I am doing it with a couple of mates and their kids, Will be my first and last enduro but looking forward to it. 5 Stages 3 at the Golfie and 2 at Inners. Pretty stacked field of pros should be good.

I bought Terrex trail solo thinking they would be a trendy alternative to 5.10’s turns out they are not. Fine for local trail riding or bikepacking trips , crap for steep stuff where 2FO’s and Impacts are way better.

Well done , great to hear someone winning the big prize. An old mate from back home won a Ford mustang recently and a mate at works bro won a VW Caddy . Give you a bit of hope that the comps are worth It.

Yup very easy head east about a 100 yds from the car park look for the gate and cross the road then follow the fire road up the hill to the old fort ruin and you will find 3 . The main runs even higher off the hill and wee ended up pushing to it which was horrendous but im sure there is an easy fireroad option.

Whilst I like Laggan, I kind of wish it was at Badaguish

Kind of the opposite for me , The laggan landscape is a way better option with all the natural rock than Badaguish. Location wise though you are definately right.

The Brown trails on the other side of the road are brilliant , especially the one from the very top with the great long rock slab with stunning views over the cairngorms.

Totally agree with @Lucky7500 . Im down the Golfie most weekends and It’s rammed . At 11 or 12 on a sunday at the top of NYNY I’ve seen as much as 10 -20 guys hanging about. Indeed our group yesterday was 10 of us mostly local but a dad and a son from Chorley. It’s a good thing though Innerleithen now has 4 bike shops plenty of air bnb and normal accomodation and most people will only really do the Golfie , GT and DH traquair side. Most will never ride Yair , Thornielee , glenbenna or cademuir.
As for Penmanshiel It’s a great wee hill and the new jumpline on the other hill will be great when finished , A real labour of love for the builder.

I would doubt very much a key will fly out yer pocket Gravel riding. I’m even guessing you could fly down fort william DH track and not lose a key. If yer worried get a quadcore for yer phone and a zip pocket for yer keys.

Glad your doing well bud , take care of yourself and the family.

Thanks for the advice folks , the lower spec focus at £5100 seems fairly poor compared to the mondraker lvel R at £5800. Sadly it’s back on hold as my wifes C2W is over 1 year and mine will be over 2 . I can afford a £140 a month over 2 years but not £270 over 1 year. Back to the drawing board. I could afford the bike If I sold my current bike and used the mojney as a deposit , but then when the motor dies im bikeless. :D

Thanks folks , some good advice so far.

VanHalen I think that may have been the model I rode on holiday . I was shocked how well It rode , thats interesting about the drivetrain though but as you say they will wear pretty quickly . Dont really want to cannibalise my Trek Slash as Im fully expecting to have motor problems and would keep my normal bike for the inevitable bike away getting fixed times and riding with mates from work . Thanks for your help.

Carberry is now no more sadly , well it’s still there just It’s been flattened by the duke. Anyhoo there are loads of routes that can be linked up. Off the top of my head park at Prestonpans JMW to longniddry then up the Dean path to longniddry station then old railway line to Haddington . At Haddington head for the golf course then pick up the tyne trail to East linton. East linton follow the JMW to North Berwick but do the little trail through Balgonie loch . At NB you can again pick up the JMW to yellowcraig then into Archerfield , here you can follow the coast along the beach to gullane or head through the walled guarden passed muirfield and into Gullane. Again Gullane has a coastal path through the Aberlady nature reserve which is nice or easier path on the JMW through luffness golf club to aberlady. From there its back along the waymarked john Muir way all the way back along the coast . You could nip into the Gosford bothy for food .
Failing this you could use some of Marcus Skitz capital trail towards Gifford via Saltoun big wood and up into the Lammies which is remote and pretty bleak but a good big day out.
Whilst it has no gnar east lothian has miles and miles of gravel and picturesque mtb routes.Usually quite sunny the further east you go as well.

Just buy new ones in the sales , I remember years ago when Timberlands were still really good I resoled mine for about £60 . The quality dropped like 5.10 and it seems easier just to buy new and keep the old ones as spares for bad weather .

I’m ninth dan black belt in ‘Itchy fanny’ . Basically dont mess

Not Shimano but my GX 12 speed mech has been cannibalised many times and done about 1200 miles in 2 years. It’s triggers broom but had 3 x new jockeys and swapped the cage of an old one. If it’s getting battered on a regular basis 800 – 1000 miles seems about right. My average ride length in the valley is between 10 and 15 miles so on average about 80 rides.
I dread to think what it will be with an ebike.

I saw the Foo’s 2 days after the Chili Peppers a few years back and it was night and day in terms of quality . Keidis seemed a dick . Grohl seemed like a guy you talk to on yer dug walk but dont really know. Taylor just seemed to fit in and seemed a good decent guy .
Dont know what to say other than I’ts a sad travesty a young talented man has died . What also seems weird is he didn’t seem a Caner , died in his hotel room normally implies soembody has misdudged local strength of drugs . Taylor soen’t fit this theory .

Anyhoo rest In Beats Taylor , you will be missed.

Just sold a 661 full face , Fox speedframe and POC Tectal race , now have a Proframe and speedframe pro. Also have a IXS for the gravel bike.

Thats shit luck mate , thing is I do this all the time and live in a fairly rough area. I usually come home from a ride dump my bike in the back garden then go and run a bath . You just dont think it will happen to you.
Hope you get it back .

