Which defender for mountain biking?

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A few years ago I went greenlaning with a few people, and one of them had a 300 tdi 110. I was in my 88" IIA. I thought the 110 was going to be a bit of a liability, but infact it was amazingly good. It seemed at least as manouverable as my 88" IIA. If only 2 of you will be going on biking trips in the Landy then a 90 would be fine. If you want to take more people then I think a 110 would be a better bet. I find that on camping trips no matter how much space I have I'll fill it with crap, but when I need to, it's quite possible to put a few days supplies and camping equipment into a back pack. I've done a bit of cycle touring and by comparison, the amount of space 2 people have for their gear in a SWB Landy is possitively luxurious.
 
I took the front wheels off (quick release so not a problem at all) the two mountain bikes I used to regularly carry for MTBing and it was not a problem in my 90 hard top.

What everyone has said is true and will make it much easier and comfier but it is entrily possible as is and have space left over for bags/tents, jerry can, etc...

Most say the seats are not great but I have never had an issue with them even on LONG drives - i.e. all day.

You can pick up other seats off ebay if your worried about comfort.
 
I'm only thinking that usually we go in a mates van which has 3 people in the front 3 bikes in the back standing fully assembled with ply shelving on one side for all the gear and stuff, so basically want the land rover equivalent. I like the idea that with a 110 you could fold down the split seats and have bikes poking through from the back and still seat quite a few people. In all fairness its not going to be used for proper offroading, it just needs to be offroad capable if you see what I mean. But at the same time its gonna be my pride and joy (I can already tell) so I don't want it to be a bloody bus. I'm glad that you guys are saying the 110s are still as good off road. I think the 90 would be great if I was buying it for simple camping trips but mountainbiking adds so much more stuff!!
 
atully... now i think about it...

me an t'missus went to cornwall this summer, camping, with my 90. We took a large tent, all the gear, anough tools to fix just about anything, sopme sort of surfy=-body-bordy things, and 2 bikes.

I took the same two bikes to wale with me to uni this year - with the 90 completely full of stuff, literally to the roof - it was probably over legal weight.

I simply tied them to the roof. My roof panel cost me £5 and is already a bit battered and scratched, i just put them both on the roof and ran two long lengths of rope from the outriggers, up over them, through the forks etc a few times and down to the outrigger on the other side.

Then i ran a length of rope from the back, up round and through both bikes, then back to the back again.

Ill see if i can find a piccy or 2 when i get back, but so far ive done well over 1000 miles with the bikes like that, no problem!

And we easily fitted all the camping gear into the 90, with lots of space to spare.
 
Its a joke the amount of stuff you can get in them - I moved a friends house in one go, pile on the roof looked a little mad, but I did it!
 
discojamz said:
that bed arrangement in the back looks pretty nifty, you got any more pics or details of how you've done it?
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Aitken said:
I really like that sleeping platform - I've been thinking about doing a similar thing in my Defender 90 for the old summer holidays this year. I'm only 5' 4" so I don't imagine it would be too claustrophobic!

I for one would be very interested to see any photos you take of the frame, mountings etc...
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I've put a few photos on my website now:

Land Rovers
 
Fenby, that is feckin' brilliant ... ;)

Simple, secure, solid looking, absolutely brilliant. Want my old series 3 back now ... ;)
 
Paul D said:
Fenby, that is feckin' brilliant ... ;)

Simple, secure, solid looking, absolutely brilliant. Want my old series 3 back now ... ;)
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Cheers man:) I'm not too familiar with 90s but I'd imagine that something similar could be done with them too. Not sure about the front mounting above the windscreen - I think something a bit different would have to be done there what with sun visors and headlinings: A couple of legs into the footwells perhaps?
 
fenby1976 said:
Cheers man:) I'm not too familiar with 90s but I'd imagine that something similar could be done with them too. Not sure about the front mounting above the windscreen - I think something a bit different would have to be done there what with sun visors and headlinings: A couple of legs into the footwells perhaps?
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Absolutely brilliant - thanks!

It'll be a bit more complicated for me since my 90 has the sideways bench seats fitted, but shouldn't be insurmountable. Hinged legs are probably the most obvious solution for the front, while the whole thing may have to sit higher in the vehicle to clear the seat backs.

Now I'll just have to wait for my next day off to get something designed...
 
I hope this is still on topic, basically have been looking into this more and want a 110, visited the land rover garage yesterday and have been really put off by the newer (07) 110s with less seating and generally more people carrier feel to the inside so I think what I really wanna do is get a fairly old 110, and spend the extra money on preparing it so its ideal for me, I love tinkering with cars too so it'd be great!!!

Sorry I've rabbled on, but what I wanted to ask was, is it worth getting a 110 with around 100'000 miles on the clock? I mean they really seem to hold their value so even the older ones I'm looking at are at least 75k. Am I right in thinking a defender is the sort of car you look for a good quality one and then if the engine packs up just drop a new one in? I mean what sort of miles can a td5 actually last till?

Sorry for all the noob questions btw

Kris
 
cant say much about the td5s, but....

100,000 miles in a defender is nothing. Depending on how much money you want, i would consider a TDi or even the NA or TD. My mates NA has literally just packed up on him, and that has done 281,000 miles with no problems. Ive just put a 160,000 mile 300TDi into my 90, no problem.

Older ones have less electrics, less to get wet and go wrong, and with a 110 you can literally live in them, they are probably the most practicle vehicle you will ever own.

I had to drive my missus' micra and my mates 205 for about a month, cos i broke my 90, and i got so ****ed off, lack of carrying capacity, lack of vision down the road, lack of space, loads of stuff. Despite them both (at the time) being faster than my 90!
 
that has literally made my day, I want a land rover so that I can do them sorts of miles in it!!! I'll go on so many more trips knowing that the trip isn't taking loads of life out of the car/killing its value, which is pretty much the case going to scotland, wales...etc. The ones that I think I wanna go for are around '95 but they don't look old at all.

And I know what you mean about the 205 and micra, my citroen is probably about the same size, its great to drive but so impractical really.
 
since when did driving to scotland start "taking loads of life out of the car/killing its value"

it int that far away
 
rekon he prob means increasin a 'normal vehicles' mileage is deemed to be the deciding factor on its value.Hes new to landys, he'l soon learn mileage dont mean jack!!
 
do people still worry about milage then ? - should be able to get a few 100K out of most engines if they are looked after
 
yeah like rafa said, mileage doesn't bother me but it does bother people who might buy your car, hence I'm getting a landy. I'm just trying to see if 5 or 6k will get me a fairly good 110 sw, granted I want to do work on it anyways so it doesn't need to be perfect. Seem to be a hell of a lot more 110 hardtops than sw's which is pretty annoying.
 
Sean said:
do people still worry about milage then ? - should be able to get a few 100K out of most engines if they are looked after
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must be, its one of the first details people advertisin put on their...advert.

must admit til I got my defender, I was unsure of goin for a engine with 100k on, specially when ya see older ones with half that!however ya soon learn wat to look for dont ya, and it aint MILEAGE
 
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