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Post by andyr on Nov 10, 2016 5:18:32 GMT
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Post by andyr on Oct 9, 2016 13:12:20 GMT
If it was 8 hours later I could.
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Post by andyr on Oct 9, 2016 13:10:51 GMT
I proposed to the Mrs on those cliffs. Nearly fell over the edge getting down on one knee.
Great place to ride too.
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Post by andyr on Oct 8, 2016 7:17:59 GMT
It was just SE of Alnhammoor in the Breamish Valley.
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Post by andyr on Oct 7, 2016 18:46:47 GMT
By 6 sodding arseholes with shotguns. Riding along a bridlepath through a field in a valley bottom there's a whole load of people on my right on the hillside and the guys with guns at the bottom. It's an organised grouse shoot and being as they were all aiming their guns away from me and they hadn't let off any ammo during my approach I took the decision to ride on behind them.
At this point a whole load of grouse take off, fly over the shooters heads and now I have 6 shotguns unloading in my general direction. Cue shouts of 'What the...?', 'Sorry' and 'f@#k!'. And a change of shorts for me.
Bloody landed gentry.
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Post by andyr on Oct 7, 2016 5:21:47 GMT
Ah, right. When you said at the bottom of I thought you meant after woodstock. So a better bypass route in effect? Good idea. ..being diplomatic you probably may not be surprised to learn that where the top surface has been ladled on thick isn't the section where our boys have been involved... Surprise = 0.
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Post by andyr on Oct 6, 2016 15:07:18 GMT
I've ridden it a couple of times this year (the last a few weeks ago) and i could feel my bike squirming around in the corners. I don't feel it anywhere else but on the resurfaced sections. This is in no way a rant about Ian, Russell, etc who have done a sterling job as it's the fault of the FC for providing crappy materials.
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Post by andyr on Oct 5, 2016 22:06:31 GMT
Leave it as it is. S'my tuppence worth.
If you must alter it can you please use something to bind the top surface together? The repairs to skydive etc are a skating rink due to not having any fine material between the stones to stop them moving.
In other news I can't make the ride.
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Post by andyr on Oct 4, 2016 19:37:43 GMT
Hmmmm..... trying to think where that could be and I'm at a loss. Night ride tomorrow for some more bedding in?
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Post by andyr on Sept 30, 2016 21:43:52 GMT
KB cycles?
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Post by andyr on Sept 29, 2016 13:02:13 GMT
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Post by andyr on Sept 26, 2016 11:55:00 GMT
Is bloody great! The wife could tell I was getting tetchy from not being on the bike for a while so ordered me to spend a day at the weekend out and about. I had planned on doing a ride around the cheviots but with the overnight rain I headed up to Glentress where it was drier than I expected. Did a full loop of the red from Buzzards before taking the fireroad climb all the way to the mast. I've got the trailforks app so was planning on using that to locate the downhill that goes all the way back down into Peebles. Fortunately I met a friendly local (cheers Kenny) who escorted me to the top and pointed me in the right direction. Its a cracking descent winding through the trees before coming on to the exposed part of the hill as a high speed root fest. I got really bad arm pump along here so was glad of a chat with another rider at the top of a bit called zoom or bust to give the arms a rest. Another twisty, rooty section then a bit of fireroad around the green and a techfest down to the main road next to the Peebles hydro hotel. Next time you're up there if you haven't already ridden it you really should. The start is called Carls Lane and is extremely obvious at the mast (the big sign gives it away) and you can also cut over to spooky if you prefer. What really made the day though was the amount of nippers out and about with big grins on their faces. Passed a few on their balance bikes going down berm baby laughing their heads off. They were everywhere. The future is bright. www.strava.com/activities/725019010/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-GB&v=1474835028
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Post by andyr on Sept 26, 2016 11:39:25 GMT
Quick question for you: do they suffer from the tread cracking/splitting like Hans Dampfs do? My HD on the front is suffering really badly so looking to change and they're currently on offer at crc. .
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Post by andyr on Sept 20, 2016 11:28:29 GMT
We're off from Hexham at 7 if you want.
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Post by andyr on Sept 19, 2016 10:14:20 GMT
It's available on demand Neil from the Red Bull website.
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Post by andyr on Sept 19, 2016 7:26:17 GMT
And it all went ok... Just follow this vid: Although I haven't ridden the bike in anger yet so it may still fall apart...
