Last night was reasonably evil round these parts. I think the media may have mentioned the drop of rain we experienced, and the wind was just as bad – a proper Atlantic winter gale.

Then tonight, my weekly Wednesday night-ride was beautiful. A calm, starry night, with the moonlight shining up off the bay, and comically wet trails leading to the odd touch-and-go moment at speed.

And now? The rain is hammering on the roof again.

Don’t you love the British climate?

Don’t you love the British climate?

Nope, it’s pretty spank in my opnion if I’m honest… 🙁

I’m with tts, it’s shite.

Yup, the same trail is different just about every day because of the weather.

In Oz I just had boring sunshine and dry tracks every day.

Croatia was terrible there the seven months I guided there.

Horribly dry, rocky and technical, masses of horrible space, disgustingly empty trails, terrible food and hate-filled locals.

Awful. Utterly awful.

Britain is awesome. Not because it’s ridiing is any better than anywhere else because it’s not but because of the people who live here and ride their bikes. It rains all the freaking time but would johnny foreigner go out on his bike when it’s chucking it down, pitch black and howling a gale? No he wouldn’t. He’d either live in a country where riding in mud was illegal or he’d just hole up in his mountain chalet and start painting.

Brits will just get out there and start riding around in conditions that would make a Shetland ram hunker down behind a wall.

Right now it’s pissing it down here and will be till Friday probably, and I’ll guarantee if I went out tomorrow night up to our local hills, I’d see a minimum of twenty lights weaving their way around the trails.
We can all take the piss that they’d all be fat, middle aged IT managers but in my eyes they’d be iron hard, made from steel. A bit of rain, mud and wind won’t stop these guys. In fact they look forward to it.

No

i’m remember turning up to a deserted chairlift in the alps in the p1ssing rain on one MTBing holiday and the lift operator rolled their eyes and said “only the english…”

I was pretty impressed with France. But I can’t help but feel what I saw might not be completely representative 😉 Still the variety and quality of riding in our patch of the pyrenees was stunning, literally riding from the hotel and finding something else stupid to do every day, and 1 minutes ride from the gondolas too for a 5 euro uplift with about twice the vertical change as fort william… In my head all of France is like that.

Britain is good though, no denying that. But it’d be nice if we had more chairlift uplifts.

Difference certainly, Better? its too hard to define.

Our weather is shit.

Dont come to NZ… the weather is crap here too… the riding is pretty decent in places tho

http://mountainbikingzane.wordpress.com/

Don’t you love the British climate?

I live in Spain for a reason… 😆

People often tell me, when it’s raining, that I must be used to it and not have any problems. I reply that “being used to” and “like” are very, very different.

I had a few spare holiday days this week so loaded a couple of bikes into the motorhome and headed north. Monday at Laggan the weather was lovely although cold (with some ice on the trails), Tuesday at Fort William started off with a bit of drizzle but it cleared by the time I’d started riding and was then quite nice, yesterday at Lochgilphead was pretty nasty – although more due to the wind than the light rain. Didn’t stop me riding and enjoying the trails though. Given it’s November in Scotland I’m happy enough with that.

I genuinely am not that bothered by the weather – as long as a I get a chance to prepare and kit up properly before the ride.

The main downside for me at this time of year is the short days. It didn’t get light until 8am and was dark by 4pm, meaning it could be quite a rush to get up, move to the area I wanted to ride, do the ride, then move to my overnight location all in daylight.

I’m used to the British weather, I live in Scotland. There are loads of ace trails in this country. But have ridden better abroad personally.

There was an interview with an American rider I read once;

Q: “Where’s the best riding in the world?
A: “Right here!”
Q: “Have you ridden anywhere else?”
A: “I don’t need to, the best riding is here!”

which kind of sums up my attitude to people who say ‘X’ is the best place to ride – slightly blinkered.

I like where I ride and the way that it’s different every time and like samuri there’s a perverse pleasure in knowign that you (and others) are out on a sh*tty night battling pedals and the elements when most people would hesitate to walk to the local shop for milk – but, in the end, I don’t think Britain is best because I’ve not even ridden much of that let alone the rest of the world so I have no real basis for comparison.

I’ve only ridden in Alpe D’Huez and Britain – both great but some of my most enjoyable riding has been done in Scotland, despite the crappy weather.

