Cheers everyone. Obviously I’ll be checking the forecasts nearer the time as well. Do any of you have any bike-friendly accommodation you can recommend in Keswick?

Quick update: I’ve had my first ride with the new forks. Absolutely fab! The front end is now so light and flickable. Compared to my old (cheap) 80mm suspension forks which hardly did anything you would want from a suspension fork, these are so much better. Cheaper than suspension forks and have – seriously – knocked nearly 4lbs of weight off my bike. Shame it’s highlighted how heavy my frame is! Anyone recommend a lightweight XC frame that doesn’t mind a little abuse?

this was nothing more than an ironic observation that I wanted to share, but thanks for the suggestions. Already tried.
:D

How many washes do you get out of Tech Wash? I thought it was only 2, and at “quite a few pennies” per bottle that’s a lot of money spent washing waterproofs. After all, rain + mud = muddy clothes.

Will the big Bite work with a Camelback valve lock?

That sounds like a plan. I love the Source bladder but the valve is a bit leaky, even though I do like having a cover for it

Good Housekeeping

PS I strongly recommend getting the sun/rain cover for an extra few quid

I have a Deuter Kid Comfort 2 that I bought on a summer alpine walking holiday. Brilliant! It can be adjusted for me (6ft) and my wife (5ft 6) although muggins here always ends up carrying it. Sadly(!) it has lots of storage for nappies, waterproofs, lunch etc etc so actually I end up carrying everything. Still comfy tho’

It even has a sleeve for your hydration pack

Deuter Kid Comfort 2[/url]

Ask around the bike shops to see if they have any old stock. I got a complete Deore hub for £15 or so and have used it for parts regularly. Much cheaper than buying individual cups, cones, freehub etc

Elbow just get better and better. I saw them live supporting Muse many years ago and to be honest they weren’t much cop, but have seen them headline outdoor festivals since and they are infinitely better. Check out last year’s Glastonbury performance of One Day Like This. Even the violinists recognise something special is going on and can’t stop smiling.

well I did hear that purple is back in fashion. Please can I keep my disc brakes tho’?!

My wife and father-in-law – neither of them cyclists – both commented on how light it was. It seems not that long ago that I was getting excited about suspension and now look at me!

Just received my White Brothers Rock Solid fork. It looks ace! Yep, went the rigid route. Will let you know my thoughts when fitted…

…that said some of the posts that are up here do suggest some absolutely idiots driving around down London way!

I ride a bike and I drive a car (like most of us I guess!). I have nearly been hit by a car whilst riding and have nearly hit a cyclist whilst driving.

I was approaching a roundabout at dusk in my car. A cyclist was approaching from the right. Most cyclists I see on the road do not have super-powerful lights and this guy’s lights – being pretty much side-on to me – were not easily seen. Fortunately I did see him at the last minute and much hard stomping on the brakes by me meant an accident was avoided.

Now before anyone starts ranting at me, I accept that I could have been paying more attention and I did apologise with hand signals as best I could to the cyclist. Since then I have dressed up like a fluorescent 80’s reject when I cycle on the roads in anything other than broad daylight. I look an idiot but at least I’m seen by a few more people.

I used to use “alternative means” but generally I now use iTunes to hear new music. I may purchase the odd single now and again but if there’s an album worth getting it’s on to Amazon for the CD, sometimes even vinyl. The only album I’ve ever paid to download was an iTunes exclusive Elbow concert.

I have two (very) young kids who are not even at school yet. They get me and the missus out of bed in the middle of the night, demand lots of attention and we rarely get time to relax properly. When I do relax (i.e. do absolutely nothing), that’s when the colds usually get me.

Whenever I feel a cold starting I eat lots and keep doing stuff (even a bike ride, perish the thought). It’s my way of sticking two fingers up at illness and it seems to work for me. Keep shovelling the drive!

I went with Ride Sierra Nevada last May. Absolutely loved it. Fantastic riding. Let me warn you, riding in the Peak District seemed a bit naff in comparison. If you’ve ever skied it is the difference between skiing in the Alps and skiing in Scotland.

To give a sense of comparison I would say the transition on the Cheddleton one starts at the right hand side of the track of the one above. So, not as long but a bit more vertical to drop. If these guys need 40mph to clear this jump I can’t see anyone getting enough speed on the Cheddleton one. Still, I’m no hucker so what would I know :?

