Will my lovely road bike fall to bits if ...

[Nigelnaturist]

Back to the OP. There is a little lane that runs from New Mills to Hayfield, but it's up a big hill, and it runs parallel to the main road. Very scenic, if hard work.

Which one I lived in New Mills in my youth, I used ride all over, yet I struggle on the hills here but in comparison there are none.

 

[fossyant]

Checked - Stitch Lane and Swallowhouse Lane

 

[Geoff Crowther]

The very fact that you have to ask this is a bit sad really. Not that long ago we bought bikes to RIDE. You toured on them [whatever the road], went to work on them and you could even do a bit sporting riding on them. Now people seem to be afraid of using the things. Unless you intend to race down a rock strewn cliff just get out there and use it - if it's too feeble to use it aint much good anyhow. Still that's progress.

Sorry you thought the question was "sad". I thought, as a "beginner", I was asking a valid question of more knowledgeable folk than I. And there's me thinking that's the point of the "beginners" section. I'm 60 years of age ... well past the point of thinking there's any shame in admitting to the limits of my knowledge.

Course ... I could be wrong.

And, no ... I'm not afraid of "using the thing" but it's a new bike, not a steel framed one built 20 odd years ago.

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Checked - Stitch Lane and Swallowhouse Lane

Yep, ride up it at least once a week in both directions cos I live at the Hayfield end.
Done it so often that it actually doesn't feel hard work anywmore, 'specially on the road bike .
Sorry, that sounded a bit smug ... not meant to be, just quite proud of meself.
Cheers
Geoff

 

[fossyant]

Yep, ride up it at least once a week in both directions cos I live at the Hayfield end.
Done it so often that it actually doesn't feel hard work anywmore, 'specially on the road bike .
Sorry, that sounded a bit smug ... not meant to be, just quite proud of meself.
Cheers
Geoff

Good stuff. I discovered it, and a few others (like the climb from Hayfield that runs parallel to the main road and brings you out at the top towards Chapel) on a club run earlier in the year. We were actually killing each other as one of Rob3rts club mates from Manchester Wheelers was out and he's a bit quick.

 

[KneesUp]

Sorry you thought the question was "sad". I thought, as a "beginner", I was asking a valid question of more knowledgeable folk than I. And there's me thinking that's the point of the "beginners" section. I'm 60 years of age ... well past the point of thinking there's any shame in admitting to the limits of my knowledge.

Course ... I could be wrong.

And, no ... I'm not afraid of "using the thing" but it's a new bike, not a steel framed one built 20 odd years ago.

I presumed @sidevalve meant 'sad' as in it's a shame that the bike industry is now so focussed on niches which it needs to keep separate so it can sell more bikes and accessories (imagine the warehouses full of unsold bikes if everyone was like me, commuting on a 24 year old MTB and building a tourer out of a 20 year old hybrid ) r

Your bike will cope fine with the paths, and it is a shame, perhaps, that marketing has lead us to believe that it might not.

 

[Geoff Crowther]

I presumed @sidevalve meant 'sad' as in it's a shame that the bike industry is now so focussed on niches which it needs to keep separate so it can sell more bikes and accessories (imagine the warehouses full of unsold bikes if everyone was like me, commuting on a 24 year old MTB and building a tourer out of a 20 year old hybrid ) r

Your bike will cope fine with the paths, and it is a shame, perhaps, that marketing has lead us to believe that it might not.

Yep, point taken. P'raps I was a little abrupt.
Cheers
Geoff

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Good stuff. I discovered it, and a few others (like the climb from Hayfield that runs parallel to the main road and brings you out at the top towards Chapel) on a club run earlier in the year. We were actually killing each other as one of Rob3rts club mates from Manchester Wheelers was out and he's a bit quick.

Yes, the other one's called Highgate Road and I ride that too at least once a week. Fact is, those two (Highgate Rd & Sitch) are the only ways out of Hayfield (on tarmac) without using A roads, so, despite the effort, make for more pleasant riding. I go up Highgate, then at the top join the main road briefly before turning right (at what's called Peep O'Day) and descend Manestone Road to Chinley, then, wherever the mood takes me.

Come and join me sometime if you can cope with a beginner .

 

[Apollonius]

You need to use a mountain bike the SECOND you are off perfect tarmac. EXACTLY the same as you need a 4 by 4 to go to Waitrose in case it rains.
FACT.

 

[Geoff Crowther]

You need to use a mountain bike the SECOND you are off perfect tarmac. EXACTLY the same as you need a 4 by 4 to go to Waitrose in case it rains.
FACT.

Gotcha - thanks for explaining that. Which is EXACTLY why I used our 4x4 Scooby Doo for my supermarket trip this morning .

 

[Luba]

Sorry, don't know your particular routes but often ride on disused train tracks and cycle paths with mine to no ill effect.

The nature of deep gravel is that you HAVE to ride through it fast to stay on the bike, same with grass and mud. No paint damage as far as I can see on my 4 year old bike from taking it "off road"!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Checked - Stitch Lane and Swallowhouse Lane

Had to look it up, but I know it.