Putting ‘mountains’ into mountain biking

[voodoo_simon]

I’m struggling to think the last time I did a mountain whilst out morning biking. Like really struggling I’m thinking it must be a few years since my bikes last summited a mountain.

Probably north wales and more than likely in the Conwy area.

So, when was yours?!

[johnnystorm]

November 2022 on Cadair Idris, 25 years to the day I last walked up there.

IMG_20221112_164915_427.jpg (129.02 KiB) Viewed 3610 times

[summittoppler]

I do like to topple a summit

Sounds like you're local to me...

Think it was when I bivvied on the summit of Carnedd Llewellyn last summer
20220726_210959-01 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[whitestone]

A good few years - about six or so - I rode to the top of Lonscale Fell (well pushed up most of the Skiddaw BW) and also did a couple of tops in the Back o' Skiddaw. All "cheeky" but away from Skiddaw and Blencathra you hardly see anyone in that group of fells.

There's a few in the Dales you can get to by bike fairly easily: Great Pinseat in Swaledale is one, Buckden Pike is another.

Ridden to the top of our local hill - Pinhaw quite a few times though the guy who rents the land is dead against bikes (and horses) and has put fencing and stiles up at the main entrance points.

[Dave Barter]

In 2011 I took my bike to the top of the 3 peaks. Never doing that again

[summittoppler]

In 2011 I took my bike to the top of the 3 peaks. Never doing that again

Nice!


Just spent a few minutes dropping pins on the summits I been to on the bike here in Snowdonia.
My highlight was to get on the Cantilever Stone on Glyder Fach (profile pic). Been on Carnedd Llewellyn more than a dozen times, and probably bivvied there 5 times. The only ones I haven't done yet are the 'impossible' ones (Tryfan, Crib Goch)

summits by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[PaulB2]

My last mountain (near) summit was Mt Tamalpais in 2006. I go hill biking these days.

[In Reverse]

Did the Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt) last Sept. Didn't summit any mountains but some of the passes are pretty high and are an absolute battle to get up to. This is Col de Riedmatten at 2919m, the peaks either side are "only" about another 200m up but you'd do well to get up and back down them with a bike. This Col, and the one before it (Prafleurie) are proper Type 3 never again experiences.

[dlovett]

Down South we don't do Mountain Biking, we do Hill/Downs Biking.

[redefined_cycles]

I almost struggled thinking if I've ever mountained with a bike. But then realised my last proper bike commute in Lakes. Just by the side of Hellvelyn. Got late to work so I now know, it's not always a smart idea doing such stupidity...

7 miles in I think 2.5H.

[Lazarus]

The lakes are only an hour away
I might only do one ride there in winter but from easter[always starts Easter monday] on its a monthly ride - they range from bikepacking, to longish MTB rides [ Gatesgarth, nan bield and Garburn] to FS HIke a bike [ please let me get down in one piece type stuff *- love it buta its reducing as i age - fear of injury as recovery takes so long and you can lose a summer with a bad off
Amusingly I often do more climbing on a local weekend but actual mountains are a very different kind of climbing


* dollwaggon pike is NEVER getting ridden again

[Dave Barter]

Down South we don't do Mountain Biking, we do Hill/Downs Biking.

Brown Willy?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Last one, probably Plynlimon with Mike. We've done it a couple of times and it always looks like this

[Keith74]

Last proper mountain would be Ben Lomond last year but not long from a trip to torridon and fisher field area where there was lots of looking up at all the mountains around me.

[pistonbroke]

Pico Valeta 3,396m in 2020


Pico Urbion 2,260m in 2021 plus in a white-out in 2022


Javalambre 2,016m in 2019 with some 'Boners

[lune ranger]

That would be going back to 2018 when I last ride Helvellyn and Highstreet in the Lakes.
Formerly I considered myself a ‘mountain’biker and sought out the highest bridleways of the north of England.
I’m now much more of an all terrain biker. I have always massively valued the ability of a bike and rider to cross any landscape one way or another - riding, pushing, carrying, strapped to a raft, dismantled into a bag etc. - IMO it’s what makes bike’s unique compared to other types of transportation.

[voodoo_simon]

In 2011 I took my bike to the top of the 3 peaks. Never doing that again

Nice!


Just spent a few minutes dropping pins on the summits I been to on the bike here in Snowdonia.
My highlight was to get on the Cantilever Stone on Glyder Fach (profile pic). Been on Carnedd Llewellyn more than a dozen times, and probably bivvied there 5 times. The only ones I haven't done yet are the 'impossible' ones (Tryfan, Crib Goch)

summits by Jeff Price, on Flickr

That is a rather excellent map, I’m liking that!

Just outside Chester Jeff, wish I was less introverted though as I’d probably meet up with more people for riding

[ton]

2015 for me, i went up skiddaw in the snow, and down ullock descent.
this was to celebrate surviving open heart surgery, which proved a success.
wish i coupld turn the clock back to then. cant cycle up the canal path now without getting out of breath with the dreaded AF.

