Peterborough/Cambridge area MTB'ers

Willrideforcake

I have a horrible feeling that I may be working, but I'll let you know...

Leebergin

Guys

We can make it any day next week, which ever day most of us can attend, wednesday was just a starting point.

:shock:

Troopy

Just thought I'd hoist this up the flagpole to see who salutes it.
Is there any way we can make any training a bit more constructive? What is it that people want to learn? Some skills should be learnt when out on the trails i.e try riding along curb stones or in tyre ruts will give you balance training.
If it's drop offs etc maybe we should be meeting at Chicksands.
Is there anyone out there who can give us tips on pulling and maintaining wheelies or bunnie hopping, I'm sure the DVD's will help but it would be good to have someone there to point out where we are going wrong, which is not always obvious. If we are meeting in ferry meadows I would suggest finding a flat piece of grass (generally softer on the arse).

Is there anyone out there who we could pay to take sessions? if there was say 5-6 of us the cost should be low and the training more positive.
Leave it with you all.

Bike Bloke

My bunny hopping skills consist of mainly spd assisted jumping : / Would be nice to have a constructive practice though!

apoc_reg

Larok wrote:

Hi there, awesome ride today at Thetford. Great to meet all of you.

Here's that group shot after the beam !

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2297700/

Cheers for taking the shot after id left

Even though i had to leg it was great fun having a good group round the black. Hopefully there will be many more to come!

Just brought some new stuff for the bike today, internet + bordom at work is a bad combination!!

Troopy

Steve and me are riding tonight, probably just do the usual loop, anyone else going to join us? Meeting at 6.30 at Elton, the time can be moved to suit with enough notice. Then a pint at the Black Horse after the ride.

Chris

mikebert4

As regards a flatland session (for skills), I wasn't looking for anything overly constructive or structured - just a couple of hours to get the little things down with a few others and not feeling like a complete pillock.

DVD's, Paying for lessons etc all seems a bit too much really, given that most of us are the steriotypical 'weekend warriors' and taking time to perfect these things in a relaxed setting seems a lot more like fun, whilst still improving trail skills. Especially when the techniques being practiced are simple little things that most of us don't really bother to actually go out and session (prefering to actually ride), and the techniques are fairly easy to 'de-bug' (I didn't wheelie because the front wheel barely left the ground, etc).

Though, I'm game for a eveing down at chicksands sessioning drop-offs/North Shore and the like - anything to improve on the "mad air" at Thetford

Troopy

Mike are you on medication or something? or is it me! :? as only your last paragraph makes sense. What little things were you thinking about when writing your last post?

Troopy

Just checked the Wales weather for the weekend, chance of light showers during the day with cloud cover being very thin and sometimes none, Temp 18. Both Friday and Saturday nights are clear and dry. Looks like being a good weekend.

Scot, I've not heard from you regardiing your campsite booking.

Leebergin

Troopy wrote:

Mike are you on medication or something? or is it me! :? as only your last paragraph makes sense. What little things were you thinking about when writing your last post?

Troopy as I orignally posted this skills sessions post I have to say that I agree with Mike.

I have watched nearly every skills DVD I could lay my hands on, I undertand the tech behind the moves, but it all comes down to practice which is boring when doing it by yourself.

I am sure that with a few of us there we can help each other and learn where we are going wrong. :shock:

So who's up for next week, Alan aka willrideforcake did you find out if you were working ? Scott, Barny you guys still around ?

mikebert4

Troopy wrote:

Mike are you on medication or something? or is it me! :? as only your last paragraph makes sense. What little things were you thinking about when writing your last post?

I though it made sense - oh well,

basically, do we really need to go all-out with lessons and bringing along DVD's just to session bunny hopping/Wheelies/Stoppies? I hope not.

As for times - Grab me next week - wednesday, thursday are the best two days. And just a suggestion, but we could hit the pub afterwards

Troopy

No I guess not, if you're not practicing technical stuff then you shouldn't need all out sessions, but then shouldn't the more simple skills just be practiced during rides or as part of a ride? this is something I try to do. If the skills are incorporated within the ride they become more relevent and realistic.

By the way Mike I hope you don't think I was being offensive earlier, it was just the "get the little things down" and the "steriotypical 'weekend warriors'" stuff i was unsure about.

Willrideforcake

Next week for me Tuesday would probably be best - Thursday night I'll probably end up getting kit sorted for Sleepless... After that weekend then I'm all yours (almost!)

Larok

Hi Guys,

Proposal for a next week on the weekend group ride

Shall we organise another ride for not this weekend but the weekend after? Either Thetford, Cannock Chase, Elton to Oundle or Fineshades, just Fineshades on its own, the Belvoir loop near Grantham and Bourne Wood as venue suggestions?

Tueday night Elton ride with skills stop off ?

Tuesday night sounds good also; maybe a local ride starting at Elton and stopping off at the sand pits to practice some bunny hops; btw link here to the Monster bunny hop article http://www.bmxbasics.org/new/bmx0703.html

Lee if your not up to riding the XC yet, how about meeting at the pit near Nassington for the skills session?