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Post by andyr on Sept 13, 2016 23:03:27 GMT
I was seriously tempted to get this as it looks awesome: Early Rider Belter 20. Belt drive, hub gears, discs, 80mm forks. £570ish. 9kg. I didn't.
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Post by andyr on Sept 13, 2016 19:55:51 GMT
With Islabikes the initial outlay seems a lot but you go and have a look at what you could sell it for once she's outgrown it. They're almost the same as new meaning they get a cracking bike for at most £100. They are worth every penny. But not the new more expensive range. That's just taking the piss (although I'm desperate to get some 20" stans crest rims for my nipper).
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Post by andyr on Aug 30, 2016 19:10:03 GMT
Here's the photo Neil missed for you. It's one of my favourite views in the country. Hope you don't mind Neil but this one is in the sun!
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Post by andyr on Jun 17, 2016 20:29:10 GMT
Skin is, your drivetrain is too but Kielder in the wet can destroy your bike in a few minutes. My first attempt at the full blown 100 a few years ago was wet all day. Gears were grinding, brake pads were eaten, souls were destroyed. Passed 1 lady after about 10 miles whose rear mech had given up leaving her with only her front mech working. Those running 1x have been warned.
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Post by andyr on Jun 4, 2016 12:11:43 GMT
The hounds were still there but I was downwind of them so they didn't start going mental until they saw me.
Very few midges encountered on the entire trip fortunately. I had my lunch at the bottom of that hike a bike bit as it was the only sheltered part of the entire ride.
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Post by andyr on Jun 3, 2016 12:32:22 GMT
Day 3: the Glen Tilt loop. Described in one route book I've got as one of the best days you can have on a bike and it seems to have legendary status on the Scottish forums I had a nosey around I was looking forward to this one. Even if hodgy said he was a bit underwhelmed by it and the locals said it was better in reverse. I did it clockwise as per the route book as my legs were feeling a bit tired so I wanted a gentler uphill to start. The wind had other ideas and I spent 2 hours fighting a 20mph headwind all the way up the glen on a gravel access road. A tiny bit of singletrack over a suspension bridge, a ford crossing, a spot of lunch and it's hike a bike up a steep slope to make your way to the UK's most remote building apparently. There then follows about 20km of access roads/land rover tracks: some steep ups with a tail wind, a 7km downhill, one ford and you eventually get to the one and only stretch of singletrack through the heather. It's a great bit but it's over far too soon to rejoin an access road and finally some tarmac back to the car park. The scenery is stunning but apart from one bit I can't recommend this route in either direction. Strava linkGlen Tilt. Get used to this access road. You're on it for a long time... Scenery is nice though: 2 hours later... hallelujah! Singletrack! Leading to this bridge: The most isolated house in the land. Apparently. More of this: Finally! Rejoice!
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Post by andyr on Jun 3, 2016 6:21:15 GMT
Day 2: check the forecast; 11 degrees, overcast. Won't bother with the suncream then (big mistake!). Whilst hunting around for routes to do between the MBR one above and the Glen Tilt loop I had planned for the following day I stumbled on a route in the ride with gps website by a local rider who described it as 'ace'. Yep, someone still uses that word. But it was. A fantastic loop on awesome flowing singletrack, tight techy stuff which saw my one crash of the trip and a bit of comedy 'what do I do now?' decisions. The ride: true to the forecast it was overcast and a bit chilly to start but not cold so just one layer on. Head south on the road for a mile or 2 before heading in to someones private estate (gotta love Scottish access laws) before going through a gate onto a landrover track and trying to find a deer path on the far side of a marshy bit. Once on this it was great ride out on / parallel to the Badenoch Way along the river and by Loch Insh on some glorious singletrack before arriving at Insh forest (or whatever it's called). This place is awesome. Go. Now. The loop I followed had a mix of open and flowing downhill, techy slow speed stuff, one of the best climbs I've done anywhere, and awesome high speed balls out downhill. I'd done a path or 2 and climbed up the fireroad again to the start of 'The Tunnel' on strava. Had a spot of lunch then started the section. It's tight, twisty and very rooty. Had a 2 wheel slide along one part and rammed my fingers and shoulder on my left side into a tree. Minor cuts and bruises so nothing bad unfortunately. Made it to the bottom without further incident. There then followed an awesome tiny path back up to the top of the hill. As climbs go, I think it's the best one I've ever found. Even better is it takes you to the top of the hill for 'green dream' which is a hold on and see how fast you can go fun fest all the way back down. A few more fun bits and it's fireroad to a marshy bit with a nice new boardwalk over it. 