Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

In a fit of inspiration I've decided that i want to do some muddy cycling next year and have started to put together a new bike (any excuse is a good one). I haven't been mountian biking for about 8 years and wasn't very good at it before, but I'm not gonna let that stand in my way. Is anyone else up for some messing about in Epping Forest next year? Get yourselves a set of cross tyres and we can try out SS or FG off road!

Werd!

I've got some cx tyres on order for my Pompino. I guess thats what it was made for really.
I was thinking the same sort of thing as you. There is a nice route out of town, through walthamstow up to epping and back down via high beech and the pub at the top of the hill. Otherwise, let's just explore!

I'm in.

Nice one! I thought that you might be up for it after hearing about your new pomp frame. By the way, let me know if you find some shellac cos I'm planning something kinda similar to you for my new bike. I've also got some 700 x 1.8 tyres on the way for some mini 29er action.

i recently bought a team saracen mtb will be ready for the off road stuff next summer
see you in eppic forrest

I'm up for it, it's been a while since my beastly MTB has got muddy

I just cleared up my flat, stripped down the GT and stuck it under the bed to make room for bike #7. Doh!

Yeah i can get 32c's in the pompino easy, it'll be a laugh anyway. I'm suddenly glad i bought it.

I'm looking into the shellac but want to get v-type lever for the bars first so i don't have to remove the bars in the near future. Can't find anything other than some awful looking things. Oh well, is this a fix/free only outing or will gearies be allowed?

When were you thinking?

Count me in... I've got to explore Epping Forest in a little more depth.

I've also got a four other MTB's which others can use for a recce if necessary, actually I've got a little more than that look here www.dmbholidays.co.uk

In Jan I'll be trying out some other new routes in the Home Counties too if anybody wants to tag along.

Get Involved! - still need are some knobbly tyres for mtb and the beast shall take on all..
Hippy surely it will not take long to re-assemble the GT?
I think it will be strange and new to cycle without any traffic around!

if you live s/sw/w don't bother with epping, dorking/surrey hills is easier to get to and the riding is way better than epping either that or swinley forest.

it's gripped.

Sweet. My SS\Fixed mountain bike is due for completion in early January (Waiting for the sales like a good boy). Epping forest is always fun. Considering a few trips back to my home turf too (North Yorkshire).

@ Caspar, I hadn't realised that was you. I was looking at your website last week.

@ Caspar, I hadn't realised that was you. I was looking at your website last week.

A work in progress, Dartmoor is fantastic, I've got a big 75-80k route that pretty much goes from South - North Dartmoor with very little road that route is a little too hardcore for most clients though. There are plenty of others........

I'm going to start leading routes elsewhere, I've got quite a few routes to check out around the South Downs, Newbury, North Downs and a near Reading.

I will be asking people to come along in January to try them all out.

MrSmith if you live s/sw/w don't bother with epping, dorking/surrey hills is easier to get to and the riding is way better than epping either that or swinley forest.

I'd agree with that for geared but epping is still cool for fixe/free activities and it's pretty flat in most places too (at least, you can around the whole forest on one gear and a go! bar.) Still, i need to broaden my riding both on and off road so south would be cool too.

i'll be up for trying some new routes around london.
if you have transport the trail centers in wales are good fun and are ridable all year round.

Be good to have the mtb gathering mud again rather than dust... but it'd be with gears and a freewheel for me, as well as and disk brakes, and suspension on the front. I think going back to calipers and rigid forks on an mtb, would be as hard as going back to gears and freewheels around town. Never tried singlespeed off road but would love to have a go if anyone wants to swap for a few miles...

MrSmith i'll be up for trying some new routes around london.
if you have transport the trail centers in wales are good fun and are ridable all year round.

A few friends said that the new section of the Whites Trail in Afan is awesome, I missed out on that weekend!

i rode cym-carn with nelly the other week which despite only having one trail is good fun, then went to thetford the following week which was a shitfest would be good in the summer on a ss, really flowy

I'm in the process of getting a SS MTB sorted. Rollapaluza did a race for this years SS Champs in Aviemore Scotland, the event and course were fantastic & inspiring. I'm thinking Surly 1X1 or maybe GT as they are quite cheap.

Is Nelly a cycling journo? Just trying to establish if it's the same one I know?

Surly 1x1 is a fantastic bike. I had one for a little while and it was ace. Really springy and comfortable, great geometry though was a little too small for me. I'd love one again and get rid of the FS giant. I'd almost kill for one in 18".......

same nelly he's starting a new job in january though.
have a look at the dialled love/hate it's what i use for my ss, it's got a phil wood ebb so a piece of piss to tension the chain, if you want a test ride you are welcome to borrow it.*

*dialled bikes is a friends company, other ss mtb frames are available.

MrSmith if you live s/sw/w don't bother with epping, dorking/surrey hills is easier to get to and the riding is way better than epping either that or swinley forest.

Is it easy to get to good riding with public transport? I live in Brixton so it might be easier. I'd be up for trying both Surrey and Epping. As I say, I've not done any off road riding for ages so it's all gonna be a good learning experience.

Hammo Oh well, is this a fix/free only outing or will gearies be allowed?

When were you thinking?

The more the merrier! I'll be riding my new crosscheck so will be either SS or fixed depending on how brave I feel. Was thinking some time in mid January. Should be getting my fram in early January and hope to have it built quickly. Then will be raring to go! Maybe 19 or 20 January would be good?

Thought I'd post now so that people could start thinking about it and get gear sorted etc.

[cite]caspar:[/cite]Dartmoor is fantastic

I'd love to try some biking on Dartmoor. been hiking and climbing there and it's a beautiful place

Thanks Mr Smith, I haven't heard of Dialled Bikes - looking now.

I may well take you up on the offer of a test ride, in return you can have use my Mongoose Teocali if you like, sooooo forgiving just bloody heavy as all dual sussers are.....

I'll talk to you about it more on Sat.

I guess this isn't too far from what i'm planning. Perfect for a ride into the forrest.

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/g/payne.htm

Thoughts on brake choices, V-compatible lever that doesn't look this ugly would be great. Ta, chris

mountain biking is the new Fixed.