Northwind, whereabouts in the Pyrenees were you?

In all my years I’ve only ever ridden here (the Isle of Man) and Greece (the Mani) and if I had to make a choice I suppose it would be here. Ok, the weather is frequently shite but I have loads of good, varied stuff right on my doorstep, within five minutes of leaving the house, whether I want to go out for one hour or all day.
Where we are in Greece it’s just all about long dirt road climbs up to around 1,500 metres followed by either similarly long dirt road descents or mule track (kalderimi) descents which are just rocks and then more rocks – a lot is rideable, but it just gets to be no fun after a kilometre or so.
And then you have the f*cking thorns.. Nice singletrack is like hen’s teeth.

Our trails are as many and varied as we could wish for in such a small space… and our weather is ace.. we get dry hot and dusty.. we get wet filthy and demoralising.. we get cold crisp and clear.. plus all the amazing smells and sights and sounds of the shifting seasons..

I’m really sorry but I don’t get what’s not to like..?

I love it. Love riding in all weathers, although I have to admit that starting off in the pouring rain is not good, but once your out its ace.

Plus, and call me a soppy old b’stard, but this green and pleasant land is just ace. From the rocks of the lakes, to the green of the dales and the quiet flowy trails of the forests. When you think of the variety of countryside we have to ride here it superb.

Better than anywhere else ? Well I’m not qualified to say as I haven’t ridden abroad, but I love the riding here, rain, sleet, snow or sun!

The only other place I’ve ridden a mountain bike was in France, and they seemed to like their trails to have all the technical stuff on the way up, with descents on tarmac or fire-road.

i’m just waiting for my lbs to open so that i can get down and pick up my new (road) bike. the weather is…er changeable but really, i prefer it that way. riding all the time in the same conditions – how dull! i won’t pretend there aren’t times i can see it far enough but it’s more than made up for those days when i’m coming back, the only one about, thru battering rain and gales, cobwebs well and truly blasted away and yet another mini-epic. fantastic!

plus i can ride right from my door and, being in scotland, i can ride anywhere i want without being told i can’t. i can;t really think of anywhere else i can do those things and if there was i’d probably have moved there.

Strangely I feel more compelled (and comfortable) going for a run in extreme weather. I remember heading out in one of the blizzards we had earlier this year – hardly saw a soul in 3hrs or so. One of the coolest bits was gliding over a couple of hilly fields and not seeing any life (or prints) for miles. Made me feel like a yeti, so much so that I even indulged in running like one for a bit. Made me happy.

The only other place I’ve ridden a mountain bike was in France, and they seemed to like their trails to have all the technical stuff on the way up, with descents on tarmac or fire-road.

Maybe you should do them in reverse?

I’ve ridden all over the northern hemisphere. The UK does have some absolutely excellent, with Scotland standing out for me. Similarly I rode near Big Sur in California which was great, I always love riding in Spain with its abundance of singletrack and massive open spaces, the riding in northern Italy is wonderful and varied, the riding in France is awesome but crowded, the West Indies has some real rain forest gems and as previously mentioned, Croatia has some incredible riding where bumping into another rider is a reason to stop and chat because it’s so rare.

On the flipside, I love Scotland but hate midges. I love where I live now, but it does get awfully messy in the winter, and is crowded on the trails (although not as crowded as Brackley or the North Downs).

Is there anywhere better than the UK? Probably, but it really does depend on what you want.

Personally I do intend to move somewhere warmer at the end of the day, but it will be near to good riding.

Strangely I feel more compelled (and comfortable) going for a run in extreme weather. I remember heading out in one of the blizzards we had earlier this year – hardly saw a soul in 3hrs or so. One of the coolest bits was gliding over a couple of hilly fields and not seeing any life (or prints) for miles. Made me feel like a yeti, so much so that I even indulged in running like one for a bit. Made me happy.

Yes! 😀

Did that last winter. Was ace!

(and no bike cleaning afterwards)

For variety of terrain in a small space, Britain is fantastic.

For weather less so. I actually quite enjoy sliding around on wet trails, but riding in the rain is depressing. Somewhere like the Pyrenees where it rains in the evening and is dry during the day would be spot on.

The only other place I’ve ridden a mountain bike was in France, and they seemed to like their trails to have all the technical stuff on the way up, with descents on tarmac or fire-road.

