[Closed] The STW Singley Mingley Swinley Ride

Hmmm. Given that i'm generally happy to go biking with internet randoms (no offence 😉 ) - what the hell, i'm in 🙂

As long as it's Saturday 13th as that's the only date I can make...

In case that date works for everyone / anyone, I would like to get my excuses in early though - the night before is my leaving do from work and, as i've worked there for 11 years, I suspect that it might get a little messy!

A bump for this. If I was free I'd be in, but I'm not, so I'm out. Should be a good ride. Was fun on the STW train last time out.

I might have, as never been to Swinley and want to ride there. But I'm booked up with other rides/races/training on all those dates 🙁

I'm ashamed to say I only live 15 miles away and have never been to swinley.
I'm in .....

Count me in. Can't do the 7th though.

Right, Sat 13th at 2pm then? Should give missnotax time to sleep off some of the excesses of the night before 😉

I would , but I will still have my arm in a plastercast.
Love the new Swinley its really rather good.

Not been to the new Swinley, I guess no guides will be needed these days... hmm, depends on house moving situation, but I might turn up. I'll actually be a single on this one (although, far from "looking" I should add!)...

[url= https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107924463712607063923/albums/5435603010863189905 ]Here[/url] are some photos from the last one. That was about 6 years ago! Weather might be better for this one.

PS. How long for the healing Rob?

OP was June 21 , So probably looking at 6 weeks in a plastercast , and then maybe another 2 weeks for some rehab so reality is late August.
Got an hour on the turbo yesterday ,went ok .
Got my Roubaix , rear wheel bearings ****ed, apart from that seems ok.
Bought a set of Krysiums incase the Ultegra wheel is borked internally

Right, Sat 13th at 2pm then? Should give missnotax time to sleep off some of the excesses of the night before

Perfect!!! 🙂

OOH OOH, ME ME!

Right, Sat 13th at 2pm then?

Top notch. Had a great time riding with the STW lot back at Swinley in November 🙂

Assuming i haven't completely broken myself (or my french surrender monkey of a bicycle) in the Alps the previous week, then count me in for this (as i've been wanting to do the "new swinley" routes)

😉

If anybody can't make this ride, they could try the BOB open day on 20 July, see the thread here: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/berks-on-bikes-20th-anniversary-open-day

Just a quick bump in case anyone had missed this...

So, it's the 13th @ 2pm?

Ooh, sounds tempting, a sociable start time and I've been meaning to check out the new stuff at Swinley. Hopefully should be able to make it.

You know, I might be up for this. I am at a Swear-along-with-South-Park screening the night before, so will probably not be in shape for my usual 10am.

I know the area well, so can put some off-piste stuff together if needed.

Yep - [b]13th July at 2pm[/b] 😉

I'll have to see if i can make this too. I'm not single (unless my wife of 13 years has something to tell me in the next week or so) so if i ride a single (or a singular) will that be allowed?

theotherjonv - Member
I'm not single

You could easily sort this by telling your wife you're going on a singles ride with some people you met through the internet 😯

How will I recognise the STW massif?

No idea actually...! Was kind of relying on a) someone recognising me (blonde girlie on battered Orange 5!) or b) asking random strangers if they are from SDW in a loud voice 🙂

You might have more luck asking for people from STW 😉

I'll be on a white Santa Cruz and will be by the new trailhead - not the go ape end things, it now starts where the extension to the overflow car park used to be - if that makes sense... Basically head to the end of the overflow car park and you'll find the start of the trails.

Oh, and if you're asking random people if they are "dashed" you might get fewer weird looks if you ask if they are James 😉

You might have more luck asking for people from STW

Doh! I've been talking about the South Downs Way a lot lately - I blame predictive text!!! 😉

I actually have no idea where the overflow car park is... Where do I go if I'm starting from the normal car park / lookout? Or do I just have to accost anyone on a white Santa Cruz?!!!!

😆 😆

Sarah 🙂

there's a long narrow overflow carpark that runs parallel to the main road - follow that to the opposite end from where you came in to the main lookout car park and you'll find a big metal 5 bar gate - new trails start 30 yards from that. Basically head away from the entrance / coral world and you'll find it.

Or ask someone where the new trails start - it's pretty obvious once you get there 🙂

Okey dokey - thanks 🙂

I'll be on a blue Bfe ..presuming hardtails are allowed.

Can't make it now. Got DezBJr for the day and I don't think he's up to Swinley trails yet 🙁

Debz . He would be absolutely fine on the blue , once he got into it.
The Red , maybe not so much as its probably too long and steep for him just now.

Blue is easier than QECP red by a stretch.

Curry on one night soon?

if I can drag one or more of my kids* out, I'll be up for this

* they'll the least stw looking gangly oiks

Missed that Rob - yeah, be good that.
Chuck me an email and we'll get it organised 🙂

Sounds like this is going to be a fairly relaxed trundle around so I may wander up to stretch my legs / social skills! Doing the Magnificat on Sunday though so don't want to be overdoing it 😉

So, where's the meeting place?

Sounds like this is going to be a fairly relaxed trundle around so I may wander up to stretch my legs / social skills! Doing the Magnificat on Sunday though so don't want to be overdoing it

Me too 😯

Have entered the Epic but didn't quite realise how far it was, so might go for a girlie wimp-out and ride the standard route instead... (which is still a flipping long way in my book!) 😆

"Cycle Trail Discovery Centre" off the B3430?

