Comments on: MTB ride – Parts of the Mary Towneley Loop http://www.slimmerandfitter.com/mtb-ride-parts-of-the-mary-towneley-loop/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mtb-ride-parts-of-the-mary-towneley-loop Slimming Down And Fittening Up! Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:28:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ColinJ http://www.slimmerandfitter.com/mtb-ride-parts-of-the-mary-towneley-loop/comment-page-1/#comment-180 ColinJ Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:13:58 +0000 http://www.slimmerandfitter.com/?p=1033#comment-180 Yes, we had a good time on the ride. It wasn't super-long in distance or super-hard in severity, but we had a non-cyclist with us and we didn't want to kill him! :wink: Actually, I'm amazed that my mate could ride that route on so little riding in the past year. He seems to hang on to fitness a lot better than me. I can get fit reasonably quickly, but I can lose it really quickly too. That's been the problem the past couple of years - I always tend to put weight on and lose fitness in the winter, but it happened in the summers of 2007 and 2008 too which is where my weight problem came from. My legs felt great out on the ride, but I don't have much upper-body fitness and the MTB quickly found that out. My back, arms and shoulders felt a bit battered when I got home. I intend to do more MTB riding now. It is so nice to be able to get away from the traffic when I want to. I'm lucky in that I live within a mile of some really nice bridleways. I certainly fancy having a go at the MTL some time, but I'd prefer a day without that cold wind and in a dry spell. My bike-handling isn't fantastic and I don't have much bottle for technical descents and wet/muddy conditions make me even more nervous and make a mess of the bike. I wasn't right keen on some of the grinding noises my bike was making on Saturday as gritty gunk was eroding away my brand new transmission! That's why I buy cheap Deore bits. If I knew they were going to last, I'd find the money for better quality parts, but it gets too expensive for me with their limited life expectancy. I think the MTL might take me about 9 hours but it's hard to say based on so little recent MTB riding. I definitely wouldn't be quick. If a group of CycleChat MTB riders want to get together to do the loop I'd be interested if I was free that day. Like many routes, the loop would have a different character in the two directions. There are some technical descents which I'd walk which I might just be able to climb in the other direction. OTH - I remember the grassy climb at the back of the Ram Inn was a bit too steep for me to climb last time I tried, but I'd probably ride down it because it wasn't technical. Mind you, my high saddle position worries me on steep descents because I'm close to endo-ing most of the time. Perhaps I should buy a quick-release saddle clamp so I can lower the saddle for that kind of stuff? Yes, we had a good time on the ride. It wasn’t super-long in distance or super-hard in severity, but we had a non-cyclist with us and we didn’t want to kill him! :wink:

Actually, I’m amazed that my mate could ride that route on so little riding in the past year. He seems to hang on to fitness a lot better than me.

I can get fit reasonably quickly, but I can lose it really quickly too. That’s been the problem the past couple of years – I always tend to put weight on and lose fitness in the winter, but it happened in the summers of 2007 and 2008 too which is where my weight problem came from.

My legs felt great out on the ride, but I don’t have much upper-body fitness and the MTB quickly found that out. My back, arms and shoulders felt a bit battered when I got home.

I intend to do more MTB riding now. It is so nice to be able to get away from the traffic when I want to. I’m lucky in that I live within a mile of some really nice bridleways.

I certainly fancy having a go at the MTL some time, but I’d prefer a day without that cold wind and in a dry spell. My bike-handling isn’t fantastic and I don’t have much bottle for technical descents and wet/muddy conditions make me even more nervous and make a mess of the bike. I wasn’t right keen on some of the grinding noises my bike was making on Saturday as gritty gunk was eroding away my brand new transmission! That’s why I buy cheap Deore bits. If I knew they were going to last, I’d find the money for better quality parts, but it gets too expensive for me with their limited life expectancy.

I think the MTL might take me about 9 hours but it’s hard to say based on so little recent MTB riding. I definitely wouldn’t be quick. If a group of CycleChat MTB riders want to get together to do the loop I’d be interested if I was free that day.

Like many routes, the loop would have a different character in the two directions. There are some technical descents which I’d walk which I might just be able to climb in the other direction. OTH – I remember the grassy climb at the back of the Ram Inn was a bit too steep for me to climb last time I tried, but I’d probably ride down it because it wasn’t technical. Mind you, my high saddle position worries me on steep descents because I’m close to endo-ing most of the time. Perhaps I should buy a quick-release saddle clamp so I can lower the saddle for that kind of stuff?

]]> By: redbike http://www.slimmerandfitter.com/mtb-ride-parts-of-the-mary-towneley-loop/comment-page-1/#comment-179 redbike Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:41:16 +0000 http://www.slimmerandfitter.com/?p=1033#comment-179 Despite all the problems it looks like a cracking ride. I've want to ride the MTL trail again but clockwise. Despite all the problems it looks like a cracking ride.
I’ve want to ride the MTL trail again but clockwise.

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