[Closed] Geographical snobbery - what's all that about then?

there are no mountains in London or Norfolk and that isn't snobbery

stems from northerners who for some extraordinary reason consider living that far north and being the home of whippets etc is something to be proud of... 🙄

It satisfies their angst from living so far from civilisation, cuisine, any serious economic activity, sunshine, effective public transport and focaccia.

it's a serious business if you are a northerner or sweaty sock.

Here we go again!

As mentioned on another thread, the cellar is well stocked. Decent claret for those with class, watery pish for the Northerners. 😉

havent you noticed on here yet???

people tend to speak from their 70's teatowel holder quite frequently.

😉

yep, can't see what this has to do with snobbery. Some places are better suited to mountain biking than others. No one is telling you that you can't enjoy doing what you do where ever you live are they?

its partly because there are no mountains

its also a general jealousy/ irrational dislike thing that a lot of northerners / rural types have about london

Well Jon, that was the way I read it. I think that's what it meant.

I'm not pretending there are mountains in Norfolk or London SFB - but if that were the criteria for being able to enjoy riding, Yorkshire wouldn't be any good either.

It's grim up norf (except Yorkshire)

its also a general jealousy/ irrational dislike thing that a lot of northerners

say WHAT ?? Jealousy has nothing to do with it!

kimbers - Member
its partly because there are no mountains

There are no mountains in Devon, so does that mean that no one in Devon can be a mountain biker?

yes london is the finest of places to live if your a mountain biker.
if only i could swap north wales for london...ah well i will struggle on. 😉

Yorkshire wouldn't be any good either.

FYI Yorkshire has mountains. I know because I rode over one of them yesterday:
[url= http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pppdy94BOWA6IwSn_FdnpBJfJPlHt5X-Os7A0JJPsFKORlIXzxLYePV7KbxIfiUsAW-xKQe7vmMV39ut7U6F7AA/DSC_0196b.jp g" target="_blank">http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pppdy94BOWA6IwSn_FdnpBJfJPlHt5X-Os7A0JJPsFKORlIXzxLYePV7KbxIfiUsAW-xKQe7vmMV39ut7U6F7AA/DSC_0196b.jp g"/> ?psid=1[/img][/url]

but you cant see the london eye from up there sf..

Thats a large hill not a mountain.

Thats a large hill not a mountain.

that's half way down...

but you cant see the london eye from up there sf..

is that good for biking ?

Norfolk does have mountains. Nobody ever heard of Beeston Bump?

There is no universally agreed definition of a mountain.

What tires for streets paved with gold?

I don't consider (my native) Somerset to be superior to London. But I only enjoy being in London for about 48 hours max.

Somerset, on the other hand...

FYI Yorkshire has mountains. I know because I rode over one of them yesterday:

I can't see the mountain, it must be that hill blocking the view.

Somerset, on the other hand...

😉

is that good for biking ?

There any decent Margaux Captain?

Bien sûr, Sandwich. Santé

Because living East of the Tees /Exe isn't good for easy access to upland Britain?

There are no mountains in Devon, so does that mean that no one in Devon can be a mountain biker?
WRONG!
High willhays and Yes Tor are over 2000 feet and therefore mountains in this country

[i] I simply can't understand why where you live can be seen to dictate whether or not you have the right to enjoy something or not?[/i]

Not sure that's really what he's meaning. I think he's just suggesting London is a rubbish place to live if you really enjoy mountain biking. Personally I wouldn't live in London for lots of reasons. Quality of live, access to hills and mountains and many other reasons.

He's not dictating, just passing comment.

[i]20 hours[/i]

Ah, but a slower pace of life = equivalent to about 1000000000 London hours.

Hark at 'ee & his spreadsheets.

TJ posted some video the other day of some northern riding, on a downhill straight double-track that was so rad, they were all sitting down...and still one of them manged to fall off.

bless 'em

I dunno.. I just get annoyed when people say there's no good riding in the South east. It's not true 🙂

High willhays and Yes Tor are over 2000 feet and therefore mountains in this country

Since when is 2000ft the qualifying height?

Of course you can be a "mountain biker" if you live in London, Im sure there are plenty of them that live there.

What they actually do though is very different to a proper mountain biker.

The London types tend to mince round southern trail centres or leafy bits of single track in the surrey hills once per month - they just call themselves "mountain bikers" as it makes them sound impressive to their office buddies at work, and it gives them a hobby to spend their vast wages on.

Since when is 2000ft the qualifying height?

Although England is the poor relation on the British Mainland in mountain scale there are still over 200 which reach over 2,000 feet (610 metres) in height.

http://www.walkingenglishman.com/mountains.html

Davidtaylforth, you'll not be getting a bite from that one, I'm afraid.

