So I hit Swinley on the weekend just gone and thought its class!

Some really nice feeling single track with good berms and jumps.

Looking to start riding out with some of the groups that enjoy the downhill stuff (rather than pure xc guys)

I am gonna go there this sat if anyone fancies it, I will be driving from thame.

Cheers peps

I might be dossing arround on Saturday.

If you like Swinley try the Tunnel Hill Trolls night rides. It’s XC, but rather than being fire roads it’s all lovely flowing singletrack. And the trails are much better than Swinely!

[edit] bit of a trek from Thame though!

Always been a big fan of Swinley, hats off to the trail builders, they’ve really make good use of the terrain. How’s Labyrinth these days, when I was last there a few months ago it had taken quite a hammering.

Might see you around there then ‘thisisnotaspoon’! Cheers for the info on the night ride. Its something that im more and more considering as when we finish work we cant ride cos of the light! I like downhill and jumps and cant really do that with a tiny spotlight!

rewski, I didnt actually Labyrinth in the end (i know its one of the ebst runs), I asked some guy to direct me to link the runs but got completly lost, but i did find some other run with a sweet big table top which was awsome fun. It was riding really well and all looked well kept to me. Defo hitting it this sat and maybe sun if im not to hanging

If you’re on Facebook you can join the Swinley Forest MTB group who regularly organise rides. It is a great way of finding some of the harder to find trails.

Not sure what time I’ll be there, the SS needs a new drivetrain, the Chumba is in boxes awaiting being built up and the Pitch has blown it’s shock, so I’ve a long fettling session ahead to get all that functional!

The night rides are good, technicaly on a sort of red to black trail center run level, all roll/rideable, but requires more throught than say GT Black which you can hit flat out compeltley blind. But definately not in the winch and plummet DH style (plenty of uphill techy stuff too).

There used to be a group that met in Pangbourne at Mountain Trax too, but I’ve lost their details.

You might want to look at Berks on Bikes (BOB), a bike group based out of Crowthorne

Several rides a week for different rider speeds, regularly linking Swinley, Porridge Pot, Tunnel Hill & Minley together (plus lots of other areas)

Yes, is all XC, but XC looking for downhills at all times – this is Surrey, not the alps….

Cheers

cheers hughjayjeans i will join the fb group!

thisisnotaspoon – sounds like you have alot fo tinkering to do there mate! only thing I had to do this week was buy a new seat cos I crush the rails on it when bailing of a jump!

boltenjohn – thanks for clearing up where swinley forest is……I know xc guys like downhill and everything, I was just making it clear that I have no intention of riding stonking 30mile rides on my converted jump bike, I will get bored, and dam tired!

if you are based in thame, take a look at bucksmtb
they organise group rides localy and further afield, last months open group ride was to Swinley

salome33, I wanna have a blast at swinley one weekend. Obviously I prefer going down then up but im no downhill nut.
I’m only in Aylesbury.

There’s a “London Calling” thread on Bike Radar with a bunch of folk just informally arranging rides around the area and includes Swinley, and there’s a Facebook group to go with it.

Not specifically DH but there are downhillers & jump enthusiasts there. Generally just a mix of all kinds, abilities and styles.

Also on Facebook is ‘DH Group’. It’s not specifically based on an area, but there are a lot of people on there from around London. Some do Swinley on and off.

If DH is your thing, there are spots in the Surrey Hills that are quite DH, along with gaps, jumps and drops. Further away is Aston Hill or Rogate. Again the guys in the above groups do these places also.