I don’t really know why but I’ve ended up on a work’s bike trip with about 4 bikers and 6 or 7 “give it a go”
non bikers.

Realistically how long is the main Dalby route going to take us this time of the year? I wouldn’t say the group is completely unfit but the worst of us are carrying a good 3/4 stone extra padding..

also, is Dalby still as much fun as ironing one’s scrotum?

22 miles with novices? 3 hours, perhaps more.

Yes its as dull as that, but with a Rusel Hobb’s iron you can improve it slightly. You can make it even less dull by short-cutting across to the other side of the Red at Dixon’s hollow missing out a seemingly infinite period of fire road tedium.

I think the first time I did the full red it took me about 4 hours (with a few cake stops), I can do it in about 2 now.

I wouldn’t do the full route with some non-bikers, personally I’d set off from the visitor centre, do the blue route from there and meet up with the red route to do the last third.

There’s some good riding at dalby, but doing the full red can be a bit tedious. Some of the sections are a bit samey.

I did it about a month or so ago for the first time, I’m carrying a good 3 to 4 stone extra padding too. And strava clocked me as 3 and a quarter hours moving time, although it took me just over 4 hours in total. To be honest I enjoyed it, although there are quite a lot of flat sections towards the end where I didn’t have the energy to get the most out of them.

http://app.strava.com/activities/211521577

Last time I was there I did a bit extra to make 45km in total which took 3hour 10min. I really enjoy riding at dalby, there are some really good sections on the red loop. It is quite a demanding loop if your not fit. I took some novice friends around there once, there was no way they could complete the full loop though. Fortunately, if you look at a map of the loop there are a few bits you can easily trim off to shorten the loop. Trial holds up well in the wet.

I’ve never ridden Dalby but I’ve taken a fair few newbies out for their first taste of biking. Bro in law was a classic who had regularly cycled his hybrid but on the flat around derby city. His firsts taste of degga nearly killed him.
I’d say 4 hrs as you’re gonna be doing a fair bit if stopping/waiting.

Depends how far you’re travelling to ride – there may not be many decent all-weather options in your neck of the woods.

Definitely shorten the day by chopping off the top of the loop though, or it will start to feel a bit like the German retreat from Moscow by the time you near the end.

Took me abut 6 hours once. Beautiful day, middle of summer, had a nap near Dixon’s Hollow, followed by an ice cream, a brew and finally some cake. After lounging around some more I finally got back on the bike. 😀

True story.

Just got back from a lap of Dalby red.
I’d certainly think twice about going right round it with a bunch of newbies, some of them will hit the wall before the end, especially at the moment with the diversion near the end including a fair sized climb.
You’d be better off concocting a route utilising some of the escape routes or splitting your group onto the red and blue routes.
Good trail conditions there at the moment, semi frozen mud and no puddles of grind paste.

I went round it as a relative newbie a few years ago and the problem is most people like that will not be used to being trashed continuously, normally on a hardtail which is hard work at Dalby. I would suggest possibly 4+ hours, but I’d factor in some options to cut it short, or plan a shorter route as people have suggested. Plus its cold and newbies dont have the right kit which makes it all much harder work.

Whatever you do – car share! If you’re not renting I’d park at the Bickley end so the caf’s in the middle. If you are renting I’d do a south loop then see how they feel.

Hmmm

It’s not sounding like it’s going to be a huge amount of fun!

I dragged the same group around the dark peak(s) and it took the best part of 7 hrs but that did include a 2hr lunch break in the pub :-/

The worst bit is that I know one of the guys won’t think to bring food, water or a jacket yet will
Insist he’s prepared (he did this last time, had to let him slurp my water all the way round).

I also need to convince the organiser that riding 6/7 miles each way from
Pickering isn’t going to be feasible / a good idea!

I also need to convince the organiser that riding 6/7 miles each way from
Pickering isn’t going to be feasible / a good idea!

I think you need a “Personal Emergency” day, if not make sure you pack enough lights for everyone…

Unless you’re being paid I’d bin it! Take an empty bottle for the not prepared bloke and tell him to find a stream. Pickering start? No chance.

Just lead them off to a random fire road in the back end of the forest and ride off ‘to check around the corner’, laughing manically. They’ll never get out, it all looks the same in Dalby.

When their bodies are eventually found, you can say it was some kind of corporate initiative and teambuilding test. 🙂

Seriously, I can’t see much fun in it if you’re even having to bring water and other supplies for the poor loves.

You need to allow 5 hours IMO.
2 is fast.
3 is a good pace.
The last 1/3 is pretty tough on unfit/new riders.

Pickering start will kill some off by the visitors centre and everyone will freeze on the way back down.

I think you need to consider not doing this . seriously I liked Dalby when I last did it but it feels long it has just enough “fun” bits to ensure a risk of a painful off especially for inexperienced and unfit. It is a difficult place to bail out of when half way round . I have had to do that twice due to minor injuries of others on both occasions saved at random by strangers in cars taking the injured to the car park not something you can rely on .

The road ride there and back will finish off even the hardiest newbie .

Leave the unprepared guy to die or direct him to the shop (Dalby Bike Barn)

I’ve actually read you OP now, just saw the title before.

This is not going to go well. Novices don’t cope well with freezing temperatures, bum numbing trails, big hills, distances over a couple of miles.

With the comfort of a nice summers day you’d prob get around in about 4+ hours with short cuts. If you try to ride from Pickering, even if they did make it around the loop, they’d never make it up the hill out of the car park at the end.

Attempting this in winter might result in a corporate manslaughter case!

Hmm

You could all be right but they did survive a 23 mile beating in the peaks a few weeks ago. They did have a pub stop to refresh themselves though.

Hmmm. I’m not even organising it more that I’m one of the few “proper” bikers…