Kinda torn between two options tomorrow. Weather looks good, trails might have dried out a tad?

So… Swinley could be fun for a tomorrow of afternoon’s fun.

But I also have a hankering to leave straight from my door and head out for a 70-80 mile cotswolds epic… hmmmm… really can’t decide!

STW hive mind thoughts? Is Swinley an XTR drivetrain grinding mess of wet sand and grit? Is road riding really where I should be at? Hmm mm….

road ride? 😯

G E T I N T H E S E A!

I’m heading to Swinley tomorrow am for a quick spin… hoping it hasn’t rained over there today, in which case it’ll have drained nicely (i hope).

Yeah… I’m hoping the rain will have dried out a tad by now at Swinley and I really shouldn’t be going anywhere near the road bike at this time of year!

But Swinley’s a 100 mile round trip – so only worth it if it’s gonna be worth it.

I really should wash my road bike mouth out with soapy water (I know!) 😳

No you should get the grinder out and make a clothes airer with it 😉

I wouldn’t say Swinley was worth a 100 mile round trip at the best of times.

It’s the same distance for me and i would have to agree.

Maybe a few years ago it would have been, but since it’s been turned into a coarse aggregate-paved super-highway, it’s appeal has reduced somewhat.

If it helps at all, I was at Swinley today and it was mostly dry, few puddles and muddy bits, but compared to my local stuff at the moment it was unexpectedly dry.

Cotswolds – Swinley will be choco

Cotswolds it is then! Weather’s not looking brilliant either, so road plodding seems better option… such a bloody hassle going for a mountain bike ride living in deepest Oxfordshire anyways..!

It’s fine down this way. Swinley would be okay on the cobbles. Drains well. Would be rammed though and really not worth a long drive.

Surrey Hills would have been a better choice. Running really nice. Yes there’s mud out there, but the fun factor outweighs it, and it’s not grinding yellow paste stuff like Swinley.

If you wanted a trail centre, from Oxfordshire I’d have gone with Cwmcarn, FoD or Afan. At a push Cannock. Before even considering Swinley 😉

Surrey Hills: 150 mile round trip
FoD: 150 mile round trip
Afan and Cannock: 200 mile round trip 😯

Swinley really is my nearest bit of ‘proper’ ‘mountain’ biking, and I actually quite like it, TBH. It is what it is. Fast singletrack. Fun, if you hammer it.

Did something like ~95 miles in the Cotswolds road riding yesterday though. Pretty satisfying. Got a bit wet at the end though!