solo = 300/500 lumens – I prefer helmet mounting…

group = depends if you are in the front or the back… it can be a light war and if you dont match the guy behind then all you see is your shadow… one solution – out ride them !

paul

hi there,

I am local to there – drop me an email snowpaul at hotmail co uk – I am happy to help you out – I was helped loads when i was travelling in NZ !

paul

hi guys,

Fleetwith pike was mostly a walker for me on my 100mm hardtail last winter with a touring rucksack on… I would like to try it again on my 5 spot – the section between dubs hut and before the trail veers right was ridiculous in the wet – the rest was quite sweet… still i reckon its a serious undertaking with a lot of scope for pain…

last weekend I rode greenup edge / lining crag on my flux – that was a challenge…. also did the blea tarn to watendlath trail – that was nice…

I still have rossett pike burned into my memory as ‘ never again ‘ = I love nan bield and helvellyn – still got to do red pike by bike though…

paul

Ok

I will bite ( pardon the pun) – dogs are superb fun to ride with and bring a lot of fun to a ride – plus our collie is faster than most trail centre riders ( FACT ) and will go for up to 10 hours in the hills and still want to play on the beach after…. at trail centres the dog is in front of me and I am not particularly slow…. its been atop snowdon / helvellyn / cadair idris and runs better than i can ride….

the difference is this dog is super trained – my parents springers arent and I wouldnt take them to a scalextric track etc – however to the dog haters on here – a well controlled dog – no problem – a poorly controlled dog is I agree and the owners shouldnt take them – but come on – save the attitude – ride within your limits – it may be a dog / a child / a slower rider or a fallen tree on the trail blocking ‘ your ‘ trail – public land = public access etc

I bet you get upset when walkers dare walk the same ROWs as you ride too….

paul

I love a 22T x 34 T on big climbs with a loaded bike / rucksack eg for fun I rode up helvellyn yesterday – I had my normal 22T up front with a 34T rear and I rode more of the up than I did last time with ‘a try it out’ 24t x 34T = but that my be down to fitness this time round… however the younger racer lads were using 26T / 29Tand they coped ok too…

I say a 22T is better than a 24 for me at least when totally knackered…or you hit mid 30s…

paul

My 2ps worth re this trail centre vs ROW riding…

If its bad weather or I am riding for a shorter time with the newbies / girlfriend etc – I enjoy a blast round say penmac / nant y arian and the associated nice cafes etc – but ‘proper’ riding for me is a long all dayer in the brecons / lakes / mid wales with maybe a hut stop over – but then thats the stuff I like and I can read a map very well…however not everyone is the same…

For those not so inclined or confident being outdoors then a way marked trail centre is great – and as an aside it may help keep the type of chav rider who loves to drop litter on the trail off the real hills and in a confined spot and out of the way of other legitimate trail users who sometimes view us in a bad light.

I have had a few moans off walkers / mtn rescue types in the past questioning mtbers behaviour – as a group we need to adopt a better image – be more courteous and have less stupid behaviour and stop dropping litter… yet it is also the wannabe strava types chucking gel packets around which esp winds me up…

I do agree with the OP in a way – I dislike the perception amongst my younger friends that MTB is now just a thrash round a gravel track with some jumps on a Massive AM ( ‘all marketing’ Tm ) 160mm susser rather than actually riding in the hills and being adventurous…

However if mtb is going to become like big BMX with bigger wheels than thats down to the rider to choose. I am all for choice – plus it keeps the hills quieter for me to enjoy !! Perhaps MTB should have another marketing niche – ‘GTCB’ gravel trail centre bike….. 🙂

Paul

Smiths combe – just do all the BWS in the area and you wont go wrong… suggest exmoor as well – superb riding there too

paul

I maybe selling my superb Turner 5 spot from 2008 either as a whole bike or a frameset – be a lot less than your mates budget…

Excellent condition with a set of spare bushes / bearings worth a ton… 140mm size medium

snowpaul at hotmail co uk

paul

Hi

I dont reckon 6 weeks is too bad for a chain – if the OP is riding a lot of pure off road miles – I do about 130 miles a week off road ( mostly its a in a sandy grity forest – say 3 nights x 20 miles ) and weekend trips to wales / lakes / peak where i will easily do 30 miles a day.

I kill chains / cassettes and it hacks me off – I run 2/3 xtr chains or kmc and rotate them but I still wear stuff out – I run deore steel inner / middle chainrings to minimise cost and I replace my chain when it hits 0.6 on a park checker and then they go on the hack bikes….

