Coventry MTBing

I have an old SS Kona that I never get a chance to ride. Anyone else into mountain biking, or want to organise some offroad rides?

I'd be well up for that mate.

Awesome. My bike is at my parents' house at the moment; my little brother is getting into MTBing so I left it there to go out with him on it. Ride the week after next? Does anyone know a route starting from city centre or a nearby train station?

What routes we're you thinking?

I don't know any, but I know there's a disused railway line running from Leamington to Rugby - being a railway line it's necessarily flat, but from photos the surface looks nice and rough.

pretty bike, but raise your brake levers.

Why?

so that you can brake with your weight back as you descend. Bring them up to about 45 degrees-ish, where they are right now is good for slow, techy, trialsy riding with your body above the bike but it'll hamper your dowhillage. Or do whatever feels right to you, but give it a try with them a touch higher. Have a good one, bike looks nice

From rail station woods near memorial park your only option really. better stuff in Brandon Woods & the old quarry behind, or bridleways around coombe abbey.

Not a lot of options around Cov. When I was involved with the council I had an enquiry from a guy who wanted to build a Downhill Course.

I asked him to suggest a suitable hill & never heard owt back...

p.s. best riding a reasonable train journey away is probably Cannock Chase

so that you can brake with your weight back as you descend. Bring them up to about 45 degrees-ish, where they are right now is good for slow, techy, trialsy riding with your body above the bike but it'll hamper your dowhillage. Or do whatever feels right to you, but give it a try with them a touch higher. Have a good one, bike looks nice

Cool, thanks for the advice. Not really ridden any MTB in anger before...

Brandon Woods looks promising as a complete novice - probably 20 mins ride from centre/south east Coventry - easy enough. Anyone up for it?

Memorial park has a few nice, but short trails. Wayne Body Woods further along the Kenilworth road is kinda cool also if you like mud plugging. Again, it's limited but you can have fun there. Other than this, bridleways and stuff between Cov/Kenilworth/Leamington can be OK but pretty much are just cycling through bumpy grassy fields.

I sort of wish I still had an mtb, but I haven't used my old one in ages. I have pipe dreams of some sort of steal framed 29er or something like that. I'm trying to reduce my bikes at the moment so not really an option right now.

Take the Twenty.

Hehe. Damit. I need to stop looking on eBay!

Mind, if I get the Croix de Fer built up I could use that ;)

Ahem. Just got a new MTB to take to NZ with me - should really get some practice in first. Anyone?

Hello Coventry peeps, there's a chance I might be heading up your way. What's the mountain bike riding like in the area?

Cheers

Shiiiittttttttttttttt. But I've got a kona, let's get off roading.

sounds awesome (ly shit) but even so, should I find myself in Cov then I'll let you know. Nice one.

Possibly the best thing remotely close is Wales.

I jest... Cannock Chase over the other side of Brum is supposed to be good. Other than that, in and around Coventry there's Corely Rocks I think. Not been there since I was a kid, but I think it's north Coventry.

Just stumbled across some routes here:

http://www.godivatrailriders.org/content/map.shtml

Brandon quarry ftw!

Or buy some bmx's and head over Perry Park, 5m start hill race track.

There's a 4X track over in Leamington apparently too.

Corely rocks is a good ride and few beers thing! Cannock chase is a good mooche about aswel!

^^ yes, good fun too.

Brandon Quarry this weekend? If I can get my brakes bled I would be up fer it.