hello

my 2ps worth albeit based on older stock – had 2003 F80RLCs 80mm jobbies from when i worked in a bikeshop and was seduced by their marketing – went through 2 sets of uppers and one set of bushes and replaced the lockout ( crap design ) – I actually serviced them / oiled them but low and behold left leg worn x2 – this is based on riding peak / lakes a lot and a lot of forest mid week riding – yes they do work well but longevity is not on a par with say older bombers – they just dont cope well with uk grit. I ride a lot but only xc stuff and i am a climber not a downhiller… I know a few others with similar problems too. MOJOs service is an acquired taste too…

When the 3rd set of uppers wear ( they will ) its the bin for them and some Sids or Durins for me…

Personally I think FOX are having a laugh regarding their prices / life span. I would NEVER EVER buy a FOX product again – high prices ( even at trade = chi chi factor and people want them regardless. Plus mine and most of other FOX users have all experienced creaking steerers / rocking bushes etc…

WHY do people still buy them? CRAP

paul

hello

I really really rate exmoor – love the quantocks but i think i prefer exmoor – tea shops are awesome ( esp as i hear thats stellas in Qs has gone now ) – the selworthy tea shop is stunning. So is the riding above there – would suggest a blast along North Hill and drop in towards selworthy – do some laps in there – its great- t’other side towards grabbist hill nr the Yha is very fun singletrack and very quiet re people.

I LOVE climbing and exmoor is fun if you are fit – one word of advice BWs are generally nice and graded for the nags however some of the BYWAYS are kinda rocky bombed out delights a la the Peak… The webbers post descent from the beacon is superb. Moorland riding is bleak and remote feeling even the gates have grid refs on them to aid nav… NOT a place i would like to get lost in bad weather….

WARNING

TICKS are everywhere there. I / dog regularly got munched. Get a tick tool and wear trousers / long tops.

Paul

I love my DT240s – rather like shimano too for servicability – yet their freehubs dont last me that long vs Hope / DT… PITA re DT rear hub tool to service bearings too…

paul

Hey up,

I reckon both routes are ok – will be boggy in places – i ‘do’ helvellyn a fair bit and have been up it on foot and bike for over 13 years – 3 times this year so far… I usually go up Dollywagon pike ( a heresy to some on here but I like it – its only a 30 min carry!!) and down the Raise ( excellent – come the over way and you will be pushing up this and hating yourself !!)and down the switchbacks into keppel cove and then throw in the Ullswater loop of singletrack which ABSOLUTELY kicks ass and a total tech fest… If weather is bad do that if nothing else – we had random thunder / lightning a few weekends back on the top and it was challenging – poor dog hated the hail but loved the small car sized chunks of snow in the gullies!!

If you havent done it before – do not underestimate Dollywagon Pike – it has had a lot of trail work done to it – its now a lot of rock steps with exposed wheel trap ditches – be warned – unless you are a very good rider you wont make it all the way down – I cant on my hardtail! knee pads are a good idea!!! Dont ride the grass as that will just cause erosion and you will OTB on some hidden rock !

Enjoy it but be prepared to bin it if the weathers bad as forecasted as A) views will be piss poor B)the Raise will be hairy C) watch for wind funnelling out of the gullies

Expect a 4-7hr ride – enjoy it !

paul

thanks so much ambrose – i might fire you an email in a few days once i have looked at the map again with the above info – many many thanks

paul

hello

i have the same hubs – if you havent had them apart recently (and maybe missed a spacer out etc when rebuilding ) then its prob a worn bearing – most likely the inner one on the drive side – its the only one i seem to wear out – prob is it needs a silly 50 quid tool to get at by first rmoving the ratchet… shame as its the only down side to these great hubs… check the freehub isnt worn too – but 99pc sure its the inner bearing

paul

howdo

I am based in widnes and get out most weekends to lakes / dales / peaks / wales and i know delamere well enough too – see dave doddon here re monday night rides there too – fire me an email if you need any info or riding partner – I use the trans penine as a training route and its ok – warrington is a lot better equipped than say widnes shops wise – its 2 hrs to lakes / 1nd 1n hour or so to peak from there – train station gets you to dales / lakes / peaks too….

paul

Howdo

its an ace ace ace ride – we did it last summer and even goto see the battle of britain memorial flight fly beneath us ! For the bird lovers we also saw a hen harrier !

Its a hard slog up out of sedbergh and the last climb to the top of the calf is quite testing… The descent down bowderdale is quite something !

