got to keep this thread open somehow

I'm going to the Lake District this weekend for a bit of mountain biking. I'm staying in High Lorton (near Derwent water) so I was wondering if anyone had any recommended routes before I go searching online ?

ta !

 

Heh. This thread will keep going....

How long are you in the Lake district? We could sort out the Scottish Scoobynet Ride for one of those days, and do it at Glentress. It's only 1h30m from the Lake district.

 

lol, going up early Saturday morning and coming back on Sunday evening so not a lot of time.

I've found some interesting routes here

Trying to decide if I've got the ***** to attempt this one

Secret Helvellyn

[Edited by Andy Mid. - 6/17/2003 5:45:06 PM]

 

Check out the links earlier in this thread for MTB Review. There's bound to be some routes to try on there.

That route definitely looks worth a go - but only if you're fairly fit. The black route at Glentress is about the same length, with well over 1,000m of climbs in it. It takes us 3 hours or so - so this should be fine in a day.

 

Helvellyn is a great ride. If you are used to the kind of routes the Lake District offers then its isn't that bad at all. There is a little bit of carrying but it is all rideable on the way down. Do it, you won't regret it (as long as it doesn't pi$$ down )

 

Went to Glentress this afternoon - excellent ride (even though it chucked down with rain for the first half hour!).

When we got back there was a green bug-eye 5-door Scoob with a couple of guys setting up their bikes. One of the bikes had a lefty fork on the front. Anyone we know?

Depressing though - the guys I ride with are getting loads of new bits. One's getting disk brakes, the other's getting front disks, and has a new XT front mech and a set of Easton CF riser bars. Oh, and one of the guys we occasionally ride with has just got rid of his CF-framed Trek and has bought a Trek Fuel.

NOT FAIR! I want some new toys!!!!!

Problem is, even if I could afford disks, I can't fit 'em, cos my prehistoric Judy XCs don't have mounting points.

New bike it is, then.

 

sounds like a good enough excuse to me

My disc brakes feel a little "snatchy" to me and I'm not sure that I'd opt for them if I was specifying a new bike again but, saying that, I haven't done a really muddy route yet.

A mate has just lent me one of these to use this weekend in the Lakes

Looks pretty useful if I can sort out getting the route into it before I set off tomorrow. I was looking for a new gadget to buy so if this is any good I can see myself getting one of these. Does anyone use GPS for mountain biking and got any useful tips ?

 

Andy,

We use a garmin etrex or a garmin summit GPS (depending whoses batteries are charged) and a bit of software called Oziexplorer (www.oziexplorer.com. You scan maps into your PC, import the map into the software, calibrate the map (5 min job), then draw out your route and send it to the GPS. It is fantastic, no more stopping and getting the map out, you just follow the track you have plotted on screen (doesn't show the map, just the direction you should be heading). You can even print off your map from the software so no need to take the great big OS map with you.

I have got loads of rides in the lakedistrict plotted in, and a map image of the entire lakedistrict made up from scanning in all the OS maps of the lakes and stitching them together. I also have a couple of rides in the Peak district (jacobs ladder) and 3 huge (50miles!) rides in Morzine france. If anyone wants any of it i can email it to you.

Get the GPS and oziexplorer, you won't regret it, plus its a new toy!!

 

TBH, I think in the dry there's very little between my current XTR V's and a set of discs. However, in the wet & mud (like yesterday) the lack of braking becomes a real problem on the downhills, 'cos the rims just won't clear the mud quickly enough. That's when disks would be a major advantage. And of course disks don't wear out the rims, so it'll save money in the long run.

Hopefully I'll get a job (and hence a new bike, with disks, etc ) before the winter up here, but we'll see...

 

I've done Glentress a few times, but I don't have the nerve/guts for serious speed on downhill sections :-(

I can ride UPhill all day and thrash anyone around me, but when it comes to DOWNhill, I can't keep up :-(

I'm a strange being!

 

Imlach, we'll have to meet up sometime, and I'll help you practise/get faster on the downhills. We can sort that neg scanner out while we're there.

 

I am a Mountain Biker too

 

There's quite a few of us around, Davey.

