Sized Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Yeah, I would have definatly bagged and toweled that back end up though, especially as it'll be filthy later. The main advantage I found with dropping the forks out is that it all sits snugly inside the boot area, and with the luggage net on, doesn't slide anywhere. Especially useful for engaging with those fine Scottish A-roads on the way. Yep I def wished I'd put something on it come the return journey! Been meaning to pick up a luggage net for my boot and will try dropping the fork out next time I think! Have taken to getting on the train with the bike recently to get outside the M25.......or taking advantage of mates with more 'practical' (boring) cars Any of you guys seen/used one of these.......... http://boofsquire.com/ Look pretty cool but not sure I want risk damaging the crappy Nissan paint! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted October 24, 2010 Author Share Posted October 24, 2010 A beautiful day here in Cumbria, Fran was busy studying, so I took myself off to do the Garburn Pass beyond Windermere. It's supposed to be something of a lakes classic, which i've found out usually means rough, rocky, wet and busy! Turned out to be pretty accurate for this loop too. The climb from Kentmare in particular is like trying to ride up a 1 in 3 shale beach! You can pretty much see the loop on this map, I started at Ings just off the bottom and headed up the right hand side of the obvious bridalway loop to Kentmare. then up over the pass and back down the left hand side. http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=51.179024688899524~-1.82747483253479&lvl=14&sty=s&eo=1&where1=Stonehenge,%20United%20Kingdom#JnE9LmluZ3MlMmMrY3VtYnJpYSU3ZXNzdC4wJTdlcGcuMSZiYj02MS4xMDA5MDg5NTg0Mzg1JTdlLTEzMC44ODU4NDQ3NTIxOTIlN2U2MS4wMzIzOTQwNzg3MDM0JTdlLTEzMS4xMTQxNTQzODM1NA== Total time was less than 1.5 hours i think, so I headed home via Keswick and did the Blue and Red South at Whinlatter to finish the day off nicely. Starting up the Garburn Pass. Much steeper than it looks! And with a horrible rock-marble texture. Needless to say, there was much pushing. Looking over at part of the sweet descent into Kentmare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Looks good buddy, more nice weather up there, thats global warming for ya We headed out today, but no pics though. Were on a fun day with the guys and gals from DirtDivas. We had a nice ride around Swinley forest, racking up a fairly modest 10 miles in 3hrs - too much talking obviously! It was harder than it sounds and was good to be shown around Swinley as a lot of the singletrack is hidden away. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/54203047 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Not much warming about Chris I'm off back down to Wales to Llandegla at the weekend with a bigish group, so i'll try and get some decent pics and video for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Little vid from the saturday at Llandegla. Experimented with a couple of different camera angles, some worked, some didn't! Just left the sound as is, mostly just wind noise and squeeking from the bike We also went to a place called Eastridge Woods just south of Shrewsbury. These were some lovely natural trails, and well worth a look if you are in the area. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/EnglandHerefordshireTheMarchesEastridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Some interesting "angles" there bud! How convinient it went tits up when you were meant to be showing us big air Looks a little tame compared to our little loop around Ambleside, dont let these trail centres dumb down your riding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Convenient indeed! Belive it or not that was some of Llandeglas "black" route Anyway, we had a mixed group with us, so it was suitable for our needs. It's probably something to do with the fact that about 5 million people live within 1 hours drive of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Yeah its a bit of a shame the way that trail centres are going now, created a bit of a monster of themselves, so have to cater for all levels and also be able to withstand a lot of abuse, leaving them to be largely flattened and be covered in a hard surface to cope. Maybe the camera is lying, but that didnt look like black run stuff to me, would you say it was harder than the stuff you took us on in the Lakes? Amanda will be well chuffed if the stuff we did was harder! Still its all good fun, and trail centres do have their uses, like if you dont know the area or the weather is a bit pap as they tend to be designed to handle it. Certainly opened my eyes riding with you and Fran and see what everyone means about most trail centres getting more sanitised and not half as good as the natural stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 3, 2010 Author Share Posted November 3, 2010 yeah, the red/black at LLandegla would probably come about even with the blue and red south at Whinlatter! It's really straightforward. Lots of trail centres do have gnarly bits, especially up in Scotland, but there again there's loads of lovely natural stuff too. Plenty more stuff to do round here, are the bikes coming with the wedding luggage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 ...are the bikes coming with the wedding luggage? Well thats under discussion! Obviously we want to take the bikes, but also the Zed. Trying to work out if we can have