I never snap a chain though ! I reckon I get 2 mths out of a chain – I wear bbs out a lot as well…

paul

I reckon a bodge is needed !

they looke ugly but hopefully they work…
paul

Hi there,

def echo the mate boot to binding approach – as an ex saisoneur I have tried a number of systems – flow work well enough now on piste but I dont personally use them as I dont like having to push the highback down to strap in or release – have had clearance issues in the past -plus I think straps are easier to release if stuck in deep powder or say in a tree well etc… or you have a scary steep entry and a lack of a flat section to strap in on…

Burton are good – I have seen a number of heel cups crack and I am not a fan of 3d baseplates – I have tried their step in system was ok – but flawed as all step ins are…

Like Nitro bindings / Like Ride / Love Drake – all strap bindings

Have a chat to other snowboarders and see what they get on with – personally I would go with straps but Flow could work also if you want to be quick off the lifts – I dont worry too much about that as I am so used to straps I am good to go fairly fast and the guys I ride / ski with generally faff more than me….

enjoy!

paul

Not a million miles away but Leighton Moss RSPB site is worth a day trip if you like wildlife…

paul

Cheers dancake – thats the same air shaft / spring I have – I managed to get an ok 120 damper cartridge to run either 100 / 120 – didnt want to fall into the too much air spring for the damper trap etc…

its been a mission to get a cobbbled together fork ! I was just curious as to why a 130mm air spring was loner overall than the 100mm I also had…

I am more used to RS forks and they are in opinion easier to work on

cheeers

paul

Hi glen,

yes i meant the push rod – sorry wasnt being clear…

paul

I use shimano over anything else (xt/xtr)- had kmc / connex sram and have bent sram and popped a sideplate off a rivet – never had probs with anyother brand – would use whatevers cheapest !

join a chain with a joining link = no probs and easier to take off and clean…
paul

I rate bonty jones acx / mud x and kenda nevegals…

I hated those mythos 1.95s! had them on my race bike and I was prob running them too hard but god they scared me!

paul

polaris RBS commuter – orange / yellow / reflective = light n cheap – great jacket

paul

You will be fine – I have ridden it rigid / hardtail and full suss xc style – – llanberis track is tech easiest but the fastest so a spill = major impact… the ranger is quite naughty in places and the rhyd ddu is also very naughty in bits – if you can keep a cool head and know when to get off when its too much for your skills you will be ok !

I ride / walk depending on how awesome I am that day and how good my mental state is !

Pads are a good idea for some sections

paul

Hi,

I am a keen bird / wildlife spotter and I use Kowa scopes – you do def get a better scope the more you spend… I was watching ospreys and peregrines only yesterday as I am too post viral to ride my bike !

A bigger objective lens ( lens at the front ) = more light and better viewing in less than ideal lighting – ie most of the time in the uk… however they are heavier to carry a 66/77 lens is a good compromise re weight cost etc… dont forget a tripod – you will need one of these…

The eyepiece is the bit that determines magnification / field of view – an adjustable one is convenient but expensive but you can lose out on quality etc that said I use a 20-60x eyepiece and its superb – use the wider 20/30 for scanning and then zoom in with the higher mag…

Be warned you may well end up using it with a camera and you enter the world of digiscoping…

I am happy to discuss more if youe mail me etc

paul

snowpaul at hotmail co uk

As a regular imported exmoor rider I would say choose something else with more grip – esp for the front wheel – that its unless its utterly bone dry then they would be ok but not my first choice..

The trails there can be quite rocky and slippery in places

let us know how you get on with them !

paul

Most definitely a ‘YAY’ – simply great pumps – I have 2 of them one in my bike pack and one in my commuter bag – superb things

paul

Hi there,

I have a 15 year old day pack from the MEC in canada still going strong, a retro karrimor EPIC 25l bag of the same age which is frankly amazing / a Osprey talon 22 / 33 and a raptor 14, a camelbak mayhem – all get used but mostly its the talon 22 as thats my fast big day out pack or the 33 for multi dayers in conjunction with bike bags….

I use bottles for water thou to keep the weight off my back

paul

I love cadair idris – as said above there is only 1 legal way up and down – Please dont poach the footpath – the last 2 times i have been up there we got lectured and moaned at by members of the mach mtn rescue team and the rangers – a proper full on whinge in the shelter at the top about people riding the footpath and getting hurt / scaring walkers – i have hiked / run that trail and yes it would be a hard but good descent but please dont ( def not in theday or the weekend ) – we as a mtb community dont want any more voluntary bans being imposed by the welsh assembly !

the top section is really really naughty and that vid is awesome…

paul

I really enjoyed both season 1 and 2 – cannot wait for the 3rd season…

paul

thanks so far – jambo – thats kinda what i suspected – worked ok with a jacket holding them in place…

hmmm

paul

never snapped a shimano chain – only use xt / xtr chains with kmc / sram links = no prob – have bent and snapped sram… kmc good

paul

Hi guys,

How about you ride / push up helvellyn / snowdon / cadair idris etc or a lot of the munros – say do it with a heavy pack or on day 3 of a 5 day hut to hut ride – i guess a lot of the 1x N brigade would secretly like a wee 22/ 20 T granny…

