Being based mostly in that there London the riding in the SE this time of year tends to be a clag-fest & quite frankly its getting on my nips. Where in the UK is the best all-weather riding?
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Best All-weather riding area in the UK
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Posted 1 year ago #
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Velodrome.
Posted 1 year ago # -
If we ignore trail centres, I'd say Dark Peak area or maybe N Wales ... anywhere with lots of rock.
Posted 1 year ago # -
NOT Ignoring trail centres Swinley is fine even if it's wet, it's sandy so drains well. Afan and Cwmcarn are generally clag free, Afan is grippier in the wet I've found
Posted 1 year ago # -
woburn sands is great all year round
Posted 1 year ago # -
woburn sands is great all year round
Ironically, I would say its worse when its really hot and sunny as gets a bit too sandy.
Posted 1 year ago # -
coastline trails in East Lothian, sandy loam soil content and free draining...
there theres all the beaches for all year round too!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I agree with Jedi and Jamie... Make some trips to woburn
Posted 1 year ago # -
anywhere rocky is ok in winter so that means head north to wales, lakes or Scotland.
Has both natural and trail option in most locations.
Probably some trail centres in between here and there worth considering
Our mud tends to be boggy rather than claggy so most stuff remains rideable unless it gets deepPosted 1 year ago # -
Cwmcarn seems to be easier to ride in the wet, plenty of grip, rolls quicker when slightly damp too.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Woburn or Thetford (away from the over-used Black (sic) Run) are my winter venues of choice in the SE.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Swaledale! Naturally fast draining rocky trails and barely any mud!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Is woburn a better venue than chicksands? I went to chicksands for the first time on saturday and had a right laugh despite crashing on the 4X, everyone was polite, no egos and I even got to see Tom dowie fly around the 4X at warp speed.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Greensands bike park.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Not anywhere in Scotland that's for sure. It snows here.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Peak and Lakes rocky stuff fine in wet weather. Cannock Chase doesnt get muddy, but the pebbles can be very slippy (oh no !) and there are alot of stupid Brummies in MET parachutes whooping about 1 foot roll ins.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Is woburn a better venue than chicksands?
Woburn has more XC trails and no 4x. I would say they compliment each other rather than compare.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Well Dumfries is pretty central for Kirroughtree, Dalbeatie, Mabie, Ae and Drumlanrig, plus a little over an hour away you have Glentress, Innerleithen, Kielder, and Whinlatter (plus the northern lakes). Oh and lots of other forests around here with decent fireroad riding.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I know Cwmcarn & S Wales pretty well - interested to hear in some good wild natural stuff. Woburn Sands looks like a good idea too. Swinley bugs me as its just such a honeYpot (good for racing though).
Posted 1 year ago # -
Oh and lots of other forests around here with decent fireroad riding.
Don't geddit...
Posted 1 year ago # -
+1 Jamie. Definitely two different beasts, depending on what you want to do. The short DHs at Woburn are fun too.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Lakes. Doesn't matter if it's raining or not. It will probably be raining though.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Any Southerners ridden Bedgebury?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Woburn has more XC trails and no 4x. I would say they compliment each other rather than compare.
+1 Jamie. Definitely two different beasts, depending on what you want to do. The short DHs at Woburn are fun too.
Would you say the Xc at woburn is better than the Xc at chicksands?
Is the DH doable on a hardtail (cotic simple) I don't want to go over the edge of a 15foot drop!!
4 of us go out 2 of us more into trails and 2 more into the dual/4X, would the trails keep the other happy?
Does it cost a fiver like chicky?
Think we'll def make a visit as it's only another 10 to 15mins further for us to travel.
Thanks for the help guys.
Posted 1 year ago # -
+1 for rocks.
The beacons can be good for this reason, but if it's wet enough the sandy soil turns into grinding paste which is still very rideable but really f**ks your bike.
Swinley I like generally but if it's really wet like last year, the sandy bits just go totally soft and it gets very hard to ride.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Woburn DHs are doable on a hardtail - most of them are only 20 secs long with a quick push back up. I rode there with James of Genesis on his proto Alpitude a few years back. Lots of little drops, hips and downwards snaking singletrack - a lot of trails to choose from as well, so something for everyone. There are a few biiiig drops, but they are all obvious.
Can't comment on the XC at Chickie, but there are some nice loops around Woburn. I would tell you where, but I've only ridden XC there a few times and have been following a local...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Get yourself up to the Lakes!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Swinley I like generally but if it's really wet like last year, the sandy bits just go totally soft and it gets very hard to ride.
I think Swinley suffers more from the shear number of riders rather anything else.
I'm pretty sure it would hold very well if they were just less riders.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Perhaps although certain bits of gravelly sandy trail surface were like old snow last year and hence virtually unrideable.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Spain! Less rain, less mud and probably quicker, easier and cheaper to get to than N. Wales, N. England or Scotland.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Most of the Lakes is pretty rocky so can be ridden in any weather.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I like Spain!
Not so keen on Swinley tho. I think scu98rkr is right - it suffers from sheer volume of riders.
Posted 1 year ago # -
RepacK - Member
Any Southerners ridden Bedgebury?i rode bedgebury in the early summer, nothing really technical but ok for a few hours. has a nice cafe!
lots of stuff to ride a little further out around robertsbridge/battle muddy but mostly rideable. just stay away from the trails next to the rivers.
i would offer to show you around but my fitness sucks after missing most of the summer due to three smashed fingers...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Yeah Woburn is all fine on a hardtail til you start doing the bigger stuff which I imagine would be more fun on a big bike. I don't like it there in the wet though, the sandy mud is so annoying.
Overall I prefer Chicksands as the dual is so much fun. The Chicksands XC is crap though, nothing challenging at all.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Woburn is a bigger venue than Chicksands and the sand is a bit of an arse in the summer but as long as you stay on the higher trails it's very ridable all year. Not too sure i'm liking all the press on here though as the permissions debate is still a little fragile.
Posted 1 year ago #
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