oh its another perceived ‘benefit’ / advantage – or its marketing bs to try and make us feel inferior and ‘ oh so last decade dear’ and therefore spend + spend our way to a dictated biking nirvana….

seriously dont do it

you will hate yourself

paul

I personally dont get the whole commercialisation of the industry / must have new kit that we are TOLD will MAKE you ride better – rather than actually riding more and getting fit and also learning decent skills both ON and OFF the bike – say map reading ? Which allows anyone to actually go away from quite tame TC trails to really tasty stuff!!!

Also I find the the big bike / armour scene to ride normal trails quite amusing. Full sus can be fun on the right sort of rocky alpine / lakes / scottish trails but its overkill on most Uk trails – as a result I find group rides have become slower as people tire quicker peddling / walking / pushing their overbiked 30 lbs plus bikes and to then be not exactly that fast on the downs.

Its the triumph of marketing / image over functionality. If people want to buy into it then so be it.

I find adjustable seatposts quite pointless for my style of epic xc riding but it may suit others. I find singlespeed pointless unless as a winter forest bike. There is no way I could ride 6-10 hrs regularly on a singlespeed and not kill my knees. Thats just me.

I love disc brakes / suspension forks and thudbusters !!

Embrace the differences !

mine takes a 26.8 seatpost and is the smallest of the 3 sizes…

paul

berlingo 1.4 petrol owner here with starship mileage – awesome – removed the rear seats and 3 / 4 bikes with kit no problem – or with seats 3 people + bikes

cheap to run – looks awful and super pratical with sliding doors and an up an over rear door …

had a kangoo – similar – seemed to be a bit bigger in the back re putting bikes in – would have either tbh

paul

I 2nd thatosprey make fine packs as do deuter. 30 L is the max i do for bike packing…. any bigger = spoils the riding

paul

hmmm pigeons are not prey of red kites!

😉

cheers all

got flu and pondering useless stuff…

parts nos are Y-41T98050/60 acc to maddison website… bet they wont be cheap – have email mddison for a price…

paul

err may i be flippant and say square taper still!!!

paul

i am a birder – esp my raptors – twitchers are odd….

paul

ok,

the headsets are great APART from the crap O ring that is used to attach to the steerer – it moves when under load = creaks and scores steerer tubes = not cool. That happened to me and it was on a 80mm hardtail NOT big forked bike…

New top cap design is meant to stop this as its basically the orig ahead design that king wouldnt license…. however its 25 quid plus to buy it.

They are long lasting, very pretty and desirable… would I buy a new one – honestly prob not as there are lots which are just as good out there and cheaper ( even at trade prices) – BUT they are pretty.

Hubs – very pretty – had mates have probs with the bearing but tbh most of my mates have had probs with every wheelset they have ever owned – I like the look of them but i use Dt240s….

If you want a used pewtar h/s I am selling one…

paul

bearing king off internet – great – use them all the time

paul

i am going to be there – next 2 days on my own if you want to ride?

email me if interested…

paul

would say nant y arian is a good bet ( more mid wales )- plus theres the red kite feeding place there too which is cool. You can ride over from there to Mach trails too = great day ride

Nice hotel / pub place down the road to stay in and ‘entertain ‘ each other – George borrows its called i think…

Penmachno is nice and easy in north wales, maybe have a look at mid wales rhayader / elan valley as lovely non trail centre riding there.

paul

poverty = crime

not rocket science – can i be the first to ‘blame the evil western capitalists ‘ please can I – can I?

still rather it was a case of exterminate the pirates – wasnt the RN created originally to police the high seas / prevent piracy?

oh well

I have cracked a couple of alloy frames around the headtube – a nice boutique Ti frame – again headtube… thats from jeycore xc duties…

paul

Hardtail user here – through choice – more reliable – better suited for my riding – woods / xc / bike packing and also for some quite tasty trails in the lakes / mid wales. I dont feel like a beginner – 20 years on a HT = ability to ride… its practice and confidence that makes the most difference.

My mates ride either HT of FS – we arent much different time wise on a BIG 6-8 hr ride. Horses for courses. I tend to spend less time rebuilding stuff though – I would like a turner FS though !

For really long days / multi day trips I whack a thudbuster on = sorted !

just enjoy what you ride. Our trail collie dog is still quicker than anyone i know off road….

paul

My 2ps worth – its a decent trail if the weathers crap / you are knackered and you dont want to go epic or for a night ride etc – I would not drive to go there when theres MUCH better trails in the lakes – BUT as a quick blast with nice views over to skiddaw then its fine – i quite enjoyed it and I am not known for my love of man made stuff.

We do the derwentwater loop with whinlatter added on or as a recovery ride – i quite enjoy it.. I am actually quite surprised !

paul

hope you get snow ! mates were there a few weeks ago and it was not good… I did 6 weeks in les arcs a few years ago and it is awesome !

paul

I know 3 people who have had lyme – I was tested in 09 and was ‘negative’ after fighting tooth and nail for a test ( had ticks on me / dog had loads from q’tocs / exmoor / cheddar and wales – no obvious bite mark BUT that doesnt mean much – have had plenty of odd ‘ horsefly ‘ bites – and I have cycled across usa / canada in the past ) but I was completely and I mean completely floored by something for 5 mths – extreme tiredness / brain fog / aches and tiredness and ultimately a bout of depression.. I had medication / alternative therapy stuff / better diet / gave up work. I got better to about 80% of previous health – docs labelled me PVFS / CFS as ‘ couldnt be Lymes ‘…

I am not convinced what I had – now the slightest cold / man flu truely ruins me….

