel G!

@blackmountainsrider totally agree with you about racing – reckon I did as best as I could’ve under the circumstances and I’m pleased I finished it. To be honest it’s great to have a whole new world of mtb riding opened up to me. It’s pretty awe inspiring to see how people can ride tracks that hard at such speed – what’s your secret??!! Apart from bloody hard work and practice!!

Very impressive result blackmountains rider!

Sorry to hear about your injury Timbog – hope you have a speedy recovery.

Had a couple of big crashes, including a huge OTB when I was knackered on the final stage. But I survived, I finished the race and I didn’t come last!!

Soberingly how slow I am compared to everyone else, but at least I’m out there pushing myself on hard tracks and trying to get better.

It was my first race and looking at the results has made me a bit down on my riding TBH, but I suppose just finishing that race is an achievement and I’ve only just started riding natural DH tracks like this.

Lots to work on for me, but I’m determined to improve and despite being one of slowest on the hill I had a fantastic day. Joined the club and will be going back soon.

Bring on Dyfi…

I’ve never had a shinner sown up, probably should have though. Usually give it a good clean shave around the cut and use butterfly stitches to close it up. My shins are a mess now mind!!

The quality of your pedals and shoes make a huge difference, don’t skimp on them. Burgtecs and 5:10’s are an unbeatable combination.

DMR offer great grip, but they’re no where near as durable as Burgtecs.

Mind your shins – especially if you ride with an spd assisted technique….

Hi qtip I would have liked a shorty up front at the weekend, just because it could’ve shredded some of the craggy mud/loam better, but if it stays dry I’ll stick with my WT Minion DHRII’s front and back.

Some of the tracks are extremely steep, particularly stage 3, and the DHR’s are superb under braking they also shed enough mud to make things manageable if it does get wet.

Running 3C Maxx Terra compounds front and back and they were grippy enough – I’m just to good enough to find the grip on tracks like this!

Off to Farmer John’s this afternoon need to practice more very steep rooty tracks….

Selling a whyte 909 frame with a dropper. Boost spacing clearance for 2.8 tyres drop me a message if you’re interested.

It was fairly dry apart from track two, which was pretty wet. I think there’s a brook near the track, so a bit of rain affects it more than the other tracks.

Mud was a bit claggy added a air bit of weight to my DHRs for the climb up the fire road!

If it stays dry then the tracks will be running better for sure, but they’re not running badly at the moment.

Track one is hard enough in the dry, I imagine it’s pretty lethal in the wet…

Had a bash at Foel Gasnach today – fantastic venue for the first WES. Really glad I rode it before the race next weekend it’s a gnarly, steep, rooty and rutted place! Full on DH tracks – definitely make time to practice if you haven’t been before….

I’ve got a large whyte 909 2018 frame with dropper and saddle for sale if you’re interested. Great hardtail, plus compatibility and fashionable geometry.

Would make a great build if you’re interested…

I’ve ridden at Clayton Vale loads over the years it’s good for a quick power hour.

Never had a puncture from glass, never been jumped by a scroat.

There’s a lot of snobbery about the place, but that suits those of us who ride there because it’s generally nice and quiet.

Personally I think the trails at the Vale are better than Phillips Park, but you need more fitness and riding skill to really make them flow well.

The red trail is OK the orange jump line is great for a session.

Wouldn’t recommend an enduro rig at either really. I’ve ridden Phillips on my gravel bike on the way home from work – great fun.

A couple of laps of the Vale is a better workout if that’s your thing.

I have one of those and will check if it works with a small bottle like the OMM one – don’t reckon it’d stretch round a standard sized one.

I ditched the wearable water and went bottle only for ages, but there’s so much dog/horse/sheep/cow sh*t everywhere I ride that I’ve gone back again. As an aside I was speaking to a guy at my local bike shop and he told me about his friend who got something nasty on his bottle and ended up in hospital, never happened to me but I’ve often wondered what Ive wiped off the mouth piece of my bottle.

OMM do a small water bottle which fits some of their rucksacks – maybe shoving that or a small foldable bottle in a bumbag like a Race Face Rip Strip or an Evoc Hip pack might be a compromise?

Thanks clubby that’s really useful – got a full pack of spacers, so I’ll experiment both ways. Need to find a decent test track!

Ha ha not really, but it’s interesting all the same thanks!

I run 235 psi in the DPS on my 5010 – managed to bottom it out at Llandegla, which isn’t exactly challenging terrain. To be fair just bunny hopping, pumping and jumping takes a lot of travel – hoping a large spacer will rectify this…hardtails are much simpler….

Vox AC4 is a lovely little amp – definitely go valve if you can. Think it costs around £280.

Eddiebaby – that’s a magnificent flounce. With memes that good I’ll probably hang around – they’ve got my £35 for the year anyway…

Backed to Cranked etc. The thing I like most about STW is the photography – the last two premier edition covers have been amazing. Sounds like Cranked take photography seriously too.

I’m definitely going to pop to WH Smith’s in the Arndale to grab a copy.

I think bike reviews are for places like YouTube not printed magazines. Videos are a much better way of judging a review in context IMO.

Guy Kesteven’s YouTube is brilliant – sounds like he’s left the world of print behind.

As I said on the thread on the story itself, the notion of a journalist’s having to be a pro level rider to justify being allowed to review a bike is laughable.

Jumping is a basic skill. I never mentioned pro level riders just basic bike handling skills.

The way you’ve extrapolated my point to Sam Hill and Loic Bruni is laughable – well it made me laugh!

That use of the possessive apostrophe is very clunky even if it is technically correct – 4/10 must try harder.

Thanks for apologising ajantom.

That’s not the only spelling mistake in your posts ajantom – you’d fail an NCTJ exam. Take better care next time…Ha ha!

Thought I better hang around to defend myself. It’s not nice being called a misogynist – especially when it’s completely unfounded.

On the other hand you get magazines/websites where the journos are gnarcore enduro-bunnies, but can’t write fur toffee.

There we go again with the thinly veiled insults towards more skilful riders. Most ‘average to decent riders’ can jump, well the ones I know can.

There are decent writers at STW. Not sure you’re best placed to judge good writing with such appalling spelling though…

WTF is ‘fur toffee’ sounds rank.