south downs -brighton area

Ransaka

I've ridden some of it in Stamner Park as I go through it every morning and afternoon to and from work but not Wild Park. Apparently there's a short downhill style track in Wild Park somewhere but not sure where.

phal44

The only riding I have done in the last year or so when I've started again has been around the Downs here near Shoreham and 1 afternoon in the Seven Sisters/Friston Forest near the Cuckmere near Eastbourne some of that was quite fun

Ransaka

Friston Forest downhill track is supposed to be nice. Not been up there yet, too much of a noob currently.

matt-

I need to get a couple of bits on my bike sorted out next week (need my front wheel unbuckling and got to get some new tyres) - you guys fancy hooking up for a ride next weekend? I definately need to give some of the local singletrack a go!

phal44

Ransaka wrote:

Friston Forest downhill track is supposed to be nice. Not been up there yet, too much of a noob currently.

Did realise there was a DH track there? lol All I saw was some Singletrack stuff which was quite fun. It was hard following the signs for the MTB track though since some of them werent that obvious to me but it was still fun and a change from theh usual chalky/flint covered roads on the Downs hehe


I should be free over the weekends for some riding! Actually have some time off coming up too hehe

matt-

yea I didnt have a clue there was one there either, I'll have to give that a bash - hope its nothing too serious as I dont have a DH bike!!

phal44

Must be hidden somewhere cos I didn't see any signs for it lol

There were a few scary steep bits on the single track lol but thats mostly cos Im a noob. There was one drop down which I rode up to twice and chickened out and the third time I was gonna stop again but the front wheel went over the crest and I just though 'sod it' and then went weeeeee down the slope lol

Ransaka

I'd be up for a a few hours one weekend in the near future when I have the spare time for sure and I've got over this bout of gastroenteritis.

matt-

just thought id bump this...

any of u guys been to the wild park DH track? i was cycling around the area yesterday but couldnt find it...

i've got my bike fixed now so if anyone fancies hooking up for a brighton/stamner/ditchling ride next weekend (6th, 7th Nov) or even tomorrow (31st Oct) i'd be up for it!

matt

matt-

bump for Brighton and Hove! find me some riding buddies

Ransaka

I'd be up for hooking up and going for a bit of a thrash (slowly up though as I'm unfit and tubby :oops: ) in the near future.

Not found the downhill track at Wild Park, have found some nice but short singletrack in Stanmer Park and quite want to try Firston at some point as the downhill track there is supposed to be fun. Can't do this weekend I don't think but maybe the next one.

matt-

awesome, my birthday this weekend so i probably wont be out on the bike either but if you wanted to meet up for a ride next weekend i'll definately be up for it

at least being tubby is an excuse, i'm a beanpole and reasonably fit but still move at snail pace going uphill!

i've found what seems to be the remains of some singletrack in stanmer and had a burn round that the last couple of weeks - definately want to try friston forest, i might pop out on saturday morning before the football and try and find the trails in wild park

chiefgrooveguru

I'm up for some daytime riding during the week. My bike will be out of action next week due to BB problems but the following week is good for me. I know my way round Stanmer pretty well so can show you where everything is hiding!

matt-

when you say during the week do you specifically mean mon-fri?

i was thinking maybe the 27th or 28th?

Ransaka

Schweet, probably be up for a ride next weekend Matt-

Can't do during the week due to work, even with a day off tomorrow as I have to take my hardtail frame to the shop for it to go back to paligap for (hopefully) a warranty replacement. Still got my pitch though but the day off is suddenly filling up with non-bike related gheyness.

Be up for a tear around Stanmer chief in the future though

Ransaka

Saturday - 10.30-11ish somewhere local?

matt-

i might have a bit of trouble getting somewhere on saturday that early, i usually do parkrun at 9 at hove park and that leaves me rinsed... can you do sunday? if not then i'm sure i can sort something out.

what sort of area do you want to go to? stanmer/wild park? i'm going to get on google earth and try and find the trails at wild park today

chiefgrooveguru - you coming?

Ransaka

Can't do Sunday this week as the missus' god-daughter is down with her new boyfriend Saturday pm through till Sunday night.