both I think they may be forced to stay behind for that one They really do need to sort out the grading system for trails, its so varying. All fun though, I guess the easiest thing is just to try all the trails, so long as theres chicken runs for the biggest stuff, shouldnt have any problems on red/blacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 3, 2010 Author Share Posted November 3, 2010 You can always hire, compared to the cost of the wedding, it'll be a drop in the ocean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Dont worry, my bike will fit in mums car boot, just dont know about Amanda's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Swinley this afternoon for a little potter about and get Amanda some more practice on trail features (berms, table tops, small drop offs) and a bit of exercise for me Only one piccy as its very tight and twisy in there, so hard to stop and get pics. No way Amanda would have done this a few months back, shes coming on leaps and bounds for someone who has been riding properly for about 6 months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Mmm, rooty goodness! Haven't been out this week, been looking for a car and I'm saving myself for the Whinlatter Duathlon next weekend, honest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 14, 2010 Author Share Posted November 14, 2010 ....And in the other half of my busy weekend, I flogged myself round Whinlatter forest this morning in the name of fun. Full pics and results haven't been put online yet, but I managed 2h 16m I'm pleased as thats 12mins up on my last years time. There's definitely time to find though, especially on the bike, wasn't really feeling it today, and probably should have put some faster rolling tyres on, but happy anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 A small Big mountain day today! parked up at whinlatter and headed up the south red loop to near the top, before detouring out into the wilds! clicky Headed out up Grizedale pike, a good hike-a-bike up to the snow line. Big effort to get up there (791m!) but great downhill to coledale hause, then dive into the Coledale valley past the mine. Big ring blast to finish back down to Braithwaite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoogyRev Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 That looks fantastic I may have to sell my bike........due to injury... no point having £1.5k sat in the garage doing diddley squat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Looks like another great adventure Andrew! Having "only" had to climb to ~500m up Grisedale, I dont envy you at all having to go another 200-300m! Bet it was fun coming down. We didnt get out this weekend, but I'm itching to try out my new Garmin next weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 Just got back from a night away in the Borders 7 Stanes doing a bit of biking in some unexpected snow. It was a proper winter wonderland, and being freshly laid, it didn't affect traction too much either. We did pull some cheeky skids round the corners though We did Mabie on the saturday, stayed in some wooden tents (heated thankfully, it was -8degC !) near Dalbeattie on sat night and Dalbeattie trail today. Panda power pulls through the snow nae bother! Digs - http://www.gorsebank.com/gorsebank_equestrian/Gorsebank_Wigwams.html Mabie: Dalbeattie: No Slab daftness today, I've go a new job to go to tomorrow! Strike a pose! Fantastic two days riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 Well, its been a while. Being shunted around training and Germany means I've been unable to get on the bike since before Christmas. As such, i went on a wee local ride with my mate yesterday, and was horrified to discover i now have the fitness of a piece of wet string! No pics of that I'm afraid, too wet and muddy, but have a couple from today's walk up Skiddaw that I did while waiting for the Punto to be serviced. (cost a fortune, thanks for asking! ) Only man on the mountain. Well it was 9am! Wind and spindrift in the face on the summit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronzee Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 What a view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 You nutter son We're back up in the Lakes in May, around the bank hol weekend (the one for the Royal wedding). Hopefully be getting up into the mountains again. Amanda got me a training day with the chaps at CycleWise@Whinlatter for xmas too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 Nice one mate, I'm away up in Scotland for my 10 days on with work for that whole bank holiday sequence - all 4 of them! Fran will be at home, but unless there is a typhoon or something I don't think I will be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Nice one mate, I'm away up in Scotland for my 10 days on with work for that whole bank holiday sequence - all 4 of them! Fran will be at home, but unless there is a typhoon or something I don't think I will be Bummer - no mini adventure this time I think if the weather is bad enough to keep you at home it will be bad enough to not be riding! We'll be sure to pop over and see Fran if she's about though, and can go for a bimble if she fancies it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 This thread reminds me. Does anyone want to buy a pretty good spec'd bike with minimum use, I have a Norco A-Line, cost me 2k new! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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