I can recommend factor 40 sun screen! I suspect many guides will have hung up their bikes since it could be uncomfortably hot to ride. My in-laws live not too far away and it can be 40C plus at that time of year. I could be wrong though.

I went with Ride Sierra Nevada[/url] and was guided by Sean. I was on a 6inch fully and I could just about (mostly) keep up with him on his hardtail, except on the ups (and I think I’m reasonably fit). He showed us some great riding and was always around to share a beer post-ride.

they’ll be cool again one day

When I replaced my narrow flat bar with a riser I didn’t bother putting the bar ends back on (I admit it was a fashion thing and I’m not proud!). However I have not missed them one little bit. The wider bar allows me to climb comfortably whereas before I had to get onto the bar ends

Ah OK. Where are you?

…but if you can stretch to a guide I don’t think you’ll regret it (and no I’m not on commission!). More time riding and less time wondering where you are

Go climbing in the Peak District, the Lakes, Snowdonia or any other “classic” venues. Loads of worthwhile VDiffs to do that aren’t polished to a high sheen. If you get up onto one of the Kinder crags for example the grit is as rough as ever, but you’re not going to get any big groups making the effort to walk up there. Ditto for countless mountain crags in the Lakes or Wales.

Not previously been part of this thread, so sorry if I’ve missed the point completely…

I assume you mean Sierra Nevada, Spain rather than USA. I was out there last year and bought the 1:40000 map of the Sierra Nevada national park. Now I can read a map but there is no way we would have found half the great trails the guide took us on if we’d just used the map.

Bike fax Bikefax do a good guide to Southern Spain, given away with Singletrack subscriptions last year. That would be your best bet if you do want to do things under your own steam.

judging by the maps I drive straight past it so might be worth a post-ride play

I’ll check it out on the way back from work when the days are a bit longer. Thanks

*phew* Last time I rode it I had a fight with the see-saw and I lost. I managed to dismount from the top of the “see” (or is it the bottom of the “saw”?) and landed on my feet. What impressed the onlookers was that I was riding SPDs. I’m not sorry to see it go (cue running away from my fears…)

Got a Big Bite valve in my Source bladder. Works a treat and no leaks after a long weekend of hard Lakes riding. Whoo hoo!

I’m with trailmonkey. If you’re always breaking/bending teeth on the outer ring (or getting oil on your chinos!) then get a bash guard. If not, don’t bother, but I reckon one day you’ll lose/bend a tooth or two…(even you sq225917)

Clearly there are lots of people in this post who do ride in the Peaks (me included) who have knackered big rings and for them a bashguard does make sense.

I must admit it is nice when a “10 out of 10” bike that you aspire towards – but never ever buy – plummets to a lowly 7 or 8 in the following season when the latest, greatest spangly brand comes out. Looks very much like Lapierre are this year’s Commencal in terms of good reviews. Are bikes really getting that much better year-on-year?

I’ve tried most of them. I read MBR for ages (free waterproof with subscription!) until I realised it was as dry as a packet of Jacobs. I still buy MBUK quite often and I do quite like it, but it and What Mountain Bike are very guilty of re-hashing old articles. If you’ve read either of them for a full year you don’t really need to bother again. To be fair to MBUK they have got better recently, particularly with the articles on biking around the world, but they’re just too short. I guess this is the “soundbite” generation we live in. Honest, I am under 40 :-)

Well done to you then Chipps. I guess I shall look forward to my issue dropping through the letterbox monthly one day…hopefully. Truly, it is the best MTB mag by a country mile

Tried dirt and didn’t really like it. (old man warning) I couldn’t tell the difference between the ads and the articles!

I echo comments above; try the Bonty’s and save your cash. I have Bonty ACX which never fail to amaze me with how grippy they are, but are light and fast rolling too. When it gets really muddy I put on some Panaracer Trailrakers which are brill for when everyone else is slippin’ and slidin’

I ride the Peaks with 36/22 and bash. Only ever run out of gears on road but have plenty of battle damage to bash guard to justify its existence. My original outer ring had quite a few missing teeth, mostly from rocks flying up and hitting it rather than it hitting static rocks. I guess this doesn’t happen if you’re only going at a “steady” pace :wink:

Where I was VERY thankful for the bash was riding in the Sierra Nevada. I “needed” all my suspension, my disc brakes, my wide bars, my bash ring and all the other great stuff that helps me ride faster and harder without breaking me (too often!) or the bike bits that – as many posts on STW point out – are stupidly expensive at the mo’

Movie Maker gets my vote. Unless you’re on Vista you will need a separate program to author a DVD though.

I had a go with Vista. Most of it seemed change for the sake of change, requiring re-learning of stuff that XP did very well thank you. The good stuff that I liked was available in add-on form for XP anyway (e.g. I love the Google sidebar with my mail and calendar)

I thought Windows got it right with XP for what I need from a home PC. With more and more stuff browser based the O/S seems less relevant. I find it hard to imagine what Windows 7 will do to ignite interest in O/S’s to the level it once was.