 

I used to think I was ok at downhills until this weekend when I got battered black & blue in the Lakes - lol

Fell off twice and I know why they call it the "Borrowdale Bash" now Over the bars and still clipped in is not a pretty way to crash. I'm seriously wondering if the eggbeater peddles are the right things to be using for that type of riding. I really like them for the up-hills, and roads but coming down a rocky hill, with your brakes on, hangin' your butt off the back of the bike is not easy when you know you are clipped in. Maybe it's just a mental thing ?

 

Andy, it's only 'cos you're not used to 'em yet. Once you've ridden on them for a few months it'll feel totally natural, and you'll pop out of them quick as a flash during practically any crash (well, 99% of the time, anyway ).

 

Once you have got used to them you will wonder how you ever managed without them! If i'm not clipped in i have no confidence. I went on a ride with a mate who swapped his SPD's for some flat pedals for the day and he couldn't go any where as near as fast. now. Maybe a full on Lake district ride wasn't the best place to try and familarise youself with them

 

Long shot here, but are there any Scoobynet riders anywhere near me in the Scottish borders who fancy getting out on the bike this evening? I was supposed to be going to Glentress with a mate, but he can't make it due to a complicated house sale. Rather than go on my own, I thought I'd ask here.

 

Scotland is a bit far for me from Bedfordshire but hope you have a good time.

Just ordered some Fox Sidewinder gloves from Bikedock in NI. Really quick service and a decent price too. Looks like ChainReaction have competion:-)

www.bikedock.co.uk

 

Ah well, it was worth an ask. Glorious sunshine (too hot, TBH) and fantastic trails...

 

Got my mountain bikes back at last!

Managed a quick spin around Cardiff out around by the airport. Fantastic to be back on the bike again. Fat tyres feel so much better than the skinny ones on road bikes. Nice to have full suspension again (Jekyl). Best bit is definately the disc brakes and being able to stop properly.

Back to the restrictions of Jersey for the next few weeks but off to my farm in Devon from beginning of August. Might try to build some North Shore type bridges in the woods to clear the streams.

Any other riders from Devon on here?

 

I've just agreed to enter the 24-hour race ('Sleepless in the Saddle') in August.

Sounds like a bit of a laugh though.

Out of interest, does anyone in have a set of lights I could borrow? I used to have a set of NiteSuns, but sold them a few years back when I didn't think I was going to ride again.

 

This is the reason you should go MB in the Alps!!!!

http://www.mk9r.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/general/p0007.jpg
http://www.mk9r.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/general/p0008.jpg
http://www.mk9r.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/general/p0010.jpg
http://www.mk9r.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/general/p0004.jpg
http://www.mk9r.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/general/p0001.jpg

 

excellent

I'm flying over to Munich to see a mate on the 18th July and we are going to spend a couple of days mountain biking in the Alps and those pics have got me really looking forward to it now !!

Whereabouts was that exactly because if it's nearby then we can head for it - looks great

 

That was Morzine in france. Picture 0010.jpg is called the the "col de couis", yo can just see the path winding up the mountain until it reaches a hut right at the very top, it a good 2 hour slog to get up there, which last year i managed to cycle all of (having many many breaks), but the decent afterwards is worth it and not many people do it because of the climb. Picture 0004 shows the satrt of the decent, watch out for the big cracks!!

 

lol

I just emailed my mate the links to those pics and he told me that's about normal for mountain biking around there ! He does that just about every weekend and snowboards every weekend in the winter. God damn it, I need to find a job over there !!

Apparently we are going to Lake Garda which he says "is as good as it gets I reckon - add in fantastic weather as standard, the best ice cream on the planet and streets full of lovely tanned totty and it is my Nivarna"

 

I take it that means nobody's got any lights I can borrow?

Ah well, I'm sure I'll find some somewhere....

 

i've got some, but it would be cheaper to buy a set than come all the way down here to get them!

 

Where's 'down here'? There's usually enough people travelling about to be able to get stuff from one end of the country to the other for nowt.

 

Boing Boing country!

 

Ah, okay, so a bit further than I though.