I'm (still) yet to ride the FoD off piste stuff away from the trail centre.
I was wondering if anyone fancied a STW ride of the area & (importantly) if someone, with local knowledge, is willing to guide it??
I'm thinking longish, XC (techC) ride of all the tech trails rather than DH or sessioning a couple of spots. Steep, flowy, maybe some drops and jumps. 3/4/5hrs.
Fair weather ride of the fun stuff away from the trail centre.
Sunday the 13th or 27th of May.
Time & meet location TBC.
Open to suggestions.
Post up here if interested.
Qwerty / Martin
I could be up for this. Have a fair knowledge of the area. I am also doing the OMM there on the 5-6th May so will have 12 hours of riding in the area to choose from 🙂
EDIT: Would have to be the 13th for me as I am away on the 27th
Martin, have emailed you back.
More than happy to guide with my knowledge of the area, though my pace won't be quite what it usually is I'm afraid up or down (for several reasons)...
I know someone to guide, but he’s a pro-guide so will want paying.
Let it me know if you want his details.
No paid guide needed thanks, it's just a forum ride.
Looking like the 13th, fair weather permitting.
Post interest here & I'll be back with more details.
Yep interested, MBoy give us a lift & I'll share the fuel costs. Presume parking at Park end to access the good stuff & avoid charges?
I would like to join if that’s okay.
I may join in, happy to show people around. Better to park at PABA in my opinion go get a descent loop and finish on a couple of old Enduro stages.
Blimey if mboy is coming out of retirement I may have to see if im free too!
Would do but I'm away until June - local
I would do but all he trails are closed to outsiders 😜
Cool, we seem to have some interest. All are welcome.
So, lets roll with:
Date: Sunday 13th of May
Location: Meet ready to ride outside the Dean Forest Cycles ( GL15 4HG ) shop / cafe. Free parking is available beside the road in Park End (try the verge opposite Fountain Inn Hotel).
Time: I can do anytime, lets suggest ride starting at 10:00, i'll probably arrive 9:15ish for faffage & a DIY coffee before i ride ('05 plate grey Berlingo). But i'm happy to change the time to suit others - post up to alter.
Guide / Route: Mboy & Welshfarmer can discuss pre ride on the day?
Ethos: Fun, tech XC, self sufficient, faff before 10am & ride after.
Weather: by "fair weather" if its raining = i may postpone, but we'll see what the weathers doing the day prior & decide then.
I'm a potential for this if i'm free. Know my way round that area too.
I'm up for some. I know a bits of various areas, but always up for more.
I'd be up for this too, as long as;
a) eBikes are welcome and
b) It's back from having a new motor fitted...
Bounce
Just seen this (thanks for the bounce rOcKeTdOg!) but unfortunately can't make it due to other commitments, Hope those of you who join in have a great ride.
Dean Forest Cycles is a good meeting place but like qwerty suggests park in the village and roll down to the café/shop. Parking just by DFC is a bloody nuisance on the bend there! They do have another car park just the other side of the crossroads (opposite the Post Office) if you're spending money in the shop/café. Enjoy an ice cream afterwards! Plan your route right and you can start on singletrack out the front door and end on singletrack to the back(side) door. Have fun.
I'd be really interested in getting some routes ...
FoD has always been uplift fuelled and I know i'm missing out on a lot of off-piste.
We will be there the week after and would really like to check out some of the other cycling.
Weather currently looking OKish.
If the rain kicks in around 1ish as forecast, does anyone wanna start riding at 9am instead, or is that too early on a Sunday morning?
What sort of distance are we looking at?
9 is fine, I have to get up at sparrow’s fart to walk the dog anyway.
You still haven't said if e-bikes are welcome...
Distance: 3-5hrs worth.
Time: tbc
E.bikes: why wouldn't they?
What’s that likely to be in miles?
Some folks don’t like ‘em so I wouldn’t want to upset anyone.
