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

work out what kind of riding you want to do, they are both completely different bikes

is that a Charge Bender, RPM?

holly shit i grew up in the mtns, but have only been mountain biking twice.... i want to go with you crazy fixers... if any one has a bike i can borrow

nimhbus is that a Charge Bender, RPM?

it's a charge blender.

and you're far too gay to be able to ride a jump bike

anyone fancy the surrey hills tomorrow? getting the train from balham in the morning (the normal trains from waterloo via wimbledon are not running)
i know the trails well including the less well known stuff.
happy to show people around, helmets and baggys compulsory though :-) plus a bit of fitness, some of the climbs are killers compared to anything in londaahn

Not this week end but I am building up a crapy single speed mbt at the moment so when compleated if the offer is still open I would love to take you up on that in a month or so (withany luck).

T

Saw this too late and got plans today. I'd be up for going down the weekend after next. The climbs are no joke - at least on a SS there's more of an excuse to walk :)

I got a cyclcocrossbike:

Sid Standard Superbe (my first roadie was a Superbe - when I was 12).
10 speeds!
I like it.
Parts are nothing special.

RPM I've got a charge!

it's a play bike.
singlespeed, one brake. until I can afford gears and a front brake.

this is a cheap bike, made up from ebay bits, s/h stuff off mates and donations

cost about £220 so far..

with £1000 you could rule the world

after seeing superted on his stove y'day, i was thinking about get one, chopping off the rear brake and rebuilding the rear wheel to fixed.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360026612

pic

they call that one a "pub bike" !!

I don't see any problems with converting to fixed except WHY?

it's kinda like a 26" wheeled BMX cruiser (not many of them around), I wonder what it would be like on a proper BMX track, would it be ok or would parts bend and disintegrate? there doesn't seem to be any reason why it shouldn't work.

maybe Ted could give it a go round Peckham or Brixton BMX tracks? if he hasn't already

RPM they call that one a "pub bike" !!

I don't see any problems with converting to fixed except WHY?

it's kinda like a 26" wheeled BMX cruiser (not many of them around), I wonder what it would be like on a proper BMX track, would it be ok or would parts bend and disintegrate? there doesn't seem to be any reason why it shouldn't work.

maybe Ted could give it a go round Peckham or Brixton BMX tracks? if he hasn't already

the frame is really strong, cromo; i'd be more worried about cranks etc. wheels defo need rebuild. actually he rode to epping forest sat and rode the trails, brakeless and fixed. scary!!

why chop the rear brake off. Leave the bosses on so that if you anyone else want to use it single speed they can in the future.

Anybody got an 18" surly 1x1 hanging around they don't much want/need? I'm after one. Had a 16" but it was too small :(

Cheers, chris

the stove looks like a right laugh... Is it a nightmare to haul up a hill?

scott not scot [quote]Hammo Anybody got an 18" surly 1x1 hanging around they don't much want/need? I'm after one. Had a 16" but it was too small :(

Cheers, chris

I got an 18" surly karate monkey...but they're 29ers....prob no use to you...:)[/quote]

Hi, yeah not really feeling the 29er thing. Cheers anyway, they are nice bikes. I was umming and ahhing about your dekerf a while back but it wasn't meant to be, obviously.

Another weekend appproaches - and another singlespeed field-trip for Momentum and myself.
Saturday 10am or so at Clapham Junction for a train down to the Downs and a couple of hours of MTB.
Hoping for some single track and some fitness bits.
Pub for a swift one and possibly food then train back to London for 3:30ish?
Forecast is patchy rain :-D - anyone care to join?

Was down there last week, but can't get out this week sadly.

Twas muddy. And full of runners doing a 1/2 marathon up Leith Hill.
Ace though - (apart from 2 punctures).

I'm gonna get my cheapo SS sorted this weekend and take it for a test on Dartmoor, I may well come along next weekend.

2 punctures?! dammit I need another spare tube.. and some zip ties for the crud-catcher.. and some HTFU.

I can't join you this weekend but I'm desperate to get down there at some point. Which are the best trails? I have the Dorking OS map and most of them seem to centre on Leith Hill Tower - is that the best place to start?

leith hill will be muddier than holmbury or pitch at the moment plus some trails like youghurt pots are a no-go area at this time of year (apart from a few weeks ago with 4 weeks of dry/cold)
none of the trails are marked on a map only the bridelways you use to get to them, summer lightning is ridable all year though and should be easy to find as it is an official trail.
it will take ages to find stuff if you don't have a guide who knows the trails so best to just go and explore and make your way from leith to holmbury hill via high ashes farm (easy to find the bridleway on the map)

fatbloke I can't join you this weekend but I'm desperate to get down there at some point. Which are the best trails? I have the Dorking OS map and most of them seem to centre on Leith Hill Tower - is that the best place to start?

That's what I did. Followed a few bridleways up, then coming down keep an eye out for trails off the sides. The Diary of a Mountain Biker site has some good directions. There are a few marked trails around as well (see Redland's site ).
With the map you can't go far wrong (probably!)

I had only one tube patch, so had to sit & wait for some kind folk to come past the 2nd time. Luckily was on one of the busier trails. Note to self - be better prepared next time.

I just sold my single speed MTB when I left Oz. I'm itching to build up a new one.

So you want to be a mountain biker?

TheBrick(Tommy) So you want to be a mountain biker?

heh, that's mildly amusing.

except the tattoo thing doesn't work here, I don't know hardly any MTB'ers with tats, they're all middle class-middle management types who think tattoos are for "losers" or "crusties" or even "couriers"

who ever heard such nonsense?