My dad used to mention ‘pinking’ on my bros old 86 mini. I never had a **** clue to be honest but used to throw in ‘ Sounds like it’s pinking a wee bit ‘ randomly to my pals pride and joys.
Still dont know what It means.

@Sanny wins not dissing Eels , Moby , Hipsway and Alabama 3 all total quality .

I’ve seen the Roses 3 times , originally back in glasgow 1990 then Heaton Park and Etihad. I actually thought Heaton park they were musically better than in 1990. For bands not being remotely interested Oasis in the corn Exchange Edinburgh and Chilis at Hampden were both gash. Happy Mondays at the SECC was probably the worst I’ve seen but I was out ma tits so still had a blast.

@Davesport from here was telling me earlier he is up there and they are doing helidrops of materials for Blue doon , Also the hotel building has started. World champs there next year so we will see big changes. I wasn’t a fan of Blue doon but it did seem like it was rushed to get more visitors for the tail end of a covid year. Im sure it will be way better this year .

I was 50 last year and likewise didn’t really want to do much. Had ideas I might like a mtb holiday in spain or canada a few years before but as it got closer and with Covid it kinda came and went. Still got 3 trips away this year Madeira , Nerja and a cycling trip to Mallorca so not all bad.
I think for my 50th I got some DT swiss wheels and palladium boots.

Fantastic TJ , I hope you have many adventures on her. The wee tribute is brilliant . Good work Teej you deserve It.

Got my 6 year old Shug (Shih Tzu/Pug) a Fox red pup. The shug rejuvinated my old Chocky lab and after 3 weeks of ignoring the new pup. They are now inseperable , They playfight constantly and the wee dog fights like a lion and normally wins.
Great companions will probably get another wee one when Bowie Is 10 and Gus is gone.

Supercaliber surely cant be 12.5 kg ‘s.? I had a Trek superfly full suss which was just over 10.2 kg’s . Wish I hadnt sold it to be honest . Would have been a great wee bike packing rig.
I’d have thought the Supercaliber would be way less than a fuel.

He was quality , and appeared to have no ego . His remixes made some non descript songs sound amazing and maybe soemtimes over the top . Real iconic looking fella as well. Come home

Sell remedy , buy slash then reasonably priced gravel bike and forget turbo. Job done . Return to Go do collect £200

Would never give up MTB for gravel. Road yes I have given up for gravel though.

As above really . I live pretty close to the Tweed valley so have a Trek Slash . Also my home trails are tame and I like bike packing so have a Trek checkpoint. I always had 3 bikes which alternated between full sus, hardtail and road . or full sus ,cx and road (you get the picture). I now feel as getting older i’d rather have a slower road bike than can also do my local mtb routes hence the gravel bike.
Do feel sometimes i’d like a long travel hardtail that could take bags for cairngorms bike packing but It’s overkill. My next bike will be a Trek rail but will have to keep the slash for when the motor goes. :)

Move on , life’s too short.

Yup , Its brilliant the Tom Davis character is amazing. Good to see ‘The People just do nothing’ guys back again. Shame there is no part for Chabuddy G.

Thats good news , when you think of the amount of people than have staycationed in Aviemore during the pandemic and taken there bikes. Have often wondered how glenshee and the Lecht have went half arsed with there trails when it could be a great money winner. Im presuming they have never had the money in the first place to develop decent trails then maintain them . Looks like Glenlivet are getting their act together and slowly building a good little network of trails and you would imagine with the hotel and camping coming to Nevis range they will find build another trail to plug the hole between ble doon and Top Cheif.

I’ve had two remedys which were both excellent but upgraded to a slash which I love. Took a couple of rides to get used to the bigger wheels but wouldn’t swap back. I think my next bike will probably be a rail as I’m getting old and lazy.

Just stick with the DT Swiss , far superior.

I got a message back from freeride and they said they may be up my side of the island but wouldn’t no until the day before (weather dependant presumably). I also got an email back from another company who could do a trip in either Paul da Serra or Fonte do bispo which both look excellent . Maybe more sight seeing but 50 km through the hills with food stops. I’ll probably head back again next year so could always stay in Funchal and do something with freeride. In all honesty some spring sun and a decent long descent to the coast sounds fantastic right now and Im not overly fussed if its a gnarfest . The Island looks absolutely stunning , a bit like the north of Tenerife which makes sense.

Thanks for the info Elliot , Wish I had booked to stay in Funchal now . I think Ill need to hire a car for sure.

A wee question for anyone thats been .? Im booked to go in March with the wife, contacted Freeride who were helpful but I’d have to get to Funchal for 8.50 but Im staying Calheta . Other than hiring a car I cant see any other way of getting there .
If this is a no starter would it be worth hiring a couple of E bikes and just going up some hills with the wife ,I’d love to ride the EWS trails but If its going to be logistically difficult I’d be just as happy going off road on a big XC ride.
Any ideas.

I’m hoping to get across in May for a week with the wife and It would seem daft not to do a day with Freeride Madeira. What was wrong with the Scotts .? For 130 Euro It seems a good price for collection , uplift , Bike hire and food.
I’m no downhill god but can get down most things just not great at Jumps .

Good stuff @davesport you canna ekeep a good man down . Give you a shout next week .

Get doon to Penmanshiel ya big fud and hit the road gap , you’ll be good. Joking aside I could barely cycle up a wee hill without being out of breath 10 days after covid. Gets easier just take yer time mate.