Where is the dullest place you've ever been Mountain Biking?
My vote is for the South Downs closely followed by Swinley.
you obviously have never ridden at Bedgebury
Paris
Downs Link!
Cannock Chase
Bedgebury is by far the dullest place I have ever ridden.
On a road.
Grizedale is probably the worst trail centre I've been to.
Local bridleways
Grum - i got up early to have a 2 hour spin on my road bike and i found it as dull as dishwasher. I bought it to compliment my Mountain Biking and usually i just love being outdoors so i thought i would love road biking. Wrong answer. Dull Dull dull.......
as long as i'm on the bike it's never dull, it's wonderful!
New Forest.
Even the cheeky stuff doesn't inspire (and there's a theoretical 500 quid fine for riding that)
Swinley is great, with friends - wouldn't go there on my own though.
Grum - i got up early to have a 2 hour spin on my road bike and i found it as dull as dishwasher.
I quite like road biking for when I can't be arsed to get in the car, as there are no local bridleways/trails near me really.
Can't stand riding my mtb on roads though, even if only briefly to link up trails - especially with the big silly tyres I've got on there.
EXTREME!!dave!! is right - most boring ride I've had is in the new forest too
Once you accept it's "just" xc, you can make a really good route but FAR better when very dry (since much is wetland/bog) and you need to know the area pretty well to find the good stuff and miss the bogs
Like just being on the bike. Alone or with friends.In fact riding part urban environment route's is a fave.
anywhere is usually good - worst is really busy A roads with full size artics and lots of them.
MTB dont mind but do object to hours of bog fest riding as I find it a bit pointless
jedi - Member
as long as i'm on the bike it's never dull, it's wonderful!
+1. And on that note - I'm off out to ride my bike (on the south downs!)
Thetford - dull,dull,dull.
The 'official' Grizedale routes. North Face? North Face of what?
Norfolk and Lincolnshire - rubbish! 😉
Can'tsay that I've found anywhere dull yet...must try harder,or move south.
shatton moor, yesterday.
Hamsterley.
Florida - flatest state in the Union
Flanders - I love the place but riding there is basically plugging round a muddy field. Luckily the Ardennes are only an hour-ish away
+1 for lincolnshire. Extremely dull landscape & clingy mud made for boredom and frustration
jimbobrighton - Memberjedi - Member
as long as i'm on the bike it's never dull, it's wonderful!+1. And on that note - I'm off out to ride my bike (on the south downs!)
+ another one.
Just of down the shop to get some supplies in before the F1 GP, a whole 1/2ml on me bike today 😆
1.1/2hrs skills training with kids tomorrow then off up to Mabie for the afternoon trail huntin 😉
[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/where-is-the-dullest-place-youve-ever-been-mountain-biking ]some place called Singletrackworld?...not convinced it even has any trails to ride on clicky here for directions[/url]...
Swinley and the chase are great if you know where to go. I am proud to have been locals to both.
Brecon Beacons are the most dull. I have ridden there twice (once in the so called 'Rough Ride', which was anything but); parabolic grassy domes of dullness.
1. Jacksons Boat
2. Cannock Chase
3. Marin Trail
Swinley and the chase are great if you know where to go. I am proud to have been locals to both.
No idea about Swinley, but you're proud to have been local to Cannock? Really?
Most routes in the White Peak Guide are pretty crap - only the cheeky stuff is good in the White Peak, of which there is plenty.
Llangdegla
marin trail
flat bridleways that have been churned up into bogs for miles by flamin' horses!
The SITS course
Marin trail.
Thetford, although as others have said I was on a bike with friends and beer was involved so still enjoyable but not a place I'd choose to ride again.
jedi - Member
as long as i'm on the bike it's never dull, it's wonderful!
Come to Peterborough mate and i will remove that optimistic view 😉
Depends on what angle you're looking at dullest from. Dullest riding or dullest surroundings?
In terms of the riding on offer pretty much any countryside bridleway network will be far far less exciting than Swinley or the North Downs - so quit trolling.
For surroundings - most trail centres built in the middle of forests fit that bill. But I'd say Swinley is particularly dull compared to any of the rest I've encountered.
Marin trail is by far the worst trail centre type trail
Cannock Chase?! Some great riding there!
Maybe 'off piste' houns!
hora
1. Jacksons Boat
2. Cannock Chase
3. Marin Trail
seriously? you compare the marin trail with flat tracks next to the river mersey, now that is some bottom talking...
In terms of the riding on offer pretty much any countryside bridleway network will be far far less exciting than Swinley or the North Downs
Never been to the Lake District then? 😛
seriously? you compare the marin trail with flat tracks next to the river mersey, now that is some bottom talking...
Im struggling to find trails that are 'boring'. Those three are the ones that spring to mind.
Marin doesnt have any interesting features, it climbs, it curves and it ends. The only difference that I can see is slightly narrrower trails and height difference 😉
Aston Hill. Gone twice, been overcast both days.
+1 for FtD at Cannock.
O/T Hmmm whats the dullest F1 race in 2010?
Marin is funny. The proper route is more like a nice ride in the forest. But I could happily nail the final descents all day - probably my favourite trail centre descents because they are getting worn in/out.
Sherwood Pines, Flat & boring!
Stirling - I had to use lights and everything to see where I was going...cracking ride though...
Epping Forest, Dull, Dull, Dull then some dog shit on top to finish it off. 🙂
Winchester. Nice and scenic, but boring as hell.
Then swinley forest.
Then lordswood.
if you take the appropriate bike for the terrain it's never dull.
