Viewing 25 posts - 41 through 65 (of 65 total)
  • Decent bike shops – Box Hill/Surrey area?
  • gavinpearce
    Free Member

    For me Head for the Hills are excellent, no complaints about workmanship and I’ve always found that they give balanced advice and don’t try and sell you something you don’t want. Cycleworks in ‘head tried to flog me an Epic when I said I wanted a Stumpy far or Camber evo….. Pedal n Spoke great place for mid ride issues of which a mate is always having (and Howard is too fast so needs to be busier in the shop I think!).

    mattjg
    Free Member

    For the record, someone mentioned noobs getting dropped on a Nirvana Wednesday night “shop ride”. I’m a regular on that ride, it’s not really “a shop ride” it’s a peer group/mates ride that happens to start on the green or at the shop front.

    Neither is it a noob ride, we’re friendly but not ride-nannies. People are absolutely welcome to turn up and have a go and it’s usually obvious pretty quickly to the new rider if they’re not up to it. We’d never intentionally drop someone or leave them lost but I can’t say it hasn’t happened. I don’t recall the ride described, perhaps I wasn’t there that day.

    The ride is XC/singletrack/trail riding, a little bit of pace, year round all weathers. We don’t do the freeride and jump sessioning that (I believe) all the “shop” rides do.

    Hope that helps, turn up (1830 Wednesdays) if you fancy it. The format is usually a couple of hours riding, a pub stop, then back to Westcott for about 2230.

    Edit: cheez beat me to it. Lol @ PeterPoddy.

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    Well in that case the rides should meet elsewhere, as they’re damaging the reputation of the shop.

    they meet in Westcott – near a shop that everyone can recognise…

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    they meet in Westcott – near a shop that everyone can recognise

    next to the hairdressers,if you prefer…

    mattjg
    Free Member

    the posters in the bridal shop were a draw for some

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    I’ve only ever done the daytime “shop” rides, I can get lost/dropped in daylight.

    The people at the front and the middle know where they are going and are probably faster than you anyway both uphill and down (everyone is faster than me).

    Bad mouthing the shop because you got lost is pretty bad form in my view, particularly on a night ride where I strongly suspect the people at the back are really slow and tentative. If you want to go on a guided ride pay Richard at All Biked Up £30+, he only does daytime rides.

    mattjg
    Free Member

    Bad mouthing the shop because you got lost is pretty bad form in my view

    No one’s actually done that.

    Agree re getting a proper guide.

    superfli
    Free Member

    Off topic, but someone mentioned the shop “Moto Sport”, did they used to do a XC race series? Just wondering as I think I did my 1st ever MTB race with them – recognise the name 🙂

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    Off topic, but someone mentioned the shop “Moto Sport”, did they used to do a XC race series? Just wondering as I think I did my 1st ever MTB race with them – recognise the name

    Yes,I think they used to sponsor that race at the Land of Nod, past Hindhead.
    That was a great venue!

    njee20
    Free Member

    Indeed they did. The shop became Beyond in 1997, and they stopped using the Land of Nod soon after.

    I’ve heard stories of folk being dropped on Nirvana rides. No issue with that myself, as long as folk know that it’s not a ‘wait for the slowest man’ ride. Agree that the reputation of the shop is perhaps being damaged if there are rides nothing to do with the shop.

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    Have bumped into a various people at different times that after general chatting the subject of Nirvana rides (daytime) comes up and they seem quite pissed that they got dropped or a friend did.

    But yes, maybe it’s just down to an understanding that it’s that kind of ride.

    I do Troll rides and normally they are fast as the slowest and that means they’ll lay on a sweeper to ensure no one gets dropped, however they have a fast ride and it’s established if you can’t keep up… see ya! 😀

    And yes, lots of rides start from Nirvana’s place. I do some myself from there as it’s an easy place for people to find. Just mates out for a lark. Though personally I find parking round there a nightmare and some Westcott locals stuck up snooty bunch (though I take my opinions partly from “that” TV show that didn’t put the place in a good light 😉 ).

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Most Nirvana rides I’ve been on go down something I’m a bit nervous of to say the least. Often there is no alternative line immediately obvious or indeed at all. The Surrey Hills are not a trail centre, often there is no chicken line (so you ride it or man handle your bike over the jump/gap/feature etc). As such you could get easily dropped, stuck in the middle of “no where”. I go to watch decent riders ride stuff and to be shown new trails, for the company of a good group of people and to push my riding a bit.

    I was referring to “bad mouthing” as people inferred that being dropped was giving the shop a bad name.

    WaywardRider
    Free Member

    Been using Nirvana for some years now, as a Yorkshireman myself I find bluff straight talking Simon amusing. Nowt rong wi tellin it like it is…

    superfli
    Free Member

    Yes,I think they used to sponsor that race at the Land of Nod, past Hindhead.
    That was a great venue!

    It was at Stanstead Park, Rowlands Castle. 95 I think.

    ybot
    Free Member

    I’m another regular and the main lead rider from the 6.30 night ride starting at Nirvana – as Matt and Charlie have already said, its not really a Nirvana ride just a bunch of locals (Dorking Cocks) who find it a convienient starting point.

    No ride has ever started out with the intention of losing anyone although as mentioned it has happened. Many people do turn up for a ride with us, some we only see the once where as others have returned and become regular riders.

    We always do our best not to drop anyone whilst also trying not to compromise the ride – remember, the regulars all look forward to their weekly ride and it can be very frustrating to have 12 or 13 people hanging around at every junction for a newbie to catch up.

    Rich, I can’t recall the ride you mention but I do remember you, I seem to remember the 1st time you came along happened to be the night of our Christmas meal many years ago now.

    mattjg
    Free Member

    Many people do turn up for a ride with us, some we only see the once

    Analogies to Spinal Tap drummers come to mind. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

    offthebrakes
    Free Member

    Is any of the Land Of Nod venue still rideable?

    OS map suggests no public access, but…you know 😉

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    mattjg – Member
    Analogies to Spinal Tap drummers come to mind

    They spontaneously explode somewhere on the trail? 😮 😀

    mattjg
    Free Member

    It’s never been witnessed but we have returned to the site of last contact to find a pile of ash and a charred helmet.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Smiles, fist pumps with blones, even a dog walker hugging a mountain biker (TB is very huggable though 🙂 ). Just another Nirvana Freeride practice ride

    [video]http://vimeo.com/114501442[/video]

    mattjg
    Free Member

    too much standing around for my taste (plus I’m a bit of a wuss) but horses for courses of course. which one’s you?

    danbo
    Free Member

    Wasn’t all standing around that was a 28 mile ride!

    Another vote for Nirvana from me. Have always found the shop to be friendly and helpful in the year i have been riding and i would not have tried half the stuff i have without Simons advice and encouragement.

    njee20
    Free Member

    Which is the trail from 1:30 in that vid?

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    It’s the new “secret” jump trail no one’s (*cough*) supposed to post videos of according to the notice up there because of all the months of work that went into it…

    … built slap in the centre of one of the busiest areas, quite noticeable with the hoards of people who already know about it heading there every weekend 😉

    It looks great and commend the effort, but I’m just waiting for the huff when it all gets flattened. I hope it doesn’t, but really can’t expect that to last where it is. Just enjoy it while you can and if lucky it will get overlooked, so long as no one has a really bad off.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Matt, not me, I used to go on these to practice the little stuff and watch the good riders ! Haven’t been out on one for a while, I follow the videos though.

Viewing 25 posts - 41 through 65 (of 65 total)

The topic ‘Decent bike shops – Box Hill/Surrey area?’ is closed to new replies.