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

owainga

lets see if we can get unharmed to come along

Sounds good to me.

If you're coming from kew, would Paddington (or southall, ealing broadway, etc) be good for you?

What time?

I can do this ride with barely functioning brakes. Confirm/deny?

good way to spoil a ride (imho)
probably fine for a bimble in the woods.
it's all good fun until somebody loses a leg.

All for the want of a bleed kit.

hang the bike up with the brake lever at the highest point tie the lever to the bars, flick the hose with your fingers (this helps the air bubbles move).
leave for a few minutes then release the lever and put the bike back on level ground, pull the lever to the bars, it will have no resistance and possibly feel worse than before but pump the lever a few times and you should get a firm bite point.
this only works if it's just trapped air rather than needing a full bleed due to hydrolysis and the fluid going milky (assuming you aren't using shimano/magura mineral based systems)

Hrmm. Interesting. Will give that a shot - thanks, mate.

Gary

You are a treasure trove of information

Hoping this will get Ben ready for tomorrow

So what time are we rolling out?

Ben, get to mine and we can pedal to Ealing and then out

i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i'm actually in a wheelchair and have never ridden a bike. i have a live webcam link to condor.

How about the 8:52 or 9:24 from Ealing Broadway, meet 15mins before?

I can do a bit earlier or later, I"m crappy in the morning though ;).

James, you have my number, right?

i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i'm actually in a wheelchair and have never ridden a bike. i have a live webcam link to condor.

so you are me?

i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.
i just repeat stuff i read on the internet.

owain, possibly a little later

do we need to get a license to cycle there?

just checked, we do need a permit for swinley

has unharmed fixed his brakes yet?

permits from the visitor center (on the right just inside the door IIRC)

The plan was to get to Bracknell, ride to the lookout, grab a cuppa and permits (2 quid for the day, 15 till the end of march) then go explore.

Later is fine with me, i hate mornings. Pick one:

                                                                                                                                                                            09:52         Ealing Broadway [EAL]         Bracknell [BCE]         11:11         1h 19m    

10:24 Ealing Broadway [EAL] Bracknell [BCE] 11:41 1h 17m
10:50 Ealing Broadway [EAL] Bracknell [BCE] 12:11 1h 21m
11:24 Ealing Broadway [EAL] Bracknell [BCE] 12:41 1h 17m

Or indeed later in a very similar pattern

get off at martins heron (if it stops there) it's quicker to get to the visitor center.
the big 3 lane roundabout is a mare though with cars doing 50 not bothering to slow down for it so go over the cycle/foot bridge to the aqua center and then cross into the carpark at the crossing.
there is a cycle route that's parallel to the main road but it's twisty and not the easiest to follow.
(you get to it by cycling over the railway bridge past the tescos and there is a grass area to the right and it kind of forks off to the right.

i can get direct to martins heron from richmond

where is fucking unharmed, bastard wont answer his phone!

In the middle of bleeding his brakes maybe?

Hmm, the trains in question don't go to MH, I can get to richmond in about 30mins though.

What time?

owain

lets chat tomorrow, i should be up by 8.30-9ish

hoping ben will have answered his emails by then

Righto, if I don't reply here, phone me.

Owainga- those Lake boots, are they totally waterproof?

So, what's the plan?

Dammit: I've never had leakage, but I've hardly gone wading in them. Bought them mostly for the warmth. They're made of waterproof leather, so s'long as you keep up with the nikwak should be fine.

Gargh - sorry guys. I was in bed by about 20:30 last night. Still knocked around from whatever plague I had this week.

I'm out for this one but am going to sort out my brakes today so will be up for the next one. Shame as it looks fucking beautiful out there...

So, what's the plan?

Dammit: I've never had leakage, but I've hardly gone wading in them. Bought them mostly for the warmth. They're made of waterproof leather, so s'long as you keep up with the nikwak should be fine.

They are made of Pittards WR leather. Which is waterproof and breathable.

Nikwax them and you lose all the breathability; you need to use a specific proofer like Aqueous Wax, not regular Nikwax.