Hi all, I’m coming back to the uk from Australia for a couple weeks and I’m going to have a weekend free in Sheffield. And I’m keen to get a ride. I’m probably gunna have a car so I don’t mind traveling and hour or so if theres some where to get a good day in. I was maybe thinking somewhere more trail centre’ish. So I could get in more riding. Without having to think about where I’m going and carrying gear and such. I’m also keen to demo some new rides. Is there any bike shops around that let you demo? Or where I can hire a nice mtb.
Cheers for any info!!

There aren’t any proper trail centre rides near Sheffield just a collection of 1-3km runs.

Cotic are based in Sheffield but have their demo place in Carver, which is in the white peak just north of Bakewell. Drop them an email, I think they have a little loop suggested that will take you round some rough stuff, it’s pretty good from what I recall.
There is a bigger loop I could suggest from there if they let you take the bike for 3/4 hrs. drop me a pm if you want it, I’d suggest that having a garmin would be better.
As regards travelling from Sheffield the dark Peak would be your best bet, travel to Hope or Castleton and do the stuff circling ladybower.
I’ve never done any of the trail centres round sheffield so cannot comment on them.

No trail centres near Sheffield.Loads of routes in Peak District though ranging from two hour to five hour routes.Pick up dark peak mtb guide from go outdoors near je James cycles or print a route off net..Kinder circuit is a good one.

Dont know how trail centery it is nowadays, but sherwood pines is in distance and do hires, not sure though for demoes

Bike Garage in Bamford also hire bikes including full suspension, and they’re near loads of natural trails in the dark peak.

Riding options near Sheffield include Greno Woods (three fun man-made DH runs – red and blue graded) Wharncliffe Woods (steep and technical), Lady Cannings (bermy blue grade trails), Blacka (quite rocky natural) and as mentioned above loads of natural riding in the dark peak.

Minor note but Greno is red and black, no blue to be found!

A few places will do demos but most would charge for the day, think 50quid is about the norm. Lots of good riding around but would need some map/gps help or a friendly face ideally.

Sorry, meant to type black!

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I’ll have a look round the dark peak area. Don’t mind paying for demo’s. I’m not planing on taking my bike. And I’m in the market for a new full sus trail bike. And there’s no where to demo bikes where I live, so it’d be nice to get on a new whip, even just to narrow down sizing. There’s only so much interweb browsing you can do!!

18 bikes in hope have demo bikes. Currently Santa Cruz(s) and a hope HB160! Others too…

And please don’t drive past the Peak District to ride at sherwood pines.

That would be a tragedy. I’ll happily send you some gpxs of what ever sort of riding if you are headed out into the peaks.

Or direct you to some of the recent mostly crowd funded trails that Ride Sheffield have pioneered.

As above you can demo bikes from 18 bikes in hope, but not as cheap as hiring. However would be criminal to not do some of the classic routes in the Peak District while over – some of the classics in th uk and all of 30 mins out of Sheff. Give me a shout if you want showing around, alternatively lots of them are really easy to mark out on maps and follow on the ground

Awesome, getting pretty stoked for the peaks!! I’m after medium,ish size loop upper intermediate lv with a nice bit of tech? Also what’s the best app for following gps masp. I’ve only got the I-phone and no GP’s unit.

Sofaboy73. I might give you a shout if your nod busy in a few weeks time!!

I use Viewranger on iphone for mapping, I’ve never downloaded a GPX over the top but looks easy enough from their website. You can download offline maps too

I wouldn’t travel an hour to ride at Sherwood either, but I was specifically targeting

I was maybe thinking somewhere more trail centre’ish. So I could get in more riding. Without having to think about where I’m going and carrying gear and such.

Riding ‘off piste’ in the Peaks will be way better but hardly matches the ‘not thinking where I’m going or carrying any kit’ scenario !!