Paul

i love that postierich ! a way better way to spend a weekend than cycling round a muddy grassy field at great expense with 1000s of other riders… yes i have done it in the past and know what its like – fun but not value for money…

paul

agree with comments re DT rims – avoid

DT 240s hubs have a star ratchet system – pick up is very quick – very very nice hubs – shame re expensive tool – simple to service although you need a special pot of lube for ratchets and its 8 quid for a wee wee tub…

paul

i would avoid king rear hubs – dont like uk conditions and need a bit of tlc faff and high tool costs to maintain them based on my 2nd hand one i had – BUT they look nice and people think they are the best and wont listen to any distractors… I love their headsets thouogh…

pro 2 / 3 are noisy and seem to chew up bearings quicker than my old xcs – still rate them though but would rather have xcs for longevity..

however

personal favourite – DT240s – brill hubs apart from silly 50 quid tool required to service inner hub bearing… BUT way light and quick engagement – expensive though…

paul

Oh my,

TOTAL AGREEMENT – chavs from wrexham have ruined it !!!its a magnet for them…

I became fed up with llandegla last year – was again a wet ride / quick blast after work kinda place -I would NEVER ride there at weekends – i too got fed up of the litter and attitude of some people there.

Whilst working in a local bikeshop I got fed up of people bragging about riding llandegla as if it was something amazing… I would casually mention riding the clwyds / berwyns or say delamere forest as a local alternative and I would be met with blank looks…

Its a reasonable trail but too popular now at weekends – why go there really when you could go peak / lakes / mid wales – i met some people in the bikeshop who drove there from stockport – hello peak district???

I agree littering is a respect / parental issue – it totally annoys me seeing crap on the trails – esp when a race has been run on it – ie like one of the off road triathlons down at afan = crap and tons of gels / tubes to pick up the day after when i was there!

anyways some people suck and some of them ride bikes…

paul

to put simply in my experience – light wheels are nicer to ride ( at the expense of strength so keep at it and learn to ride light and pick good lines – i wrecked a lot of rims when learning to ride 17 years ago as a kid and i just dont now at all! )

Lighter wheels also seem to have more lively ride my 717 hoops are more sprightly than my old 521s !- i hate putting heavier tyres on as i notice a difference!

paul

theres a small rock wall circular shelter up there maybe do as a bivy with a tent fly over the top…

paul

simple answer to all that worrying re bike set up

‘ shut up and ride ‘ !

paul

you may see me there with the lady n a wicked fast collie dog- we will be riding up carding / little stretton / minton / flying mile -in the pm say hi if you see us!

paul

No – flimsey vs older style mechs – wouldnt bother

paul

why do people still use this shop? i live in the area and have had dealings and heard on grapevine… one wheel i had was great and service so so but treatment re friends has led me never to use it EVER again

hope have been fantastic via friends stuff and never had a problem myself

pink first followed by brown…

oh yes brown it is !

Bioshock is amazing – better visually than Fallout 3 however i have got addicted to Fallout 3 – its really really good when you get tooled up and have to do the quests – like those choose your own adventure books as a kid ! – IF you get frustrated use this –

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox360/file/939933/54966

saved my sanity on many occasions – a complete walk thru with tips

cheers

paul

I have stayed at the George borrows on a 8 day trans wales ride with friends… hotel staff = nice people – let us keep bikes in sheds and even did our washing for a small charge. Nice views out onto the hillside – spotting scopes in main room etc to watch the red kites and a nice sheepdog….

As to nant y arian – its an ok but quite easy trail centre with a couple of big climbs – the red kite feeding is def worth watching though… we rode there a day and also through there on our tour to the machynlleth (?) area…
have fun

paul

I have stayed at the George borrows on a 8 day trans wales ride with friends… hotel staff = nice people – let us keep bikes in sheds and even did our washing for a small charge. Nice views out onto the hillside – spotting scopes in main room etc to watch the red kites and a nice sheepdog….

As to nant y arian – its an ok but quite easy trail centre with a couple of big climbs – the red kite feeding is def worth watching though… we rode there a day and also through there on our tour to the machynlleth (?) area…
have fun

paul

its no sports car agreed! its a multispace one so shouldnt need reinforced tyres..

looking for decent suggestions as theres lots of models that fit and reviews on web havent been much use to me so far

cheers

paul

i have one i think

snowpaul@ hotmail co uk

paul

had same quandry – but i ended up with the 2 led version – lighter and works ace on a helmet – a little narrow beam spread wise for my liking on the bars but excellent as a helmet light – truely impressed – out of the 4 settings i normally use setting 2 or 3 in singletrack and get long run times… Led 4 is better on the bars but a lot dearer.. you would be happy with both i am sure..

hope that helps

paul

I was kinda joking re ‘snowboarding’ – see the smiley – there was a big debate on SCUK about it years ago and was funny… I was being a tool for a joke…

If people go off piste ( a la this pic ) without the holy trinity of shovel / probe / beacon and the knowledge on how to use it then its their own stupid fault and I agree with NZcol – it does kinda get you down. Notice guys in pic had no gear ( no backpacks etc ) and probably no idea / no map etc – tignes is an unforgiving place.

Helmets are more common in Canada I find than say europe ( based on a number of seasons living the dream ) – I wear one and have benefitted a couple of times – most seriously when i was hit from the side by a young brit seasonaire firing out of trees onto a hard and fast piste…

Oh for the record ITS SNOWBOARDING not ‘ boarding ‘ okay !!! It really upsets snowboarders being referred to ‘ boarders ‘ thats what londoncity living types call it when being ‘rad’…. 🙂

paul