Bump

The start to the blue trail behind the lookout (postcode rg12 1us). I'd allow a bit of time for parking etc. Coral Reef is another option for parking if the lookout is full...

That postcode puts me in the middle of Priestwood according to Streetmap UK. I've never been to Swinley Park before and I'm not sure I could find the start of the "blue trail". Is it signposted from the Centre?

Try this Mr Woppit
[url= https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?gl=uk&daddr=The+Look+Out+Discovery+Centre,+Nine+Mile+Ride,+Bracknell,+West+Berkshire+RG12+7QW&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=0,51.387354,-0.739488&cid=0,0,3647536696699843493&hq=go+ape&hnear=0x48767c29377d25fd:0x2b035d7df603e639,Bracknell,+Bracknell+Forest ]Go Ape[/url].. is in the same car park.

Excellent.

[img] [/img]

There's some directions earlier in this thread too. Email in my profile - drop me a note if you want my mobile no in case you get lost... Goes for anyone.

[quote=missnotax]Have entered the Epic but didn't quite realise how far it was, so might go for a girlie wimp-out and ride the standard route instead... (which is still a flipping long way in my book!)

I'm down for the Epic too.. and it's going to be tough! Not been out on the roadie for a few weeks so I'm counting on last week's altitude training in the Alps to pull me through (although not sure if it counts if it's mostly down-hill!) 😆

Can't help thinking I've shot myself in the foot rather by praying for good weather... will be making the most of the 7:15am start interval to get some miles (and Coombe Gibbet / Vernham Dean hills) in before it warms up too much...

Last-minute bumpy. (Is excited)

If you see someone shuffling around looking lost on a white rocky mountain, that will be me 🙂

I'll be the epically overbiked one (160mm lapierre complete with DH tyres after a week in the alps, and i can't be bothered to swap back to my normal setup!)

Salsa clown-bike for me...

Hmm, got a bit too frazzled at Goodwood yesterday so I'm out.. have fun y'all!

In a shock move today, STW members were actually photographed on real bikes and not just online:

[URL= http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/max_torque_2006/Lapierre%20Zesty%20714/STW_swinley_13_July_2013_1_zps14c66e46.jp g" target="_blank">http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/max_torque_2006/Lapierre%20Zesty%20714/STW_swinley_13_July_2013_1_zps14c66e46.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Cheers Guys & Girls, that was fun!

Good ride - cheers all 😀

Bit warm though - that cold beer when I got in hardly touched the sides 8)

So what's the sp? Was it one huge testosterone fuelled orgy of writhing bodies?

You've seen me attempting to clear a double then footflaps?? 😉

It was HOT & SWEATY however!

Great - albeit damn hot - afternoon 🙂

Lovely to meet everyone!

Terrific day. My first go at the "new" Swinley trails and I think they're really impressive. Challenging for me through the twisty-turny stuff on the "Labrynth"...

Cherry on the cake was the helmet-less alien biker [i]flying[/i] down the most extreme bit of red-trail downhill. He seemed to be turning corners in the air. HOW did he do that?

Photo - from left to right: "gary"/"Woppit"/"dashed"/"missnotax".

maxtorque is behind the cleverly-disguised camera.

Big thanks to dashed for organising and guidance. 😀

Also, I think a special mention should go to maxtorque's impressively lacerated lower limbs and seeming fondness for collecting an extensive range of niche biking injuries...

Yes, thanks for kicking off the idea here, great to check out the new trails on a fantastic day with good company. Will definitely have to go back to revisit some of those jumpy sections 🙂

Me too 😯

How did you get on? I foolishly stuck with the Epic route and baked.. got round in just over 9 hours (with one puncture).

Ahh... Brave man! Standard route for me - *only* 80 miles which we did in just under 5 and a half hours. It was absolutely roasting!! There's no way I could have done an additional 40 miles or so on top of what I did!!!

Slogging up some of those hills in blazing sunshine and what must have been 30 degrees was an interesting experience...!

I presume the riders coming through Stockbridge were doing the Magnificat? Saw lots going through while I roasted gently outside the tea room. My garmin was reading 30 degrees from about midday.

[quote=gary]I presume the riders coming through Stockbridge were doing the Magnificat?

Yup, that was us... about 35 miles in.

[quote=missnotax]Standard route for me - *only* 80 miles which we did in just under 5 and a half hours

Bloody good effort! I was feeling good up to the split (including 50km/50 mile PBs) but then just blew up in the heat from 60 miles on..

You're both mad!! 😀

Mr Woppit - did I read another thread where you said you could now claim winter fuel payments?? Clearly a benfits cheat - no way the bloke I met on Saturday was 60!! 😯

62 end of the month, aksherly old boy.

Crikey Mr Woppit!

You're both mad!!

Yes - I can only speak for myself - but quite possibly 😆

Bizarrely my feet hurt the most from stupid shoes rubbing - that'll teach me for trying to look all smart and roadie-like, I should have worn my manky but comfy MTB ones!!

I was mad not to take the 80 mile split, I'll tell you that for nowt! Soles of feet and palms of hands (no gloves) are a bit tender but other than that I was surprised how bad I didn't feel this morning...