Mountain Biking

[Phillvr6]

Right, I've just dragged the bike out after a few months retirement and given it a going over.

I live down in Surrey now (Woking) having moved down from Lancashire (Bolton) a few years ago.

To be honest I've found the riding down here to be pretty poor (no big hills, no big rocks, no decent technial single track) whereas befor I was within spitting distace of the peak/lake district etc, and had some cracking countryside on my back doorstep. All of which has been a major contributing factor in me not getting out on the bike half as much (well, that and the fact I'm now grown up and have a job).

So I was wondering, does anyone have any suggestions (I understand the MOD have some land nearby which I may be able to use?)Are there any Pistonhead MTBers in this neck of the woods that fancy going out for a ride?

Thanks,

Phill

[alfaman]

Hi Phill,

( I do quite a lot of mtn biking , live in the Chilterns ) .... I don't think you'll find anything as technical as some of the harder stuff in Wales or Lakes ( Coed Y Brenin etc. )near Woking.

however - there is reasonable biking on the North Downs , South Downs , Bracknell Forest , and quite a bit in the Chilterns ( not quite on your doorstep though )- some of it is technical enough to be interesting.

Back copies of MBR are good sources of routes - have seen several in the South East.

I mainly get out with friends from a local climbing club ( we bike too ).

Dave

[cptsideways]

Blimey you live in Surrey & have'nt found the hills!!!!!


Get your ass down to Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill, The North Downs, Winterfold Forest (the best area) proper single track everywhere, avoid the main car parks & you'll be in the middle of no where in mins.

My fave ride was from Cranleigh, up onto Winterfold & follow the southern edge of the hills all the way to leith Hill, back down to Abinger Hammer, up the North Downs back (a hill & a half!) west along the top to Newlands Corner, back down south across the Tillingbourne river, back up to Winterfold & home again. Just about everyday of the week I used to do that. Blimey I'm out of puff just thinking about it......

I used to live & train around there back in my MTB days & that area kept me in good stead for competeing in the world champs back then, Woking is only 20 mins away too, sorry make that 40 mins now as everywhere in Surrey is now a blanket 40 limit

[Phillvr6]

Ta for the info chaps, I did go out with the Berks on Bikes once but from what your saying I'm better heading over the other side of Guildford for some decent riding.

Looking in MBR isnt a bad idea, havent read amountain biking mag in years, I found they got a bit repetitive and in some cases tacky (mint sauce anyone?)so I gave up on them.

Anyway thanks for the advice, all tips gratefully recieved.

Phill

[cptsideways]

Ahh mint sauce...... Thats going back a long way now used to the know the cartoonist lad & I think a few jokes were aimed at me (the hidden ones you had to spot), forgotten his name now.

Any other 80's-90's bikers of past lurking on here...... My bet it's a very small world. Merrick who runs the Caterham Slalom is one, any more?

[Phillvr6]

Eee by eck, this brings back memories (and I'm only 25). Used to race with the novices in the NEMBA seris, sponsored by North Face then Karrimor (I think). Then thwee seris went tits up and I found beer, the rest is history. Do you still ride then? If so what have you got?

[cptsideways]

Hey up I used to ride Expert-Pro in the Nemba's managed a few podium's up there before now. That was 91-3ish seasons I think, about when the downhilling started taking off.

Ive still got a getting dusty Heavy Tools FC with more custom parts than you can shake a stick at. A bit of a rarity even then with Discs & Upside down forks which appears to be halfords spec stuff these days, had a few Merlin's , Klein's, Fat Chance's Cannondale's in my time in fact I've lost count of what I have had.

[mcecm]

I think it was Jo Burt that did the Mint Sauce stuff

[Zippee]

Used to ride Sports/Experts (dependant upon race size) back in the early 90s, twas when I was 18-21, after school and before Uni with all the time in the world to train and ride. Then Uni happened along with beer and the onset of severe student lazy git syndrome. Hardly been on the bikes since. Still have a £1500 Spec FSR sitting in the garage though, just in case. Doubt I'd manage to ride out the drive at moment I'm that unfit. Did any of you guys ever hit the Malvern Classic back in those times??? I went every year bar the first and miss it like crazy...