'beeeeeeppppp!' goes the garmin? WTF, how can I be offcourse? There is no other way to go? After hunting for a minute or 2 I spy the old boardwalk perpendicular to the one I'm on starting about 5m away as they've removed the deck but left the posts in. Hmmm... I don't know where this path I'm on leads... so I think I'll use the bike to balance myself and step from post to post to get on to the route I'm following. Well, that worked but it was the same at the other end only this time I got wet feet when I slipped. Should've just stuck on the new route and worked my way back in hindsight. A bit of road followed then on to double track with a few fallen trees to divert around leading to Feshie forest. Again here I blindly followed the route even though it had been damaged by FC works/the wind. It lead to a lovely spot at the top of a clifffor a breather. Thread my way through some more fallen trees and another short but good downhill followed. If you do this route find an alternative to this bit. Then up a track that would be great to come down and back over on the same paths as the day before to do Lairig Ghru again. This time I rode up it which I would say is the preferred option. Had a breather then came back down with no mincing. A great route but needs tweaking to avoid the wind damaged area in Feshie. Strava linkSee that slither of track on the left? Go down there. Find this: Start of 'the tunnel' section The climb back to the top: At the top: 'Green dream'. You hug the trees on the right before going left at the treeline in the distance. I have got footage of this too but I daftly forgot to recharge it so it went into power save mode about half way around meaning I only got the first 18 seconds of each bit. ARSE. Still, gives me an excuse to go back.
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Post by andyr on Jun 3, 2016 5:49:12 GMT
Well, whilst Hodgy & co were having fun on Skye I was up at Aviemore for 3 days of fun on my bike. Set off on Monday morning from the toon and the weather wasn't looking great: dull and overcast and it only got worse as you climbed up to the border and into the low cloud (naff all visibility, drive using the force) but once into bonny Scotland the weather soon improved and it was glorious sunshine all the way from Jedburgh, over the Forth bridge (trying not to crash having a gander at the new one being built) and up through the Highlands on the A9. This road is a right pain, there're average speed cameras along it's entire length and the limit for lorries is 50mph. Grr. Anyway, arrived at Aviemore, or more rightly Rothiemurchus at about 2 for the first ride before I checked into the yha. This is from MBR's best flow trails and is a great intro to the area. Starts off on the wide trails around the Rothie estate which, being Scotland, are all open to bikes. Not great fun on the bike but a good warm up and plenty of paths parallel to the trail to dart off and have a bit of boing action around Loch an Eileen with it's ruined castle on an island. Part of the way around this is a right turn with a 'path not maintained' notice at the start around Loch Gamhna. This is the one to take and that notice bought a smile to my face: tight, twisty, fun singletrack through the trees and the heather. Fun. A bit of fireroad and then it's more of the same before rejoining the wide path for the ride over to Lairig Ghru. Here I deviated from the MBR route as I had time and fancied a trip to Loch Einich which is predominantly on doubletrack and hasn't got a lot to recommend it unless you like riding up a glacial valley. There is an unavoidable ford on this bit so if the rain has been heavy don't be daft. My advice: do the first bit on my strava feed (the high line) until you rejoin the 'main' trail then turn left and go down this fun bit of singletrack back to where you turned off. The route I was following took you up a fireroad to Rothiemurchus Lodge then over what can only be described as a rooty, boggy, boulder infested hell of a section. Complete hike a bike unless you're a trials god. But at least it brings you to the start of the Lairig Ghru downhill bit which is an absolute blast. A few large water bars / troughs near the top and one techy section that I minced down (went back and cleaned the lot on day 2 though) and then it's flowy, rooty, techy (but not too techy) blast back down and wide paths back to the car park. A great ride, thoroughly recommended. The strava linkSome photos: From the high line on the path to Loch Einich looking down on the fun bit of path you take on the way back down: Loch Einich: I'm working on a vid, give me time and I'll post that up too along with ride reports of day 2 (awesome, best ride eva!) and day 3 (not so good).
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Post by andyr on May 6, 2016 21:50:46 GMT
Just so you know Neil parts of it up near the top are still rather boggy and suffering quite badly from erosion. Was up there today.
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