You were VERY MUCH riding with the wrong people then. 🙂

Maybe you should do them in reverse?

Granted that would make them more exciting, but how would he be able to see where he’s going?

There are better places out there but none I can ride to from my house 🙄

We can all take the piss that they’d all be fat, middle aged IT managers but in my eyes they’d be iron hard, made from steel. A bit of rain, mud and wind won’t stop these guys. In fact they look forward to it.

Thanks to Samuri for brightening my day and making last nights one cog commute against a gale and pissing rain seem somehow worth it. Now quaking in anticipation to see if my DX battery survived, I’m guessing not as I forgot to waterproof it properly. Again.

Out of all the places I have ridden; Utah, Colorado, Southern Spain, Southern France, The Pyranees, The Alps, UK. I can honestly say the bottom of my list of favourite places to ride would be the UK.

i’d love to ride in the UK. i started riding MTB when i moved to spain, so apart from a weekend in the brecon beacons & afan, i have no idea what it’s like, despite being from the lake district.

Brits will just get out there and start riding around in conditions that would make a Shetland ram hunker down behind a wall.

Has never been to Shetland? Shetland sheep are too good for Chuck Norris’ sweaters.

Anywhere better to ride? Of course! Would I want to move there? Not necessarily!

@AndyR

Where we are in Greece it’s just all about long dirt road climbs up to around 1,500 metres followed by either similarly long dirt road descents or mule track (kalderimi) descents which are just rocks and then more rocks – a lot is rideable, but it just gets to be no fun after a kilometre or so.
And then you have the f*cking thorns.. Nice singletrack is like hen’s teeth.

Sounds like where I worked on Lefkas. There was one good singletrack descent, but the rest was primarily fireroad.

Britain is awesome. Not because it’s ridiing is any better than anywhere else because it’s not but because of the people who live here and ride their bikes. It rains all the freaking time but would johnny foreigner go out on his bike when it’s chucking it down, pitch black and howling a gale? No he wouldn’t. He’d either live in a country where riding in mud was illegal or he’d just hole up in his mountain chalet and start painting.

Brits will just get out there and start riding around in conditions that would make a Shetland ram hunker down behind a wall.

Right now it’s pissing it down here and will be till Friday probably, and I’ll guarantee if I went out tomorrow night up to our local hills, I’d see a minimum of twenty lights weaving their way around the trails.
We can all take the piss that they’d all be fat, middle aged IT managers but in my eyes they’d be iron hard, made from steel. A bit of rain, mud and wind won’t stop these guys. In fact they look forward to it.

That sums up the attitude you need to be a rider in the UK – a brilliant bit of writing.

For me though.. Well its a tough one Ive ridden in a lot places; Africa, Asia, Europe, North America.. Asia was cool in a “we are off the radar kind of way”; Africa was, well, Africa, anything can happen & it usually does; Europe is cool ‘cos its easy to get to & get around & its quite a small place but I would have to say that riding in N America was the most fun, Utah, Colorado, California hard to beat for sheer variety.. That & the great weather & the hot girls! 8)

Man up buttercup. 😀

So the weather can be lousy. Who cares! When you get the good days (and even when you don’t), the quality and variety of available riding in what is a pretty small island is phenomenal. Of course, I love my foreign trips too but they take a lot more planning than just going out and riding!

This is why Spain is so good, if you want cooler weather go higher in the mountains, it might rain, there may be snow on the ground and as you descend the weather is better, brighter and warmer, if you are a Brit like me and have MTBd all over then you can appreciate Spain, I keep trying other places but always Spain for me, loads of extremes.

Pretty much every country i’ve ridden in that isn’t the UK was better. A brief list would be:

Italy
Spain
France
Canada

If it were pratical for me to move, i’d be gone in a shot. The country is overpopulated with crappy health and safety laws that result in any half decent trail either being sanatsed or destroyed. Rubbish.

what coogan said.

I’d rather be in canada, with a proper winter and summer. simply fantastic riding all summer. and ace skiing/boarding all winter.

and somewhere where it snows and people just continue all the same. Not having everything a panick for a little bit of snow!

love the british climate. Although I appreciate summer and dry trials I also like the challenge of winter riding. I love autumn too. Hotter summers equate to colder winters for other countries.