new hope clamp is a different beast to the old one, much easier to torque up

I agree with S&J to some extent, went to llandegla last autumn and was slightly disappointed after reading so much about it and possibly as we’d rode cyb the previous day. found the climb out to the top of the hill long and dull, other trail centres seem to be able to break the climbs up a bit better. enjoyed the downs but don’t think i was hitting them hard enough to get much air time and looking at the youtube videos it does look a lot more challenging at higher speeds.

I think the riding is generally good but somethings are more suited to certain riders, don’t think an armoured up bloke on his scott ransom will get much out of the xc course at sherwood pines – but plenty of other riders love it.

Mine came with my stumpjumper in 07, rode it twice a week for the 1st winter, in the spring bought a new hope wheelset so I retired the oe set to winter wheels only, but now the stout has developed quite a bit of play although it still runs smoothly in contrast… the rear hub is shimano and that has been useless in the filth and I’m fed up with tightening/stripping/replacing the sodding thing. LBS reckons they are heavy but ok and I should save up for pro 2’s.

if it was my choice then the hopes every time, I get fedup with tinkering with cup and cones of xt. Haven’t Merlin got any wheel/brake combos with hopes?

think you should plan a weekend in wales to mark the happy event, lots of bikers drinking & chatting the night away in a muddy campsite near coed y brenin would do it

Rode Cut Gate early doors, trail was in good condition aprt from the top peat bog section which was a mire, wind really picked up as I left the shelter of the langsett woods. I found Mickleden Edge harder than normal, blame the wind for blowing me off line and having to dab at various sections, nothing to do with lack of skill!?. Didn’t see any other bikers though, they don’t know what they’ve missed.

was really windy on my ride this morning in the peak district, started off ok but by the time I was at the top of cut gate wind was blowing me all over, low cloud too wiped out the suns warmth, so I’d have to agree it felt just like a summers day!?!

Jack Daniels

KFC

Claudia Winkleman on R2

Used Eskar Controls in the lakes last year found them really grippy on the rocky terrain and at low pressures they were awesome, sidewalls seemed resiliant IMO too

used them the first time this week stuff arrived exactly when they stated – 4 days after ordered

lakes gets my vote

baysbrown farm at chapel stile is good, new but basic shower block, cooked breakfast van, wainwrights pub just a short walk away, riding straight out of the campsite is excellent too (high oxen fell, iron keld etc… see sfb for details)

X0 rear mech has smoother running jockey wheels than the x9, and the whole thing can be dissasembled whereas the x9 is riveted together, just buy what you can afford and are happy with, no use getting X0 and being so careful it spoils your ride.

X0 Shifters are more adjustable than X9 and with carbon bling and nicer more tactile lever, other than that no difference in shift performance.

so who’s not here cos they’ve been banned?

latex from stans/joes/jra etc is a much better bet than superjuice IMO.

have a search on youtube for “helvellyn mbr” to see danny milner cycling down dollywagon pike to give you an idea – although it seems steeper than the video suggests!

looks better, but level your seat up and get those doors painted.

last summer we rode Helvellyn for the first time, from glenridding we headed north along the lake for a mile or two before turning left and up road to Dockray, this gets some of the climb out of the way on easy roads. Left again and up onto matterdale common – it should have been an easy ascent but it was boggy and whilst some rode it for others it was a walk up to great dodd. from here its all good with a series of decents and climbs (watsons dodd, stybarrow, raise, lower man, helvellyn, nethermost pike) all rock and lots of fun. Unlike crazy legs I found the last decent off dollywagon pike a disappointment – the recent trail repairs have left a path that is a series of steep rock steps with deep and wide drainage channels every 10 metres – once I had bottled one I found it hard to get going again, I daresay I’m a lightweight and should/could have ridden it, but I ended up walking a large portion of this before it flattens out. Next time we will probably drop down keppel cove, but it depends on your groups ability as to your choice.

ride took us about 4 hours with plenty of stops, I’d advise to take an extra layer as it was much colder on the tops than in patterdale, have fun

plenty of other murderers since seem to have been released often now they get 14 yrs and serve 7, so whilst I agree about him having to do his time and compassion shouldn’t come into it, it seems unfair the original sentences were never reviewed. All crimes that the media hypes seem to attract irregular punishments – either too harsh or too soft in the case of shannon matthews

I’m sure that more technical features could be incorporated, whether thay will though is anybodys guess. Progress seems slow, and work on the northshore project is still months away, although there is supposed be an official launch in April

[did they ever stone any of the new stuff]
nothing seems like its been surfaced, like you say just cut back and worn.

new downhill was still snow covered, but it was nice to find some rock features to drop/roll off, bomb holes were fun too although found the bottom on one of em was already a bit sharp. enjoyed the bottom part of run with small steps, tabletop, berms etc, just isnt long enough but not much you can do about that.
I’m only a trail rider not a dh so didn’t have a go at the ladder drop!

kitchener was the usual mix of dry and filth today, fireroads were solid ice but melting quick, skills park around the old dual decenders was lots of fun though-was worth the trip

M540 looks like xt/xtr but 25 notes

Nytralube slick caramel, only really lasts a ride or two but as I rotate & clean chains after every ride its not a problem

dt have a simple system 445 = 445gm

can email you a map of a loop around chatsworth area if you’re interested, beeley to chatsworth over into bakewell to ednsor > chatsworth > beeley. about 18/20 miles rides well all year except for one climb up grassy field out of chatsworth, but not a problem as its a short section.

email me at jonathan @ snap dot plc dot uk and I’ll post it back if you’re interested

spesh phenom 143 gel, likes it very much much comfier than others i’ve had, first saddle I’ve had that hasn’t become a pain in the arse after more than 2 or 3 hours

if they were jetwashed they could have been holding water which then froze. Only a 5 min job to strip and clean em as there isn’t much to them, I tend to fill them with grease to keep the winter filth at bay, they aren’t a brilliantly engineered part of the drivetrain IMO

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=3988
http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=3989

couple of local bike routes I do occasionally when I cant be bothered to drive anywhere better

looks like a great ride Graham, not sure about the guy on the Stumpjumper in shorts and teeshirt though, unnessecerily macho or what?!

plenty of snow in sherwood pines this morning too

yup, cold water here too for last 15 years with no probs

overshoes work for me on really cold rides, but as has been said above makes sure you leave room for your toes to move about. I’ve got two pairs of mid thermal sealskin socks – one pair is tighter than the other and they always make my toes cold

stans rim strips tend to sit under the lip of the wheel rim, whereas joes are more like ghetto tubeless and form an overlap, both work fine. not noticed too much performance difference in latex either

clumber parks trails have just been like the 23rd hour of a 24hr enduro for weeks, gone to great lengths to avoid em! Just wait for the temp to drop below -2 before venturing there. canal is fine apart from the manton section near banatynes

most wise methinks

lusso tights always seem generous in length compared to some euro brands I’ve tried.

good shop – any bike shop

bad shop – take your pick from all of Meadowhell

was that after the bogtrotters bbq?

mine creaked too, stripped it re lubed and re torqued – several times using different grease, loctite etc, still creaked, drove me nuts! Then as a last ditch effort i ran a strip of electrical insulation tape along each of the saddle rails, and 5 months on not a squeek, happy days!