[Closed] Trail Centre Vehicle Trends Part 2

You sound jealous OP. I'm going to get a T5 too. Not to 'follow the herd' but because I have wanted one for ages because I like them. I actually ride my bike a lot too...and it doesn't have 160mm of travel as quoted by a fellow cynic on here. On second thoughts, I wonder what you think I should buy instead...

This is an interesting thread. There really are some bitter folk.

I probably look like I should drive a T5, but I've fallen into the trap of having a baby and can't afford a van and the closest VW dealer is about a 20 hour drive away. I do have expensive bikes that I don't have the energy to ride and a lot of Patagonia jackets, most are too warm for the UK. I was called a chav whilst wearing one once, because it has a hood! By a pleb who drives a used BMW! It is an estate, so good for bikes. Anyway, I thought Patagonia was old news. Isn't it all about Arcteryx these days? It is much more expensive.

I was once accused of working in IT - though my van's a Nissan, I only have 150mm and wear Paramo/Buffalo. Clearly the accuser isn't on here 🙄

I never considered one of those VW T5 but if it annoys the insecure so much, I am tempted to buy one just for that reason.

Are all vans with crew cabs on the naughty step? We went for a Vivaro (in grey) to replace our estate car. Saved £8k by opting for a new van over a new estate car. Brilliant for lugging bikes and all manner of kit for weekends, holidays etc... 6 seats, comfortable driving position, no need for bike rack or roof bars. We bought ours before I'd ever visited a trail centre, I was CX and road racing at the time.

Don't let the practicality get in the way of a good whine though...

Wow the OPs keep net must be bulging the amount of posters on this thread he's had on the end of his line. Hilarious! 😀

I think you protest too much...

vinnyeh - nice, is that a 940?

Yes.

More importantly, is it for sale?

Not yet it isn’t, still in process of making it go faster than anything that unaerodynamic has any right to. 😉

You sound jealous OP.

Not really. Managed to wind a few sensitive types up which is always fun.

In all seriousness I wouldn’t touch a VW van if it was my money, I know quite a few people who have owned them for both personal and business purposes and none of them would buy one again due to very poor reliability. Most of them now have Transits.

Was fun in the snow, rear wheel drive/auto/turbo

Yup. Mines fun in the dry too now. 😆

Stay tuned for part 3.... if I ever get to a trail centre again.

I've got nice stuff that I like. I think I've earned the right to not be judged by others for what I drive, ride and Wear.

Galaxy, hardtail Marin and Berghaus here.

#counterculture

(Edit- of anyone wants some cheap Patagucci, I'm happy to get rid of my crappy recent Patagonia kit...)

Stay tuned for part 3.... if I ever get to a trail centre again.

Now they know what you're driving, you will be lynched by angry T5 drivers before you get to the trailhead cafe.

(I'm more a Saab man than the Volvo, but I wouldn't say no...)

Well done newrobdob. Think you can definitely call this thread an op success. 😀

There's been a rise of it recently; the "all the gear, no idea" types; the "follow the herd" mentality. The yuppies have returned, and this time they're dressed in patagonia rather than barbour jackets.

I guess a weekend away in the van riding your mountain bike is a good way to craft an image that your peers will admire. But it's the very safe option; the trail centre, and no doubt a campsite aswell. And that's what these people all have in common, the colour beige (or is it grey?).

I'm enjoying this thread 🙂

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Now they know what you're driving, you will be lynched by angry T5 drivers before you get to the trailhead cafe.

It’s cost me the price of a T5 to pay for the petrol to get to a trail centre in my 940. 20mpg average means I go in my other car! So still under the radar.....

The T5 owners won’t be able to see me through the tints in the back of their vans as they fire up the camping stove and prepare the Aeropress anyway. They probably can’t afford both the repayment for the van AND sit inside a warm cafe for lunch.

lOP that's making snap judgements about people

Just reporting trends my dear, I’m like a reporter for Van Fashion Weekly. 😆

Best thread 'eva!!

😀

DTF taking full advantage of good fishing conditions, I see. 🙂

Good thread OP. Ignore the naysayers.

I'm not a trail centre type but did visit Glentress recently. Amongst all the T5s and A6 Allroads we spotted an immaculate, very new and shiny, steel grey Landrover Defender LWB. Complete with obligatory Thule top box and racks - presumably to hold a Santa Cruz or two. (Seeing as everybody's got one now it seems - which was news to me as I'd mistakenly thought they were still cool.)

Anyway, my mate loved it but I thought it beneath contempt. It'll never, ever go off road and never be dirty - inside or out.

why does that matter? why the 'contempt'? it's a bit sad really, vehicles really don't matter to anyone other than the owner surely?

More pimped up vans in the local street..
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No, they matter to the peer pressure types..

^^ that van fails, it’s 09 redg’d.. needs to be 17 at the oldest..

And it's a Peugeot..

Great post OP. Your mildly amusing satirisation of some elements of mountain bike culture has been raised to the level of hilarious thanks to some of the humourless po-faced responses you have received.

