>This is the future<

Oh yeah? What a complete and utter waste of plastic…

Cynical- al +1

There’s some right phuds on these threads.

This is for a ham joint but would work with ribs. I can vouch for it / done it many times:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/ham-in-cola-recipe/index.html

They are fine – DHB 3/4 are sized perfectly ime.

No point in buying Lycra and having it flap around like err shorts… is there?

Oh and don’t post up any more pics like that before the watershed 😉

Cairngorm

No lift served terrain at present. (Apart from a trial using the choo choo. IIRC this involved the mandatory hiring of CM gear, being guided and largely used a Piste Basher track to descend)

Nevis Range

Gondola serves WC DH course and Nevis Red. Circa 2000ft vertical. Quite good /enough to keep you entertained for a day.

Coe

Chairlift serves DH course and a Red. DH is fairly natural / full on, the Red is much easier / littered with man made features (berms drop offs etc) Circa 1000ft vertical. Not ridden either.

Glenshee

Charlift serves one course I guesstimate 750ft vertical. Was up a few weeks ago (under my own steam) Could best be described as a work in progress / low cost first effort. It didn’t look like anyone had been riding it recently, berms littered with brick sized rocks.

Lecht

Chairlift serves one or possibly two courses. Cant be much vertical – 500ft max I reckon. Info available on their website / Youtube.

Don’t like to diss these places but it’s a bit of a mixed bag and I reckon you’d come away disappointed with a lift served road trip. Coe and Nevis combined with some natural stuff in between would make a good long weekend tho.

Laphroig always comes in handy if you need to soak some field dressings. As for drinking it 😉

Caol Ila + 1 Always my go to recommendation.

Bramble whisky is new one on me. You soak brambles in the whisky – right? That really has to be an acquired taste…

>Yes he is a cheat and doped but lets be honest did you think any of them were clean.<

Nup – which is why the whole tdf thing washes right over my head.

Be good if there was just one thread where the baggage from the entire tawdry episode could be discussed ad nauseum.

>Is that Inverary?<
>It’s Campbeltown btw<

Err…it’s Ullapool 😉

>waterproof and cheap?

I don’t think so.<

Waterproof at any price? I don’t think so.

Sealskinz are chronic – had several pairs and none of them worked. Gore Goretex socks are ok if you get lucky and find a pair that actually seal around your calf but you’ll soon knacker the membrane pulling them on and off. And if water comes down your leg or over the cuff its getting in…

This years attempted solution will be industrial grade Marigold cuffs over Nookie Ti kayak sox.

>I guess we’d be pretty mad to try it Nov?<

Not really but the weather odds are stacked against you at this time of year.

Could be a heatwave / bluebird day or full on blizzard. Unless you are on a mission and suitably equipped / experienced then be prepared to adopt plans B,C or D 😉

>Aye, but would it go the way of CV?,

No – CV involved the Forestry Commission. Certain FC Managers would rather have burned in hell than see Glasgow use that as a venue.

As I said earlier, their nearest offer was GT.

>I’m not sneering, I just think the places I listed have better potential for further expansion than Cathkin, and are nicer areas to go riding in. And as mr Salmond keeps telling us, these are Scotland’s games, not Glasgows. It’s us that are funding this, not GCC.<

Scotland’s full of better places to go riding in – I think you need to open your mind a little in terms of what this is all about.

I’m not from Castlemilk incidentally BB but I sure am having a laugh at you posh boys from Kili and Saltcoats 😉

>then it’s not outwith the realms of possibilty that a more suitable venue could be found that wasn’t right next to one of the worst housing estates in Scotland<

And what fluffywuffy venue would sir prefer?

More than a few folk sneering down their collective noses on this thread.

Sanny +1

>Vision? mwahhaahhaa!.<

And your narrow minded vision / utopia is to build things where there’s no bad people?

FWIW FCS offered the CGC not Whitelees but………………..Glentress! Clearly of the same mindset as yourself.

I really don’t think GC were worrying too much about whether the STW demographic were going to use the facility when they chose it. Hopefully they have a little more vision and are focused more on what it can become as opposed to what it may be now.

>Another opportunity missed.<

Or another opportunity seized – depending on your perspective…

Where in Glasgow would you have built it – Bearsden?

>and the more serious eroded/mudfest trails that the “beardie trekster” crew adore as proper mountainbiking.<

great forum name that – someone should grab it 😉

>Any suggestions of something “nice” made of steel<

11″ Chrome Vibrator?

