New guy in Glasgow area

Hawmaw

I've been lurking about here for a wee while and decided to sign up.

I'm 45 and hadn't been on a bike for 28 years when , about 3 years ago I decided to cycle the 2.5 miles to work. This was for both fitness and budget cause the route by road was 7 miles each way. By bike I could cut it to 2.5 miles. I got an old (25 years ?) Apollo Colorado MTB for £10 and used it during spring , summer & autumn for 3 years.
This spring I finally decided that I actualy like cycling so I decided to get a better bike.
On a very tight budget ( 3 young kids!) I bought a Specialized Rockhopper fitted with skinny road tyres. I didn't know anything about the bike when I got it but having researched it I believe it's a 1997. Pretty old but in very good condition. It's not been abused. I've been using it on the road commuting for the last 2 weeks and my plan is to do a mix of riding , road & off road. I'm going to get another set of wheels fitted with knobbly tyres and I intend to try out the Pollock Park trails and ride the Greenock Cut.
And tomorrow I'm selling the old Colorado for £25 !
I'm looking forward to learning a lot from the forum and maybe making some new associates. .

chuckd

Enjoy it mate.

I stay in Glasgow as well and Pollok Park is pretty decent considering it's in the middle of a city. You don't have to stick to the course and can venture off down other trails.

Another decent route is up the Gleniffer Braes.

Bred2shred

This website will be your new friend.

http://www.meetup.com/Mountainbikeglasgow/

I went out with a bunch of these guys on thursday evening to pollock park and had a great time.

I live in Port Glagow and have done the cut many times, it's a good training run, nowt technical and great veiws on a clear day.

Pollock has some good if a little short, trails and as chuck said you can do a bit of exploring. We found a nice little root strewn decent that we looped a couple of times, muchos funo.

Anyway, hope to see you on the trails soon mate.

Neil

doug@basqueMTB.com

There is normally a good bunch of guys (and gals) out with GMBC. They leave from Milngavie on a Tue and Wed and have loads of trails around there. There's loads of good stuff that people have built/discovered, or there was when I last rode with them. They also do days away most weekends with lift shares etc which was a great way to start getting to know the area.

giantculler

wellcome to the fantastic wordl.... of MTB

Razer_MTB

as they say, welcome to mud sweat and gears

i go out with both gmbc and the glasgow mtb meetup group, both are great groups of people. Was also at pollok park on thursday and like the others have said, the official trails are very short, but you dont have to stick to them. Could do a few loops of the official routes and then venture out a bit.

the main thing is that you enjoy it
cheers
sam

Bred2shred

How do Sam, you know my legs are still itching from the midgie bites i got on thursday night

Wish i'd taken you up on yer magic repelent now.

Sorry for the thread highjack.

Razer_MTB

Neil

i'll bet.
cant beat a bit of skin so soft for repelling the little barstewards.

mondays are quite good for rides round mugdock with meetup, its meant as a beginners ride, and there are usually a few experienced folk there as well to get pointers from. Its also good for getting your fitness up before tackling some of the longer rides.