Anyone else really down due to the rubbish weather? I know there's more important things to worry about but just want to ride my bike in good conditions while I've got time.off work (really hate working) and hate riding in the rain. Too warm to use the turbo for a long ride. Got 2 weeks off work and pretty much the entire south east is a wash out.
No, Friday was my first day off from riding in 2 weeks a mix of road/offroad.... 3hrs singlespeeding this morning before nine it was gloriously sunny there was some standing water about by 99% dry and dusty. Though the wet & warm weather does make it very overgrown.
Where abouts?
East Midlands
Any good places to ride? Might be time for a longer drive for a ride.
Got out for 2 hours in West Yorkshire this morning, before the weather hits. It’s a bit splashy in places, but grip generally good and bike only needed a quick wash (mainly because I think rode through dog poo!).
Get out when there is a break in the rain - even a bit of riding will be better than none, and the post muddy ride shower is always amazing.
Nope, had about 8-10 weeks of great weather so no complaints with some rain as the ground is needing it. Things will dry and riding can be done...
Saying that, I've been working for most of that time so missed most of it but still got out when I could.
If it is warm then the rain won't be as cold...
(Aware this isn't going to help, but posting an alternative view)
Any good places to ride?
if you like flattish non technical generic overgrown bridlepath XC (hence the SS)
Totally get you! Should be in Mallorca but not due to a combination of reasons. Really missing some sun and heat, live on a hill here and am totally done with another day of cold wind. British climate is crap, loved living abroad where summer actually existed for more than a week at a time.
So yes totally get you 👍
Sunny days are for water. riding in the rain Is ace.
Actually everything in the rain Is ace just get stuck in.
if you like flattish non technical generic overgrown bridlepath XC (hence the SS)
At the moment I just craving dry ground. Even did a few road rides to avoid the mud. Wet mud is for winter not summer.
Nope, had about 8-10 weeks of great weather so no complaints with some rain as the ground is needing it. Things will dry and riding can be done…
Mostly this, but it is a little miserable. Don't really mind the rain but the wind can do one.
conditions were way better than I expected today, hope it the same again tomorrow.
I put three mudguards on to go ride round glentress earlier.
Christ it was ugly but other than my calves I was spotless.
My very low number of outdoor rides since April compared to normal has really got my down at times this summer, I'm sick of the turbo, it's supposed to just be a winter device for me.
Mixture of prolonged side effects after both Covid jabs, an awful lot more rainy days than normal and that heatwave week in July was unbarable through poor sleep and insane temps.
Felt great to do what has been a very rare "flog myself up the inclines and recover after the summit" ride the other day. Hopefully taking my bike to North Wales next week while catching up with family for first time in 13 months and doing the ~7 mile climb from Denbigh to Llyn Brenig on the B4501 "Road To Hell" segment.
The weather hasn’t really affected me that much; tore my MCL 5 weeks ago, so not been able to ride though the really hot and dry spell we had in July, which was annoying.
The weather seems to have turned wet and horrible now, but whilst my knee is much better I managed to tear off my big-toe nail yesterday tripping over the dog so I don’t even want to think about putting my riding shoes on!
But either way, between all of that and lockdown, plus time spent working 12 hour days living out of a hotel my annual distance this year is around the 250 mile mark. Even if I think in KM that’s awful. There’s a bit of me that has been thinking of just selling the bikes whilst prices are buoyant and returning to it when that all settles down, but I’ve owned at least one mtb constantly since 1992…
As Dick rightly says, it's been a fabulous summer up here so far!.
Local trails cracked and burnt, dusty as f. Brilliant.
As Dick rightly says, it’s been a fabulous summer up here so far!.
Where abouts are you?
I've come to the conclusion that you either ride through it or you find something else pleasant to fill your time with when it really sucks or better a bit of both (tends to be my approach).
Had some cracking riding in Wales on holiday the last couple of weeks so been a bit spoiled but come back to crap weather which isnt great but today I've spent my whole day playing Lego and listening to music with my youngest while his brother is at Scout camp, tomorrow we've got a day of Airfix planned (and maybe some Forza) to see out several hours of rain and there's a new single-track mag arrived today.
Of course if this cruddy weather continues I'll not be having a proper hissy fit about it at all in a couple of weeks (honest guv) 😇
Apart from a couple of weeks of storms hasn't it been a really dry year so far? Nothing too unusual for the west country I'd say.
The ground is saturated in the south and my favourite trails are no better than they are in winter. I've been on the MTB twice so far this year, though getting a few rides per week in on the gravel bike (which is my usual winter ride). Been looking at road bikes to replace the one I sold in spring.
Apart from a couple of weeks of storms hasn’t it been a really dry year so far?
I think it will depend on the soil type and tree cover as much as anything else. Round here bit north of London a lot of the sunken lane/tree sheltered trails hasnt really dried out yet. Several sets of heavy rain which has prevented any completely dry ride.
Some dry stuff but still lots of mud slogs and with the rapid vegetation growth heat and rain gives it hasnt been a great year for mountain biking unlike last year. The seeming habit of raining more at weekends doesnt help or the current forecasts of frequent thunderstorms which appear and disappear according to chance.
Today had a absolutely stunning couple of hours of kayaking but the forecast was 50/50 of having to hide from the lightning.
Scotland has been excellent this summer . The Tweed valley up until about a week ago had no mud patches . Managed 3 small overnight bike packing trips in D&G , perthshire and East Lothian. Also managed the deeside trail last week in a t shirt.