[White_Van_Man]

www.southerndownhill.com it has a lot of local riders who know every little trail round the area the are quite a friendly bunch try hooking up with some of them.
Have you tried rogate? there are a good mix of trials there some super techy stuff with big jumps and drops, the lookout (swinley Forest) in bracknell has some good trails but you have to know where they are. people on southerndownhill will help ou out

[tiger6791]

After living on the famous Ilkley Moor and moving down to Surrey the old dual supsension didn't get much of an outing believing that its all flat round here... but if you look hard enough its not :-)

Wales or the Dales it aint

But out toward Guildford you got some decent hills and the Surrey downs ain't that bad

Some sites

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/mtbsurreyhills

www.bobmbc.com/

www.chocolatefoot.co.uk/journal/wa/archives/2003/02/000060-4_lumps_classic.html

[cptsideways]

Zippee said:

Did any of you guys ever hit the Malvern Classic back in those times??? I went every year bar the first and miss it like crazy...

I was the Mini-Cam-an-a-bike man from every years events, get your old Video's out & those are my forks you'll see

Oh & we started the whole lake jumping thing, with Jamie Tatlow. Team Hangover

>> Edited by cptsideways on Monday 6th December 23:09

[Rico]

I used to be a keen biker... only gave up due to moving to central London and needing the cash. Had a fully specced up Santa Cruz Bullit and it was the b*llocks!

Went once to the Malvern Classic but it was the year of the stabbing so the event was cancelled!

My sis-in-law's brother writes for MBR so i went riding with him and friends instead.

Used to ride a lot at Aston Hill near Wendover in Bucks. Great DH runs and dual slalom course!

I'll get back into it once i've got the funds... really fancy a Brooklyn Machine Works DH bike as they're unbreakable and i had a habit of breaking parts!

www.brooklynmachineworks.com if you fancy a gander

[shnozz]

funny this should come up...

after 10 years in the wilderness, and a healthy consumption of alcohol giving me a hint of a beer belly, I am in the process of ordering myself a new bike. I was originally gutted I had sold off my old Dynatech with Rock Shox and full XT, but having been researching it over the last month or so times have moved on so much that about £800 sees me onto a pretty dapper machine so hopefully will arrive before the weekend

[moleamol]

shnozz said:

funny this should come up... after 10 years in the wilderness, and a healthy consumption of alcohol giving me a hint of a beer belly, I am in the process of ordering myself a new bike. I was originally gutted I had sold off my old Dynatech with Rock Shox and full XT, but having been researching it over the last month or so times have moved on so much that about £800 sees me onto a pretty dapper machine so hopefully will arrive before the weekend

What did you go for? I've got a big knarly DH Kona with 4 pot discs and lots of travel and strength, then a teeny DMR for messing about. Plus 2 bmxes for showing off. Will be getting another soon, not sure whether it will be BMX or play mountain. The rush of DH is akin to driving very quick on proper courses.

[shnozz]

moleamol said:

shnozz said: funny this should come up... after 10 years in the wilderness, and a healthy consumption of alcohol giving me a hint of a beer belly, I am in the process of ordering myself a new bike. I was originally gutted I had sold off my old Dynatech with Rock Shox and full XT, but having been researching it over the last month or so times have moved on so much that about £800 sees me onto a pretty dapper machine so hopefully will arrive before the weekend What did you go for? I've got a big knarly DH Kona with 4 pot discs and lots of travel and strength, then a teeny DMR for messing about. Plus 2 bmxes for showing off. Will be getting another soon, not sure whether it will be BMX or play mountain. The rush of DH is akin to driving very quick on proper courses.

Its for XC rather than just DH but went for a Trek Fuel 70. Hope it turns out to be ok as it was a right mine field - its bizarre how many companies have disappeared/merged/come back from the dead in the last ten years. Was assured that FS bikes dont bob up and down these days and are good for XC, especially for a 6'3" 15 stoner.... we will see. I originally went for a hardtail with front sus only but a couple of mates that still ride convinced me that I would appreciate the extra comfort now I am not such a wee lad... any views on the Trek?

Did a fair bit of BMXing myself and only recently sold my GT performer. Just wasnt using it enough. Shame, as a top bike. Used to make the secretaries at my last firm piss themselves when this lanky lawyer would come into work on a BMX wearing vans etc and then get changed into the pinstripes..

