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

I think Cake and I are out for tomorrow.

yeah, sorry about that. Family commitments confirmed for the afternoon.

Thinking of driving upto Epping earlyish though as it's a bit nearer and aiming to be back in town for lunchtime.

Shame as i do want to check out Swinley.

#nexttime

Think I have to change at Richmond to get a train that early on a Sat. Will try and join Howard's train there.

So still 10.15 at Swinley?

So James and I are getting to Swinley for a 9.30 skills session everyone else welcome to join or meet in the car park at 11.30 for a normal ride!

Shit Mountain Bikers Say - YouTube

almost certainly a repost
but i found it funny

^ yes and yes

On the off chance that anyone is MTBing today, I'm going to be around Swinley - apparently on my own. Red top, On One ti456.

DH 29er - YouTube

After some fit advice if someone knowledgeable could help... Anyone know how to roughly adapt contact points on a road fit to a 29er? I know saddle height, stack reach etc, but no idea how that might translate to a MTB fit.

Thx :)

Far from an expert but I think the general idea is fit is a bit less critical for MTBing as you'll spend a good deal of your time out of the saddle. That being said, for reference my 29er's saddle height is the same as my fixed road bike which is about 8-10mm lower than what I'd have on a geared road bike.

You're going to have the same problems I do with getting the front end high enough to give you a balanced attack position when standing up. My 29er forks' steerer is uncut with about 45scobles of spacers and 2" rise bars.

Meant to add you're welcome to have a go on my Swift if you want to as it should be about right for you.

fit is a bit less critical for MTBing

Whether it's less critical may be moot, but there is such a range of activities under the portmanteau of MTB that no one solution can be right for everybody. A full-on race XC position won't be far different from a road race 'on the hoods' fit triangle, but for anything else there is a need to compromise away from aerodynamics and aerobic efficiency and towards control and balance.

Yes. Perhaps "less tightly defined" is a better way of putting it.

I find fit is more about optimising control and balance on my mtb, pretty much all positions are comfortable within reason.

It looks like I'll be meeting hewhocannotpost at the Lookout at 9.30 on Saturday morning if anyone else fancies coming out.

Anyone riding tomorrow (Saturday 11 Feb)?

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/news/Latest+news/The+wrong+way+forward
http://singletrackworld.com/2012/02/access-all-areas-dark-clouds-on-the-horizon/

if you ever fancy a weekend treat.. check out John Pitchers place in the yorkshire dales.. this guy is a local legend..

http://www.thebikelivery.com/

'he helped me out on saturday when i had index/rear mech problems'

Anyone want to ride on Sunday 25th March? I'm planning on doing this north downs route that I've pinched from SingleTrackWorld. Plan to get the train from Waterloo or Victoria to Dorking arriving about 10am. STW reckon the ride takes a good four hours or so, and I'll be stopping for lunch at a pub. PM or comment here if interested.

Nobody? Come on, the weather is looking pretty good.

I'm finally going to do Swan's Way on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Well worth doing that - some excellent trails, technical sections, brutal hills, chilled out fire roads & twisty single track. Like Swinley, but with pubs.

Here's the trace.

And here's a pic.

Well I did Swan's way y'day.

Parked car by prior arrangement at a B&B near start. Headed to start. Puncture #1.

Start is in Salcey forest, quick stretch, start the route (new maps courtesy of here and route from web - fingers crossed won't need paper back up). Leaving forest into the sun and hit the first of many tracks wredked by horses. Badly chewed then set solid. Glad I have FS and a granny ring. Most of the tracks follow hedgerows - bad news for punctures.

Stunning scenary - it's hot real hot, glad I put some suncream on. Miles go slow as I take it slow in order not to blow up.

Milton Keynes - real test for the garmin. The route is close to the actual trails so some interpretation required. Amazing that such a large city is so bike friendly. I barely have to cross a road let alone go on one. The contrast of the route is hard to read with sunglasses on. Puncture #2 - 2 holes.

A long hard section with some steep hills at Quainton. A million really crap gates to open - made up for by the lambs and their mums.

Lunch stop in Swanbourne, village shop has puncture repair kits and inner tubes!

Get to Bledlow - home turf. Up the pace on the ridgeway. Puncture #3. Getting slick at this. Want to get to the end not just home (10miles from end) so speed up. Puncture #4. Light fading - really going for it. Last 5 miles pretty fast going. End of route. 68.8 miles 7.5 hours. Total for day 82miles in just under 10 hours.

Now to cycle back and get the car............. road I think.

Sounds epic - got a trace? Not quite sure from your description if you had fun - is it worth doing?