My karate / roadie mate Pete.

Never ridden off road in his life. He got a Spesh Hardrock last week to ride round the local farm lanes with his little lad. Took him for a spin at the local trail centre.

😀

I didn’t appreciate how lucky we are playing where we play until today. He was grinning like an idiot and making all sorts of strange whooping noises.

*Searching in vain for the “Like” button*

if no trip to casualty was involved then you have lulled him into a false sense of security

Did he not do a MNPR and lend me a ride – the later point hardly narrowing it down much 😳

Its always good to christen a noob good work sir

He’s keen to do an MNPR. Needs to get up to our fitness level first!

We did Philips. I warned him about Tourette’s Leap https://www.strava.com/activities/759475257

I knew someone had mentioned tourettes leap. I felt a dull ache in my shoulder.

Needs to get up to our fitness level first!

Pub not bike I assume 😉

Did exactly the same to some guys from my road club a couple weekends back… may have forgotten how technical some of the trails where mind.. apparently I just jump over everything technical which in my head I don’t but I’ll take that compliment!

‘s great, isn’t it. Of course, you’ll be exposed to his childlike enthusiasm every time you see him for the next week or so. And then again for the next ride. And the next…

He won’t thank you when he’s spending the price of a small family car on a new push bike 🙂

Its still brilliant even when you’re experienced too isn’t it. Yesterday I had a blast, just messing about. Rolling back the years and having loads of fun.

Taking out a newbie is a great way of reminding yourself just what a brilliant little thing MTB’ing is.

A good friend of mine moved down to to cotswolds a few years back, he always struck me as MTB material (a good mix of outdoorsy, practicality and stubbornness) he also has a fairly stressful life and I felt it’d do him good so I spent a year or so gently nudging him into it.

So glad I bothered, the grin on his face when we first got to the bottom of verderers was brilliantly infectious.

He’s off now, already talking about getting a full suss next year.

I did something similar a couple of months back with my older brother when he came over from Paris (also took him to Philips Park). I let him use my FS bike because he’s a noob whilst I scuttled up and down on my jump bike. I’ve never seen anyone buzzing as much as he was at the end of the north loop (his first run).

He never shuts up about it now.

He’s keen to do an MNPR. Needs to get up to our fitness level first!

I guess he’ll be out next week then 😉

Great isn’t it?

Yep 🙂

I wonder if it’s a natural progression now?

Road – HT – FS – SS ?

I’ve never seen anyone buzzing as much as he was at the end of the north loop (his first run).

I wasn’t that cruel. We did all the Blues in Waterdale and the East Loop first. I wasn’t going to take him over Tourettes Leap without at least an hour’s worth of experience because he is the size of Wladimir Klitschko and dragging him to a clearing so that the air ambulance could get in would be a right PITA.

I wasn’t that cruel. We did all the Blues in Waterdale and the East Loop first. I wasn’t going to take him over Tourettes Leap without at least an hour’s worth of experience because he is the size of Wladimir Klitschko and dragging him to a clearing so that the air ambulance could get in would be a right PITA

Great work. Will be taking at least 10 newbies to Bike Park Wales for my stag next year. If they all finish the day without any serious injuries I’ll be a happy man!

As an aside, which bit of Phillips is Tourette’s? Having left half a tooth on the North loop (am I right in thinking that’s the one that runs off the back of the carpark next to the motorway?), I’m intrigued to see if it is the same bit (certainly had me swearing like a banshee..)

I’ve always enjoyed taking “roadies” out for their first mtb experience.

They love it and are amazed at how much energy it takes to ride 30km off road.

North Loop. Second dip / bomb hole with the concrete lip on the exit.

They love it and are amazed at how much energy it takes to ride 30km off road.

I took a roadie mate to Llandegla a few years ago. He said he didn’t expect the climbs to be the bits where you have a rest 🙂