Cant really complain to be honest but do think Global warming is accelerating faster than expected . Despite Scotlands good weather apart from some locusts europe has had everything in the past few weeks.
Just arrived in Glentress. It's raining.
Meh
Id noticed the great Scottish weather and also the horrendous weather in the south east. In Leeds - in the middle -it's been smack bang average.
Apart from a couple of weeks of storms hasn’t it been a really dry year so far?
Maybe if you're in Spain. But not south of London. There were a couple of good weeks in spring, but since then it's been rain rain rain. Even the mini heatwave for a few days didn't dry out the ground. I've never known a summer as wet as this one.
On the plus side, there's been no hosepipe ban.
6 hours out on the road bike yesterday in the East Midlands - forecast heavy showers all day, so took the bike with mudguards, wore waterproof socks, didn't bother with sun cream and looked forward to testing the new rain jacket.
Saw lots of showers in the distance, but didn't need the jacket, did need the sunscreen - razor sharp and slightly pink tan lines on my arms now.
Off road it's a balls ache doing the ride, wash, lube, repeat every time you go out, but the weather is the one thing we can't change, only how we deal with it.
It's been dry and warm in D&G for many weeks but we are back to the rain now.
If it's not raining, it's foggy, like living in a cold steam room. Vile.
The sun was definitely welcome but it was pretty muggy much of the time so still not great.
I really really wish I'd managed to get out of the UK but never managed it on a permanent basis.
Perhaps time to make another plan if and when Covid is ever done.
I'm finding the UK ever more depressing, the awful weather just being one of a number of reasons to leave.
Had to check whether this was supposed to be recent, as I think its been an excellent summer after a very slow start. I was up in Scotland for 2 weeks in glorious dry (too hot) weather, with only a drop of rain. The lochs up there looking dry.
I'm back home now in the North East and before I went and since i've been back its been warm, and generally dry. Been out a few times this week and it was a bit windier than i'd have liked, but could easily see where the big thunder showers were so rode around them. Not a drop fell on me.
Got quite a bit of time to myself next week so fully expect it to piss down!
Fed up with the rain and mud in the south east. It's like winter with some puddles too deep to ride through. Been on the road much more.
I did hear on the radio that the southeast has had 110% of its summer rainfall this summer already.
Yep, properly fed up. Weather here in Sussex has been terrible this summer and the ground is saturated. My pond is overflowing and that never normally happens in summer.
Presently tipping it down in a sideways manner with gusty wind and looking dark threatening and orrible. I blame brexit
Prety much not stopped being wet in Hampshire this summer apart from the mini heatwave we had for a week or two
Was meant to go ride QECP today but after looking on the QECP Facebook page and seeing the berms flooded i decided to give a miss, plus im fed up of cleaning the bike after pretty much every ride, which ive had to do since last October!
Think im going to just give up with the MTB till it properly dries out (if it even does this year) and just spend my time on the BMX at indoor skateparks or go out on the gravel bike wih full guards for a road ride
Where abouts are you?
SW Scotland.
We have had an amazing summer in Arnside (S Lakes), bit too hot at times to do much except mess about in the kids pool in the garden or go to the beach, but hey. It's pretty crap now though.
look on the bright side; the passion for the Great British outdoors will be short lived as people remember why they used to go on foreign holidays (and there will be a surplus of lightly used bikes and camping gear for sale in Sept)
I'm another sodden Southerner - it's OK riding in the winter cos it's meant to be a bit grim, but summer is meant to be dusty trails and tan lines, not hosing yourself and the bike down after every ride. I think it's made worse by that feeling of grinding away at precious components too.
Currently practising manuals and trackstands in the back garden cos I can drink coffee during the showers and cba with an actual ride.
I was feeling a bit down about the weather, but SingleTrack landed in my postbox yesterday so I’ve spent the morning reading that 😜
Agree with all the other people south. BBC weather said like 20% chance of light rain today... so went for a little road spin. It rained... and wasn't light at all. GIven up staying dry on bike rides now.
The last two weeks have been rubbish but before that it has been pretty great but not as good as last year
Currently practising manuals and trackstands in the back garden cos I can drink coffee during the showers and cba with an actual ride.
Well that'll teach me - somehow managed to ping my lower back doing a (bad) manual, now couldn't ride even if it was blue skies and hero dirt. Cue an improvement in the weather...
I think I'll put some winter tyres on to encourage the ground to dry up.
I've become a pretty fairweather cyclist (actually, in the summer I nearly always have been...) so the last month or so has been hard work. It has made me realise that doing a 'Look, it's not raining, grab a bike!' ride whenever I can is a good way of making sure you get out. Last year I had a friend, new to mountain biking (and therefore keen) who would pop up a couple of times a week with short notice 'How about in ten minutes?' ride offers, based on looking at the rain radar, so I rode a lot more than I would normally...
This week, though, I've had the GB Divide event coming through town, so I've been out a few times, riding with riders as they came through. I figured that if they were riding 2000km in whatever weather (and there's been a lot of weather!) then I owed it to them to at least get off my arse and ride with them for a bit, tell them where the Co-op is and so on... That's been very enlightening. I'm still no fan of riding in the rain, but it does make you realise that it's not really as bad as you think...
Where I am in Surrey..... half an hour and a bit of sun...... then half an hour of rain.... and repeat for the last few weeks. And when it rains the wind blows and the rain is torrential.
I can't get the motivation at the moment.
Blazing sunshine here in Sheffield.
We get around 3 minutes of it in between torrential downpours where it's so dark the street lights come on.
I just baked and then ate an entire banana loaf. Bike is in the garage.
