Swinley, this morning. Was it you?

Xommul

Until i went to wales and did Cwmcarn, Afan and BPW i thought the blue and red were tough.

Think again and try some serious climbing and descending with slate style rocks and roots coming out al all angles on a 35% gradient.

You can look forward to large drops, rivers flowing down your climb making it super slippery, deep muddy sections, cliff edge riding challenging anyones vertigo handling ability.

Was an eye opener and i haven't been back to Swinley yet so am looking to see how i cope with it now.

BigAl

Xommul wrote:

Until i went to wales and did Cwmcarn, Afan and BPW i thought the blue and red were tough.

Think again and try some serious climbing and descending with slate style rocks and roots coming out al all angles on a 35% gradient.

You can look forward to large drops, rivers flowing down your climb making it super slippery, deep muddy sections, cliff edge riding challenging anyones vertigo handling ability.

Was an eye opener and i haven't been back to Swinley yet so am looking to see how i cope with it now.

Swinley isn't hardcore shocker!

Not really sure of your point. My boys don't want large drops, cliff edge riding or super steep sections.

cooldad

I think there might be a small degree of exaggeration. Unless it's the DH bits (which I don't do) there's nothing at Cwmcarn or Afan that can't be rolled, and whilst some of it is on the edge of hills, it's not quite cliff edges.
Although obviously shorter, you can find all those things (except cliffs) off piste at Swinley.
If you want.

rockmonkeysc

Swinley is about the most boring place I have ridden but it's far from the ideal place for exciting trails. The biggest hill at Swinley is only about 2 metres high.
There's no cliff edge at Cwmcarn, Afan or BPW

Cqc

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Swinley is about the most boring place I have ridden but it's far from the ideal place for exciting trails. The biggest hill at Swinley is only about 2 metres high.
There's no cliff edge at Cwmcarn, Afan or BPW

It's not THAT bad... There are some good sections, but there are places 15 mins away that are about 20 times better, so I get you

Xommul

No literally cliff edges, tombstone and graveyard have very steep hill sides.

BigAl

Cqc wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Swinley is about the most boring place I have ridden but it's far from the ideal place for exciting trails. The biggest hill at Swinley is only about 2 metres high.
There's no cliff edge at Cwmcarn, Afan or BPW

It's not THAT bad... There are some good sections, but there are places 15 mins away that are about 20 times better, so I get you

I think these posts miss the point.

Of course Swinley is limited by geography, clearly there just aren't the hills of Wales or Scotland. It's never going to satisfy riders like Rockmonkey

There is 'better riding' (whatever that means) on my doorstep in the Chilterns. I'm told there's some great riding off the marked trails at Swinley (see dad's post above) but I don't know it well enough

But as a place to go with my kids, have some good riding with them without having to worry about navigation, or mechanicals (you're never too far from the car) it works great and my two love going. Don't forget it isn't specifically for biking

cooldad

This^^^^^^^^^^^

It's about enjoying yourself. End of.

Whatever is better/more exciting etc, it's still a bloody nice place to have as a back garden.

BigAl

Btw, this is a cliff edge



Bigger balls than me, and I'd wager anyone else here

Angus Young

Here's another one that rates quite highly on the sphinctometer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q3zpgVBYZI

cooldad

Those are cliffs.

BigAl

Angus Young wrote:

Here's another one that rates quite highly on the sphinctometer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q3zpgVBYZI

Their brains are wired completely differently to mine. That's a different sport to what I do.

He did 'dab' though

cooldad

What a pussy.
I feel a bit queasy.

BigAl

Angus Young wrote:

Here's another one that rates quite highly on the sphinctometer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q3zpgVBYZI

This:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=gimli%20certainty%20of%20death&source=video&cd=3&ved=0CDsQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DVO0x7vL2T90&ei=V496U4mxM6SV7Ab3r4DYBw&usg=AFQjCNGfR2_CScwaob0AfafTdL9I4yUojA&sig2=NlNxuOmxkHp_mCgmzMnpug&bvm=bv.67229260,d.ZGU

Angus Young

BigAl wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

Here's another one that rates quite highly on the sphinctometer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q3zpgVBYZI

Their brains are wired completely differently to mine. That's a different sport to what I do.

He did 'dab' though

They're providing a public service: They do it so that we don't have to.

t0pc4t

Levi_501 wrote:

I took my son for his first ride there yesterday. We did five laps of the green, he loved it but was completely and utterly knackered.