I am a fit climber and if i was just doing trail centres or racing i would use 1 x N I am sure – a double 22/32 mostly suits me fine with the 42 serving as a spiky bashguard…

a quick and i mean quick 23 year old i ride with has now got a double set up for when he rides with us… he just cannot push the 34 / 36 T single he uses….

up to the rider / terrain to dictate etc – gears are good !

hi

gore not worth the money…

the answer to hassle free cabes is, as I always say on here – standard sp41 – full outer run or use transfil waterproof ferrules ( http://www.wiggle.co.uk/transfil-gear-cable-waterproof-kit/ ) and normal sp41 – I too use ski/snowboard wax as a lube and I hardly ever, ever change cables unless its due to damage from transportation or a crash and the inner gets bent…

As a bonus the transfil liner also protects the frame frame cable rub too esp when carrying your bike….

the only bit I change is the rear deraileur loop as that can get water ingested = sticky shifting. I do a lot of wet rides from river crossings etc and a lot of real hill miles.

I suggest looking at the cable runs too and work out a good route. I work on a lot of bikes and the crap shifting is usually down to bent cables causing drag in the outer or simply corroded inners…. I say walk away from jet washes or too high powered hoses = your bike / wallet will thank you

hope that helps

paul

cheers junkyard!

just psyching myself up to up the torque !

paul

Hi guys,

I gave up paying to ride around in muddy grass fields years ago – partly due to being in my 30s and cost and also racing is crap for partners / families etc

The bad points are as follows

1) cost of event / getting there etc
2) boring
3) bad attitude of some people on the race track / on campsites

But overwhelmingly I would rather spend my time riding with mates on real trails in the lakes / powys / dales / scotland / exmoor and make a weekend of it

I often do 2 / 3 day mini tours via yhas / b+bs and thats far more enjoyable than doing an event – well for me at least.

I ride for fitness / thrills / nature watching etc and I get more from a weekends riding / or a long day ride than actually competing etc

regards

paul

may i suggest a cane creek thudbuster ? awesome and under rated

paul

oh suggest you watch ‘dog soldiers’ the night before you go….

Hi guys,

good advice so far… based on my cycle / hiking tours across canada / iceland x2 and a lot in the uk i would suggest the following :

my first tip – go light ! I store stuff in resealable sandwich bags too – useful things to have around. Lighter / penknife as well

Use clothes as a pillow – use a decent camp mattress – if a thermarest – take a way to repair it -take a head torch / ear plugs – small plastic trowel for poo burying – hand sanitiser gel / hand wipes and a small flannel for hygiene

2nd a water filter and I use couscous / noodles a lot with something to flavour / provide protein – usually fish / tuna / cheese – I rate sporks too and kit made by MSR

highly recommend something for blisters and taking insect repellant and a tick removal tool too.

enjoy

paul

Have ridden a lot down there – if you know the ROWs there then I suggest take grannys ride up from the road off behind the campsite to porlock – its an easy climb up when you hit a sweeping left at the top look out for trails on your left – theres about 3 / 4 chutes / trails that drop you back towards the great campsite in horner – theres a BW ROW at the bottom – I quite often just do laps there if i only have a short time to spare… lots of options in there and thats just the ROWs – i am sure a local would know more – grabbist hill is another good place as is north hill / selworthy

email me if you want grid refs – oh beware the ticks down there !

many thanks

cheers

paul

Hi all,

Personally I would choose not ride with a no helmet wearer – its just not clever considering what modern bikes allow us to ride and at speed…

Based on my personal experience – my mrs had a relatively minor non biking head injury – it cost us 7 mths – BOTH our lives were seriously adversely affected – no physical sport / she was off work / she had mad emotional outbursts / massive stress / crap memory / plus no weekends away together for ages re tiredness / confusion / fear of another bang to the head etc

To those heroes who dont wear a helmet out of choice when biking ( but happily wear leg / arm pads etc ) – spare a thought for your family / friends / society who are left to support you IF you have a head knock.
I know statistically its not very likely but any protection to your vulnerable brain is worth taking.

Trust me its truely not pleasant being the one left picking up the pieces. We received good support from nhs and head injury charities – I saw a lot of poorly people in waiting rooms etc – made me think….

paul

thanks so far,

the bars are 680 ish -position is about 30mm lower at the front vs other bikes and about 25mm shorter… other bikes have riser bars….

hmmm

paul

The high street is a great ride in good weather – its a real xc route in the mtns – throw in ullswater for more excitement then you can handle….

paul

Hi TJ,

that seems to be my experience – I do however go more places now than 15 years ago – but the last few years seems to have got worse esp having the dog – can be hills / forest or sand dunes and we get them and she is chemically treated… must be climate change or a change in treatments for sheep dips? I dunno…

paul

I am not a huge fan of the RSPB at times but they are big enough and well known enough to try and bring this to public attention – not enough people are aware of this

Thanks TJ – already do. Glad that the scots are beginning to penalise financially those found culpable

anyways

thanks

paul