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How to Thrive, not just Survive, this winter
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thegerminatorFree Member
Just to echo the comments and sentiments
of the previous posts.
Many many happy hours on an original 5 Spot
through a Burner, now on an RFX, respect to
DT, for always designing a proper bike,
think in many respects the RFX was ahead of
the game.
With the craziness of the bike industry and
the boom in gravel to, so pleased to hear
from Dave that the company lives on, wishing
success with the new range, and hopefully UK
distribution.
In the spirit of N plus 1,perhaps that Burner
frame i retired needs a new life in a mullet
style, the joys of cycling.thegerminatorFree MemberSpent three months bikepacking NZ, last year,
some South Island faves were Wanaka, the Hawea river trail
to Albert town, and the fabulous Deans bank, flowy buff
trails amazing views.Hamner Springs, one for the boys
St James Track, you need a landrover 50 min drive to the
start,local guy, then a proper out there wilderness 60k bike trail
epic! , big climb, big descent,Dunn Mountain trail at Nelson.
Queenstown, Rude Rock, just dont cycle to the top from Queenstown
as i did, its a fooking long climb! some great xc stuff and cyclepaths
around Queenstown to keep everyone happy.There are hundreds of miles
of cyclepaths, routes on old railway lines all over which we used to
bikepak around, so you wont be short of options, enjoy.thegerminatorFree MemberAs above canmore good, or down to kannanaskis, but there are a couple of really good trails
in lake louise. Take the old tramway up towards the lake then onto a great climb to moraine
lake, carcking descent back down.
Also find the trails star wars and return of the jedi, their is also another longer whistleresque
one nearby which was great 2 years back, good luck, the scenery is jaw droppingly beautiful. 😀thegerminatorFree MemberThink you will find the altitude has an interesting effect on your riding ability,
it did with me last year, so take it steady, trails and scenery pretty epic.thegerminatorFree MemberJust built up an intense spyder 140 front 130 rear as a
lightweight bike for the scott mtb marathon series.
Normally have the luxury of the trusty turner burner
or the nomad for the gnarmincecore :D, but jesus what
a weapon, totally blown away by how great an all round
bike it is, as always blag a few test rides if you can.thegerminatorFree MemberMagic mary front rock razor rear, worked a treat for me last
year on slick rock and as i minced down porcupine rim 😀thegerminatorFree MemberIts a cracking fun and lively bike, run mine with 130 pikes and ride 9
in the slack setting, got me down some of the trails in finale last year,
and climbs like a mountain goat.thegerminatorFree MemberDurability wise think carbon wheels have come a long way, if you
are a bpw red rider would say perfect.
Have ridden finale on reynolds carbon, the rockies on reynolds carbon, and industry nine carbon in colorado/moab, would consider
myself a smooth rider not a hucker smasher.
A friend recently bought some wide light bicycyle wheels and loves them, defo worth a shout imo.thegerminatorFree MemberA lot of exmoor trails are quite stoney based, make sure you do the stoke pero
descent huge fun.
Hawkcombe a must to, the lower part can be wet with the various stream crossings,
so after the first 5bar gate, take the bridleway up on the left, then contour round at the
top, then drop down to porlock, another great exmoor descent.
Take an o/s map, plenty of energy food and your climbing legs, its tough but brilliant
mountain biking. 😀thegerminatorFree MemberFive of us set out from north bovey this morning, and as so often happens when
you man up and get out had a great little ride
Brutal headwind on the climb to hambledown, but conditions under wheel better
than expected, two hooning slippery descents followed, riding on dartmoor in
january a result, guys were buzzing, beer post ride tastes sooo much better.
As a footnote to the single track massive, unfortunately the ring of bells pub in
north bovey which burnt down a year ago, will not reopen until this oct, the
best place for a post dartmoor ride beer, or the rugglestone at widdecombe 😀thegerminatorFree MemberHave read all of the above and feel i need to add my comments to.
I think everyone loves the trails at bpw, that’s a given, and in some
ways is churlish to knock the place, but it could and should be better.
As someone with 30 years in catering i could weep at the system, set
up and food/staff there.
May i earnestly implore the management to check out, the ridge cafe
at haldon, the national trust cafe at llanhydrock, the cafe at cardinham
woods, to understand the massive revenue stream they are missing, they
are not perfect but light years ahead.
I maybe a mincer on my santa cruz, but a decent cup of coffee cannot be
to much to ask, six of us rode there a few months back, none ate there.