Take a bow.

Yay were famous! The grey T5 is mine

Surprised no one has asked, too busy making statements...

Anyway NickyBlake, how did you do that dent? And why is not fixed yet?

 

newrobdob - Member
It’s cost me the price of a T5 to pay for the petrol to get to a trail centre in my 940. 20mpg average

- take the roof rack off and you'll get it up to 21mpg !

I just go to the trail centre to ride my wee bicycle.

I have a suspicion that many of these T5 owners watched far too much A-Team as kids and are living out their childhood fantasy. People who vape obviously preferred Thomas The Tank Engine.

What makes you think that?
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I sell used cars for a living (kriss akabussi laugh) and recently got traded in a 2008 T5 kombi (one seat in the back / tinted side windows / carpet lined in back) with only 106k miles on it, but rough bodywork - poor previous repairs. It drives good and I have just replaced the timing belt / water pump.

Was very excited when took it in as I have had a renaissance in MTBing (did mostly road previous) and have a habit of taking off for a night or two and sleeping in the back of vans (I have a 1984 T25 camper too) and MTBing (big mountain epics) Spent first night it in the Lakes a couple of weeks ago and the drive was a lot more stress free than in the old T25!

Not fussed about the rough

I'm clearly not on trend. Despite owning two relatively nice FS bikes, I let myself down by hanging them from a boot rack mounted on a ten year old Alfa Romeo saloon.

I'm gonna get me a one of these.....

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To transport my new bike to trail centres

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I'm clearly not on trend. Despite owning two relatively nice FS bikes, I let myself down by hanging them from a boot rack mounted on a ten year old Alfa Romeo saloon.

that santa cruz is gx 12 speed so not bling. must try harder

I'm clearly not on trend. Despite owning two relatively nice FS bikes, I let myself down by hanging them from a boot rack mounted on a ten year old Alfa Romeo saloon.

I didn't clock you driving down the A19 or maybe A1 in the north east a month or so ago did I? I remember passing a car which may or may not have been an Alfa Romeo with some bikes attached that were clearly worth much more than the car, by an even greater ratio than mine (4 or 5 to 1).

OP. Get ready to lose your shit.

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We've got a 2003 Ducato and a couple of older bikes- [s]Do we win[/s] can we borrow £5?

"I have a suspicion that many of these T5 owners watched far too much A-Team as kids and are living out their childhood fantasy".

Yup. And....? I don't see the issue here.

^ that.

Vans are [s]comparatively expensive to insure[/s] [s]thirsty[/s] cool.

I must admit, i do wonder why anybody cares?

so people can't get things they like from brands they like?

driving an old Volvo makes you a better person than someone who drives a T5?
If it works for them?

I mean, you could build a kit car, build your own bike? if you want to be totally away from brands?

Hopefully next year i'll be able to take advantage of a "bling van" to transport my E-Bike so i can attend coffee mornings at trail centres up n' down the country, i'm currently driving a bog standard but remapped VW Caddy and i feel so out of place these days, a few years ago just the VW badge would allow you preferential right of way trail treatment and free parking along with complimentary cake and coffee.

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My dad was meant to retire at xmas (welder/fitter/fabricator for major stainless plant installations) as he's sick of working at 68 but his boss really didn't want him to retire so they agreed to a 6 month stay of retirement and move to 3 day working week (he's bloody good at his job) with a 25% increase in pay. Needless to say he's quite chuffed with that outcome but his old 2007 ex-rac transit is quite rough as it's done over 300,000 miles so last week we went looking at Ford Transit Custom M-Sports that he plans to buy once he's retired, he saw the exact one he liked, i like it too as it kinda reminds me of our old yellow transit we ran about in the 80's when i raced moto-x, V6 engine from an ex police pursuit ford granada, twin side exit stainless exhausts, big wheels and a black stripe running up the side - aka the bumblebee.

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The only difference he would like is two captain style seats in the front rather than the three as pictured.

I can't wait to pull up in a busy trail centre car park to my reserved disabled parking space (blue badge holder) and drag the ebike from the back and go roost some sweet trails before returning to the trailhead cafe with tales of rad jumps and sick air time - it's gonna be sweet.

Well of course judgements are made on possessions, displays of wealth and general appearance, and TBF stereotypes tend to some basis in fact/observation...

The real fun here is of course setting the bait and waiting for the IT professionals to bite. predictably what ensues is bit of indignant self justification, telling everyone they're just Jealous...

Just own it (literally and figuratively), we're all someone else's walking Cliché, I get to be a penniless parent, who's finances only stretch to a knackered Picasso and a 2nd hand HT, it's OK I'm still part of MTBings rich tapestry, here to be sneered at by Johnny IT in his lifestyle Van, and clearly brimming with Envy... 😉

Wow the OPs keep net must be bulging the amount of posters on this thread he's had on the end of his line. Hilarious!

Yep, he’s gonna need a bigger boat!