Take precautions – I ride / hike in leggings – use repellant and carry a tom o ‘twistet. I am evangelical in telling riding buddies re ticks – they think its all a big joke. ITS NOT

paul

i really rate Lusso kit – I use their shorts / tights / warmers – much nicer than equivalent brands I could mention…

like it

paul

Ortlieb or topeak – get strap version as more durable

I salute you !!- I do similar high mileage mostly on REAL muddy / gritty all day rides – touring off road ( 6-10hrs )vs 2 – 3hr blasts round trail centres – and I burn through a lot of chains / middle chainrings and cassettes and bbs in a year – plus tyres. Not that many brake pads / rotors though!

I am light and ride ‘carefully’ and I just dont break stuff – it just wears out and it is getting to me – financially and also from a ‘ wtf ‘ perspective.. I do lube and I rebuild my bike a lot… I have gone back to steel chainrings to eke more life out of them and I use octalink / square taper bbs vs external etc…

I would love to see documentated realistic lifespan tests done in the mags!

oh well but thats dull and wouldnt sell a mag vs the latest designed widget…

maybe I am expecting too much….

original YETI hardcores – nuch nicer than lock on version – BUT a faff if taking off etc

paul

watch for the car park charges!

paul

trekmates – i use the shorter more breathable ankle gaiters in goretex – walking and biking !

paul

me – hardly feel the need ever to drop the post – only once in the last few years and that was on my first slippy wet descent of cavedale in the peak – now i can ride it ‘up’ ok… i do mince and go slow n steady ! Plus re shorts snagging – i mostly use tights / 3/4s and i dont snag – sometimes i do catch my endura baggies… most ‘proper ‘ rides i go for the lycra…

to date / hellvellyn – rosthwaite / seathwaite / top o’skiddaw / walna scar / garburn / cadair idris / snowdon / the ben alll done this year with post up…

i do appreciate seeing all the threads re joplins etc – ones i have seen on the trail have been ‘tempermental’… i am intrigued by them but maybe its just another ‘rad fad’ (TM) to go with the image… and my baggy shorts…

paul

thudbuster – awesome

i do a lot of long distance riding in mid wales / lakes on rocky trails – it works superb and is easy to strip down

paul

echo the above comments – if just out for an hour or 2 blast then you can ‘ live ‘ with a wet gritty butt – however if you are out 4 – 6 – 10 hrs a grit / wet free butt is a lot nicer and helps prevents soreness especially if doing day after day…

agree they do look a bit special…

paul

I used to loathe rear mudguards and just do the ‘cut off army goretex trousers into shorts method’ BUT I got a set of cycraguards as a gift and they are superb.

I did a monster 3 day lakeland trip off road and they were a true ace bit of kit

massive convert now

paul

reba

paul

Yes,

Simply awful – went from being proper fit to barely able to walk the dog. Work / life fell apart and docs just wanted to label me PVFS and give anti depressants to quell the malaise I fell into. I was concerned it was Lyme Disease and had the tests… negative – I was dizzy / vertigo and had zero energy and felt like had the flu…

In a nutshell – 4 mths of TOTAL rest and doing next to no exercise and a massive diet / vitamin plan with rest and more rest. I reckon I made the mistake of riding hard when ill with a cold / virus = it ruined me.

On a good note = I got better with time and patience – Now I am super careful to not over do things…

email me if you want some support

You have my sympathy – theres a lot of forum support out there re this horrible illness – a lot of people just didnt appreciate what it was like. You will get over it – takes time

paul

i will tell all the chavs where i live so they can stock up 🙂

Hmm you should see me and my birds uber fit and silly well trained collie.. The dog loves running with us or in a group and has never casued a problem. It wont cross a trail without permission and is not even bothered by sheep. Farmers have even complemented us about her ! It is the dogs training that makes the difference. Heel means being glued to your ankle….

She has been to the top of most of the bikeable peaks in lakes / wales and most of the trail centres in wales. No problem. We pack her crap out in her back pack so no issue there. Contrast that to all the chavs leaving their rubbish at the trailside – so far this year I have removed tubes / tyres / gels / bottes etc from trails in shropshire / somerset and peaks. go figure !!

I would rather have the dog along for a ride than a lot of humans i know !

paul

yes. most raceface stuff in my experience is more style vs substance… hey ho

paul

ok

Just my 2ps worth – buy shimano sp41 – use Transfil cable sealed ferrules and the plastic straw stuff ( wiggle do a set for 4 quid ) – use snowboard / ski wax on cable as its dry and seems to not stick to too much crap… then choose a good route and voila – nice long lasting cables – I only ever have to clean out the rear deraileur loop once in a while as thats the only place crap can back fill. Kinda full route without all the extra friction as the plastic straw bits reduce this and it is slightly lighter than full outer…

My bike gets used a fair bit in crap conditins. Just did 94 miles of bog trot at the weekend in pouring rain on mths old cables = still sweet after 26 hrs riding in the lakes…

Gore cables work to a point but I wouldnt buy again now – been running the above for last few years. works / cheap / light.

paul

pace lost it years ago

never touch their stuff again

thats awful news – seemed a lovely guy and great to deal with re classifieds – all my sympathy to his family

paul

bar ends are awesome for long all day rides and hammering climbs – drawbacks = can catch vegetation etc in proper deep ferns etc… i like miine but i am old skool and do long rides in the hills using an os map…

paul

Tried one set – i found eggies to be just awful. I was severely underwhelmed. I use shimano and have done last 19 years- had some atacs – early ones – nice but cleats wore out rapidly and the plastic pedal and sidi shoe combination = squeak hell…

my 58 kg racing snake of a mate snapped his eggie axle – how he did that i just dont know….

paul