TJ how was Butterdean ?, Pretty gloopy I’d expect. Also did you take the trail from Fauside to Wallyford as It’s always interesting. Here’s a pic from Tuesday with my riding bud Charlie.

That’s definitely Multi-Terrain Biking (or MTB-ing, as it is also known).

Looks a lovely way to spend a lovely day.

Not that it matters but that looks like a very pleasant offroad route.

Shows you don’t need to have ‘lung-busting uphills and gnarly brake-cooking DH sessioning’ (sorry, I was reading an old MBUK this morning) to enjoy a bike 😉

Looks like a nice route TJ. I’ve been down the John Muir way a few times but mostly an out and back so will have to give this loop a try. Work in a couple of pub stops and jobs a good-un!

Stanfree – butterdean was pretty gloopy. I didn’t do the walyford descent this time but I have in the past.

I like the look of that route!

Hmmm, should I move to Edinburgh…?

Butterdean woods

Looks a tad springy.

Looks very nice. I’ve not really done any riding down in that area but must get round to it. I wouldn’t personally ride it on my roadbike with 23mm slicks, but I would on my Roadrat which also has slicks but 25 or 28mm (can’t recall which).

It’s the same situation with routes like the canal paths – I know I could ride it on 23mm slicks (and have done in the past) but don’t particularily want to!

TJ, thanks for the route, I think we will be doing it on Sat/Sun. We know the area but you have put some stuff in that we hav’nt done….. and we can get a pint at the Goth….

Its a very pleasant route for sure but of the 40 miles there is a mile thru the woods that is rather gloopy where without a bit of nobble on your tyres you would struggle for grip and another mile that is a rough downhill where a bit of suspension or even float from tyres allows you to go a bit raster without rattling you teeth out. Overall quite ridable on any bike but more comfy on an mtb.

Its nice to some riding sometimes where you don’t have to concentrate all the time, where here is plenty of time to look at the scenery with no cars around.

Its only just mountainbiking if it is at all but I did get the wheels in the air a little and did get a bit muddy.

At the end of the day its all mucking about on bikes. Its all good.

rickmeister – want a bit more detail on the route or a memory map file email me.

Butterdean was sweet lastnight! funnily enough it was absolutely fine with my usual bald DHF on the rear, there’s no climbing at all in there so although there are gloopy/sticky bits you really don’t need knobbly tyres to keep up momentum.

TBH I wouldn’t do a route like TJs on a mountainbike. from his GPS map it looks like he somehow managed to completely miss out heaps of fun urban, off-road, jumps and even DH bits. as Druidh said it could easily be done on a roadbike (I also use 25mm tyres 😉 )

This thread confuses me.

It’s all too nice.

😕

It’s OK, I’m back 😡

GW would 23s handle you?

Nice one TJ. Do you have an equivalent one for West Lothian?

Did a sort of obvious rectangle Balerno – Kirknewton then off-road to Broxburn and back in on the canal the other week. Had potential, but too much road going out.

I do garry. Edinburgh / currie / ratho / newbridge/ kirkliston / queensferry / return to edinburgh along the shore

TJ – I am still in India at the moment but will be calling you very soon…

I work out Ratho way once a fortnight and keep meaning to explore. One day.

Garry – YGM

GW / anyone else

there is some overgrown but quite substantial and well-built looking shore in the woods near Boggs farm. Needs undergrowth clearing but might be on interest for those strange folk who like that sort of thing

I’m not massively fussed by drops to flat and that but we rode it on our Thursday nightride. it doesn’t need anything clearing…But if it did, it’s a private wood (I have met/ridden there with the owner) so it wouldn’t be up to me. personally I also wouldn’t go around publicising other peoples trails. it’s a far worse crime than riding “off the path” in the middle of nowhere if you ask me 😉

I don’t think we are talking about the same bit GW but point taken. 😳 The stuff I saw was all overgrown and appeared not to be in use otherwise I wouldn’t have mentioned it.

Sorry

As to whether it was mountain biking or not I always thought the French had it right by maintaining “VTT” as a title for the bike. Much more descriptive of what people probably wanted in the original days (and what many want now).

I do use the term mountain bike but refuse to use the abbreviation MTB as, to me, “mountain” has always been one word.

Isn’t it wonderful being an old fart?