Mikebert, I know you said Weds, Thurs are best days but can you make Tues? You have to be there, as you are the big air man !

Mikes vocab

Mike, your paragraphing seemed OK - Troopy, you tripping?

Wales

Job interview has come up Friday morning at Bracknell, hoping to make it after that - will keep you updated

Have a word!

So guys, (and girls if your reading ), post if you would like to or cannot come to a Tuesday night ride with stop of for skills and thoughts for the following weekend ride.

bmh

Hi all
Bourne Woods might be an idea for Sunday 10th August, thought a more local ride would be better as the driving wastes good biking time.(being selfish....sick of driving at the moment)

Elton Tuesday sounds good, can't guarantee I'll be there until Monday night(depends on work commitments, but will do my best)

cheers

Larok

nice one re Tuesday bmh, give us a post Monday nite to let us know if you can.

Here what your saying about driving, everyone how about a route from Elton for the Sunday 10th? About 40 mins for apoc and pretty much local for everyone else.

jamieayres

Might tag along next tuesday if i am not too done in from playing football on monday night 8)

Leebergin

Bourne Woods, Cannock Chase or Thetford sounds good 8) would be up for either of those or maybe we could do Chicksands

As for evening ride next week I dont finish work till 6pm so by the time I get home and sorted even in a rush I couldn't be there until well after 7 maybe even 7:30pm.

I understand what people are saying about driving, but I would rather drive to some where decent to ride than local loops :oops: , but thats just me :shock: and as Apoc is in Cambridge were ever we ride he would have to drive...

With regards to the skills session :!: are we saying that who ever is out on tuesday night is doing it over at yarwell :?: or is the session I tried to arrange on wednesday still going a head :?:

mikebert4

Larok wrote:

Hi Guys,

Shall we organise another ride for not this weekend but the weekend after? Either Thetford, Cannock Chase, Elton to Oundle or Fineshades, just Fineshades on its own, the Belvoir loop near Grantham and Bourne Wood as venue suggestions?

I'm very game for heading off to somwhere like Cannock chase for a day - there is serious fun to be had over that way - that said Thetford, Sherwood and the like are all fair game.

I'm reluctant to make a day out to somwhere like fineshades, because whilst the riding is by no means shoddy it falls a long way short of some of these more established places and if we're making a day out, why settle for mediocre?

Troopy wrote:

By the way Mike I hope you don't think I was being offensive earlier, it was just the "get the little things down" and the "steriotypical 'weekend warriors'" stuff i was unsure about.

Not at all! I was more worried I'd come accross unclear or had just been waffling


Just for clarity about dates/times:

I'm free for any evening from (and including) wednesday next week. I'll not be riding much (if at all) between now and then because Andrena gets back from 2 weeks in Italy today and she leaves for a month in Greece on Tuesday.

Happy Riding all!

Larok

OK so Tuesday is the new Wednesday for a ride with skills training. Jamie glad you can make it. Lee would be better if you meet us at the sand pit? People can still do a dedicated Wednesday skills session if they wanted?

For the following weekend we could stay local or we could go up to Cannock Chase, be good to hear people who would like to ride that Sunday for ideas on that one.

Leebergin

Larok

Sorry mate may have not been clear in my last post :? . I wont be making tuesday.

But I am still planning on being over at ferry Meadows as I orignal posted about the skills session on Wednesday as I know Mike is as well. Anyone else is welcome to join us 8).

Have a good ride tuesday.

apoc_reg

I can make it out Sunday after this (10th), need to test out my new bits

p.s. im also going over thetford this friday (Tomorrow!) so if anyones about let me know... short notice i know!
oh and for those who came to thetford last week i did sell the motorbike hence splashing out on the new bits and pieces!

tankduck

I'm gonna further cause confusion here by placing another date in the works, basicly haven't been to bourne woods, so if someone fancies showing me the ropes either tomorrow night or saturday I'd really appreciate it. Failing that, is anyone biking anywhere else friday or saturday that I can tag along with?

Kris

tankduck

ah, that message wasn't there before I started typing, lol. I may well come to thetford to join you mate if thats mmmkay?

Kris

apoc_reg

haha yes added that in after!

Sounds good to me. I'll probably head to Brandon Forest Centre car park for around 10 or 11 if that suits?

tankduck

oooh, i'm at work during the day, thought you meant in the evening

apoc_reg

haha no problem, im just using up spare holiday!

Think Thetford gates close at 5 for future reference

edit - Thats the high lodge centre, not sure about Brandon's car park

tankduck

thats a good job you mentionned that, I had no idea about that!!!! maybe i'll go to bourne tomorrow night, anyone game?

tankduck

just looked at the forestry.gov.uk site and it says something about southey wood, which is basically just outside peterborough, and has bike tracks. Anyone been here? Whats it like?

jamieayres

It is not that great to be honest, nowhere near as good as Bourne.

It is also one of Peterboroughs prime dogging locations i hear :shock: