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So, I'm just back from my 1st overseas trip. Went to Alpujarra riding (apparently) mince free 'all-mountain' type trails with Mike at switch-backs.
Nice.
I was talking to a guest there & he insisted there are similar (if wetter) trails in North wales. Any ideas where??
& don't try & kid me they are way marked @ C-y-B or Penmachno because I've ridden them & they are, by comparison, a bit shit.
Ta!
I felt exactly the same as you describe whe I got back from my first trip abroad. Just ride where you did before, a hell of a lot faster
howdo crotch rocket.
was i on the plane with you coming back?
I'm off on the 2nd 🙂
456 free mince build is coming allong nicely, 150mm Z1's and new front wheel, jut need some DH tyres to finish it off.
I have the same feeling everytime I get back from holiday (I have been swith Switchbacks twice, as well as Canada several times) and being in the SE we have nothing within a day-return drive that remotely compares.
All I can say is that don't torture yourself wishing your local trails were like those on holiday, focus your energy on improving on the new skills you will have picked up and ride faster, smoother, bigger.
Where are you based?
The Lakes have trails of a similar standard to that part of Spain, IMO. Far too many to single any particular ones out.
Possibky the Peak District too, but I never get to ride there.
There's plenty of AM and DH grade stuff at CyB and Byc that isnt waymarked 😉
Get some 1:25k OS maps and start exploring.
@bobblyspangles, I dunno fella. I rode a white trek ex9 in spain. what you with Adders and the guys from Bedfordshire? There was another group of 3 from Cheshunt way & a group of lads I didn't get the chance to really speak to...
@Mikey74, Near chicksands. So i ride there a bit but the afore mentioned ex9 is a bit light for dropping 6ft hucks and jumping doubles.
@thisisnotaspoon, you are a brave man taking a hardtail - I'm sure you are gonna feel beaten after riding 1000m of vertical descent each day LOL.
I dunno,
I had a week's DH in alpe d'huez and les deux alpes, then a weeks DH in portes du soleil and when i came back and did my local xc loop the descents seemed quicker and more adrenaline fuelled than 75% of the DH runs...
Did I go wrong somewhere?
You did not meet up with my Three mates when you was out there
Adam and Two guys named Dave from London?
I did meet Adam, Dave & Dave.
Adam joined our group for our last day & is on a couple of the Vids mike took of us.
I warn you - this is not the work of Ridley Scott or The Collective...
http://www.youtube.com/user/ihavemine?feature=mhum
The terrain in the UK is just as challenging as anywhere in the world if you know where to find it and/or ride it hard and fast enough.
The main difference with the majority of the rest of the world is the size of the mountains, so descent length top to bottom tends to be longer - and I suppose in a sense that can be more challenging. At least it teaches you to lay off the brakes!
AND that's why I love riding abroad because you bring so much back to your old/local trails it almost makes them new again!
Riding rocks!
[i]I rode a white trek ex9 in spain[/i]
wow, seriously underbiked if you listen to most on here!*
*perfect i recon though
crotchrocket. hello fella, i met you on sunday after i borked my knee! your vids look good, nice one!
LOL Adam and his Bismark Enduro will be meeting up
this morning, will let him know fella. 😉
@rOcKeTdOg. I thought I was about right with the EX. after the hammering it got I can see why locals go for more agricultural machinery, it's as an attempt to make a bike last more than 2years. LOL
Mike was saying his 5-spot was cracking at the base of the seat tube after <1seasons use & Henrik thought his ,new in Feb, Giant Anthem would be ****ed by the autumn.
@bobbyspangles: Yes yes. hope the borked knee is getting unborked quickly. Let me know when you come down to Chicky next & you can teach me how to ride - email in profile 😉
@grantway: nice. That's a lot of bike for hacking about north london woods. Is there anything big enough for the bismark bike in Epping??
Brave, foolhardy or stupid, it's one of those three!
Had a full sus for a while and the added speed scared me shitless, on smooth trails it's all I need, and big forks keep everything under controll.
Good luck with that. Spain ain't smooth, by a factor of 10 😉 I saw more than one die hard hardtail rider see the point of full sus. LOL
Please let me know how you get on 😀
crotchrocket Adam has Three bikes the Enduro and another Spec older
Enduro with 140 travel plus an hardtail.
Yer can ride the Bismark there even Adam today wished he brought it
along today.
Regarding Epping the trails are a hidden gem
Alot of people come here and just cant find the trails and quiet
easy to go away and say crap, there are alot of good riding to be had.
And you just ride it harder 😆
right then.
Let me know the RV and show me the way 🙂
Wheres RV matey ?
RendezVous?
Hi mate ok lol we meet at 10-30 am Saturday at High Beech
top tea hut on the other side of the road side to the large pub
Not the tea shop next to the pub!!
You need TrailRakers