[Frik]

Phillvr6 said:

Right, I've just dragged the bike out after a few months retirement and given it a going over. I live down in Surrey now (Woking) having moved down from Lancashire (Bolton) a few years ago.

Having grown up round there and MTBing in the area since about '95 I hear where your coming from!

I'd recommend either heading east towards Mytchett (make sure you look out for red flags!) or south through Send to Newlands corner and beyond.

Could be worth popping into Evans in the centre of Woking for some further ideas though. There's always been plenty of bikers around the area.

[moleamol]

shnozz said:

Its for XC rather than just DH but went for a Trek Fuel 70. Hope it turns out to be ok as it was a right mine field - its bizarre how many companies have disappeared/merged/come back from the dead in the last ten years. Was assured that FS bikes dont bob up and down these days and are good for XC, especially for a 6'3" 15 stoner.... we will see. I originally went for a hardtail with front sus only but a couple of mates that still ride convinced me that I would appreciate the extra comfort now I am not such a wee lad... any views on the Trek? Did a fair bit of BMXing myself and only recently sold my GT performer. Just wasnt using it enough. Shame, as a top bike. Used to make the secretaries at my last firm piss themselves when this lanky lawyer would come into work on a BMX wearing vans etc and then get changed into the pinstripes..

As with everything, you should have asked PH first . The Trek is a good solid performer but I would say you'd have more fun on a Kona or an Orange hardtail. Actually, for what you want it for I'd say bang on the money. Surprisingly Mongoose make some rather nice all rounders.

The reason I have 2 mountain bikes is I can do anything on the DMR then when I want to do some hardcore dropping off big things at silly speeds and riding over car sized rocks like they don't exist I get the Kona out.

Be careful mate, if you get back into it there is a lot of nice stuff out there

[shnozz]

moleamol said:

As with everything, you should have asked PH first . The Trek is a good solid performer but I would say you'd have more fun on a Kona or an Orange hardtail. Actually, for what you want it for I'd say bang on the money. Surprisingly Mongoose make some rather nice all rounders. The reason I have 2 mountain bikes is I can do anything on the DMR then when I want to do some hardcore dropping off big things at silly speeds and riding over car sized rocks like they don't exist I get the Kona out. Be careful mate, if you get back into it there is a lot of nice stuff out there

too true mate, although to be fair I have never really got on with Konas and always got the impression you paid for the name. Having said that, still cant remember ever hearing of a Kona frame breaking. Solid granite springs to mind....For DH I would imagine they are hard to beat, but for XC I seemed to get sweet FA for my money.

I do like Orange bikes and always have - but for £600 notes it didnt get me alot. I got the Trek from £800 down to £600 as its the 04 model and then had the rest to sort new helmet, spds & shoes, decent lock, basic road lights, bar ends, and the list goes on... The Trek looked relatively light for fs, a good basic frame and the groupsets have come on so much now that I wasnt that fussed by a more basic one as a compromise for a decent frame. Sounds daft but I wanted to avoid discs as in my price range it meant having discs took a massive hit on other components, or that the discs were cable rather than hydraulic. People rave about them, but I cant remember any probs with cantis so happy to have them and the bike better specced elsewhere.

never done much DH to be honest. 10 years back I raced XC and the DH was sort of incorporated with that. Used to find those bits pretty tame (especially by the standards of real DHers) but probably cos we used to search out unrideable bits in the local woods to spend an afternoon mucking around. My BMX riding has always been street and skateparks though.

Glad the Fuel seems to on the money, cos it was a quick 4 weeks worth of research into the buy. The only other FS that came into the equation for the NRS3 Giant, which seemed to weight the same as my 3 bedroom semi detached house...

[pombstard]

Have used a trail over the Purbecks a few times with some friends who like the 8-day XC race type of thing - they seem to enjoy it. Head for Poole - park up and get the chain ferry across, pick up a decent map and get riding. Just watch out for closed gates halfway down some of the tracks - cost a friend his rather splendid Mavics, his headset and his lovely Marzocchis, not to mention his front teeth, his collarbone and most of the skin on his arms.

As for bikes - nowhere near the choice in Australia, not for the money - currently ride a Giant XTC2 - good basic frame with some reasonable kit - but if you get one, get a better fork.