I’m no fair weather rider in the slightest, and I love changeable British weather but I am just about getting fed up with it. Anyone else feeling like this? Just so hard to motivate myself for an hour before work today knowing it’s another hour cleaning up afterwards.

Whinge over.

Stick some fast rolling tyres on your mtb and go out and find some steep country lanes full of potholes and littered with flint 😉

Fantastic around Cannock today I really enjoyed it

Off piste was like 😯 I actually carried the bike a couple of times

Not even taken the s/s out – hoping too soon though

I’m no fair weather rider

That’s where you’re going wrong. Trust me, it’s just easier 🙂

Haven’t touched my bike for weeks. It’s still completely brown and knobbly and unidentifiable under a crust of filth. I’ve also got a bucket of shit brown clothing and shoes that I can’t bare to look at.

I tried to suck it up and persevere but I’ve had enough. This winter has almost killed me. Sick as ****.

I’ve been to Swinley a couple of times as it’s pretty much mud free but 99% of my riding since Nov has been on the road. It’s just been awful this winter and I don’t want to be yet another set of tyred trashing the local trails.
Can’t wait until it either freezes up a bit or dries out…

I’d love a big cold snap, icy cold morning on bike follwed by a pint in front of log fire in The Crown, not soaking wet and an inch thick in crud.

This much mud means reps up and down gravel trails in the woods or 2 hour sessions on the trainer.

Actually it means both.

Roll on dry weather.

Why doesn’t it seem possible to get a mud guard that keeps the mud off ? Every mud guard I’ve ever tried has been crap.

I still ride in Winter. I detest the mud in every way but I just put up with it. It’s either that or have 5 months (November-March) off the bike every year! Five months of not getting out would be even worse than putting up with the mud! I only try to go out on the best days in Winter (days with not much wind or rain) but ground conditions are still crap. Generally I don’t have much motivation to ride on my own, only usually bother with group rides in Winter.

I don’t know about a freeze being the thing to look forwards to. The constant risk of slipping and getting hurt I think is probably even worse than the mud.

This winter I have discovered that 3 inch tyres are not great in mud. That being said, I think I prefer riding at this time of year, it’s quieter, I don’t sweat as much and get to turn up to work covered in mud, which makes the kids I look after think I’m cool. The only issue is missing out trails to avoid doing damage.
The wind on the other hand… 👿

I’d love a big cold snap, icy cold morning on bike

+1 on this I can’t really remember wanting it to get much colder.
Fingers crossed for some serious arctic fronts coming soon.

I’ve sacked it off again this morning as the weather is just shite. I even bought a **** ss to save the best bike and that’s not been out for a week. It’s just **** at the moment.

Don’t think it would be possible to stay upright on a bike in the wind and rain we have down here today. Still sat in my PJs watching telly, had to put wellies on just to go empty the compost tub as the grass is so wet. Grim. Off to look for jobs in California.

Mud and Geoff Apps

Gloop guarding…

Free-range riding…

We had a couple of death marches through the Forest of Dean that were endlessly muddy. Last week we went to Afan instead which was way better. And that wind dried up the trails here brilliantly. Until last night’s storm came in and appears to have booked in for bed and breakfast.

I manage three rides this week so no way am I going out this weekend.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Dqffbd]More mud, more climbing, still no beer[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

That’s my mates Niner. You can hear the bearings crying…

I wrote a thing: http://pickled-hedgehog.com/?p=3650

It’s Britain, it’s mud, just deal with it 😛

Wipe the worst off, don’t clean anything but maybe the chaindrive, dust it off, ride again another day. It’ll keep your bearings from being wrecked with over cleaning.

Oh, and don’t use wet lube in mud 😉

More than one bike is handy though. Always one potentially have parts moving enough to ride. Hard tail also is less faff with cleaning. Full sus with shock that isn’t in the crud zone is good, and also 1x drivechains are less hassle to clean (so long as there’s no chain guide).

I just ride trail centers when the weather is pants.

Did FoD last weekend – great fun and mud free. Next weekend it will be Swinley or Cannock etc.

Pick the ride to suit the conditions.

Also if you hose the bike down post ride the mud comes off fast – leave it in the garage for a few days and not even Time Team will be able to unearth it.

Ah! Not the video game of old my mistake.

Mud hugger and a crud guard keep me clean on the front from the waist up.
My camel back takes most of the muck from the rear. I also wear waterproof trousers.
When I get home I hose my bike off then my bottom half and leave it all to dry in the shed.
No problem.
If your bike lives indoors I can understand why it’s a problem.
For everyday riding full mudguards keep me clean from the ankles up.