Yorkshire wet weather options?

ben@31
ben@31 Posts: 2,327
edited January 2015 in Routes
Hi,

I'm new to mtb and based in Leeds. So my knowledge of nearby trails is still slim. Can anyone in the Yorkshire area recommend any trails that will be rideable with the recent wet weather, please? Such as gravel tracks.

I tried bridleways / footpaths east of Harewood the other day but the farmland was so wet and muddy in places it was like a photo of the Somme battlefield. The mud was too soft to ride and it was clogging up the bike to the point where the rear derailleur / shifter stopped functioning properly. The best bit was surviving.

Whats Nidderdale like? Is it do-able when wet?

Thanks.
"The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby

Comments

  • bob6397
    bob6397 Posts: 218
    Everywhere in yorkshire is similar at the moment - i prob wouldn't recommend going to the bottom of a hill to start though (ie in a dale :) ). I'm over in Ripon (other side of harrogate to you) and it's just the same. stick to rockier routes...
    My advice would be to let some pressure out of your tyres (if they're wider eg. 2.1 inches +) or add pressure (if they're thinner - eg mud tyres / 2.1 inches or less).

    Failing that change to some grippier compound tyres/mud tyres and/or harden up ;)

    I'm still on my Conti Mountain Kings - 2.2 inches and a cheap compound - if the mud's deep i run them at about 30+ psi, if it's icy i run them at about 20-25. Depends on the conditions :)

    bob6397
    Boardman HT Team - Hardtail
    Rose Pro-SL 2000 - Roadie
  • robertpb
    robertpb Posts: 1,866
    I'm running my MKs at 21 front and 24 rear at the moment, more flex in the tyre keeps them clean.

    I run my various mud tyres at the same pressures unless the ground is a bit more solid.

    I try to ride every puddle I can find to stop the bike clogging up with mud, it's suprising what a difference it makes.
    Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"
  • lg18
    lg18 Posts: 92
    Just back from festive break in N Yorkshire MTBing - obviously some mud but also plenty of good tracks - this was the limestone dales, around Wensleydale area (above West Burton/Bishopdale/Coverdale), staying quite high on walled lanes and estate/shooting landrover tracks well away from fields beside the river. A bit of a trek from Leeds though. The Austwick/Clapham round should also be ok, it tends to stay quite dry-ish as is limestone, but ofcourse mud in places.

    Trail centres should also be less muddy e.g. Gisburn, Dalby.

    North York Moors tends have all-weather areas too if you get up on those sandy tracks up on the moors. There's also some newly man-made trails around Sutton Bank which should be dry. Probably not much more than 1hr from Leeds. There's some excellent online MTB resources on the internet for natural trails in the Dales and Moors, e.g. pedalnorth, roughstuff etc.

    hope that helps,
    Lucy
  • bob6397
    bob6397 Posts: 218
    Sutton Bank is good - but the Red run isn't great. I did it with a friend this autumn and the bits that were built were fine but the bits (90%) that weren't were just bridleways. Once you had descended off Sutton Bank though the climb back up after the 3 miles of road was a bit steep. I couldn't get up it, not for lack of gears but for lack of vertical climbing ability...

    It was a good route (and free so I'm not complaining) but Dalby is far superior as a trail centre.

    However, Sutton Bank is a good 30-40 mins from Ripon, which is a good 50 mins from Leeds so it depends how far you want to travel.. The Moors are better than the dales when its wet though - more sand and less mud :)
    Boardman HT Team - Hardtail
    Rose Pro-SL 2000 - Roadie

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