I did a quick search but couldn’t find many mentions of Nirvana Cycles. I’m getting a bit bored of going out by myself and riding the same trails so I’m thinking of joining one of their Sunday morning “social pace” group rides.

Has anyone taken part in one? My obvious concern is being slow on the uphills – from Peaslake Village Stores to the Holmbury view point can take me nearly 20 minutes. I don’t have to get off and walk, I just tend to sit and spin but it does take time.

The other option is the Pedal & Spoke group ride – any opinions on thise would be welcome too.

TIA. 🙂

Nirvana used to have a rep for dropping people, we swept up a couple on weekend rides from time to time. May not be the case any more (or even ever, there’s two sides to a story I imagine).

Nirvana ride is pretty social, though they tend to ride leith and redlands where you do IMO have to work a lot harderto get an ok number of descent trails. In terms of group rides it does err on the side of jumping and progression.

I would say from my limited experience of pedal and spoke rides, they are more leisurely and tend to be up tunnel, which is a lot flatter.

Look up join a ride or london calling on facebook.

Do a Nirvana one

I’ve done quite a few rides with Nirvana. I like the people and the shop very much. They do a range of rides, I’ve done midweek “Old Blokes”, “free ride practice” and the social rides. I’m pretty slow and always at the back on any ride with friends or the shop (e.g. I average 10km up/down per hour). I have got lost once, i.e. dropped but they tried to come back and find me and it was my fault as I thought I knew where they where going so didn’t exactly kill myself trying to keep up and they didn’t have my phone number. These are not rides where they are baby sitting you, they are free shop rides to get people together (almost certain you’ll go to places you didn’t know). You have responsibility for yourself, I’ve had some decent crashes with them and been on rides where people concussed themselves (inc the shop owner) and one guy broke a bone on the old blokes ride. It’s a mountain bike ride, stuff happens 8) The great part for me is seeing people do stuff which you may not attempt on your own and then having a go.

+1 for London Calling on FB

The London Calling lot are friendly, never drop people and tend to take new friends into account when riding. I used to ride with them every week when I was in the UK so I’m a little biased 🙂

Thanks for the replies so far. 🙂

deanfbm – Member

Nirvana ride is pretty social, though they tend to ride leith and redlands where you do IMO have to work a lot harderto get an ok number of descent trails. In terms of group rides it does err on the side of jumping and progression.

Jumps really aren’t my thing, more because I mainly ride by myself and figure when wheels leave the ground is when it can really go Pete Tong. Saying that, going out with a group is a safer environment for experimenting. 🙂

jambalaya – Member

Do a Nirvana one

I’ve done quite a few rides with Nirvana. I like the people and the shop very much. They do a range of rides, I’ve done midweek “Old Blokes”, “free ride practice” and the social rides. I’m pretty slow and always at the back on any ride with friends or the shop (e.g. I average 10km up/down per hour). I have got lost once, i.e. dropped but they tried to come back and find me and it was my fault as I thought I knew where they where going so didn’t exactly kill myself trying to keep up and they didn’t have my phone number. These are not rides where they are baby sitting you, they are free shop rides to get people together (almost certain you’ll go to places you didn’t know). You have responsibility for yourself, I’ve had some decent crashes with them and been on rides where people concussed themselves (inc the shop owner) and one guy broke a bone on the old blokes ride. It’s a mountain bike ride, stuff happens The great part for me is seeing people do stuff which you may not attempt on your own and then having a go.

Your speed sounds similar to mine which is giving me a bit more reassurance. 🙂

Will check out Join a Ride and London Calling.

Thanks again. 🙂

Bearing in mind it is years since I went on a Nirvana ride so things may have changed, I found that the ‘slow’/beginners/easy (or whatever you called it) ride was pleasant, no one left behind, bit of coaching in the steep drops etc. Did mean a shorter distance covered some times, or a few waits at the tops of hills but was good for confidence boosting and pushing my limits.
The faster ride was more like an off road version of the classic road club ride, in that you kinda had to be able to stick to their pace/technical ability and there was almost an expectation that if you couldn’t, you bowed out gracefully. Sort of ‘don’t jeapordise the ride for the sake of the weak’. Not that I think that is a bad thing, as long as it’s made clear at the start.
I’ve been on group rides before which were described as ‘friendly’ or ‘easy paced’ and then had my legs torn off or seen myself/others spat out the back and left with no real concern. That sucks, even if people are slower or having a crap day you shouldn’t just leave them IMHO but the Nirvana rides were a bit more up front about their expectations of you ime.

