# Mountain Biking



## Toddy101 (Feb 23, 2015)

Anybody else into mountain biking? Has always been a passion of mine since I was a whipper snapper :biggrin: Lovely sunny morning so had a quick blast around Whinlatter (20 mins away from my house).








http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o285/Todmyst/Mobile%20Uploads/20160419_102236_zpszavm7xsj.jpg[/IMG]

Top of Whinlatter South looplooking towards Keswick.







http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o285/Todmyst/Mobile%20Uploads/20160419_102245_zpsya8fvepy.jpg[/IMG]

Me in action at Wales.








http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o285/Todmyst/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2015-07-16-14-59-47_zps7v566nrj.png[/IMG]

Whinlatter a few months back, made for an interesting decent.








http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o285/Todmyst/Mobile%20Uploads/20160119_105139_zps1ph7euqy.jpg[/IMG]


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Not (yet) a mountain biker. I do cycle but I prefer to be on foot in the mountains/hills/forests.


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

No mountain bike for me but when the weather is better I will be at our local sports village taking their hand bike round the cycle track


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## xellos99 (Dec 17, 2015)

I bought a mountain bike fully intending to use it since I am in rural wales.

However after spending a fortune on the bike I could not bring myself to damage it.

I then converted it too a hybrid and made a "weightweenie"

Goes up hill is great but fast downhill in a very light hybrid it not funny at all.

Take care of yourself, my old boss lost most of his teeth on a mountain bike and a local lad who crashed into a tree was in a wheelchair up until he took his own life.


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Yeah, having a light bike for these rides isn't very good, especially when YOU go downhill (if you know what I mean).

Nice wheels jsud. Gangsta!


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## Toddy101 (Feb 23, 2015)

:laugh: :laugh:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Mine is just an old banger built from a bike picked up at the local auction. Cost me about £40.

:laugh: :laugh:

But I'm getting older and lazy so I sort of fancied an electric bike, not cheap but it looks the business and gets some not bad reviews



http://www.gtech.co.uk/ebike.html


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Electric bikes have stirred my interested quite a bit, mostly for possibility of using it as a commute/transportation. Interesting bike, that one from gtech.

Sadly, every time I go out in traffic with my bike here in Romania I, almost, get to see the grim reaper. Traffic is terrible here and bike culture doesn't really exist.


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## Toddy101 (Feb 23, 2015)

BondandBigM said:


> Mine is just an old banger built from a bike picked up at the local auction. Cost me about £40.
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> ...


 You can get some great electric mountain bikes now. Like you say they're not cheap but I bet their a blast. Come in handy on the uphills :thumbsup:

Have had a few spills over the years but so far nothing too bad. Love the adrenaline rush of the downhills going as fast as my skills allow, just a shame I have to pedal to the top first :biggrin:


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## electorn (Aug 12, 2015)

Cleeve common near Cheltenham. This bike is almost like cheating, which I have to due to not being fit enough!


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## 1475lee (Mar 15, 2011)

Top of grisdale pike about a year ago.

hard work to get to the top but the decent was awesome.








http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t439/leejohnson76/6c75abc2a52d9193fb5897edd0b95508.jpg[/IMG]


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Guess I won't post my almost 200 pounds "beater" bike with no suspension and just 3 gears. :angry:

PS: 200 pounds is a lot of money!!


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## Toddy101 (Feb 23, 2015)

gimli said:


> Guess I won't post my almost 200 pounds "beater" bike with no suspension and just 3 gears. :angry:
> 
> PS: 200 pounds is a lot of money!!


 So long as its a bike it doesnt matter how much it costs or how msny gears it has :thumbsup:

Up up and away....










After a quick wash.


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

Currently using a TREK. on the many trails in our area.


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## Jonesinamillion (Feb 21, 2016)

I tootle about on this when time allows...