Can anyone publish the route after please ?
Really fancy this with my lad instead of just riding the uplift all weekend.
Sorry guys can’t make this weekend now by looks of it. Incendently I am happy to show people around at any point should they require it. Either nick a gpx from my Strava or if the dates work happy to ride with you.
I can’t either; bike is still fubar. 🤬
So, weathers looking great for tomorrow, just a 5% chance of rain all day & sun predicted at mid day, i propose we leave the time as originally suggested:
Date: Sunday 13th of May
Location: Meet ready to ride outside the Dean Forest Cycles ( GL15 4HG ) shop / cafe. Free parking is available beside the road in Park End (try the verge opposite Fountain Inn Hotel).
Time: 10am - ready to ride.
Guide / Route: Mboy & Welshfarmer can discuss pre ride on the day.
Ethos: Fun, tech XC, self sufficient, faff before 10am & ride after. No one gets left behind. Charlies rules apply.
<b>Distance: </b> I can't answer this one i'm afraid as i don't know where we're going. Times a better gauge anyhow, so 3-5hrs as planned.
I'm looking forwards to it, see you all tomorrow.
I can't make it, but have fun. If you guys do another Id be up for it.
Looking forward to this now. Be nice to ride it a bit more relaxed than last weekend! I can say the trails are running fantastic at the moment though and with the vegetation yet to grow up it is probably the absolutely best possible time to ride there. Hope to see a load of you in the morning. I will be riding a HT 29er but that doesn't mean it will be fireroads only 🙂
Well if Welshfarmer is going I guess I should come along too, make sure it's not all fireroads! Be good to catch up 🙂
Will join in on this if thats ok as a Parkend local with nobody to ride with tomorrow. Will be on a red Orbea.
Of course it is OK Rob. See you there.
Well a somewhat depleted group of 4 of us turned up at the cafe in Parkend and after intros (me and Mark90 know each other pretty well already!) we were off into the maze of trails that are Dowies, We hit a few of those and then a couple over at Shutcastle before I made the call to do widen our horizons with a loop via Cannop Ponds and Mallards pike before a drop back to the cafe for lunch. In hindsight I definitely had the wrong bike, as I found out to my cost on a particularly nasty 2 foot drop off. Only pride hurt and a few bruises! Luckily we had a paramedic in the group, though even more luckily his skills weren't needed! So all in all a pretty good introduction to the delights of the FOD taking in 3-4 of the main areas and the bits in between. The trails were really running fantastically well, and the little to no vegetation was an added bonus. Back to the cafe in time for butties and drinks in the sunshine. A great day out. Names to faces. Hopefully next time a few more will be able to come along.
Link to my Strava of our route
https://www.strava.com/activities/1569709604
I had a fab time, it's great to meet some other forumites, all like minded souls. Great guiding, great trails, great weather 👍
If you want the guiding favour returned, just ask.
Funnily enough i rode most of that route today myself! Will make next ride I’m sure
Just to echo, a great ride today, enjoying great trails with good company in the sunshine. Trails running fantastic, and quick. Nice to meet some new faces and an old one too! Hope Rob got his gear issues fixed ok.
Any plans to do it again soon?
Completely forgot & local trails haven't been this dry for 12 months so was blinkered by that.
Anyone fancy doing this again this Sunday?
I get my bike back on Saturday and I’m itching to get out and do something a bit different.
Sorry doomanic - I'm working all weekend. Plus as RD said, locals sweet at present.
I will be on a ferry to northern Spain 🙂
Feel free to follow our route linked to in strava up there ^^^^
Thanks but I don’t think I can download the route as I’m not a premium member. I also don’t have a mapping device, unless there’s an iPhone app?
In the unlikely event that anyone wants to tag along at short notice, I will be doing the same routes as last weekend but starting from Pedalabikeaway (I got a car park season ticket and I want my money's worth...) at about 9:30