London Calling

benpinnick

MrCubeLtd wrote:

The GPX file I got hold off won't import into viewranger. Also the map coverage of the forest on viewranger is very basic. At least something is better then nothing Also have printed map...

Now all I need to do is buy a massive bag of sweets and drop them behind me to follow my trail back to the carpark and hope that no other animals or riders f*cking eat them!

Download trails and on import do the search on every trail, search of swinley. Mines on there as swinley big loop, but there's tons of track to choose from. Don't forget to save the maps locally and you'll be sorted.

Anonymous

benpinnick wrote:

Oh and GPS works on Satellites not mobile towers, so yes your GPS will work

Though the problem with satellites is trees get in the way. Thick tree covered areas the GPS can wander off a bit.

Phones with GPS do use the mobile signal but only as an assistance to get a quick fix. It's not required and frequently when out in the Surrey Hills there's zero signal anyway. Just takes longer to get the fix. Bit of a problem if the GPS signal is lost though as can take a while to get it back.

As for ViewRanger and Swinley - use the freebie online maps like OpenCycleMap. Should find a lot of the trails are marked around Swinley (blue dotted trails). Problem with the online maps is they don't have a pre-download option, but they can be cached by viewing the area at home first, but I find I have to zoom in and scroll about the area to get it to do it. Bit of a pain. At least on Android anyway that's what I find.

benpinnick

I think Trails is probably better than Viewranger (having tested viewranger out today). Especially as trails hooks straight into everytrail, which has loads of decent GPX tracks in the UK (including Swinley) and a really easy caching option for the mapping. If only its position update on the screen were a little better, it would be perfect. Even when you set the update to 5m it still can take a while to update the screen, so you sometimes miss the odd trail, but you get use to 'predicting' the turns you need to make, maybe due to the tree cover as DK says.

ThePriory1978

Been posted many times before:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e148/ ... ge/web.jpg

A Swinley forest map with trails labelled. This map got me back on track after a 10year mtb hiatus and its surely easier than all this GPS shinanigans.

arigold

benpinnick wrote:

I think Trails is probably better than Viewranger (having tested viewranger out today). Especially as trails hooks straight into everytrail, which has loads of decent GPX tracks in the UK (including Swinley) and a really easy caching option for the mapping. If only its position update on the screen were a little better, it would be perfect. Even when you set the update to 5m it still can take a while to update the screen, so you sometimes miss the odd trail, but you get use to 'predicting' the turns you need to make, maybe due to the tree cover as DK says.

I clearly wasn't paying attention over the weekend. Is this Trails by Felix lamouroux?

benpinnick

yes

benpinnick

ThePriory1978 wrote:

Been posted many times before:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e148/ ... ge/web.jpg

A Swinley forest map with trails labelled. This map got me back on track after a 10year mtb hiatus and its surely easier than all this GPS shinanigans.

You're welcome On everytrail there is a GPX of this uploaded by me called Swinley Big Loop which also has the New England Switchbacks too.

tonionio

Any trails for this weekend?:P
I ll take the train to join (if its possible )!
My bike just arrived today and I need a test drive! I ll take it on the road for a quick spin but it wont do much :P

cheers

popstar

Welcome to da gang, here speaketh da mighty Popstar.

No helmet = Sudden Death.
No skills = No problem = wicked videos.
Please do wear Gucci's and the likes, MOR like style.
You will meet so many new people, that even the mightiest of them all haven't met.
Many who had joined us became the diceased ones mtb style.

Peace.

cooldad

Talk about a blast from the past.
Who the fark are you?

Or to be more precise where the fark have you been?

Anonymous

Weekend... ?

Sunday I'm karting in the morning. Otherwise free.

Blind Danny Johnson

deadkenny wrote:

Weekend... ?

Sunday I'm karting in the morning. Otherwise free.

Where are you karting? My friends and I go to Rye House, it's pretty big outdoor track north of london.

Anonymous

Thruxton. Bit of an event being arranged on facebook to do the Team Enduro session. There are spaces still available apparently. Added an invite but you'd probably have to get a team together, and it's probably a fair drive down! Though some from north london going I think.

Rye House I've been to before which was pretty good.

Blind Danny Johnson

deadkenny wrote:

Thruxton. Bit of an event being arranged on facebook to do the Team Enduro session. There are spaces still available apparently. Added an invite but you'd probably have to get a team together, and it's probably a fair drive down! Though some from north london going I think.

Rye House I've been to before which was pretty good.

I've just seen your invite. I can't do Sunday unfortunately but otherwise I'd definitely be up for it and will be for any future events. The track at Thruxton looks amazing!

ThePriory1978

Also got an invite for karting, thankyou-kindly, and i can do Sunday. But its a long drive for me and Sundays the only day i've got to ride so i would rather be shredding the gnar. My only decision is SH or Swinley.

cooldad

I'm up for Sunday, probably just Swinley though.

apreading

Hmmm - may try for a pass on Sunday to go to Swinley. Might not get one though as I was away all last weekend cycling Bournemouth to Brighton... Have been on the *cough* road bike for the last 6 months, training for that, so time to get back out on the trails now its done!

Do you have room for relatively inexperienced off roaders on the rides, or should I get up to speed first?

cooldad

Plenty room, you are more than welcome. Only plan is to have some fun, speed etc is unimportant, mainly because I am always at the back anyway.
I normally try for late morning - 11 ish, so I have time for bacon beforehand.

apreading

Will see what the missus says then - if not this weekend then some time soon...

benpinnick

I will apply for a pass, but not sure Ill get one after last weekend's epic ride-a-thon.

cooldad

Time is flexible, I just don't like mornings much, and we normally wait for DK, as he lives in his own time zone.
@Ben - you should have told her you spent the weekend doing domestic chores, which wasn't that far from the truth. Excellent Chili.

Blind Danny Johnson

I'm going to head to Swinley tomorrow evening about 6.30pm if anyone's up for it?

tonionio

Blind Danny Johnson wrote:

I'm going to head to Swinley tomorrow evening about 6.30pm if anyone's up for it?

If it was a bit closer to me I would come!But I have to take 2 trains and do aprox 2 hours :P so for evening is a no for me :P(I have no car)

benpinnick

Wife is going out on Saturday night, which means a sunday pass for me! 11am At the lookout?

ThePriory1978

cooldad wrote:

I'm up for Sunday, probably just Swinley though.

benpinnick wrote:

Wife is going out on Saturday night, which means a sunday pass for me! 11am At the lookout?

I'm in. 11am fine by me.

Anonymous

Everyone on BBQ duties on Saturday I guess. Hope that means it won't be so busy on the trails

Probably end up Surrey Hills somewhere, though Aston has been mentioned. Clattering chain puts me off the DH stuff though at present. Need chain device (or sort out slack chain, but seems right tension in the stand).

benpinnick

You just need a bigger chainring 44 should do it.

MrCubeLtd

After all help needed for the maps I didn't make to Swinley in the end (sorry) - have had things to sort out. Aiming to go next week instead. This weekend is out due to having my kids.

arigold

Weather looks good, I might come along

cooldad

OK so Swinley, Sunday 11 - me, thepriory, benpinnick, arigold and maybe we meet apreading and tonionio