Nooby - from NZ to UK

Sezz
Sezz Posts: 15
edited June 2008 in MTB beginners
Hey guys!

Thought I'd say HI. I'm moving over from New Zealand and have just started getting into MBing over the past few months. I'm totally LOVIN it and definately want to keep going when I arrive. Ive been mainly doing downhill and jumps, and borrowing a mates bike to do it. I'll just get me a sh*tty hardtail when I arrive and see what the story is...

I'll be living in Canterbury - and am starting to get a bit worried that there isn't much in the way of MB trails/ downhill/ jumps in the area??? Can anyone help me there?

So yeah any tips about where to go in the South East would be GREAT... also - if there are clubs/ skills clinics.. anything like that

Thanks! Hope to ride with some of you crazies soon!
:D

Comments

  • Rich Hcp
    Rich Hcp Posts: 1,355
    Welcome to Great Britain!

    Loads of great MTBing to be had, you'll love it 8)
    Richard

    Giving it Large
  • Sezz
    Sezz Posts: 15
    Ha! Cant wait, thanks!
  • rob cole
    rob cole Posts: 706
    living in the S-east gives quite easy access to lots of riding:


    Woburn Sands (nr. Bletchley/ Milton Keynes in Bucks)

    PORC (penshurst off road club), Kent

    Aston Hills (nr. Wendover / Tring in Herts)

    Esher Shore (Esher, Surrey) http://www.eshershore.com

    Chicksands (Rowney Warren, Bedford)

    The Lookout (Swinley Woods, Surrey)

    and so on....

    if you are prepared to take a train ride or two (if you are not driving) there is a whole world of riding in the S-East
    check out my riding - www.robcole.co.uk Banshee Factory Team rider, Da Kine UK Team rider, www.freeborn.co.uk www.eshershore.com
  • Sezz
    Sezz Posts: 15
    Oh awesome! thanks for that!! I was worried there'd be a lack of down hill as I've heard that canterbury is flat - I'm guessing it must be just in that area??
    Yeah - totally keen as to jump on a train and check it all out!

    Cheers, see you all out there riding!
    Sezz
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    Sezz wrote:
    Oh awesome! thanks for that!! I was worried there'd be a lack of down hill as I've heard that canterbury is flat -

    Lincolshire is flat. Very flat :cry:
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • Sezz
    Sezz Posts: 15
    Lincolshire is flat. Very flat Crying or Very sad

    Oh mannnnn... that totally sucks! How far do you have to travel for decent downhill?

    I've been very lucky here in Wellington - I have this amazing mountain bike park about 10 minutes drive from my house. Too spoilt!! It's gonna feel like I earned it so much more (I guess) if I have to catch a train for ages to get to my trail from now on
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    There are meant to be some hills further north in Linconshire, but the south is pretty flat. There are some trail centres close, Sherwood Pines is 30 miles away from me. As for proper mountains, Lincolshire is probably one of the areas furthest away from anything big in the country!
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • switchback18
    switchback18 Posts: 617
    South West has some good stuff, but it's not too close. But the UK has some awesome riding. Wales, Scotland & Dalby for some cool man made trails centres, but if you're gettin a hardtail, you have to do some proper mountains as well! Again, Wales, Scotland & also the Lakes, Peaks, Yorkshire Dales. And then there's the North York Moors... not that I'm biased...


    http://www.chasingtrails.co.uk
    chasingtrails.com | twitter | facebook
  • Sezz
    Sezz Posts: 15
    Yeah - I gotta say, I wayyyy more interested in trying out the REAL mountains. Gonna be well up for some missions around the UK. I looked at those man-made raised trails, looks cool, but I dunno if I could get as addicted to that as I am to feeling the earth beneath my tires... and sometimes my skin... :?
  • GibboGT
    GibboGT Posts: 287
    BlackSpur wrote:
    Sezz wrote:
    Oh awesome! thanks for that!! I was worried there'd be a lack of down hill as I've heard that canterbury is flat -

    Lincolshire is flat. Very flat :cry:

    Just so you don't get too worried, Canturbury is Kent, Lincolnshire is about 200 miles away. :)
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    GibboGT wrote:
    BlackSpur wrote:
    Sezz wrote:
    Oh awesome! thanks for that!! I was worried there'd be a lack of down hill as I've heard that canterbury is flat -

    Lincolshire is flat. Very flat :cry:

    Just so you don't get too worried, Canturbury is Kent, Lincolnshire is about 200 miles away. :)

    I also spotted that rather daft statement!

    While Canterbury is hardly the Alps, there is still fun to be had.

    Where in NZ are you from Sezz?

    The South (and North) Downs are nearby - quite hilly. Bigger hills to be found a bit further away in Wales, the Quantocks and Malverns. Peak district also not TOO far.
  • Sezz
    Sezz Posts: 15
    I'm in Wellington - so plenty of nice hills here.

    How far is the Peak district?

    I checked out where south and north downs are - they're close to where I am, so I'm stoked!

    2 and a half weeks to go! Is gonna be so fun exploring all this new territory!!

    My dear old mother knows I'm into mountain biking (she lives in the UK) - and told me she got me a bike fpr when I arrive. I was stoked - but a little sceptical about the type of bike she got me... she took a photo of it - it's a Falcon Blackwolf ... never heard of it before - I have googled it - I think it is a boys bike? (as in 9-12 year olds??) I had to have a giggle! I'm sure it will be fun to ride down steps on - but I might have to break her heart and get something a bit more - well, my size! hahaha

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