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Depends on who I'm riding with, Most Sunday rides tend to be 'winch and plummet' (cheesy term but describes it well) which aren't big on miles but get plenty of steep climbs and descents in. Midweek more of a loop with some woodsy tech thrown in conditions depending. Don't do big XC loops that often now TBH, but its just good to be out in the hills though either way!
A short blast at FOD, a long epic day on Dartmoor, shuttling runs in the van, lift access in the Alpes, BPW, pump-track riding with the kids, a potter around Haldon with my son, a short XC loop around Woodbury Common or a day on hired e-bikes lapping as much as we can at FOD.
All of those are a ‘normal mountain bike ride’ in our house.
Spoiled here in Aberdeenshire. So normal evening / quick weekend spin is about 15km, 700-800m climbing and typically looks very like a wee enduro course. Probably 1.5-2h on the bike and get in 4 or 5 decent descents. At a guess red-black level if anyone labelled them with roots, rocks, steeps depending where you're heading.
Brilliant - except I'm 4 weeks into recovering from a broken collar bone and missing it - grumpy and miserable here.
My normal mtb ride is from my front door and then riding up to the trails at Beecraigs Country, either early morning or late afternoon/early evening and riding as much as I can in the time I have.
The trails may not be Tarland, Glentress or the Golfie, but there is enough to entertain me for an hour or two, and when ridden at pace can be very fun and tiring.
Im basically a wander around the scenery rider these days. Multiple days even.
Living in Suffolk, my normal rides are between 1-3hrs, 12-25miles with a 'whopping' 250-500ft of elevation gain.
So I have the occasional weekend roadtrips to get my gravity fix, with the nearest place being Peaslake at 2.5hrs away<!--more-->
I don't think I really have a normal type of ride. I like lots of different types of riding, the variety is good 👍
I'm actually amazed by how many people's normal rides are 50km+ - around here it's almost impossible to ride anything over 40km without a staggering amount of climbing added to it (or very boring and careful route planning). I managed a 70km route last summer that had nearly 3,000m of climbing on it - I was cooked for days after that!
"normal" or "proper"?
Normal: probably just going around the same old trail centre because its close, has a cafe, and we're on a time limit.
Proper: Big day in the hills. Probably described as "XC" these days, but on a bike that isnt a racing snake thats going to send you OTB as soon as it gets entertaining.
Some double track, more single track, a little road to connect it up. Earn the descents.
Dartmoor was lovely yesterday. First time out in ages.
Smashing tracks, Bike Parks, etc. doesnt count. Its got its place for sure, but its not a "proper ride" any more than taking a BMX to thes skate park is a proper ride.
Grey area on smashing tracks where you ride the ups, i guess.
Whatever a normal mountain bike ride is, I haven't been on one for ages. Involves hillier places than my doorstep, lots of singletrack on the hills, in and out of bombholes, small jumps, small drops, roots,a few berms, bluebells, lots of twisty windy up & down singletrack amongst green leaves on trees! Unless its winter.
What passes for a mountain bike ride for me these days is riding using urban features as obstacles, riding down steps, dropping off ledges, using walls as skinnies, whether on cliff tops or in parks, often involves a skatepark and farm tracks.
Riding my trail bike with my mates on a good XC loop taking in good singletrack for a few hours . Noting better than finishing and good ride followed by a beer .
Currently MTB rides for me are just pootling along local bridleways when I have a spare hour or 2 on a day off. Not sure I'd call it proper riding as it's so flat and tame here, honestly I'd rather be on a road bike to cover more ground more efficiently! Occasionally get over to Northampton or Leamington bike park to at least make it feel like a "proper" ride with trails.
Back when I was riding more, my usual rides were sessioning the DH trails at Woburn, sometimes going further afield to FOD, Bike Park Wales, Stile Cop etc. Did the odd longer xc rides at Long Mynd but I don't really enjoy covering loads of miles on an MTB, feels like too much of a slog and I prefer "bike park" style descents with jumps and berms. At least we have a couple of local options for that now, but I don't think the jumps/trails are as well built as Woburn. Going back there feels like home and all the jumps feel right!
Oh, I love this topic. See, I’m with Hannah. I sum it up as the journey not the ride. I appreciate that’s a cliche but for me it’s been true.
I recently moved from the Tweed Valley. I worked at Glentress. The trails people traipse up to the area for were not for me. It took me a long time to realise it wasn’t my fault.
I used to work at a bike centre in Swaledale. Beautiful area but I was as happy along the valley bottom or a journey with views as haring down an old mine working.
People out on bikes full stop is the thing.
I stopped reading Singletrack because I didn’t find the articles where people traverse the Andes or Peru very interesting or relatable.
I’ve just read articles in the current issues on Bike Park Swindon, and the Yorkshire Coast. That’s the stuff I like. Relatable participation. Thank you..
From the door I have 4 rides. Bits and bobs of local singletrack - just an hours play, Out to the pentlands and as many climbs and descents as I can be arsed with - very XC with great views. 50 ish KM and 1000+ m of climbing. Then I have two "gravel" loops each of about 60km and fairly flat. Tend to do one a week of them. Very little road in any of those routes
Not been to the pentlands much recently.
I also use a bike to ride into the hills and camp. Is that real mountainbiking? Its a broad church. 🙂
I went on a ride yesterday right up into the hills, 10miles from the nearest village. Rocky. Fast. We carried over bogs. Pushed through woods. Rode some single-track. Ducked midges. Got some phat air on a rocky lump in the trail. Coasted back to the village on a 5 mile downhill.
Apparently it was 'gravel'....
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*Ok, 10cm in the air...
1-4 hours ebike or all day possible on a proper bike from the garage door. Bonkers amount of trails locally if you know where you're going. 3 hours today on the pedals all quality woodland singletrack then beer. Peaks , Wales, Shropshire all an hour or so but can't be arsed driving to ride unless I'm having a day off work and making an effort to go elsewhere. Definitely go other places less than I used to. Partly having 3 kids/ less time but also just cant be arsed driving instead of riding.