[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[kip]

Any mtb bikers on this thread? Always have a look on here but it always seems to be about road bikes, which isn't my thing. In fact the only road I ride on is the Ditchling road, on my way to Stanmer woods and that's enough stress for me. Do you roadies ever smile

Anyone riding stanmer or Friston Forest at the moment? I find Stanmer is just about rideable but Friston is just not fun in the mud and the bomb holes look like suicide
The trail fairies have been busy in Stanmer, there is 2 new trails and the jumps at the back are being improved, although you would be mad to try them in these conditions, I fell off the top of one of them last week just trying to roll over it, my front wheel just slipped on the logs at the top and off I went, couldn't quite believe I landed on my feet without a scratch.

Anyone else into the trails or is this just a road bike thing? If so, I'll get my coat.

 

[ozzygull]

Anyone else into the trails or is this just a road bike thing? If so, I'll get my coat.

I do a bit of MTB. It's a bit of a distance if your from Brighton, but http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/mountainbikingandleisurecycling is well worth a visit if you are willing to travel. Has some decent trails.

 

[kip]

I do a bit of MTB. It's a bit of a distance if your from Brighton, but http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/mountainbikingandleisurecycling is well worth a visit if you are willing to travel. Has some decent trails.

Thanks, that looks good, we do venture off sometimes, we did Surrey Hills a few weeks ago and we were planing a trip to Afan in Wales in the Summer, The trails look great in Wales but the 40 min hard climb at Afan is a bit hardcore.

 

[ozzygull]

Thanks, that looks good, we do venture off sometimes, we did Surrey Hills a few weeks ago and we were planing a trip to Afan in Wales in the Summer, The trails look great in Wales but the 40 min hard climb at Afan is a bit hardcore.

Have you ever thought about Cyclocross racing? The season is over at the moment, my daughter is a fanatical cyclist and races all over the country and sometimes in Europe. She uses cyclocross as her winter training. It's a cross between MTB and Road racing. it's very muddy and a bit brutal. You can turn up and race as a novice and they race in the same category as the Under 14. (it can get a bit soul destroying when a 12 year old girl fly's past going up hill) but its part of the fun. You can use a mountain bike to race on, but if you get keen a dedicated cyclocross bike is better. My daughter races in the central league, but I believe there is a Sussex league as well. Racing normally starts around September time and the atmosphere is all about having fun.

 

[Stat Brother]

Any mtb bikers on this thread? .

No, not if they know what's good for them


The Edburton & Poynings Road was looking somewhat majestic today. (nothing new there)
Anyone about this afternoon or in tomorrows sunshine would do well to soak up some quintessential Sussex.

 

[Chinman3000]

Not a cyclist myself but I'm am selling my brothers bike while he is away if anyone is interested;

Chris Boardman 2014 Team Carbon Road bike only about 6 months old and not used much. Originally cost him £1000 but open to sensible offers via PM.

 

[kip]

Have you ever thought about Cyclocross racing? The season is over at the moment, my daughter is a fanatical cyclist and races all over the country and sometimes in Europe. She uses cyclocross as her winter training. It's a cross between MTB and Road racing. it's very muddy and a bit brutal. You can turn up and race as a novice and they race in the same category as the Under 14. (it can get a bit soul destroying when a 12 year old girl fly's past going up hill) but its part of the fun. You can use a mountain bike to race on, but if you get keen a dedicated cyclocross bike is better. My daughter races in the central league, but I believe there is a Sussex league as well. Racing normally starts around September time and the atmosphere is all about having fun.

I remember seeing someone on one of those bikes on the downs before I new about them, I went away thinking he was on a road bike.
Not sure my ego could cope with being over taken by a 12 year old girl, I'm still scarred by the time some guy that looked twice my age came floating pass me going up the ditchling beacon. Cyclocross sounds like fun, in fact it was that type of riding that got me back into mtb bikes, I'm sort of hooked on the trails now though.

I've just got back from Stanmer in fact and parts of it are rideable but really hard work climbing in the mud, I only did 7miles but feel like i've done 30.

 

[ozzygull]

I Not sure my ego could cope with being over taken by a 12 year old girl.

