feel for you mate – good luck – scan gumtree / ebay and let local bikeshops know too

paul

reckon trek warranty / service would be much better if that is important to you….

paul

had a couple assos fail when working in a bikeshop – i never saw the attraction even at staff rates…

good luck getting them warrantied

paul

tasty nuts are where i get my bolts from – very nice..

paul

christowkid

thats mine and bust collar bone mates experience too with recent srams. ..

paul

NO – you dont need one is a question of want… i prefer a HT myself but thats down to not wanting to service pivots / shox etc – i like climbing and love the connected feel to the trail and the acceleration you get with a HT (and the red faces of full suss types when you go past them up and more often than not down hill too…:)) get one and see if its for you…

Its not the bike its the rider…

decent route – def agree that you should do it t'other way round… mbr always do this…

paul

when you come near or in fact have a blade genitalia interface…. 🙂

on a serious note i used to stop mid thigh thou….

paul

i have repaired a number of film pentax lenses in the past – just be patient and methodical – suggest use a digi cam to take pics of parts removed in order to aid memoire !

i suspect theres grit or something to make lens feel stiff. Dont be too frightened to give it a go – get decent watch maker sized screw drivers and have a fiddle… worse case you bin it…

i have replaced bust elements in the past – lenses are just bits of glass and thin alloy tubes with a few sliding bits to get zoom etc – a good clean is most likely what it needs

paul

malham cove area – goredale scar campsite – cheap / basic in a stunning location – i stay there lots

paul

hora

thats not cool either…love jacobs….

Haddock,

seriously the lower man getting the dollywagon treatment? oh FFS thats one of my all time fav descents… must get up there again soon to say goodbye… is there any consultation going on / get mtb viewpoints across??

paul

agree with foxyrider – still get some damage – can use a file to get worst removed thou…

paul

agree with snaps – grabbist hill has some quality trails – tip i discernerd from riding there in exmoor recently- look at an OS – BWs are generally ace to ride – Byways are generally rocky and gnarly a la the peak district… some superb riding all over there – dont overlook a trip to the quantocks or the mendips either

paul

good luck everyone – i am ill and fed up still

nan bield is not a fav of mine but each to their own – lowey i feel the same way about helvellyn!! i would give garburn or walna scar a pop if weather bad n great rides,,,

enjoy

she likes mine too…

lordy, the fun you could have with this thread… must resist….

hello

get a berlingo / partner / kangoo – up to 5 bikes in the bike ! My berlingo can take 3 adults / 3 bikes and camp kit away for a weekend no bother – ugly but very useful!

paul

its mostly marketing i think !!! i have both on road bike s- cant say i notice a difference.

paul

hello mate

I feel for you – most likely its the cleat position aggravated by a massive ride – i sometimes get sore knees if i use diff shoes as try as i might the cleat is never the same – noticeable wihen using normal shoes vs winter gtx boots…

reckon you need rest and time off the bike – i am off the bike with a virus and i hate it…

good luck
paul

240s are ace until you need to service bearings in rear hub – expensive tool needed

paul

shimano for me – dont have full xtr but I am running old 950 xtr / xt mix = lasted for ever – spare bike had x9 + x7 stuff – it didnt last at all well- again had to take x9 shifter pod apart – its poorly made / designed vs equiv xt. Sram jockey wheels are plain shite….

if soeone gave me a choice twixt xtr and xo it would be xtr no question – only good thing is the cable actuation – which if you use full outers doesnt really matter much…

asthetically both shimano and xo look less good than older styles i reckon – more action man bike than mtb…

paul

If merlin man cannot help then I can for sure

oh I am looking for a brolen 950 LH shifter pod if anyone can help

paul

buy a specialized in the first place 🙂

Agree with mate cols flattyre route direction

I have done it a few times in the past – not that fussed on it but hey give it a go. Its a bastard in bad weather. The gatesscarth pass is emotional and the nan bield from the res is a carry till the top. Dont rate dh down into kentmere myself.

High street n helvellyn on the other hand are brill!!! as is the garburn pass to the west…

have fun – i am bitter as ill and cannot ride

paul

Its a nice blast after work or in the depths of winter or crappy weather. Personally find it ok when its quiet – it is popular at the weekend and i avoid it then as I dislike the crowds of body armoured full sus wanabees there 🙂 who are so slow its unbelievable – cannot imagine why these people have to walk the climbs either….

If you ride it a fast wannabe race speed its fun and thats on a hardtail – its not too hard at all – makes me chuckle listening to chester locals coming into bike shops giving it ‘ dude i ride the black at llandegla – ffs!!)

If you extend it via boardwalks / ponderossa trails then its a good longer ride. If you rage round it expect about 1hr / 1.20 lap times – agree that cafe is good. I would agree ceiriog / wayfarer would be a better day out esp if driving miles to get there. I once met some muppets who had driven from the edge of the peak district to ride there….

all in all its ok – its a nice blast but not worth much effort getting there. Go ride and see what you think

paul

hello

I agree with the above – run lower pressures – tbh trailrakers are superb on the rear but I found dire on the front on roots / rocks….

I dont stress too much with tyres as I no longer race – for normal trail riding I would suggest Bonty Jones ACX front and rear ( or a Panaracer Fire )at 30ish psi – if wet n horrid use a MUDX on the front and a trailraker on the rear.