[ton]

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[voodoo_simon]

That would be going back to 2018 when I last ride Helvellyn and Highstreet in the Lakes.
Formerly I considered myself a ‘mountain’biker and sought out the highest bridleways of the north of England.
I’m now much more of an all terrain biker. I have always massively valued the ability of a bike and rider to cross any landscape one way or another - riding, pushing, carrying, strapped to a raft, dismantled into a bag etc. - IMO it’s what makes bike’s unique compared to other types of transportation.

I remember reading an article in Singletrack about 18/19 years ago of some old blokes (I was 19/20 at the time) riding these drop bar bikes with fatter tyres, cantilever brakes and pannier bikes along some bridleways. My, how I laughed!

Why would anyone want to ride those tracks when you have mountains and hills to explore alThe rough stuff fellowship, n’ah mate, go and do some proper stuff…*

Anyways, fast forward about 10 years and I’m selling my enduro bicycle (I use that tongue in cheek) to buy a fat bike to go alongside my rigid bike and well, you’ve guessed the rest. Bearbones forum comes along, soft luggage takes over, read John Metcalfes book, found out people here have rode the tour divide and I go down that rabbit hole… add in Grass up the Middle too and my fate is sealed.

I always said I was happy riding most things as long as both wheels are in the ground… It’s like everything clicked together, less chasing that epic day out in the mountains and more taking in what’s on offer


*obviously I’ve seen the books now publish on some of their amazing rides,

[thenorthwind]

A good few years - about six or so - I rode to the top of Lonscale Fell (well pushed up most of the Skiddaw BW) and also did a couple of tops in the Back o' Skiddaw. All "cheeky" but away from Skiddaw and Blencathra you hardly see anyone in that group of fells.

Funnily enough that's the last proper mountain route I did too... I had to tick of that group of Wainwrights and wanted to ride Ullock Pike again as it's a favourite. Started up Latrigg for a textbook inversion in Borrowdale. By the time I'd got up Lonscale, the high cloud had moved in, and it was a classic Lakeland greyout. After summiting Skiddaw (via the Little Man) went down to Bakestall and back up to the summit of Skiddaw (bit of pain in the **** but it seemed the only way to do them all in one go), then down over Ullock Pike. Returned via Dash Falls/Skiddaw House/Glenderaterra, stopping to stash the bike in a ditch and walked up Great Calva.

As if that wasn't enough, I rode up Dodd for afters - straight up the fire road from the car park and back down

[AndreR]

Rode "Summit to Sea" in the Julian Alps in Slovenia last year, Kranjska Gora to Piran over the Vrisic pass. Did a side trip up the Karavanke Mountains to Tromeja /Ofen a 1,508 m high peak, located at the triple border between Slovenia, Italy and Austria.

[The Cumbrian]

I biked over quite a few of the Back o' Skiddaw tops last year, it's a fantastic and underrated area where even someone as unfit as me can actually do a fair bit of riding rather than pushing.

[Bearlegged]

This thread made me wonder how many mountains there actually are in the UK to ride on, so I did a little searching and found this blog, which I found to be rather informative.

https://ramblingman.org.uk/articles/the ... f-britain/

[Alpinum]

This thread made me wonder how many mountains there actually are in the UK to ride on, so I did a little searching and found this blog, which I found to be rather informative.

https://ramblingman.org.uk/articles/the ... f-britain/

Way too much focus on numbers. If I go by that, I must (as at least 50 % Swiss) get down off the mountain and tell you, that there aren't any of such in the UK.
One of the closest hills here is higher than Ben Nevis. I've been up there from sea level. Yes, it didn't take us long. It takes us longer to get up the highest back door hill. Yet not just the Ben, but many other Munros, Corbetts, Wainwrights etc. I had the pleasure to visit, felt mountainous. Not alpine, not less, just different. Special in their own way.

My last summit was Piz Praveder, right at the last second before winter came. The terrain there is too steep to make fatbiking on some sort of snow crust possible. Otherwise I was able to ride above 2200 m last month. Ambient air pressure and snow shoeing tracks made it possible.

Did the Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt) last Sept. Didn't summit any mountains but some of the passes are pretty high and are an absolute battle to get up to. This is Col de Riedmatten at 2919m, the peaks either side are "only" about another 200m up but you'd do well to get up and back down them with a bike. This Col, and the one before it (Prafleurie) are proper Type 3 never again experiences.

Went up Riedmatten with my bike 3 times between 2007 and 2010 (2 x with bivy gear, once with a DH bike). Must go again, I remember the eastern descent to be really, really good. *Shrugs*.
Chèvres nextdoor is awkward with the ladders. One to avoid. The riding just at the bottom in my books, really good.
Just the usual tech alpine stuff.
Off course linking up the HHR will leave you weary and tired at that point, so perspective will change.