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

Swinley is fucking awful. I don't think I'll ever ride there again. It's ok for most of the rich fuckers around there to keep buying new bikes when the sand destroys them after 3 rides.

Yeah I'll head out there tomorrow.

James - I've got a road 10 speed chain if that will work.

I have a chain in the post, so hopefully it will arrive tomorrow morning.

Gabes, what has swinley destroyed for you? For me it has been the chain and the frame damage from chainsuck.

same as you, plus brake pads, and pedal bearings.

Dorking, Wales, or Devon, i've done way more miles at these, with little to no damage.

Cedywedy, Howard and I went out to Dorking today.

Hats off to Cedric, ss tricross bike and he beat the two of us on hardtails up a lot of the climbs and managed one decent where Howard and I both bailed.

The weather was surprisingly good, warm and dry. Though the terrain was muddy and flooded in a few places. At times we were riding along with our feet below the waterline or up to our hubs in mud. After lunch the warmth of the day disappeared and we had a fairly harsh headwind on the way back to Dorking when on the road.

Thank you so much to both for waiting for me at Dorking station (I was on a later train).

Overall it was a slightly truncated route that we rode, I was feeling rather full after our pub lunch and Howard had to get back to London.

http://app.strava.com/rides/10731263

Wonderful to get out and make the most of the day.

Repped, not that this will help your infinit neg rep. haha

Really good riding with you and Howard, that descent did scare me a little bit. And cheers for the headwind shielding ;)

Yup cheers for that!

The burgers at the Royal Oak are excellent, should anyone else be riding in the area and need a refill.

You fell off again james?

nope, we all stayed upright

though there were a few times where we all just ground to a halt in mud that was up to our hubs, even then everyone managed to jump off their bikes and not fall in

at least it wasn't swinley mud! bye bye hubs.

Broke a rib tonight. Fucksticks.

Met a bunch of braver, more talented blokes who revealed some bits of trail I hadn't discovered. Steep bits. I froze with a fistful of front brake and cartwheeled down being beaten by the boat anchor following me.

Now I have the familiar developing pain in my lower left ribcage. Right now it hurts to hiccup, in a week's time I'll need pushing out of bed. Can't wait.

May have been the last MTB ride I do - I fucking hate coming back from a ride on a downer.

Whinge over.

ouch, where were you?

Broke a rib tonight.

Only one? Stop whinging.

Only one? Stop wheezing.

ftfy

I have various triggers for asthma, one of which, apparently, is having 4 snapped ribs poking into one of my lungs :-)

Asthma to look forward too aswell? That's my road riding scuppered too, thanks for the good news :)

This was at my local woods, a defunct quarry 2 miles from my door in Northamptonshire. I'm lucky to have some great trails but it's a bit of a downer when you've been riding them on and off for 5 years and get well and truly shown up by a bunch of blokes 10 years older.

Asthma to look forward too aswell?

Only if you already had it.

Also, the drugs are effective and legal for competition, so asthma isn't necessarily a bar to racing.

boo hoo, stick to your road bike then.

Thanks. I was actually feeling the benefit of rolling with better riders and was looking forward to riding with them again to improve my skills. Now I've just got out of bed because I can't get comfortable and I wont be able to do my manual job tomorrow so no pay for a while.

So yeah, I'll stick to my road bike then.

Insomnia thread >>>>>>>>

Thanks. I was actually feeling the benefit of rolling with better riders and was looking forward to riding with them again to improve my skills. Now I've just got out of bed because I can't get comfortable and I wont be able to do my manual job tomorrow so no pay for a while.

So yeah, I'll stick to my road bike then.

Bah, if you aren't falling off you aren't trying hard enough - good to hear that you were pushing your limits. Ribs are painful and annoying I know but it sounds like it could have been worse :)

Yeah, sorry if I sounded dickish, but you don't learn without falls. Don't quit just yet.

Anyone riding Mayhem this weekend?

Twickenham CC grass track on Sunday. Will post the details in a bit.

Twickenham CC grass track.

Omnium at 12 noon (1 lap dash, Devil, Keirin, Scratch)
BC at 1pm

Entries available on the day. For the omnium, as I understand it, you don't need a track bike - geared / SS crossers would probably be a good idea.

For the championship a fixed, brakeless track bike fitted with nobblies is required.

Sunday 24th June, Kneller Gardens

Email BarbaraVance10@aol.com for more information.