Flatish trails cannock, thetford etc..take an xc hardtail and keep it in the big ring all day. take a 6" skill compensating lardy big and bimble along in body armor WTF do you expect?
jeez folks, riding bikes is great it doesn't matter where and if you find certain stuff dull I think it's down to your mindset and lack of imagination on how to find things that'll keep you interested.
The "XC Loops" at both Chicksands and Aston Hill are pretty pointless.
Dalbeatie
Expectations vs reality way off !
Flatish trails cannock, thetford etc..take an xc hardtail and keep it in the big ring all day. take a 6" skill compensating lardy big and bimble along in body armor WTF do you expect?
I only have an 80mm travel XC hardtail and Cannock was still boring. Might as well ride around my local park.
Another vote for the New Forest, nice for a wander and to see some birds but not exactly 'mountain biking'.
Essex. 'nuff said.
[i]Flatish trails cannock, thetford etc..take an xc hardtail and keep it in the big ring all day. take a 6" skill compensating lardy big and bimble along in body armor WTF do you expect?[/i]
I did and it was piss boring. The amount of locals in full body armour and with FS bikes made me laugh.
The amount of locals in full body armour and with FS bikes made me laugh.
I take it you have a bike for every different type of terrain possible? I agree about the body armour though.
shatton moor, yesterday.
There's a great DH trail that runs from the top down to Bradwell - that livens Shatton Moor up a bit.
Although I agree with Jedi - if it's bikes it's just fun. Commuting, railway trails, DH, BMX, epic XC, whatever and wherever, it's all fun.
Trail centre rides always feel a slight bit tame and futile, but I'm out on the bike with other bikers so it's all still good.
A Wetwang area route in the Yorkshire wolds we did a couple of years ago , felt totally uninspired around the whole ride to the point where we cut it short at 15 miles instead of 25.
The weather was a bit rainy and the going was tough but riding around fields is never interesting and I doubt it would've been any better in the dry.
I'd say that grums mention of riding an MTB, on the road ( I'll add; into a headwind) gets it,' nothing worse, especially if your used to the speed of a proper road bike
But a lot of it is about expectations, sometimes going out for a crap pootle can be unexpectedly pleasurable... while on the other hand, I once did a race in Aviemore, I mean AVIEMORE, FFS!, and it turned out to be riding around a pan flat muddy wood for five laps, zzzzzzzz!
Jamie - Member
Come to Peterborough mate and i will remove that optimistic view
I spent a christmas/new year in Peterborough once and IIRC rode a couple of outdooor skate parks, some street in the town centre, XC kinda riding through some parkland stuff and spent a morning at the BMX track and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
riding is what you make of it wherever you are.
Whats the name of that forest in Cheshire? Its soo bloody dull I cant even remember its name. I came across 50metres of nice singletrack there( across the road from some northshore).
Delamere!
yorkshire- dull people and dull riding 😀
Hora- Dullamere is more apt
Trails are what you make them really, Epping is quite good fun on a cross bike, although I did see a guy up there yesterday riding around on a Nomad with body armour on, not sure what that was all about ;0)
Epping Forest? I remember it being waterlogged and dull 🙄
I must be odd. A lot of the places mentioned I rather like, but then again I've been riding mountain bikes on and off for over 20 years so I must just like riding otherwise everything would be bland and dull by now! 🙂
stockport
chorlton
I only have an 80mm travel XC hardtail and Cannock was still boring
I see folks rolling up week after week with big 6" full susers and it makes me smile. Some of the off piste stuff is great. FTD is good for a night ride or a blast after work. Then downhill run is great on a HT.
Dullest trails are out of my front door. Shockingly poor. Cannock chase is like Whistler compared to them.
Took my bike here when on holiday once - that was dull (Wells, Norfolk)
[img] 
[/img]
There's a great DH trail that runs from the top down to Bradwell - that livens Shatton Moor up a bit.
i know it, it's alright, but definitely not worth the 45minute ride to get there.
Next valley over (Edale), very nice gradual climb, followed by fast gravelanche descent, followed by sublime cheeky trail slowly descending/contouring through sun-dappled forest.
there's even a grumpy farmer to shout cheery greetings at, lovely! 🙂
I started my MTB career as a teeenager living in the Fens of Norfolk.
I really think I win - miles of completely flat farm tracks, with no grdient whatsoever and no trees or features of any kind. At all.
Is there a prize?
[img] 
[/img]
see
The Kona Darkside at Mabie - I don't get it, or maybe I couldn't do it, one or t'other!
Either way it was a 20 minute excursion for a 20 minute walk followed by a fire road climb back to the red route!
I took my bike back to my Mum and Dad's once. Won't bother again. Put together a loop of bridleways that was just like riding the SITS course - field boundary and farm track stuff. I wouldn't mind, but it wasn't even hilly either.
Used to live a few miles East of Norwich. That was very poor unless you were a roadie. Luckily I was at Uni in Newcastle at the time.
For those who don't like Bedgebury, just leave your 6" travel monsters at home and ride something else that makes you think about the way you ride it. It's great on a 'cross bike.
RopeyReignRider that reminds me of some Edward Hopper paintings..
With regard comments about 6in travel and body armour. Where the travels concerned in the riding is tame maybe they are getting the better workout if they have 35lb of bike to pedal round. As for armour I don't see why people mock riders for wearing elbow, knee/shin pads when they wear a helmet for the same trails. Surely if you come off you're just as likely to injure your joints as your head. I don't wear body armour, but I don't sneer at those that do.
Most boring place I've ridden is new forest
[i]I started my MTB career as a teeenager living in the Fens of Norfolk[/i]
*counts RRRs toes/fingers - 12/10 and 2 thumbs* How's yer sister? 😉
bedgebury, swinley and the ridgeway all rate highly on my list