London Calling

cooldad

Time to start planning the weekend.
What when where who and depending on the weather, why?

paddyb

Weather looks ok - is that road to swinley still closed?

ThePriory1978

Bikes out of order this weekend in the LBS so no riding for me.

cooldad

I think it's closed the other way this weekend.
Will check tonight

Anonymous

Weather according to the radio, might be good, might be bad. They're not sure yet.

Been a lot of water falling anyway.

Usual, Surrey Hills and/or Swinley ?

Atz

Sunday only for me this week, got a thing to go to on Sat that starts at noon and ends at 1am so clearly what I need is an early start on Sunday! Forecast says rain rain and more rain on top of the rain we already had so it should be quagmire-esque at the weekend.

mtb crazy

im hoping to be availabe saturday. will depend on what time im meeting friends and getting ready for a night out. swinley possibly.

ChairmanMeow

evening all,

nooob here with a set of potentially stupid/already answered questions. but i'm feeling brave so here goes:

The surry hills (leith hill/north downs area - what ever it is you call them) can a man just turn up and cycle them without suddenly finding myself at the top of a massive cliff/a very big tree root that might defeat me? is it possible to take an absolute beginner up/down them?
can one hire bikes for the day in that area and if so would you recommend any in particular?

Or should i shell out and get one of the many guide companies to give lessons/guide us round?

my plan: me and my bike and the girlfriend (obvious joke alert) and no bike turn up and see what happens. i've done some riding in wales but by no means that experienced is this niave?

appols if i've posted incorrectly / deeply offended anyone.

Atz

Not sure about rentals. I know you can get bikes in Swinley to rent but I don't know where you'd do the same in the Surrey Hills (they do demos though but it's probably £50 rather than a rental price). To get around, if you ride from Peaslake there's probably going to be people to help you navigate and you could also pick up a map at Nirvana cycles.

Generally as long as you're careful, you won't suddenly be out of your depth but be warned that the riding may be a bit beyond your gf (it's not really tough but some bits need some focus). If it's a first riding experience for her, Swinley might be better to be honest (and as mentioned, easier to rent there).

If you want showing around and can leave the gf at home for a SH ride, plenty of us could show you around.

cooldad

Erm, let’s see:
Surrey Hills - pretty much just turn up and ride - unless you know the trails, a lot of it is fireroad anyway, but even on the singletrack bits there is nothing that should take you by surprise or kill you. There are no sudden massive cliffs or anything.

Absolute beginner - hard to say - suppose it depends on how absolute, as long as you are careful it should be fine, and any 'unrideable' bits can be walked anyway.

Not sure about hiring - I think Nirvana (in Westcott) and Pedal and Spoke (in Peaslake) hire but would suggest making arrangements beforehand as it's not like a trail centre like you'd find in Wales, just hills and stuff.

Somebody on here will probably be riding there this weekend, welcome to join in, just keep an eye on the forum.

Don't think anyone will be offended in the least.

cooldad

What Atz said. I forgot to push enter for a bit.

mtb crazy

i found surrey hills quite a challenge as a newbie, very rooty and quite technical. abit scary also, but i would ride it again. just be careful and take it slow, there are bits that can catch you out.

cooldad

Yeah but we took you down all the evil stuff.

ThePriory1978

I want to try the 'evil stuff'. Sounds fun. It would be good prep for when i do Afan in two weeks.

cooldad

Thel33ter is with me from Sunday evening, so we can ride anytime next week if anyone is free during the week.
As for this weekend, probably Swinley on Saturday (afternoon preferably)

Not sure about Sunday, might have to keep some legs to keep up with thel33ter next week.

popstar

Chairman Meow ... Nirvana cycles do hire bikes of whatever flavour.

Surrey Hills is very good place to start riding but you must remember you 've got to be fit to endure few climbs.



It's obviously a better place for atmosphere like, even though Swinley Forest is easier on beginners and cheaper on renting bikes. If I remember it correct its in a range of £20 for 3 hours of riding etc.

Wish I could take my wife out on trails. She is only good to bake some cakes.

Whatever you decide, you are always welcome to join our gang at any weekends and see how we -roll- .

benpinnick

IMHO, although Surrey Hills is by far the better place to ride overall, Swinley is definitely better for a noob and his (presumably even more noob) wife to start on. Surrey hills is big, and you can find yourself miles from where you started and completely knackered, whereas Swinley is never more than 20 mins fireroad to the car park and cafe. A great place for beginners to get the hang of singletrack riding.

If you're ride happened to coincide with one of my trips there, happy to lend you a spare bike. I would even put a ladies saddle on it for her.

Mr_B1989

cooldad wrote:

Thel33ter is with me from Sunday evening, so we can ride anytime next week if anyone is free during the week.
As for this weekend, probably Swinley on Saturday (afternoon preferably)

Not sure about Sunday, might have to keep some legs to keep up with thel33ter next week.

I'm free Tuesday and Wednesday and as its a week day the trains to Swinley may be a more feasible option than at the weekend, if not I'm always up for surrey hills action.

cooldad

Mr_B1989 wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Thel33ter is with me from Sunday evening, so we can ride anytime next week if anyone is free during the week.
As for this weekend, probably Swinley on Saturday (afternoon preferably)

Not sure about Sunday, might have to keep some legs to keep up with thel33ter next week.

I'm free Tuesday and Wednesday and as its a week day the trains to Swinley may be a more feasible option than at the weekend, if not I'm always up for surrey hills action.

We'll arrange something for those days then.

ChairmanMeow

hola,

thanks for all the advice and generous offers. much appreciated. i may have a look at Swinley. it's just to start her off gently. she'll be fine on the climbs and what not. I just don't want to scare the crap out of her on the first time of asking/get massively lost and have to live of grubs and tree bark for several months as we walk out of there.

Anonymous

benpinnick wrote:

whereas Swinley is never more than 20 mins fireroad to the car park and cafe. A great place for beginners to get the hang of singletrack riding.

Also if you're going to crash and require an ambulance to get you out of there, Swinley is much easier to do that. Getting an ambulance directed to various places in the Surrey Hills is more tricky and they take longer to arrive. Swinley is practically next door to Frimley Park Hospital.

Surrey Hills is more fun and more dangerous though, if you want it to be. Can ride it how you like though. Gentle pottering around is possible, just that there are big climbs involved.

cooldad

Enough chatter. This weekend.
Swinley Saturday around 1. So far me and Mtbcrazy I think.

benpinnick

Im out I'm afraid. Family duties call.

ThePriory1978

My bike is back but alas no. I need to paint a room. I've been putting it off for four weeks.

cooldad

So what difference does another week make?

pieman71

Greetings all, hope all well.

Back from alpine adventure and can only say the mega is hard work but deffo worth doing.

Anyone around for a couple hours saturday morning as the only time I can get out this weekend.

If not may be able to catch up with cooldad et all one evening next week depending on times, as will be working but would like to get out after if possible.

Will check back for any plans.

Cheers
Pie

cooldad

Good to hear you are still alive, and hopefully uninjured.

ThePriory1978

cooldad wrote:

So what difference does another week make?

Cant do next weekend either. Doing a Evans cycles Chilterns ride.

The week after that Afan.

The week after that i'm gunna be nudging you towards showing me Surrey Hills.

That'll be 7 weeks without painting. Her indoors will kill me.

benpinnick

Give her the paintbrush. Problem solved.

cooldad

We are in Wales sometime, just not too organised yet.