Hi all,

I was thinking of taking the CX bike to the FOD as I had the impression there were plenty of fire roads and easy tracks to explore (apart from the obvious red and downhill tracks).

Any advice on a good starting point for a few hours ride (don’t mid a few quiet roads to link bits up). Any maps/ routes also welcome.

thanks in advance!

If its fire roads you like,a good starting point it the family trail,nice hard standing and Pedleabikeaway centre will give you a map of this, you could alway divert off to Mallards pike and see the ponds.Other than this theres of plenty of fire roads and if you want to push things a little further go around the blue trail,the verderers,highly reccomended and you can roll it all.

Pedleabikeaway is a great place to start ans finish, plenty of like minded cyclists there only too willing to help

http://www.fountaininnandlodge.co.uk/biking_family_cycle_trail.html

try clicking the links at the top

should give you an idea to go explore from, though verderers should be fine on a CX bike as long as you dont ride like a kn0b first lap!

FoD is a great place for CX bike; a lot of the singletrack is rideable as well as the cycle trails and fireroads.

Like theredchili says, Pedalabikeaway Centre is as good a place as any to base yourself plus there is some good riding in and around the Wye Valley as well (which is easily reached from Pedalabikeaway anyway).

Enjoy 8)

Plenty of fireroads and narrower stuff on the family cycle trail side, just get the main cycle trail map.Here and explore away. Be careful of footpaths etc especially on busy days

It’s pretty difficult to get properly lost…sorta 😉

The Forest is great for the CX. Far better than for 6″ travel monsters as we have little rock. In fact the other local Cotic X owner and myself who met this am. were saying just that. The gravel is great fun and there are stacks of unsurfaced rides that offer good fun without going single track even. You can’t get lost! Look at a map. The main cycle area is in one quadrant based on Cannop cross roads. Don’t cross tarmac and you are never more than a mile or two from the cycle centre, Be aware of which quadrant you are in, never cross tarmac and you always end up back at Cannop as its the bottom of the valley. Were the family trail is near Cinderford by the road bridge, you can drop down a level to a series of easy muddy rides. Great fun. Or follow the overflow car park signs from the centre and then head right along a muddy ride under power lines. 40 miles yesterday with no duplication and twice as much left to do within 3 miles of Cannop I reckon.
you’ll never need the MTB again.
Be careful on the Verderers. You will upset the 6″ set by climbing much too fast then leaving them standing on the flat.

Sounds perfect thanks for the info- and I agree the CX is more suited than a 6″ bike in a lot of areas of the UK!

The Forest is great for the CX. Far better than for 6″ travel monsters as we have little rock. In fact the other local Cotic X owner and myself who met this am. were saying just that.

You ride a CX bike on all the DH tracks too eh? Bet it’s perfect.

Be careful on the Verderers. You will upset the 6″ set by climbing much too fast then leaving them standing on the flat.

:swoon:

Not all no but many of them. 😆

Please post pics of you clearing the big tabletop on your CX bike.

i have a cross bike and live in the FoD, rarely use it offroad, puncture every five minutes, now set up as winter road bike, even use for local TTs

my 29er is way faster even on the fire roads and rides everything,

I hate that sodding jump. It encourages people to cross the main ride below without looking left and right.

Troll