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

I've just started cycling again after a lay off last year. It's nothing like as swanky or as well built as the other bikes in this thread but I bought this Carrera Vengeance in the January sales at Halfords. I use it on the road at the moment (with road tyres I hasten to add) but will also use it on the canal towpath when the mood takes me. I used to use my rigid Whyte hybrid (in the off topic sales section) on the towpath & it was awful. It wasn't much better on the road to be honest & I don't know how the roadies on their hyper lightweight rigid bikes put up with our rubbish roads - they, & their bikes, must take quite a pounding  I only use the bike to get to work as my wife doesn't cycle & none of my friends seem to either (so no social cycling) & to keep me fit(ish). At the tender age of 52 I've discovered that any exercise is good exercise & I really don't want to be pummelled to death riding a fully rigid bike. I set off quite early (6.15 today) to beat the worst of the traffic & to give me time to get a shower before starting work. I'm not bothered about getting to work in the fastest time possible & it took me an hour to get in today - 10 mile trip with a few hills - hopefully that time will reduce as I get fitter. The only goal I set myself is to get there without stopping for a breather. I stop at traffic lights though I've seen plenty of cyclists who don't (*****!).

The frame seems good but the bike itself is quite heavy which is probably down to the forks & wheels & all the rest of the clobber fitted - lights, lock seat bag + contents etc. If my previous experience of Suntour products is anything to go by then the forks will probably wear out pretty quickly & I'll replace them with something lighter & better when they do (as long as I can find a decent set of forks, at a reasonable price, for 27.5" wheels). Considering that I'm only using the bike on "smooth" roads & the semi-rough towpath they may last longer than I'm expecting them to though.

Anyway here it is in all its glory


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## Toddy101 (Feb 23, 2015)

The Carrera Vengeance is a great bike for the price. I'm a road cyclists as well as a mountain biker, you're right about the roads they're awful :wacko:


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## mattbeef (Jul 17, 2008)

Im not out as much as i used to be but buying a house and having a son does that for you.

This is my ride which i dread to think how much i have spent on it . Not been to Whinlatter though, we normally carry on to Glentress and make a weekend of it there

http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/?app=core&module=system&controller=embed&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fp%2F18w2IdwMPx%2F%3Ftaken-by%3Dmattbeef%26hl%3Den


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## xellos99 (Dec 17, 2015)

mattbeef said:


> Im not out as much as i used to be but buying a house and having a son does that for you.
> 
> This is my ride which i dread to think how much i have spent on it . Not been to Whinlatter though, we normally carry on to Glentress and make a weekend of it there
> 
> http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/?app=core&module=system&controller=embed&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fp%2F18w2IdwMPx%2F%3Ftaken-by%3Dmattbeef%26hl%3Den


 Yes that is a serious bike.


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## hughlle (Aug 23, 2015)

Toddy101 said:


> So long as its a bike it doesnt matter how much it costs or how msny gears it has :thumbsup:
> 
> Up up and away....
> 
> ...


 your bike defies gravity somehow :/


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## Littlelegs (Dec 4, 2011)

Due to training for a mountain marathon I've neglected my mountain biking. Prior to this I got out every week. I've currently an Orange G4 with Rockshox Recon gold air forks. Great bike but a lot more lively downhill than my old, battered Claud Butler Olympus. Takes some getting used to. The avid elixir brakes are noisy as hell too. Good fun though.


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## Toddy101 (Feb 23, 2015)

I nearly bought a Lapierre but got a great deal on the Nukeproof Mega AM which came with the new Rockshox Pikes so couldn't say no.

Upgraded quite a bit so wouldn't like to think how much I've spent on it :wacko: Dropper post is the best upgrade by far :thumbsup:


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## 1475lee (Mar 15, 2011)

Toddy101 said:


> I nearly bought a Lapierre but got a great deal on the Nukeproof Mega AM which came with the new Rockshox Pikes so couldn't say no.
> 
> Upgraded quite a bit so wouldn't like to think how much I've spent on it :wacko: Dropper post is the best upgrade by far :thumbsup:


 I've just bought some pikes for my 29er

They are awesome forks.


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## fastmongrel (Aug 12, 2013)

Since I had a chest infection over Xmas New Year I have hardly looked at my MTB but I have been doing some miles on my commuter bike to get ready for a spin this sunday. Just going to Rivington for a slow pootle up to the tower and I mean slow with frequent stops to cough a lung up.








