London Calling

supra-man

given all the snow i dont know if i d make it to SH... swinley may be easier but not eve sure

supra-man

given all the snow i dont know if i d make it to SH... swinley may be easier but not eve sure

Anonymous

Last time it was like this I managed to get to Swinley with some effort but got stuck in the car park! They also closed the Look Out car park and you had to use the one over the road.

It's going to take me a while just to dig the car out and get onto the main road and even then could be an epic fail in attempting it.

Hmm, anyway got Christmas shopping to do today. Think people may be getting gifts from my Sainsburys Local

popstar

Well, decided to ride bike to work. So far, so good and I am faster than cars on the road! Awesome, MTB skillz FTW!

Shmikuk

I drove in to Guildford at 9 in my 70s beetle and an hour and half later it was under 4 inches of snow and the main roads were awful. Slow going and slippery. The only fritter I saw was stuck in a side road spinning it's wheels.

thel33ter

As Cooldad said, Wescott or Dorking could be the best options, as they are both along the A25.

Swinley would also be an option.

Richard2118

Dorking could be an option for me , who might be up for it ?

Weather forecast we use at the airport is saying a bit more snow this afternoon and then again tonight from around 21.00, although this should be light .

Think its best to see, the roads around Capel, Dorking are Ok in places however with a frost tonight the sheet ice will be back.

Anonymous

Main roads that are well travelled are clearing okay, so looks like anywhere on main roads should be okay.

@popstar - surely there are no buses running though?

thel33ter

We''ll be up for it, forecasts are no saying no more snow, but yesterday they were saying light snow showers for an hour or so... :roll:

supra-man

wellin ealing impossible to move my car today,long live summer tires on a rear wheel drive...

bike is faster today

Buckaroo

Main roads are clear round Wokingham/Bracknell at the moment. Nice fresh snow over the fields has the perfect amount of 'crunch' as you blast over it, Swinley could be perfectos if it doesnt freeze too much.

cooldad

@DK - that's what we did. Walked down this morning, bought provisions and thel33ter bought me a xmas present on my cc. Did give me some cash back though.
Went out in the most blizzardy bit was rather nice. Swapped headsets over this afternoon, your tools do make it a bit easier - please could you get something to remove and install the crown race as well for next time I need to do it.

Don't think I can get the car out of the driveway, but if I can Swinley might be the best bet, suggest we get on here early tomorrow and see what it looks like and decide what's happening if anything.
If it's impossible to drive, we are going to head over to Horsell Common as it's just a block away.

Anonymous

Crown race I made do with screwdriver. My forks have notches each side that make it easier to get under to knock it up, then just gradually worked round. Fitting I followed what I'd read elsewhere and just use the old race upside down on top of the new and with a block of wood & hammer, tap it down, again gradually working round.

Should be able to get onto the main road and from there Swinley or Dorking maybe. Or otherwise yeah just somewhere local around one of the commons. I could probably make it over to Tunnel Hill by bike. Takes 30 to mins normally, but in these conditions could take an hour. Wouldn't drive there as Pirbright roads will be a nightmare I bet.

Think the main problem will be if there's any further snow tonight and the slushy roads turning to ice.

I say it every year, maybe I should consider winter tyres. Guaranteed if I do it we'll have baking hot winters for the next 10 years.

njee20

I say it every year, maybe I should consider winter tyres. Guaranteed if I do it we'll have baking hot winters for the next 10 years.

Do it then! Take one for the team.

I'm gonna ride up to the SH, there's not as much snow as a couple of weeks ago, and it's much more compacted, you've not got that layer of powder. Hopefully it won't get too icy either!

Anonymous

Erm, not sure about that. Couple of weeks ago it was just a comparative dusting in the SH. It's a good 3 inches round here so may be more than that up there.

But yeah it could get nicely compacted where it's well trodden. Just around the paths around town I thought it would make great riding.

njee20

There's only a couple of inches here, at the very most (about 7 miles south of Peaslake), I suspect it may end up being more of a fireroad plod, any of the rootier trails particularly may be 'interesting'!

Shmikuk

Keep us posted, also in Woking so would be happy with a local ride also.