BTW, he is 2 1/2 on was on his Rothan balance bike

I was thinking to join a couple of you in a few weeks for a ride; perhaps the Sunday after the BH weekend if anyone is around.

this answers a question I have been mulling over. When to take my 2 1/2 year old lad to his first trails. I have taken him to the other side of Swinley where we live but perhaps paternity leave next week is time to take him to the trails proper.

Angus Young

t0pc4t wrote:

Levi_501 wrote:

I took my son for his first ride there yesterday. We did five laps of the green, he loved it but was completely and utterly knackered.

BTW, he is 2 1/2 on was on his Rothan balance bike

I was thinking to join a couple of you in a few weeks for a ride; perhaps the Sunday after the BH weekend if anyone is around.

this answers a question I have been mulling over. When to take my 2 1/2 year old lad to his first trails. I have taken him to the other side of Swinley where we live but perhaps paternity leave next week is time to take him to the trails proper.

I think he might have been joking about him being two and a half.

cooldad

t0pc4t wrote:

Levi_501 wrote:

I took my son for his first ride there yesterday. We did five laps of the green, he loved it but was completely and utterly knackered.

BTW, he is 2 1/2 on was on his Rothan balance bike

I was thinking to join a couple of you in a few weeks for a ride; perhaps the Sunday after the BH weekend if anyone is around.

this answers a question I have been mulling over. When to take my 2 1/2 year old lad to his first trails. I have taken him to the other side of Swinley where we live but perhaps paternity leave next week is time to take him to the trails proper.

Make sure he has Troy Lee gear, no helmet and take him to Jump Gully.

t0pc4t

Angus Young wrote:

t0pc4t wrote:

Levi_501 wrote:

I took my son for his first ride there yesterday. We did five laps of the green, he loved it but was completely and utterly knackered.

BTW, he is 2 1/2 on was on his Rothan balance bike

I was thinking to join a couple of you in a few weeks for a ride; perhaps the Sunday after the BH weekend if anyone is around.

this answers a question I have been mulling over. When to take my 2 1/2 year old lad to his first trails. I have taken him to the other side of Swinley where we live but perhaps paternity leave next week is time to take him to the trails proper.

I think he might have been joking about him being two and a half.

you say that but I saw a balance bike on the blue last weekend.

Angus Young

t0pc4t wrote:

you say that but I saw a balance bike on the blue last weekend.

Should have called social services.

poah

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Maybe on another forum someone is complaining about a bloke with kids ruining his Strava time.

I do that with my own son

rockmonkeysc

POAH wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Maybe on another forum someone is complaining about a bloke with kids ruining his Strava time.

I do that with my own son

Good, you have to prepare them for the real world.

njee20

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Swinley is about the most boring place I have ridden but it's far from the ideal place for exciting trails. The biggest hill at Swinley is only about 2 metres high.
There's no cliff edge at Cwmcarn, Afan or BPW

Quite fun if you're fit enough to blat round at a good pace, I can see it would be rather dull otherwise. Not somewhere I'd spend 4 hours, but for a few laps it's a good laugh.

Chinley Churner

When I was stuck in London, now fortunately living in the Peak District, Swinley was a great escape and there's definitely fun to be had. I think some people forget that if you press the pedally things on a bike consistently hard you can go fast even without hills.

paul.skibum

Chinley Churner wrote:

When I was stuck in London, now fortunately living in the Peak District, Swinley was a great escape and there's definitely fun to be had. I think some people forget that if you press the pedally things on a bike consistently hard you can go fast even without hills.

This^

I used to live in Reading and would either ride from home up into the Chilterns or for a change would go to a rag around Swinley - different to the bridleways and fun in a different way and easy to do. I dont think the recent changes at Swinley have improved it but I understand the reason and need for them from the landowners pov.

I really don't understand why people say an area is rubbish for riding - you have to make the best of what is near you and then go explore more challenging terrain as and when time allows surely?

cooldad

This ^^^^^ etc.
One learns to ignore the gnarly riding god ramblings of Rockmonkey.

paul.skibum

cooldad wrote:

This ^^^^^ etc.
One learns to ignore the gnarly riding god ramblings of Rockmonkey.

Well quite - I have ridden the Quantocks a good few times and sure the downs are great but in comparison to Swinley which is an undulating easy guided ride the Quantocks are long drags up and you need a map - who can be bothered huh?!