Thats tyre choice sorted. Based on Peak / lake / dales riding.

paul 🙂

Hello

BCs are super clever / playful / fit / tiring as stated above – however they make very trainable dogs and awesome trail dogs. If you get one with a nice temperment then you cannot lose if you are prepared to mentally and physically entertain them.

Our collie has an hour of chasing a ball / frisbee minimum a day plus hours of play on top of that. Most weekends 4 – 8 hrs a day walking /running n biking. Dog loves biking and goes nuts when she sees her ruffwear harness. She can easily outpace me and longest day was 10 hours on exmoor carrying her pack and at the end of the day she still wanted to play with her frisbee……..

At first she was a menace re chewing so I am told but then so were my springers when pups were little devils..

paul

hello mate,

I am so envious – am sick as you like at the mo – no riding for me !

however routes – Skiddaw loop is great – long ish but not too hard.

Walna Scar is truely superb – I would agree with Simonfbarnes – do it conniston / torver / hummers / ace xc dh into seathwaite cheeky bit at bottom near the pub – then bugger climb ( oh yes its a bugger ) and down into conniston – ace descent not as bad as ten years ago – watch v steep road at bottom near Sun pub….

High street – long day – epic views towards helvellyn but not that techy but def worth a punt – navigation can be tricky at times… I got a few ticks up there last time…

Nan bield is a bastard either way you do it..

Edge of Ullswater is a superb rocky tech fest – either direction fun – can suggest you avoid busy walker times – its hard to clear it all – trust me you wont !! Can link it into a loop back into patterdale..

Helvellyn is my favourite mtb ride ( 3 times so far this year )- hard carry / climbs but epic views and a nice DH either down dollywagon or Xc dh down the Raise. I normally do it up dollywagon and down Raise and down switch backs into keppel cove. Its a tough ride despite short distance – dollywagon is severe – be warned. Allow 4 -7 hrs to do that loop depending on group.

Garburn pass is superb – pref to go up from limefitt park as more ‘rideable’ up that way and down t’other side myself but either way is great fun…

Oh n dont forget an up and down Skiddaw assault either….

Would also suggest Howgills – superb riding – easy tech wise till you go down bowderdale…

Take decent clothing n a med kit too as lakes can be unforgiving !!

enjoy !!

Paul

thanks guys

not too worried re fork legs wandering – more inclined to save weight and add security from theft

cheers so far

paul

My 2ps worth : If she is moderate / liberal( she must be as she smokes n drinks according to OP ) then why not? mate of mine has married a muslim girl and she is superb and not at all a burkha dragon or religious. Is it worse being religious or a hypocrite…

I suggest you give it a go – see what happens.. Personally I would run a mile if my lady turned out to be religious of ANY denomination..esp catholicism as I wouldnt get laid till I got wed :-)…. Unless its a form of ALPINISM as stated above… Maybe more of an issue for your/ her friends /family?

Religion has been created by man as people dont like the idea of there being nothing after death and historically created myths / stories to give them a sense of being / security in the universe…

I am fed up of all religion and what it stands for. Usually its intimidation / repression / taxation / control and one man upmanship which can lead to conflict and war. Anyone learn about the spanish inquisition??

Its a simple fairy tale whatever BRAND of religion you wish to have ‘ faith in ‘ – if you wish to believe then thats great for you – keep it private. Most religious types ( 90 % christian interactions ) I have met have left me stunned at their ignorance and also intolerance of other religions / lifestyles ie homosexuality…

Anyways can we leave the reiligon threads alone for a few days as its getting boring !!! Lets make STW a SECULAR place

Hello

I have a BOB yak – used it to drag kit across 3 k miles across canada and a 1.5k mile tour around and across iceland

They are simply superb – mines an old un with the slightly fiddly dropout attachment but i would def buy again

paul

many thanks – it appears that they are ok according to a garage but i think i will replace anyways for peace of mind – ones got a slow puncture and thats 20 quid to fix so may as well start again

cheers coffeeking

hello

2nd Hips route advice – i am Paul in the pics ! Its a fun ride in nice weather – could be grim if wet – worth doing

paul

i run kmc / shimano now for that reason – sim chains and not snapped one yet

hello

As a fellow fox owner – they do seem to creak esp when I am out of the saddle – i have older style F80s and mine creak a lot and mates with newer foxs also seem to creak – i actually hate fox kit – when my current stanchions wear out again ( they will like last 2 sets )i will not bother with replacing and just buy another brand.. which may be quieter and less cheese like even with decent servicing.

Yes they work well and for most people in the dry usa they prob last forever…

paul

I would say shimano…. only pedals i use – easy to service and seem to last ages riding in lakes / peaks

my 2ps worth !

paul

hello

nice to see a post like this – i have mentioned ticks a few times of late on here – me + the lady + the collie bike hound have had a shed load of ticks this year – picked up in the lakes / N wales and S wales in brecon and worst of all somerset – cheddar / Qs / and esp exmoor… up to about 15 – 20 removed so far with either a serious dissection kit or now a Tom O twister – they rock they do….

Suggest you all carry one in your med kit. I found it a great way to get the feckers off – its ace seeing their wee scrawny body stuck in the V of the tool with their legs waggling before I then kill them either by bashing the hell out of them or now ( more enlightened way ) by bagging them up and dating the bag and then in the freezer in case you need to get the tick tested…

be safe out there

paul