Atz

We've got 5 inches in our road. Just went out for supplies and it's "interesting" to say the least.

denzzz28

went out biking today but didnt manage to go peaslake coz it was impossible for 2WD cars to climb even the slightest angle. so we ended up in Dorking at ranmore. we started very late because we have to wait for a mate. the snow was almost a foot deep so pedaling wasnt easy.

so for those going tomorrow good luck



here are some pics

this is before we started

popstar

Unfortunately London Buses are forced to run in these conditions. Was powersliding with full bus of passengers Popstar style on roundabouts! Summer tyres FTW.

Hope tomorrow if conditions are as bad, bastids suspend services ... until conditions improve. So I could be sent home and join you lot riding bikes. But driving on main roads is some sort of spectacle ... seeing majority of posh cars driven badly, sliding around and crashing blocking roads. Think SUN morning Cooldad will capitulate with his RWD definately!

Actually riding bike off road is faster than on road in all that slush, overtook so many buses and cars, seeing people looking at me from their vehicles made me feel -Uber, cuz obviously Popstar is so fast and stylish ! 8)

njee20

Is the shock on that Fuel Ex shorter than stock? The rocker angle looks all wrong. Nice bikes those, I had a 9.5 of that vintage, shouldn't have sold it really.

And... shorts!?

Anonymous

If I'm lucky on Monday work will decide they can't accommodate everyone in the car park and only essential staff are to turn up, like last time. Then it'll be a day playing instead

denzzz28

njee20 wrote:

Is the shock on that Fuel Ex shorter than stock? The rocker angle looks all wrong. Nice bikes those, I had a 9.5 of that vintage, shouldn't have sold it really.

And... shorts!?

everything on this EX8 is stock, i have not change anything nor is the guy i bought it from. this is my first FS MTB so i cant tell if the rocker angle looks wrong or not but is pretty much the same as all Fuel ex models that ive seen so im not sure what you mean by "it looks all wrong"? maybe because its a medium frame at 17inches.

and the shorts!? i have no idea why he wore shorts at -2°c, LOL!

Stan Leigh

Spent today out on Tunnel Hill - Superb conditions .

More importantly I can vouch for good road access to the ' Potters ' lay-by . As in flat , salted & snowploughed - just an option .

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&sourc ... ngdom&z=16

popstar

Pre 2008 Fuel Ex's all of them look similar or like that bike shown in picture. Modernised ones have ABP bling and rocker position in a slightly different manner. Njee shame on you, thought you were the real -Trek- team rider man?! -1 brownie point on you.

Denzz riding and training in winter is best riding of them all. Makes you hardcore rider, just like real men with skillz ! I approve your madness.

p.s. to satisfy ATZ's critical opinion on videos finally made few video's to youtube in his flavour (trail noise and a bit of music).

thel33ter

It's not snowing yet, so in absence of any other plan, should we say 10am at either Dorking or Wescott (Up to you Rich, you're gonna be leading)

Unless it snows heavily during the night of course, in which case either Swinley or Tunnel Hill.

Stan Leigh

Sounds like a plan . But for those of us less local , we will need a postcode or easily identifiable place to find.

njee20

Pre 2008 Fuel Ex's all of them look similar or like that bike shown in picture. Modernised ones have ABP bling and rocker position in a slightly different manner. Njee shame on you, thought you were the real -Trek- team rider man?! -1 brownie point on you.

That's a 2007 EX8, with the 'R1' suspension system, the main pivot was placed differently on each model to suit, the Fuel Ex had it behind the middle ring to balance bump sensitivity with pedalling efficiency, the Top Fuel had it higher and further forward to make it pedal better in the big ring or out of the saddle. It was superseded by the ABP version with the more obviously hydroformed tubing in 2008 as you say, don't worry, still know my Treks :-)

I had a 2007 one like that, but thought I remembered the rocker link being flatter (mine was also a 17.5"). As you say though, they all look like that, obviously just remembered it wrongly!

As an aside, my Top Fuel is the first Trek race bike I've had in years, after 4 consecutive Spesh, so my Trek allegiances aren't that strong. Although the new one's turned up now! :-)

thel33ter

In absence of Richard saying something, the bus stop in Wescott opposite Nirvana Cycles is a decent place to meet.

5 Guildford Road
Dorking, Surrey RH4 3NR

njee20

That road opposite could be interesting to park on, nice little hill to get back onto the A25!