I spent a few weeks in the area in September. I’m a bit slow (in comparison) and a bit old, the Nirvana crew looked after me a treat. Yes there are jumps, but they’ll warn you, yes there are bomb holes, but they’ll warn you.

All in all, a great bunch of guys, with Simon at the helm, some great trails, and a great shop.

My advice, give them a go.

Diary of a mountainbiker head out that way on Sundays as well.
They are nice people.

Simon @ Nirvana is a top chap and will have you trying new stuff. he’s gnar for a old bloke

😀

+1 for diaryofamountainbiker – they seem like grounded/good peeps.

I’ve always avoided shop rides, partly because I don’t want anyone to think I’ll be shopping with them (in a nice way).

Finally got round to going on a shop ride today, chose Pedal & Spoke, Top day out, well organised with about 20 riders.

The ride was a long 25 mile loop over Holmbury, Leith and Ranmore Common. The pace of the ride was a little quicker than I’m used to but nobody was dropped and there were plenty of stops.

A very relaxed atmosphere, learned some new trails and had a good laugh as well, highly recommended.

🙂

Missed this when it was posted originally but…

deanfbm – Member
I would say from my limited experience of pedal and spoke rides, they are more leisurely and tend to be up tunnel, which is a lot flatter.

Sounds like Spoke and Spanners in Northcamp perhaps? They run Tunnel Hill etc.

Pedal & Spoke is based in Peaslake and shop rides vary and take all, but a lot I see on the pics and videos of the rides are up for big stuff. Big jumps and drops etc. Though as sofabear posted they appear to have done a longer loop today. I’d have been up for that had I not done similar yesterday and busy today anyway.

Join a Ride also mentioned seem popular, but they do appear to like hitting everything big as possible and you’re expected to man up and hit it all with them 😀

Nirvana, I only know the stories as atlaz has said.

And +1 for London Calling (I’m also biased 😀 ) – but we’re not a shop ride, or have a shop, and not a club either. Very very informal stuff, just people post up about a ride and see who comes along. To be honest it’s also super social now. 10 miles over 6 hours is not unknown these days. Many stops inc a break at the Peaslake stores. But depends who turns up. Long ago we used to do much longer ones, with big loops and less stops.

I would prefer to trim down the faffing a bit really, though I’m usually to blame at the start as I turn up late. Sometimes ready to roll though while others are faffing 😉 . I do Troll rides and there’s no faffing, leave bang on time, and rides are done in a couple of hours having done 10 to 20 miles. Though generally not as hilly as Surrey Hills.

We love an update !

Sounds excellent! Despite living fairly close I havent been to surrey hills for years as I dont know my way around.
I have just joined the london calling facebook page.
I would prefer a gnar session rather than an xc thrash.
Hopefully will be able to join a suitable ride in the near future.

@old why not join a Nirvana freeride practice, depedns what you mean by gnar ?

[video]http://vimeo.com/160459176[/video]

Our gnar sessions seems to have dropped off a bit with the main types on family duties, out with injuries, or moved further away so don’t ride SH so often. It’s been more pootle rides recently, but there’s plenty hanging around who may be up for sessions especially with improving weather (hopefully). Thing with LC, just post a ride basically and see what happens.

Nice video, looks great fun. Just about my level I think, apart from the big road crossing near the end, and the other steep bit, oh and them gap jumps .. 😀

don’t forget the muddy moles, if you live more towards the Dorking/Leatherhead side of things – their Sunday meetup is Brockets farm, or was.

deadkenny – Member

Pedal & Spoke is based in Peaslake and shop rides vary and take all, but a lot I see on the pics and videos of the rides are up for big stuff. Big jumps and drops etc. Though as sofabear posted they appear to have done a longer loop today. I’d have been up for that had I not done similar yesterday and busy today anyway.

From P&S’s Facebook page they’re going to be doing one XC thrash a month with the other shop rides being closer, less mileage and therefore more gnarr.

oldtalent – Member

Sounds excellent! Despite living fairly close I havent been to surrey hills for years as I dont know my way around.
I have just joined the london calling facebook page.
I would prefer a gnar session rather than an xc thrash.
Hopefully will be able to join a suitable ride in the near future.

The Pedal & Spoke Facebook page (search for Pedal & Spoke Santa Cruz) is updated regularly, usually on a Wednesday/Thursday and gives details of the what the upcoming ride will be. Starts at 10.30am from their shop in Peaslake.

I’ve been cycling along Holmbury, Pitch and Winterfold for a while and know most of the regular trails but there are new ones sprinign up all the time and that’s without considering Leith Hill, Box Hill or Ranmore Common – the organized rides are a great way to keep up to date and learn your way around.

🙂