Whilst pushing up Black Sail pass.....

[Richpips]

This weekend I rode my old Cannondale with it's plethora of gears as opposed to my 9 speed Iro that I used on the HTR.

I couldn't believe how much harder (with a lighter load) it was to push over rocks.

Admittedly the Iro has a 29 er front, but I don't think the wheel size is the whole story.

I've just looked and the bars on the cannondale relative to the axle are about 1" rearward, whereas on the Iro this measurement is around 4".

Would this measurement account for me feeling as if I was pushing the bike into the rocks rather than over them?

[ericrobo]

I did most of the Lakeland 200 last Weds,Thursday,Friday and thought the pushing/heaving/wrestling with the bike up Mosedale and over the Blacksail Pass was horrendous ! On my Scott Genius 26" wheels, I was constantly thinking that a 29er would be just that easier not just for riding and rolling over rocks, but also when pushing uphill... your front wheel comes against the next obstacle and there is the resistance, so surely with a bigger wheel it's going to roll over easier ! Anyway I'm going to get a 29er in September, probably a Spark 910.
It was also desperate coming down, as was the descent down from Scarth Gap.
Funny isn't it, I did HTR430 in May over several days and thought nothing could equal (be worse than !) the section over to Achnashellach (and for that matter the section after Shenavall Gleann na Muice Beag... and then parts of the Lakeland200 seemed just as bad !
Overall though a fantastic tour.
How did you get on with it ?

[fatbikephil]

Summit of helvelyn, 1988. Rigid 26er (there was nowt else in those days!) I rode styhead, blacksail, scarth gap as well as the Helvelyn route. Being 17 helped mind you!

[Mike]

Not seeing it myself ive riden loads in the lakes and pushed up lots of mountains all on a 26" wheel base and never had a problem over anything! I guess the difficulty comes with our own strength/fitness when having to push up say Blacksail pass? This isnt a dig btw its just how i see it
As for the lakes 200, how does it ride is it worth a go as im there next week? tar

[Richpips]

Not seeing it myself ive riden loads in the lakes and pushed up lots of mountains all on a 26" wheel base and never had a problem over anything! I guess the difficulty comes with our own strength/fitness when having to push up say Blacksail pass? This isnt a dig btw its just how i see it
As for the lakes 200, how does it ride is it worth a go as im there next week? tar

There's definitely a difference in the handling between the two bikes.

The 200 is a cracker. Ride it while it is dry, it is at the mo.

[Ian]

How feasible is it carry the bike up?
Would it be quicker than a difficult push?Wheel size less of an issue too

[Dave Barter]

I developed a technique for when I took my bike to the top of the UK 3 highest peaks.

I took the wheels off and strapped the bike frame to my pack. I then used the wheels as "walking poles". This worked a treat for long extended hikes but is clearly a pain for short sections. I found wheels to be perfect walking poles for me, the right height, grippy and the tyres roll over the rocks.