>turn back and push up what you’ve just come down then come down the devil’s staircase
if you go into kinlochleven you have a big fire road push up, which is a waste imho<

Bit of a short route and you are immediately doubling back on what you’ve just done. And pushing up the access track – what’s that all about? I’d definitely go down into KLL but not via the access road (see conduit / blackwater dam / ciaran path) Then you have the option of back up the access track or out further afield to Loch Trieg et al. Lot of options there – depends on how big you want to go;-)

Ahh maps…

Got more than a few OS Landrangers that have long since had their red covers ripped from my hands. All of them have been soaked and dried countless times, smudged with the residue of countless sandwiches, peat and even the odd blood stain. I can even see daylight through many of the folds.

They are like old friends and I can’t bring myself to bin them 😉

I love Tracklogs and use if for planning but maps rock.

Hire a bike from Bothy Bikes (they’ll also give you trail advice)

But you’ll need to use your pedals 😉

Superb effort – esp given conditions.

>It’s the west highland way of kayaking.<

Anyone done it in 24 hrs?

😉

>Either I don’t ride far enough or I have an arse of steel.<

You don’t ride far enough – or in the rain ;-)**

**(shudders at the chaffage hell of sopping wet pants and baggies)

Einich could be a bleak old hooch in the current weather.

Inshriach / Feshie would be a good trial option – camp aside Ruigh Aiteachain and take advantage of the outdoor fire 😉

Nuun tri-berry

Rubbish in that the vibram sole started delaminating from the rest of the shoe. Could just be Lakes manufacturing or perhaps they just aint up to carting your bike through boulder fields 😉

Overshoes are another waste of space if you need to push / carry – particularly in snow.

S Defrosters – singularly unimpressed. They do a very good job of keeping the water in though 😉

As long as you are out there doing it, it really doesn’t matter what you ride. Oh, and there are many 40, 50 and 60 y.o’s who put the fitness of guys half their age to shame.

Trailrat – you mean 45North boots?

That Vibram sole they use appears on one of the Lake shoes I’ve used and it’s rubbish (at least it is on the Lakes – perhaps I got a duff pair) Also the zip and the sealing don’t look up to much rain-wise. At the price they are charging there’s no way I’d take a punt on them.

>I’m thinking MW81 boots, seal skinz socks and edura stealth tights have got to form a pretty waterproof barrier all in? That’s my winter shopping list anyway so I bloody hope so!<

Sealskinz are cr*p ime. You can import calf length goretex socks from the US and Canada. Not tried them myself.

Endura Stealth longs (they now do a de tuned version)
Arcteryx merino
Mountain Hardwear windbloc top
Crux Event smock with helmet hood

None of these are cheap, in fact they are all expensive. IME if you venture out high in foul weather you want the best gear you can possibly afford.
Cheapo base layer stuff is fine and I’ve used both Aldi and Lidl – great value. Wouldn’t buy any of the mtb specific winter gloves with the possible exception of Gore. Will be trying Montane this year. Not found a decent winter boot yet – problem in the UK is that cold weather is often accompanied by driving rain. Once water starts pouring down your legs even Goretex socks cant keep it out. Some form of rubberised gaiter that completely envelopes the upper boot / lower leg is screaming out to be invented 😉

Honestly, what a load of drivel over nothing.

There’s more kit out there than you can shake a stick at. Buy a bike, go ride…

Just do the TdN route – it’s as good as anything else in the immediate vicinity and navigation’s a doddle. Details on the No Fuss website.

Just buy something that’s a near match – not as if your ‘Edwardian’ sink is suited with the radiator, shower screen floor or even bath!!

Yeah they are bespoke – not like Shimano make it easy to copy after all ;-)Jut bugs me that they have come up with a design which means most users will need to junk a perfectly serviceable pair of cups just to replace the cartridge bearings.

Tinsy – XT uses a different seal / top hat arrangement to Deore (got to be some difference for the extra £££)but essentially they are the same animal.

Unless you are really ham fisted I cant see how the pressing makes any difference.

>i can’t imagine 70-odd km on a 6″ FS is going to be much fun, tbh.<

Imagine being a wee bit fitter then 😉

Tinsy,

Deore and XT are not identical – however Deore will fit in the XT cups and lasts just as long as XT – probably weighs a fraction more. That’s what I did first time round.

The Enduro cartridge is aftermarket and uses larger balls ‘cos it dispenses with the top hat. Having bought into the “they will last longer ‘cos they are biggerer and betterer than Shimano hype I now find that Mr Shimano still knows a thing or two that Enduro apparently do not.

Deore is circa £13 for a complete unit and Enduro getting on for nearly twice that.

Wow – I’ve just trashed a pair of Enduro HTII’s in 4 months (100km per week in all weathers) I’m assuming the Hope BB is very well sealed by comparison?

The route crosses the Abhainn Rath about 40% of the way round (Fords it) so you can refill in that.l

Neighbour of mine is currently planning a 6m2 extension and I have every reason to be grateful for the “protection” the planning system has given me.

Desperate stuff from Cameron and his cronies.