If you cannot sort the catering, franchise it out, management need to listen
to its customers, mountain biking has come on leaps and bounds in the uk
in the last few years, please don’t take it all for granted.thegerminatorFree MemberSeems to be an anti bike stance has reared its head again locally, dartmoor npa
always has had a rather sniffy attitude to road and mountain biking.
It seems at times as if dartmoor is for the landed gentry and horsey types, change
and actively encouraging tourism, including cycling, well a lot of talk.
Travel up the road to exmoor and shock horror they actually hold off road events
there, and the rangers are proactive and the horse riding locals friendly 😀thegerminatorFree Membercan recommend a rocky mountain thunderbolt, really
capable fun bike, from finale to exmoor.thegerminatorFree MemberPost up when you are coming down to gods own country, am sure someone will
show you around, as in most places local knowledge is priceless.
Forget the trail centres, as mentioned above, lustleigh cleave, bowermans, hound
tor, hambledown, grimspound, easdon tor, northbovey, castle drogo etc etc.
A pint in the rugglestone at widdecombe or coffee and cake at the newly opened
tea rooms should not be missed either!
I met two bikers who had come down to dartmoor last weekend, poured over the o/s
map and spent a frustrating time trying to find the good stuff, did spend a few hours
with them and kinda saved the day 😀thegerminatorFree Memberreynolds xc carbon with schwalbe 25mm ones tubeless on the hakkalugi
spot on.thegerminatorFree MemberHave this years thunderbolt 799 frame set built up with 130 pikes, 1×10, reynolds carbon wheels etc
a very capable machine, given a real workout on dartmoor today on the more gnarly terrain,
excellent climber to, as a mid travel do it all trail bike a good bet.thegerminatorFree MemberDepending on budget, the nomad is as most say a hooligan on the downs and if you
have the legs and gears as i proved to a few riding buddies on exmoor last summer
climbs pretty well.
Rocky mountain altitude, this years in that aubergine paint job looks great, have recently
brought the thunderbolt, ride nine chip adjustment and grease ports on the pivots make
it a great bike for uk conditions.
The new turner rfx, having ridden 5spots and a new burner they are great bikes to 😀
As mountain bikers we are so lucky to have such a great choice of so many great bikes.thegerminatorFree MemberHi jambo,
it is another little dartmoor gem, best done after a dry spell as the last section
in the wood is always wet and in the spring before the bracken grows up.
Steepish climb up to the tor, super flowey single track then hoon it into the wood
then pick a route through the rocks, stunning when the blubells are out to 😀thegerminatorFree MemberTackled a short nite ride with the lads last eve north bovey fox worthy manaton
easdon and back conditions were pretty challenging, we all got wet, we all got muddy
we all had a good time 😀thegerminatorFree MemberHi, did a twin centre with italy bike hotels, 3 days lake garda. 3 days in bormio.
Did those 3 climbs, pretty epic climbing, bormio is a lovely town and there are
other climbs, routes to do from there, the thermal spa is bloody great too 😀thegerminatorFree MemberAs north country boy said, owned a couple of 5 spots and have a 2014 polished burner, the longer top
tube on the med size and slacker angles make it a perfect fit for me at 5, 10.
Weight wise comes in around 29lb, running 1×10, fox 34 talas xtr cranks/brakes, thomson dropper,
reynolds carbon am wheel set and magic mary/rock razor tyre combo.
So as with all turners not super light but does climb like a mountain goat, a really well balanced trail
bike for techy single track that can dish it out downhill to, well i just survived 9 days in canada on it 😀thegerminatorFree MemberAgree with maxtorque, known as “the wookie run”
to the group i ride with it is a cracking trail.
The moorland stuff hameldown and grimspound onto
the warren house a must to, especially at the mo
conditions are purfect.
The cheeky cough move along nothing to see here
rocky rollercoaster into widdecombe was a hoot
last eve on the new burner 😀thegerminatorFree MemberThe moor gnar bit to include rock garden
beneath hound tor, jays grave, climb of
hameldown, grimspound, two moors way, descent
to west coombe,manaton, lustliegh cleave,
heavens gate, hisley bridge, classics to us
locals, if you havn’t ridden them before get
yourself down to debon me beauties 😀thegerminatorFree MemberThe mileage will be between 30 to 35 miles
still finalizing the route as the forestry
work around the reservoirs has blocked the
bridleway.
