I’ll be off riding tonight for an hour and a half or so whilst the little lady has a friend round to watch *shudder* 90210.

My choices are:

1) Flat but quick and spinny road route on the road bike
2) Hilly road route, again on the road bike
3) Country lanes and farm tracks offroad-ish route on the mountain bike

All will start in the light (just) but finish in the dark.

Whaddya reckon?

3

Oh, and it might be snowing 😯

3

+1. So option 4 then.

3.

Is there a pub en route? Preferably somewhere about 100 yards from your house so you can do the ride, call in to get warm / leathered, then go back without getting too cold in order to regale the missus with your tales of winter derring-do

3. For sure

3, but you need to buy a CX bike first. Win!

Such a pub does exist, yes 🙂

I could spice up option 3 by breaking out the SS…

but you need to buy a CX bike first

I’ve got one, it currently has road tyres on it…

depends if there’s loads of snow on your MTB ride route?
if so then 2, why flat? flat is horrible, it’s fun to woooooosh down hills. This is why we cycle shirley?

Is the friend attractive? If so there could be an option 5, else 3.

Yeah, option 5 could cause some awkwardness.

I think it’ll be 3 and a half (SS MTB)

your asking on a mtb forum of u should ride on or off road. go ack on road.cc and see what answer you get their.

2 stay clean and dry

3, Main roads suck, and there won’t be enough snow to cause a problem!
SS it and aim for some hills anyway, pick a pub near a river (half way ish) for a warm drink or shot and head back.

Main roads suck

None of the option would be on main roads, we’re talking back of beyond in the Cotswolds, and there’s no snow on the ground.

SS MTB is tempting me, but there’s more chance of getting a pub involved on the road bike, hmmm…

Just go Dogging instead

I have this problem, when I hear road-bike I always picture busy roads.

Glos area wasn’t it IHN?
Head Malvern way and loop at Tewkesbury, or Back road to Chelt and home via Lecky/birdlip?
That way there’s plenty of choice of pubs.

Glos area wasn’t it IHN?

Kind of – Cirencester.

So, roadywise, it’s either flattish South towards Cricklade, or hillyish North towards Birdlip, but all on pretty much single lane country roads.

Knobblywise, it’s North-ish again around Daglingworth and the Duntisbournes.

Knobbly North in that case!
with a small flask of something to fight the cold.

with a small flask of something to fight the cold

Now that, my boy, is a fine idea 🙂