There's no worries if we can't sort it for this week, I'm up for most weekends, usually either day.

Alarmed that you go running on a Saturday morning , what am I letting myself in for, going biking with fit people will be the death of me

chiefgrooveguru

I'm tied up with stuff this coming weekend but I think next weekend might be free. I too do Park Run, roughly every other weekend! What's your PB Matt? (Ah, I've found you on there, you're almost 5 minutes quicker than me...) I prefer cycling on the Saturday straight after Park Run, rather than the Sunday when my legs have realised they're knackered... However, I'm easy, I'm not big on racing uphill, prefer to save my legs for riding the fun bits with more style!

matt-

I've only ran it twice and failed once trying to get into it every weekend but its hard to get up and be motivated at 9am on a saturday morning!

I think my pb is around 24 minutes? I bought a pair of running shoes on Friday so I'm hoping to knock a minute off just by wearing sensible footwear (instead of football trainers)

I'm sure I can manage to do saturday morning, I need to get out asap and get used to my new eggbeaters as im a clip in virgin anyway

and honestly I'm really not fit, I just dont understand the concept of pacing myself, just running myself into the ground until my legs no longer function

chiefgrooveguru

Phew, I spotted a Matt Wilson on there doing sub 18 minutes! Sounds like you're about my speed...

matt-

shame you guys cant make sunday...

Everyone

Brighton mtb ride on Sunday 28th November will start at the public carpark down the road from the Giant's Rest pub at Wilmington.

Meet at 10 to roll at 10-30.

Directions

When you arrive ask for Graham who is ride leader.


The ride takes in both South Downs and plenty of singletrack and is likely to last 4 hours. There is no-where to buy anything during the ride so please bring plenty of food and drink with you.

Ransaka

You ridden with the Brighton MTB crowd before? Seen their website but never plucked up the stones to go meet up with them as I kinda suck at mtbing.

matt-

nah I've never ridden with them, been tempted to go out on their week-night rides a few times but I'm still waiting for my lights to arrive

i don't think they only look for people that are awesome on the trails, at least i hope they don't because I'm hoping to hook up with them in a few weeks

matt-

how much do you want for your rebas on eBay btw been looking for a few days and just seen yours!

Ransaka

The mtb conspiracy gathers steam and throws further spanners into my weekend meaning I won't be having more than hour for riding at the weekend so won't be able to make anything this weekend, grrr

Matt- not sure, threw 'em up on ebay as they are sadly surplus now so will see what they go for I guess, sorry. I should have read some of your other posts and optioned them to you beforehand. Doh! There's about 60 people watching them apparently which seems a bit much.

matt-

no worries, gives me a weekend to get use to clipping in and out of my eggbeaters without looking like a total fool

been looking at rebas on ebay for a couple of weeks now so you might find me having a cheeky bid on yours, at least i can save on the shipping! although i think id prefer a white pair they seem a lot rarer so i might just have to bite the bullet and go for some black ones

how are you looking for next weekend? if chiefgrooveguru is about he could show us the hidden bits of stamner

Ransaka

Next weekend should be okay hopefully.

If you do happen to win them I'll deliver them for free

chiefgrooveguru

I'm good for next weekend! What time do you fancy? Will you be riding over to Stanmer or driving? I normally enter the park from the Upper Lodge direction because it's just a short bike ride there for me. If it's dry-ish (I haven't ridden up there for a couple of weeks, been riding further afield) we can cover a good chunk of the singletrack in 3-4 hours without killing ourselves.

I ride with Brighton MTB pretty often - there's a wide range of abilities and preferences, from almost complete beginners through XCers who fly uphill but aren't keen on the techy stuff to riders that go uphill more slowly but go down the bendy singletrack and over jumps/drops with serious speed. I'm fairly middling in all respects... Tuesday rides are pretty quick (I'm at the back), Thursday rides are much easier (I'm often at the front!)

matt-

next week is good for me, any day any time! although id prefer saturday to sunday.

i usually enter from the coldean side... ride up to the top of ditchling road and then through a gap in the wall. is there really that much singletrack there? i usually ride around a little bit right at the back by the road into stanmer village but its only about 3 minutes worth