Where do you think the best place is in the UK to own a mountain bike?

StuckintheSpokes

Factors for me include:

-proximity to trails and bike parks
-less proximity to cities and towns [due to risk of bikes being stolen, pollution and traffic (danger from vehicles)]
-weather (less chance of torrential rain and ice)
-amenities and scenery (nice places to stop at and refuel)
-value for money

Now some of you will think about the campervan option or just drive to wherever, but for me I’d ideally like to stay on the bike as much as possible. I also hate taking the train to go to somewhere decent to ride because the workers on the platform insist on keeping it in a bike hold. Not only is this going to damage your bike if you can’t secure it properly (for example having plus tyres that won’t fit in the wheel well), but you have to check on the bike every stop to make sure someone doesn’t take your bike instead of theirs (if there is no one on supervision for the length of the journey).

You could suggest to live somewhere abroad, but I thought being a UK based forum I thought we should start focussing here in Blighty.

cooldad

The best places have sh1t weather.

And the worst jobs.

StuckintheSpokes

Terrible weather creates unridable conditions and having a job working from home nullifies the employment situation in the particular area.

jamski

I’m not saying it’s the best, but I feel lucky living in Surrey. Half hour from The Surrey Hills, Swinley and QECP. Then there’s Windhill, PORC, Flyup and other bike parks you can do in a day. Even BPW if you really wanted, but that’s probably an overnight stop.

I have bridlepaths literally on my doorstep, can ride to work 12 miles pretty much all off road and work a 10 minute drive from Peaselake.

Half hour on the train to London, 45 minutes from two big airports, good links to the coast. It’s not a bad bit of the world.

kirkymtb

I can be off road in under 2 minutes from my house in Chorley, Lancashire. We have Healey Nab official man made trails to the east of town. Rivington is a large area of trails 15 minutes ride away and we are fairly central between North Wales, the Peak District and the Lakes. Just saying

monkimark

How strange, the first 2 suggestions are where I live now and where I grew up (although there were no man made trails on the nab when I lived there).

I guess I was lucky with my choices, although I lived in South London for 10 years in between and the riding there is not great.

davep1

Anywhere near the South Downs. I have never been to a bike park or trail centre, there just is no point when I more or less hit the trails half a mile from my front door. The weather is arguably as good as it gets anywhere on the mainland, London is just over an hour away on the car/train, I could ride to Newhaven and get the ferry to France (although I have never actually done it)

steve_sordy

The now defunct magazine Mountain Bike Rider tried to answer this question and did a pretty thorough job.
They took into account house prices, availability of jobs, average wage, places of entertainment, night life etc. And finally proximity to trails. They came up with Bristol! Lovely city! (Never lived there, only visited).

gomezz

I am very lucky where I live, 5mins on the road and I am into Sherwood forest trails, and 5mins with the car to Sherwood Pines. It may not be the most demanding of areas to ride but at 72 it's more than enough for me and I do go out three times a week most weeks.

craker

steve_sordy wrote:

They came up with Bristol!

Yeah it's the only city I know with a trail centre a short pootle from the City Centre.

Cardiff tends to do well in the Best City To Live in polls (not necessarily aimed at cyclists). Seaside, hills, national stadium, opera house, reasonable prices. Lots of mountain bike centres, though if that's your prime motivation you can get closer to them and find cheaper property in the likes of Merthyr.

steve_sordy

Last year, the Sunday Times survey came up with Skipton in Yorkshire. It too wasn't a bike related survey, but it's Skipton in Yorkshire! The place is surrounded by excellent bike riding.

Long_Time_Lurker

Lived in the South-East, Bristol, the North-West, Scotland and now live on the North-East coast.
I'm not a lover of bike parks; would rather head off with friends into the wilderness to see what we can find.
Ultimately I've laid down my roots here so there must be something going for it.

lvquestpaddler

I live 300 metres from Loch Insh and the River Spey, western Cairngorms....yes the employment is largely poorly paid and seasonal but I was lucky enough to land a permanent job 1.5 miles away... money is so-so but clean air, clean rivers, never run out of MTB choices, or hillwalking, xc skiing and paddling....oh and no light pollution. Money aint everything...!!!