If I was very southern, which I am.
And I was going to Leeds and had 5 hrs to kill on Monday. Which I do.
Where would I ride solo?
Luckily, I have a 4x bike, a soul or a mondeaker dune to pick from........
Cheers.
Stainburn.
The peaks
There's loads of good riding to the north/NW of Leeds, Meanwood, Adel, Calverley, Esholt, Otley Chevin, Ilkley Moor, Baildon, Shipley Glen, Harden/Wilsden/Cottingley but you'd need a guide. Sadly I'm working on Monday but someone might come along and offer to guide or provide a route.
Stainburn is fun and avoids the need to navigate but I think you'd struggle to kill 5 hours there.
Ladybower?
I'd have been happy to show you around but sadly for you I'm up in Scotland this weekend 🙂
If you can get to Sowerby Bridge this is a cracking route for a good three hour ride
[url= http://www.cmbm.org.uk/route.html ]CMBM[/url]
Gisburn is always an option as well - no guide required
If you need to ride out of the city centre, the Meanwood Valley Trail is my doorstep ride, but as mentioned above, it helps to have someone show you around. Having said that, I'm sure a nose around on Strava will give you some decent clues. The trails are utterly filthy at the moment as well - fun, but useful to have local knowledge to pick the just sloppy ones rather than axle deep mud ones. Follow the MVT to its conclusion though, and you get to Adel jumps, which have some fun lines through to stuff that is way beyond my capabilities.
Stainburn is 30mins from Leeds city centre with a fair wind. 5 hours well spent imho
For "just outside Leeds" there's some ideas here: [url= http://www.mtbleeds.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=5&Itemid=39 ]http://www.mtbleeds.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=5&Itemid=39[/url]