Trek by Stuart, on Flickr

I have upgraded the forks since the photo to some Rockshox SIDs mainly because the legs are black and I am a tart.


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## Jonesinamillion (Feb 21, 2016)

Anyone wear a watch when out MTBing?

i did once a few years ago and ghe crown constantly knocked into my hand to the point where it hurt.... Dunner bother nowadays.

would I have the same issue with a g-shock or similar?


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## Toddy101 (Feb 23, 2015)

Jonesinamillion said:


> Anyone wear a watch when out MTBing?
> 
> i did once a few years ago and ghe crown constantly knocked into my hand to the point where it hurt.... Dunner bother nowadays.
> 
> would I have the same issue with a g-shock or similar?


 Used t9 wear a G Shock but then sold it. I wear this now when biking.


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## graham1981 (Jan 1, 2016)

gimli said:


> Electric bikes have stirred my interested quite a bit, mostly for possibility of using it as a commute/transportation. Interesting bike, that one from gtech.
> 
> Sadly, every time I go out in traffic with my bike here in Romania I, almost, get to see the grim reaper. Traffic is terrible here and bike culture doesn't really exist


 I have an electric bike! I used to do quite a bit of cycling (weekly cycles + one week charity bike ride in Ireland every year) but sadly had to stop due to the deterioration of my knee joints (left mainly due to my motorbike accident) So I decided to get an electric bike to potter around locally. Having looked into them I realised there were two types - ones that powered all the time so if you wanted you didn't need to pedal at all - and ones that added power to the rear wheel as you pedalled- stop pedalling the power cuts out too. The second sort just assists you by providing a boost. I was advised by a couple of independent bike specialist that the first sort had limitations/ problems - the batteries wore out relatively quickly and were expensive to replace. Taking this advice I went for a Giant Escape E+ a couple of years ago. Have to say I love it, it has three power settings, low, medium, high and can provide a real boost when needed - however even on the lowest power setting you will only get a range of 20 - 30 miles out of the battery so has it's limitations! The battery is charged from the mains so theoretically you could do a cycling holiday as long as each day wasn't more than 30 miles and you had access to mains power every evening.

Here's a picture I took while out on a little jaunt locally -









__
https://flic.kr/p/ooeqSJ


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

To be honest, talking strictly electric bikes I would buy one of those fully electric ones like the first one that you speak of. I know they have their limitations but technology is advancing and there are some pretty interesting designs and concepts on the internet, mainly from all sorts of independent companies that are just starting.

I'd very much prefer an electric bike for transportation/commuting. For exercising I would always just prefer the classic one. Yours looks great and Giant are a high quality bike brand. You could try stripping it of some of the things you don't need to decrease its weight. I'd say 20 miles is decent provided you can charge it at your destinations.


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## KO_81 (Dec 16, 2012)

I was into mountain biking a couple of years ago, I had a great trail centre about 20 minutes up the road as I don't live far away from Mr. xellos99.

Did it for a good 3 or 4 years until the guy I used to go cycling with every time was advised in no uncertain terms by his chiropractor to stop doing it immediately. :sadwalk:

The trails were in a place called Byrgwm outside a village called Brechfa, and there was a great red trail in the next village along called Abergorlech.

Byrgwm:

http://www.trailguru.co.uk/mountain-biking-brechfa-wales

Abergorlech:

http://www.trailguru.co.uk/gorlech-mountain-bike-trail-wales

My steed was a 2010 Specialized FSR XC Pro:


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## xellos99 (Dec 17, 2015)

KO_81 said:


> I was into mountain biking a couple of years ago, I had a great trail centre about 20 minutes up the road as I don't live far away from Mr. xellos99.
> 
> Did it for a good 3 or 4 years until the guy I used to go cycling with every time was advised in no uncertain terms by his chiropractor to stop doing it immediately. :sadwalk:
> 
> ...


 Lovely bike, I would love a specialized but ended up getting a boardman team on sale for £600 odd which got lost in the post. They had no others in stock so they had to send me the pro model, how they lost a massive box I don't know but worked out very well.

Yes we are close, I have dentist in Carmarthen today


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