This looks like a nice cheap read. Thanks for the tip Stu

Hi

I do appreciate everyone’s help but it’s missing the point slightly and my initial Loch Lomond reference was perhaps to blame :-) By “on the way” I mean something that can break up a long drive into two smaller drives. Pitlochry, Aviemore and to be fair Loch Lomond are all “most of the way” there.

What I’m really after is something south of Glasgow/Edinburgh, preferably wihin spitting distance of the M74. One of the 7 Stanes is probably just right in terms of “half way there” but I’d prefer some natural riding.

Pitlochry is certainly getting the recommendations, but it doesn’t break the long journey up from Staffordshire for me. It will take me 4 1/2 hours to Edniburgh and then another 1 1/2 at least(?) to Pitlochry. The idea is to split the journey to Fort William a bit nearer the half way point. To be honest Loch Lomond is also “most of the way there” so is not ideal.

Anything to recommend nearer the border?

I have some Fox Frequency shorts. They have a great liner that is non-removable but very comfy. They don’t bunch or snag but look good for post ride chips and beer. Lots of vents for summer Spain trips, quick to dry and did I say very comfy? I use them regularly in winter with some 661 knee pads and keep warm too.

I went through a similar process (with a smaller budget) and bought a hardtail. It wasn’t the right bike to be honest and I should have done more homework. I then did my homework, bought a full susser and loved it. My poor old hardtail then got used as a shopping bike.

Fast forward a couple of years and I’ve shortened the stem, put on wider riser bars and fitted a super-light rigid fork on my hardtail. I now LOVE riding it but it is MILES away from the ride my FS offers.

The point to all this is that although I love my hard-tail, if I was in the market for one bike I would defo go for full sus for trail centres, long rides, XC, Alps etc etc

looks like a cheap option, but I think I will just clarify that my recommendation of the Gore cables is for off-road riding. I use run-of-the-mill standard cables on my road bike and I have had no issues at all.

I did the Mary Townley loop (80km) on my full suss whilst my pals were on HTs. They are both much fitter than I am (they have done some stupidly hard events) but both noticed how much more comfortable I looked for an all day epic. My full suss certainly leveled the playing field and they promptly went out and bought their own. If you like big all day rides I would recommend (lightweight) FS.

That said, some trails are now quite boring and too easy on my full suss so I do have a HT (with rigid forks) as well! Definitely room in my bike quiver for both

Granted it is overkill for a road bike but for MTBs I disagree with Algore. My old cable run ALWAYS got muck/grit in the outer cable at the cable stops on the swing arm. This was what led to poor shifting. Whilst I realise the Gore cables have a full length inner to keep the shifting smooth, I doubt that inner will last long once some grit has got between it and the outer at the cable stops. As I understand Gore make an extra long kit due to rider demand for full length outers. Riding in the gritty Peaks I don’t understand why someone would pay for expensive sealed cables and not run a full outer.

I got mine from 18 Bikes for £30, fully sealed extra long version. I had to drill out my cable stops to fit a full length outer which is something you need to consider.
Other than that I found them as easy to fit as any cable and after 2 or 3 months they are performing as good as new. “Normal” cables usually clog up after a couple of rides in the Peaks where I ride, but I do seem to suffer more than most with that problem. My gear fettling is now greatly reduced.

I have Nokon cables on my other bikes which are a bit smoother than the Gore, but then they do need lubing. The Goretex inner sheath in the Gore cables has little enough friction so as to not need lubing.

Thanks. Pitlochry is too far out of the way really. It doesn’t have to be 40km, just no more than 40km. I shall have a look on the sites recommended.

to save weight :D

I am 6 foot with a 32″ inside leg. I’m “average” build for a normal person (“well built” as cyclists go) and a large is spot on for the Kyle Straits. Excellent kit.

Too true. Some of the best riding I have done anywhere is on the natural trails in the Lakes. Low cloud tempted me to the trail centre tho’

I felt the south loop was particularly disappointing. Yes, the downhill was good but the rest of it was a bit uninspiring…and WAY too short. I have my suspicion this was a trail deliberately designed for those who want downhill fun without the commitment of a big route. I reckon in good conditions and with strong legs both loops could be ticked off in 1 1/2 hours or so. I was quite tired after two “mountain” days on the bike, the conditions were slippy and I was going steady on the ups but still I managed to be round the north loop in just under an hour. The south loop went by in a flash.

There were no closed bits when I was there (technically not the weekend – it was yesterday!)

I prefer to talk to staff who actually ride the products they sell. I’ve visited LBS’s where the staff know techy product details and are good mechanics but rarely get out and ride. I used to work in a climbing shop and the fact I was a regular climber gave me credibilty rather than regurgitating what I had read in the press or manufacturer’s literature.

I’ll be on a Whyte 46 and wearing 661 knee pads to keep the bad knees warm!

Yes he was. Theses guys aren’t though. All booked for this Sunday and Monday. Cheers for the tip. Maybe see you on Skiddaw! Planning on doing the Skiddaw and Borrowdale bash routes from the Chris Gore Lakes guide.

no availability :-( any other suggestions?

Looks great. Waiting for them to email me back. Thanks