London Calling

thel33ter

The problem was too many boring fireroad climbs, with too many boring fireroad descents.

Heart rate would have been way up after sessioning the Gully or some or the trails from the Clubhouse.

Atz

What on earth were you doing descending on fireroads? There's almost no time you need to do that at Swinley if you're not route-retarded

Anonymous

Pretty much possible now to do routes that avoid most of the fireroads in Swinley other than crossing them. You should especially have no need to go up and down that awful massive wide fireroad.

If it's just me, I often go to the right of the look out and head off that way with a few odd bits of singletrack that then hooks up with the long single/double that goes all the way to the gully (and maybe detour round The Stickler / Tank Traps), then up to the reservoir and dive off to the left with numerous options of singletrack (inc a nice gnarly switchback DH bit) to get you to any of the climbs to top of Labyrinth. Do all the DH stuff, then at the top again over the fence and down one of the routes there. Possibly a stretch of fireroad to get to Seagulls, then it's singletrack again, out the end of that and short climb and do that gnarly bit in the dark woody area (where I bust up my foot), out round, over the fence and singletrack most of the way to corkscrew. Then back and you can hit the other end of the doubletrack that would go all the way to the gully, or break off part way and do some more bits that head back to the look out.

And loads of variations of. Hard to describe it all, I just navigate by recognising where I am at the time. But best thing is you can mix it up each time with different routes. There's also stuff out on the right of the big wide fireroad that I did once with another group but not sure how to find that again.

supra-man

saturday meet up for xmas drinks in afternoon?



sunday we ride as usual...

Buckaroo

Off topic.... (sorry)....

Recommended N.Wales stop over the winter.. http://www.graigwen.co.uk/modx-0961p2/A ... -Wales.php

Stayed there in Sep, very friendly, cosy place.

... On topic...

deadkenny wrote:

I just navigate by recognising where I am at the time. But best thing is you can mix it up each time with different routes.

Been going since May, I still have NO IDEA where I am and where anything is, rubbish!

thel33ter

Buckaroo wrote:

Off topic.... (sorry)....

164 pages of this thread are off topic, kinda like this post

A great way to get to know Swinley is to just work out where the huge fireroad is, the Labyrinth and the Gulley and you can pretty much navigate around most of it. Or get memorising this...


http://www.calcot.plus.com/swinleysingletrack2.jpg

Buckaroo

thel33ter wrote:

164 pages of this thread are off topic

I hadn't noticed... :roll:

I took a copy of that once back in the summer, spent more time looking at the map and my GPS than I did riding.... didnt bother taking it again!

French_Aristo

thel33ter wrote:

Buckaroo wrote:

Off topic.... (sorry)....

164 pages of this thread are off topic, kinda like this post

A great way to get to know Swinley is to just work out where the huge fireroad is, the Labyrinth and the Gulley and you can pretty much navigate around most of it. Or get memorising this...


http://www.calcot.plus.com/swinleysingletrack2.jpg

Had enough trouble not loosing anyone taking boring fireroad
Further more, I do epic xc rides. Short single track going downwards and walked back up (a thing I can't do due to a bad leg) don't really help me keeping fit and building stamina

Shouldn't be an issue if we didn't stop 10 minutes every 15 ;-)

thel33ter

When I'm not staving off my annual illness with rather untraditional Muti, I'll be back to riding everything, and only pushing up to re-do bits that I've crashed on, that are wholly unrideable.

Anonymous

supra-man wrote:

saturday meet up for xmas drinks in afternoon?

I'll probably be recovering from the night before so probably wouldn't make it. Will see how it goes on the day. Then again if I did I wouldn't get up Sunday morning

Richard2118

So Getting back to topic.....

Who is on for Sunday?

ME
Cooldad
DK
Supra-man

10.00 walking bottom , probably Winterfold way again , have more goodies that we found recently, although probably won't do the trail with the 10ft gap in it.

thel33ter

Richard2118 wrote:

the trail with the 10ft gap in it.

Theres no harm in taking a look right?

French_Aristo

thel33ter wrote:

When I'm not staving off my annual illness with rather untraditional Muti, I'll be back to riding everything, and only pushing up to re-do bits that I've crashed on, that are wholly unrideable.

Honestly not you that I was worried loosing at back

cooldad

@DK/Atz This wasn't Swinley but through the fence in Sandhurst I think. Had signs warning not to play with bombs anyway. Had some really interesting looking bits and well worth a decent explore. Popstar and I got a chance to see some of the scenic bits when we got lost after being deserted.

French_Aristo

cooldad wrote:

@DK/Atz This wasn't Swinley but through the fence in Sandhurst I think. Had signs warning not to play with bombs anyway. Had some really interesting looking bits and well worth a decent explore. Popstar and I got a chance to see some of the scenic bits when we got lost after being deserted.

Yep there are some interesting bits with some technical downs
We barely touch the potential of the Sandhurst academy but time was restricted, best done in the sun ad the views are stunning or @ night as the place can still be practiced at speed even at night as the trails have very few trees to hit

Richard2118

Richard2118 wrote:

So Getting back to topic.....