I think a lot of the novices underestimate a lot of the children they ride against. Most of them would have been racing and training from an early age, my daughter started at 6 years old. But I can see the look of deflation on the guys faces when they are struggling to climb a hill, standing and really trying, to have my daughter cycle pass sitting down like it was nothing and giving them a little smile. She trains four times a week and even though she looks skinny, she is incredibly strong and can maintain speed of about 48km per hour on a flat, so it really is no shame.

 

[banjo]

Very excited just put a deposit on a new bike, Colnago Ace 105 2013, it's an ex demo bike so hefty discount and upgraded wheels. I have never had a full carbon bike before, it seems incredibly light and the test ride was amazing. can't wait to get hold of it.

Pics please

 

[ozzygull]

Pics please

Hopefully pick it up at tomorrow, will post a picture of my new pride and joy as soon as I can. Very excited.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Chilly ride in this morning - average -2.5, minimum -5!

Close to the part where it was -5 I saw a guy cycling the other way in shorts!!!!

 

[Motogull]

You nutter.

A day off and a ride planned. Frost snuffed that plan out. I don't bounce anymore and am not capable of sorting a puncture quickly enough before my fingers stop working at this temperature.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

You nutter.

A day off and a ride planned. Frost snuffed that plan out. I don't bounce anymore and am not capable of sorting a puncture quickly enough before my fingers stop working at this temperature.

I wouldn't usually ride on icy days but, somehow, there hasn't been much down here. I think pretty much all of the roads I use have been well gritted, plus its been pretty dry on the other days so not much surface water.

My toes are still hurting though!

 

[Glanders]

Had an early start this morning and came along the edburton road - lethal in places! I'd naively kidded myself that we'd seen the back of all that nonsense for another year...

 

[Glanders]

She trains four times a week and even though she looks skinny, she is incredibly strong and can maintain speed of about 48km per hour on a flat, so it really is no shame.

get her on a time trial bike!

 

[kip]

She trains four times a week and even though she looks skinny, she is incredibly strong and can maintain speed of about 48km per hour on a flat, so it really is no shame.

Wow, that's about as fast as my top speed going down hill! Mind you, there is normally trees in the way
I'm trying to get my 7 year old boy into bikes, he loves going down hill but moans like mad going up, he's still quite nervous as well, he broke his arm when he was 5 on his second time on a bike
We've got a night ride planned for tomorrow and I've just looked at the weather, not looking good Unfortunatly we have this stupid no excuse policy, we go whatever the weather.

 

[RandyWanger]

Is anyone after a GPS?
I broke mine last year in a bike crash, it then got wet, I sent it off for a repair but Garmin lost it, they've finally given me a new one as a replacement but I already purchased one.

http://www.runnersneed.com/garmin-f...ing-specialists/fcp-product/8358?listing=true

I don't think it has a HRM in the box, looking for £300 PM if interested. It's new, in box ready to post.

 

[ozzygull]

Wow, that's about as fast as my top speed going down hill! Mind you, there is normally trees in the way
I'm trying to get my 7 year old boy into bikes, he loves going down hill but moans like mad going up, he's still quite nervous as well, he broke his arm when he was 5 on his second time on a bike
We've got a night ride planned for tomorrow and I've just looked at the weather, not looking good Unfortunatly we have this stupid no excuse policy, we go whatever the weather.

If he loves cycling try getting him involved with a club, that's what did it for my daughter. She rides for Palmer Park Velo in Reading but I know there are junior clubs in Brighton as she races against them.

VC Jubilee is one http://www.brightonexcelsior.co.uk/index.php/youth-cycling
Also Preston Park Youth Cycling http://ppycc.org.uk/wordpress/

Cycling clubs are great for kids they ride in a safe place, make friends and the parents support each other. People think it is an expensive sport, and it is if they start to get competitive, but to start off most clubs have bikes you can hire so just need a helmet and gloves.

Good luck to your little lad I hope he gets the bug

 

[ozzygull]

Pics please

There you go

 

[Stat Brother]

There you go

What are you up to on the scale of idiot grin?