Snowdon or bust: Retrobike Raid - Poll added...

[MiniNinjaRob]

PS - I'd chuffin' well want a pretty glitzy badge if I did it!!!

 

[Dr S]

We did think of doing this as part of our Dirty Big Weekender this year. We decided that due to the rather fragile relationships between mountain bikers and other users in the area, a large group would not be a good idea. Our plan was to walk up in the afternoon and ride down in the evening after the curfew.

As for riding it on a retro bike? Not for me. I've done it twice in the 80's on old stuff and its not as much fun on doing it on something more up to date.

By all means, go and have a go, but don't take a large group up on old bikes. It's just going to end in tears.

Si

 

[tintin40]

i'd be up for it!.... ....riding up snowdon like!.... :?

Me to. Ride up

 

[elPedro666]

I did this with a club I ran in the late nineties, as I remember it it was about 50/50 riding & pushing on the way up, and all-out fun on the way down, on the Ibis so rigid as ever There would have been about a dozen of us and we did it after five. I can't remember seeing many people and those we did were just amused at us! It was great fun and by no means an unachievable feat.

I will echo what Rob says about chasing light on big hills (I once only made it to Wasdale from Skelwith Bridge on a bike by moonlight, scary ), but it is that which means the walkers need to be clearing off the hill too, sooner than us, so it kinda works in our favour to keep the track clear(er).

Any which way people are keen for it I'll be doing whatever I can to get there!

 

[elPedro666]

Also - does this mean I can bring the mmmBop and say that Si insisted...? :twisted:

 

[We_are_Stevo]

The 'ban' continues to be cited as a reason to hold any potential event 'in season' but I'm pretty sure that the weather in April has been consistently better than the rest of the year; how many years in a row now have we had brilliant weather in April and lousy weather June - August, complete with that great British refrain 'No summer this year then...?'

Also, why should a group of responsible mountain bikers be any more vilified than the countless numbers of inappropriately garbed walkers who do the trip every day?? We seem to be classifying ourselves as victims here before the idea has even got off the ground!

Perhaps we should plan to do the ride in sweatpants and ASBO hoodies just to emphasise the fact...:roll:

 

[elPedro666]

Or maybe full gentlemanly tweed...? :twisted:

Pretty sure we went straight up and back down alongside the railway (so that we knew what the descent held) and it took about 3-4 hours all in (it was a while ago, I'm a bit hazy!).

So, last weekend in April (consistently the best weather of the year as Stevo points out), or a Summer's dawn/evening? Be a bit of a race to get done for 10am and the walkers will all be on their way up as we come hooning down - love the idea but possibly not the most practical?

 

[We_are_Stevo]

When I walked up in August with my Sprogs there were the usual hundreds of others on the Llanberis Path...

........................................(Looking back down to Lanberis - circled is the Bunk Barn on the farm campsite)

...but we saw only four people on the Ranger Path - and one optomist riding a Kona on the Telegraph (below...)

.............................................................(dodgy Blackberry pic of my Desktop)

(which leads all the way back to the camp site BTW...).

 

[elPedro666]

I wanna go NOW! :shock:

 

[Dr S]

Also, why should a group of responsible mountain bikers be any more vilified than the countless numbers of inappropriately garbed walkers who do the trip every day?? We seem to be classifying ourselves as victims here before the idea has even got off the ground! :

Because to most walkers, us mountain bikers, responsible or not are all the same- idiots. It's the same in the busy parts of the Peaks, despite being on a legal trail and riding with consideration for other users, we have been show hostility by the red socks and fask brigade. It's hardly any wonder though, we have seen some right tw*ts out on bikes, riding like they are being timed down a DH course through the middle of families. These people are the ones who are damaging our sport, not us, but to a walker we are all the same.

I'm not saying don't do it, just think about what you plan to do and it's long term impact.

Si