Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

This is 20km rather than 40 but you could go round twice if you fancy it? https://www.strava.com/activities/3022116757

You can also link it up with Jacob's Ladder but I don't have a route for that.

cheers, I'll take a look!

That route includes two classic Peaks descents - The Beast and one that I just know as the Ladybower Inn descent (pops you out at a pretty good pub)

https://www.strava.com/activities/302211­6757

Oh sweet, this is pretty near me now so I might check it out. Hoping to also have a pootle round lady cannings plantation after I finish setting up gears on my mtb, since it's only 30 mins up the road from me now (10 mins on the way back. still getting used to northern hills...)

Cave Dale, Edale, Ladybower:
https://www.komoot.com/tour/892145295?share_token=amsTVvIi6SlIWYp6HyMroTf7GGFpcDVFZC5J0tq4h1nhZTyNEV&ref=wtd
Highlights: Cave Dale, Jagger's Clough, The Beast, Lockerbrook/Gores, Winstone Lee Tor

Rushup Edge, Roych Clough, Jacob's Ladder:
https://www.komoot.com/tour/892148091?share_token=aM7sJHilVLA185vHU58GeJWxkl3yhN4cG2ExWeXRYZTmSn8rK3&ref=wtd
Highlights: Roych Clough, Jacob's Ladder, un-named descent off Hollin's Cross

Potato Alley & Hagg Farm berms:
https://www.komoot.com/tour/892150943?share_token=ameTZ2atZQHoTGXDEThEjypwE5rlPcRPSbhfjZAlJs1fBCo5tf&ref=wtd
Highlights: Potato Alley, Hagg Farm berms, Hope Brink, lots of cheeky trails in woods on north side of Win Hill.

Plenty of options to mix and match from these, should keep you entertained @leggy_blonde.

@Bearlegged cheers!

@pascalo belated thanks for your reply- super useful. Beerfelden looks way out of my league and something of the level I’m not sure I have an appetite for! Odenwald looks promising though. Relatives live in Boxberg just outside Heidelberg, so my main plan is just to go and fart about on the Königstuhl trails.
The dilemma is that a trail bike would be overkill for almost all the riding it would see in the uk, whereas something more downcountry is likely to be a little undergunned on trips to Heidelberg. Ultimately, I think it’s more sensible to go with the latter for now. I’ll soon know if it’s a mistake and as long as I look second hand, shouldn’t lose too much if it turns out to be the wrong thing!

@lsinclair that would be great - will drop you a pm when we next head over, perhaps late October.

Same

Buy the bike for 90-95% of your riding and hire something for the extra 5-10%

Consider the money saved as your hire bike fund

My new bike frame will have been held by UK customs for a month this coming Wednesday, because of the two zero priced items.

I totally get that. I'm on a chisel XC hardtail with 120 fork ATM and coming from a gravel bike I think it's pretty amazing what you can ride with it. Pretty sure the latest breed of burly XC / downcountry will see you through a lot of trails bar the really rough black lines (which I stay clear of). So yeah, 120-130 travel light-ish bike would be my pick also.

Talking of which, here's a question for the hive mind ... Are there any good value options for a carbon full sus frame set out there that I could transfer my parts to?

Have you tried Halfords?

Edit: this to move everything from xc Frameset? Can you change the travel on the fork? Is there any need to go full sus?

Bird Aether 9c *

*I have one for sale because I swapped parts onto a smaller one

I'm based in Australia guys

Edit: this to move everything from xc Frameset? Can you change the travel on the fork? Is there any need to go full sus?

I'm running a 120 SID Ultimate, some new wheels and carbon bars, all of that's worthy a transfer. No immediate need too upgrade but I have now determined that I like MTB well enough so it wouldn't be outlandish. Have done a few trails lately where the back of the bike just got bounced around so much over rocks that I am considering going full sus.

lol, excellent work!

Got a bit soggy here

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How are your trousers?

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Ruined. You'll need a new one now

I suppose it's just as well that being so wet, you wouldn't feel the need to drink from that bottle quite as often

That front fender kept the worst of it off though, that's good

Make sure you blast all of the grease out of the pivot bearings when you clean it.

lol