PPPS search for the Delamere gap jump on You Tube. Not as big as the piccie above tho’

PPS My local swimming pool as a kid was 12.5m wide. Bearing in mind the rider above will hopefully be landing on the transition – and using my cunning swimming pool visualisation technique! – I reckon he’ll be having considerably more than 10m horizontal airtime.

PS if anyone wants to have a look themselves, join the Heath at the bridlegate just below the junction of Basford Lane and Cheddleton Heath road. Don’t drop into the Heath straight away; ride along a bit until you see some smaller dirt jumps down to your right. Once you’ve seen the dirt jumps immediately by the path, look up through the trees to your left. You should see a wooden ramp launching over a rather large hollow and then a steep transition joining the track you are on.

I will not be drawn into debates over exactly how big it is, but I’d be surprised if many people ever ride it (not even sure you can get enough of a run up to clear it!). :D

Hi Collie. Yes I’m very much enjoying the Heath and St Edwards. Went out in the snow and dark last night and had a great ride. Much more traction than I had any right to expect. If you fancy joining up one evening…?

As for the gap, I know it is hard to estimate distances of a jump. I would say the vertical drop is like the above pic (more than 5 metres IMHO) and the horizontal perhaps a bit smaller. But then I reckon the above is more than 10m. Anyway, rather than get hung up over how many metres, let me get a piccie. Patience tho’, I won’t be able to get up there in daylight again until at least Sunday (N Yorks Moors on Sat…in the snow hopefully)

I’ll take a camera next time I go…except tonight ‘cos it will be dark and snowy. However it’s a good 10 metres out and 10 metres down before landing (probably more), with a not very pleasant experience if you come up short. Much bigger than the Delamere gap jump

stumpy01 has it spot on. I have two small kids so going to the pub every weekend is out. That has freed up more than enough cash to buy a nice bike. I do have a habit of mashing drive trains tho’, which means MTBing is hardly a “one off” purchase for me. And then there’s the “old” bike which of course needs bringing up-to-date…

lol I think there’s some sand in there already!

Any takers to convince me to stick with suspension or is it mostly rigid fans reading this thread? The credit card is nearly out of the wallet…

I have a bike that lets me go as fast as I dare. I now want a (light) bike that will gallop along, up and across but makes me hone my skills on the downs. My local loops aren’t too long anyway, so there’s no point going too fast ;-)

Merlin was where I was looking. It’s down to a 2009 Reba SL or a White Brothers Rock Solid. Still £110 cheaper to get the rigid tho’. Might all depend on the axle to crown height of the Rebas, but I’m 95% convinced to go rigid (31 posts on this topic later!)

Cheers all

I remember those days. They were slower and more uncomfortable, but oh so rose tinted. I must relive them

I live in the Staffordshire moorlands (Leek) but mostly ride in the Peak District. Generally the full susser comes out for the rocky Peaks or longer trips to Wales/Lakes/Scotland/Spain…

The bike is used mostly for doorstep (night) riding or when I need to lend a bike to a mate who is a newbie. It’s generally fast (rooty) woodland, canal paths, muddy bridleways etc. I don’t really believe in having too many different bikes for different setups, since you can always come across all manner of terrain on any ride. However I “need” new forks and I want to save some weight. My existing forks aren’t good suspension forks and I don’t feel under-biked so I guess I’m talking myself into rigid here!

I had that in mind but didn’t expect such a big difference. I shall get my tape measure out…

tonto – Member

why not go rigid with a 29er front wheel?

As if I’ve not got enough choices – and expense – to baffle myself with :-o

…and my current “suspension” forks are as good as rigid anyway!

I had a blast in the Peaks on an old Hard Rock not long ago. Canti brakes, fully rigid, big squishy saddle and bent axles. Rocky downhills were S L O W (and dangerous!) compared to my 6″ fully, but it climded really well and was fun in a different kind of way. You’re swaying me to rigid…

well they are cheaper, which means I can afford that custom paint job I’ve been drooling over…

I must admit I had been looking at £150 rigid forks such as this one below, so a cheap test is not really a go-er. Maybe I just get the Reba…
Nuke Proof forks

I would not go back to v brakes having tried disks. I’m not that obsessed with weight! I’d rather ride naked to save the weight than use v’s in the middle of winter

thinking of a respray on my frame. The old colour ain’t too bad, I just fancy an excuse to take my bike to bits so I can reassemble it