Who is on for Sunday?

ME
Cooldad
DK
Supra-man

10.00 walking bottom , probably Winterfold way again , have more goodies that we found recently, although probably won't do the trail with the 10ft gap in it.

Thel33ter( its a big off camber gap but we can look , riding umm ,not sure on that until its very dry)

Anyone else?

cooldad

Only Tuesday (well Wednesday really I suppose) should have some more waking up by the end of the week.
Looks like it might be interesting. Snow forecast Friday and Saturday but clearing for Sunday.

Richard2118

cooldad wrote:

Only Tuesday (well Wednesday really I suppose) should have some more waking up by the end of the week.
Looks like it might be interesting. Snow forecast Friday and Saturday but clearing for Sunday.

yes the weather forecast we use here at the airport says up to 9cm's Sat, but keeps changing and the met office appear to be unsure( i have a feeling it will not be as bad as last time)
In fariness being unsure is probably because they told us that we would get about 5-10cms and we ended up with 2ft !!!
150 000 tonnes of snow later and 2 days of clearing it and we were able to open up again!!

popstar

Wish I could join you lot this Sunday. Working weekends again ... but at least finishing 16.00 so think should explore bits FA showed us as they are very good for XC mileage.

French_Aristo

popstar wrote:

Wish I could join you lot this Sunday. Working weekends again ... but at least finishing 16.00 so think should explore bits FA showed us as they are very good for XC mileage.

Get yourself back in shape and I will show you a 40 km loop that is fairly well balance for xc/trail/dh day
About 3h30 to 4h riding (+stops, but the point of xc is to somewhat limit those to build up stamina)

Can also be done at night which is a lot of fun but takes about 30minutes more so best to be done in summer :roll:

French_Aristo

the whole nine yards trail
http://youtu.be/tYjQmegsPVU


just testing
I am going to do most if not all the trails of Swinley worth doing and add their gps tracking
This said I would be better served doing on a day with more light and with someone in front that:
Have brakes
Can change gear when needed
Can ride every trail blasting without stops

So PopStar, fix the bike and get back in shape fast 8)

supra-man

French_Aristo wrote:

the whole nine yards trail
http://youtu.be/tYjQmegsPVU


just testing
I am going to do most if not all the trails of Swinley worth doing and add their gps tracking
This said I would be better served doing on a day with more light and with someone in front that:
Have brakes
Can change gear when needed
Can ride every trail blasting without stops

So PopStar, fix the bike and get back in shape fast 8)

Carefull, if you give him back the taste of climbs you will be in for a surprise,

French aristo do you ever ride on weekends? saturdays? 40k loop sounds interesting

Shmikuk

I may be in for Sunday dependent on other commitments.

French_Aristo

supra-man wrote:

French_Aristo wrote:

the whole nine yards trail
http://youtu.be/tYjQmegsPVU


just testing
I am going to do most if not all the trails of Swinley worth doing and add their gps tracking
This said I would be better served doing on a day with more light and with someone in front that:
Have brakes
Can change gear when needed
Can ride every trail blasting without stops

So PopStar, fix the bike and get back in shape fast 8)

Carefull, if you give him back the taste of climbs you will be in for a surprise,

French aristo do you ever ride on weekends? saturdays? 40k loop sounds interesting

Every other week when my boys stays with his mum
Won't be in the country until mid Jan

And as far as Popstar is concerned, with a baby due in 2 weeks I seriously dought he find the time to put the miles to play in the same league ;-)

Atz

I'm in for sunday. Would be interested in the longer swinley loop. I think mine is about 30k if I work it right

njee20

Steady on here gents sounds like you're gonna start riding rather than socialising :-)

popstar

Well, as it will take some time for me to prepare think Thel33ter and Njee can give plenty of challenge to FA* atm. Us lazy crowd can watch that awesomeness happening and organise -Wacky Races- as well. Richard could show killer loop around SH to FA too, I bet that will serve all riders well.

I am known to run away from home to ride bikes, so will condition myself soon enough.

supra-man

njee20 wrote:

Steady on here gents sounds like you're gonna start riding rather than socialising :-)

I d be happy to follow you on a non stop ride ( after xmas), though would need to put on granny ring back to not slow down in climbs, riding with faster riders makes you progress.

plus I got a few races to get ready for next year. I think ATZ as well.

XC keeps you fit.

Anonymous

njee20 wrote:

Steady on here gents sounds like you're gonna start riding rather than socialising :-)

Careful now. Can't be doing that, else I might start getting some exercise!

supra-man

popstar wrote:

Well, as it will take some time for me to prepare think Thel33ter and Njee can give plenty of challenge to FA* atm. Us lazy crowd can watch that awesomeness happening and organise -Wacky Races- as well. Richard could show killer loop around SH to FA too, I bet that will serve all riders well.

I am known to run away from home to ride bikes, so will condition myself soon enough.

Popstar You will become the awesomeness... new year resolution....
I mean time 2 weeks back in france for lots of xc on the big bike. no fitness but the spirit is there.