Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Tyres and insert (if fitted) will make much more of an impression, but with that said - a lighter rim will allow a heavier tyre which would hopefully net out at a zero difference in terms of weight but give you a better ride, more grip, resistance to p_nct_r_s etc etc

Woops borrowed a shock pump and my forks had gone from 120 to 60psi. Lucky I checked before racing tomorrow.
Anyone else racing at Cannock tomorrow?

Picked this up today.

A huge thanks to @Alb for going above and beyond in terms of bike prep, sorting me out with spares and accessories and even patiently taking me around some of the trails in Longleat Forest whilst I fumbled about trying to shift using the dropper post.

The bike’s loads of fun and I’m very much looking forward to some off road fun tomorrow.

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Pleasure! Hope it serves you well

That looks bags of fun, welcome to the dark side!

Anyone who’s ridden Bedgebury and BPW know how they compare in grading?
I’m happy to smash round Bedgebury reds as fast as I can but it’s the only MTB place I’ve ridden and I understand they’re not really ‘red’ compared to everywhere else.
I’m going to BPW with a bunch of people considering the beginner package (4 hrs, hardtail, helmet and armour with access to the green trails) - is it going to be boring?

I thought recumbents are the dark side?

I just turned up and rode whatever I fancied. Get up to the top and take your pick.

Not me - what's the race?
I'm doing Pedalhounds enduro at Canada Heights tomorrow, first race of the season with zero prep and zero training will be fun.

I'd imagine a Bedgebury red is probably like a BPW blue.
Like eskay says I can't imagine anyone will stop you riding whatever you fancy, they all start at the same place. Personally I've never done the green but it's probably fun to start on, then progress to blues if you fancy it.
4 hours is plenty of time to get a few runs in but you'll probably want to come back for more!

BPW greens are really good fun- very long flow tracks, bags of room, all well sighted.

They’re probably lacking a few of the (somewhat) more rocky bits that you get every now and again at Bedgebury, but the incline is greater so higher speeds - I’d say that they’re probably pretty equal.

I’m going to BPW with a bunch of people considering the beginner package (4 hrs, hardtail

I’d get a full sus. I’ve ridden BPW on a hardtail. It’s a long way to go to get the shit kicked out of you.

Personally, hiring an e-mtb and ragging it up the trail climb is far more fun and a lot faster than the uplift, but that’s just me.

I can safely say through experience that you cannot by a bike 2nd hand from anyone better!

Also that’s a spec’d hardtail that’ll give you a lot of fun.

Enjoy

Bedgebury really is pretty tame.

BPW blues are like other places reds.

I’ve ridden there on my 140mm travel HT and full sus enduro bike.
If you’re heading there on a hardtail then there’s still a full day of riding if you just ride the blues and reds.
Some reds on a HT might be a bit much though, I wouldn’t want to take Roots Manoeuvres some of the other tech Reds on a HT. Check the map and start with the blues then work up to the reds. I’d say start with Vicious Valley, Hotstepper or Wibbly Wobbly

I never use the uplift, so once I have ridden to the top I only descend to the fireroad and then head back up to the top again.

Riding from the visitor centre to the top isn’t too bad. Done it three or four times and I’ve learnt to just power up the steep rocky fire road just after the uplift road to cut a fair bit of winding gradual climb off the a little way later just go up the fire road that’s next to the trail to save energy and keep things easier.
Once up top you’re right though, you can just ride the top half of the park and fire road back up and keep yourself entertained (until you get belly rumbles and ping it all the way down to fuel up at the cafe).

As a red trail bimbler I'd say that any difficulties with roots and rocks are weather dependent. Wet and slippy is very different from dry and dusty (plus tyre choice).
Some bimbling this morning with youngest and his early bday present...

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The company Onyx is a small part of a larger one that makes farming equipment. Specifically it seems, clutches and gearing.

Need I explain further?
I’m rarely surprised by ‘new’ bike stuff. These hubs did. They’re proper.

Indeed, I’ve seen a guy on a 24 Seven hardtail with 24 inch wheels hitting the black trails at BPW and I’m sure there’s a load of riders that can hit any trail there on a HT… but for many others they’ll find it exhausting at best and out of their depth for the most part.

My response was for Dramatic Hammer who has never ridden there before and is used to riding Bedgebury so was erring on the side of caution. If he gets there and can ride me into a cocked hat and finds my advice way too cautious then they can just hit the more technical trails.

Sweet ride!

I’ve ridden all the reds on a hard tail. It’s fine with a big ol’ fork and a 2.4” tyre.

Obvs some skills required and you get a battering.

Much more fun on FS tho

Out of interest how does BPW compare with the Scottish trail centres?

Wouldn't mind knowing that either. I've not ridden BPW but I have booked myself a week at Inners in April

It was Meyer run and ride xc. Nice mix of categories, not the best course for racing but bloody hard so good for an early season slog.

Made me wish I had a full sus, my old man back and wrists were battered.

Proud dad- my lad smashed out the longest kids race with all the big kids. He never gets tired!

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When I kill what I've got now, I'll shortlist them. Ta