Start and finish legs will be the same as last
year, the bit in the middle should have a bit
moor gnar 😀thegerminatorFree MemberGreat tyre have run them both front
and rear on my rm element999rsl on
a wide mix of trails and bike park
wales.
Now running the wtb bronson on the back
faster rolling still superb grip, big
fan of schwalbe over the years, but give
em a try you will not be dissapointed. 😀thegerminatorFree MemberHave a rocky mountain element 999rsl
140 talas 34’s up front 100mm ctd rear
travel, bought second hand from canada,
not into jumps but it is ridden hard,
feels perfectly balanced, blindingly
quick on my local trails 😀thegerminatorFree MemberKeep an eye out for a 2nd hand bargain
bagged a rocky mountain element 999rsl
140 talas 34 kashima, full xt, stealth
reverb,carbon bars, thomson stem, sun
ringle tubeless wheelset with new wtb
vigilante tyres, 2k,off pink bike canada
including shipping 😀thegerminatorFree Memberjust wait till next year, they will
do the usual massive discounts, have
to be the worst for dumping kit, no
love for the big s here! 😈thegerminatorFree MemberCome on guys, he’s had a right mare
of a first week, but still in there
fighting.
Thought the team tried really hard
today, great to see cataldo back to
fitness, and to see uran win.
Think nibali is on top form, but was
on the peyresourde at the tour last
year when he was dropped 😀
Looks like my comment to the aussies
last year of “taxi for cadel” may come
back and bite me in the ass this time
though.
So come on brad grow them sideburns back
and allez wiggo, my italian no so good.thegerminatorFree MemberFollowed up a cracking 50 mile road
ride in the south hams yesterday with
a blast down and a crawl up of some of
exmoors finest trails today epic.thegerminatorFree MemberHi hitman,
yep frame only, just go
rocky mtn ebay should
find it that way.
£800 plus shipping a
bargain.
Jenson usa have the rsl
100mm travel version to
more a race weapon.thegerminatorFree MemberHi hitman, own and ride a 2011
rm element msl a really fun bike
to ride.
Sub 25lb super efficient climber
well balanced confidence inspiring
descender to, feels more of a trail
than xc machine.
Bdh bikes in canada have the 11
version in 18/19 in the cherry red
which i have, paint job is superb.
As i also ride a hummer and 5 spot
it’s my go to bike now.thegerminatorFree MemberWill second the rocky mtn element msl
you can pick up a 11 frameset from canada
for around £800 plus shipping /tax.
A fantastically light chuckable great
climbing bike, rides like you have more than
the 120mm,
don’t follow the crowds
join the canuck crew 😀thegerminatorFree MemberHave the 2011 26er msl element
a great bike rm are back with
a cracking design.
Best not look at their 650b
altitude for next year, the big s
and trek have some competition.
Grab the rocky, it’s keeping the
hummer and turner quiet at the mo.thegerminatorFree MemberPick up a rocky mountain 2011 msl
frameset ebay canada.
They upped their game with this
design have been delighted with
mine, a superb 120mm travel trail
thrasher.
Dial up the you tube rm vid of
their top riders on the north shore
with this bike! 😯thegerminatorFree MemberHave run hd front n nick
rear on the cove hummer
the hans dampf is a great
front tyre.
Currently running hd front
r ralph 4 cross snakeskin
on the rear of my r mountain
element 70 msl great tyres
great bike 😀thegerminatorFree MemberLive on the edge of dartmoor
but exmoor is far moor fun to
ride hence i rode sat and sun
there this weekend.
You earn the descents for sure
great natural trails, super mix
of everything that makes mtbing
so enjoyable.
Lets just keep it to ourselves
though 😉thegerminatorFree MemberWell you can’t take cash into
the hereafter, enjoy the bling.
It does give me a warm glow to
know what i pieced mine together
for though. 😀thegerminatorFree MemberVery pretty bike, having bagged
a moots compact ‘nitro’ off us
ebay they do live up to the hype.
Mine came with those forks which
take all the buzz out of the road
steering is impecable.
Hope you enjoy the ride as much as
mine, off to ride the pyrenees in
2weeks and cheer on wiggo and cav 😀thegerminatorFree MemberHaving stood on the col d’aspin in 2010
and seen wiggo struggle, and just watched
team sky ride over the joux-plane a la team
postal in the lance era he has a massive
chance.
I will be back in the pyrenees this year to
hopefully see history being made.
Vive le tour vive lr rostbiff’s 😀