The OP was quoting Scruff and, believe me, he's got nothing to be snobby about, he'm from Great Wyrley.

But he's right. He gets up into those hills around Cannock about 5 times a week, sometimes on his way to work, sometimes on his way back, sometimes when he officially is at work. I don't think he'd swap that for Hampstead Heath.

Thankyou for your support!

Yep David, that's the sort of attitude I'm talking about. 🙄

Because I live in east anglia, most of my riding is done on leafy singletrack - which I really enjoy. I also enjoy Wales or wherever when I get the chance. I find it surprising that some people evidently think that makes me inferior to them, and less worthy of the title "mountain biker". Maybe it's all in jest and I've just lost my sense of humour today...

Edit: sadly he did Captain - I obviously have lost my sense of humour today. 😀

no probs edric.

[i]Yep David, that's the sort of attitude I'm talking about[/i]

I think he's yanking your chain. At least I hope so.

Surely they are getting more at the area than at you? I've ridden on some lovely stuff in East Anglia, and been overtaken by lots of "proper" mountain bikers. However I don't think I'm being exactly controversial when I say the riding is places like Wales, Yorkshire, Scotland etc is going to be better.

And another thing. The M in MTB doesn't stand for mountain. It stands for Multi.

And there ain't a lot of Multi in London.

Because living East of the Tees /Exe isn't good for easy access to upland Britain?

Whats that make the North York Moors then?

Kenny - yes, I realised (belatedly).

I can't dispute that there is more challenging riding in other parts of the country - which I wish I had more time to take advantage of.

This thread has gone off at a tangent... OP you asked what geographical snobbery is about....

Answer: Swindon

No, its about reminding mancs they really just live at the top end of the midlands.

Edric 64 - Member
There are no mountains in Devon, so does that mean that no one in Devon can be a mountain biker?

Yup, but they can be cross country riders. Can't take the mountain out of mountainbike...

And it isn't snobbery, it's fact.

We were always told in geography that upland Britain was roughly defined by a line from the Tees to the Exe ,but I take your point

Epicyclo that's not my quote I pasted that bit in !

Whats that make the North York Moors then?

mostly flat ?

Except on the sides

there are no mountains in London or Norfolk and that isn't snobbery

It is snobbery because you constantly throw it back in peoples faces, trying to say that you can't possibly be a MTBer if you don't ride mountains [i]all the time[/i]

It's a also very tiring brand of bullshit.

Where's Fred? - people slagging off London & he's nowhere to be seen

Has he been banned again & I missed it?

Actually the North Norfolk Ridge is just as steep as Simonfbarnes photo, just not as high - but its easier to get to the summit. Beeston Bump is OK but Muckelburgh hill is a harder climb

If you're going to cut yourself off from civilisation because you're such a serious mountain biker who's riding Real Mountains (tm) all the time, why would you even base yourself in the UK?

Ah, sorry Edric.

While we do have actual mountains up here, there's plenty difficult riding in the south. Maybe we should rename the sport cross country biking.

This is a non mountain in Devon.

This is Lustleigh Cleave.

[img] [/img]

From the top of the non mountain to the river at the bottom is just short of 1000 vertical foot of the most technical riding I've done in England and that includes the Lakes. If anyone feels that they can describe this as not mountain biking because the non mountain does not top out at a certain height, then I suggest that they bring their ignorance to the fair Cleave and let us watch and laugh as it kicks your asses into a corner.

That is all.

It's bloody good riding but it's not that hard....

yet to ride with anyone that has truly pwnd the cleave. si, dave and neilforrow would probably come closest.

[i] If anyone feels that they can describe this as not mountain biking because the non mountain does not top out at a certain height,[/i]

Not sure anyone is arguing that. I thought they were debating what is classified as a mountain, not what is classified as mountain biking. Two very different things. I doubt if more than about 2% of mountain biking in the UK is done on official mountains.

Not sure anyone is arguing that. I thought they were debating what is classified as a mountain, not what is classified as mountain biking

I think they were

epicyclo - Member

Edric 64 - Member
There are no mountains in Devon, so does that mean that no one in Devon can be a mountain biker?

Yup, but they can be cross country riders. Can't take the mountain out of mountainbike...

And it isn't snobbery, it's fact

The north is full of small minded bigoted people, some of whom happen to be mountain bikers.

Okay, I admit defeat. I was meaning the earlier stuff about the 2,000 feet divide. In that case I think about 99% of us are going to have to stop calling ourselves mountain bikers.

CaptainFlashheart - Member

Bien sûr, Sandwich. Santé

Glad he's not Northern. Wishes he was French.

I doubt if more than about 2% of mountain biking in the UK is done on official mountains.

And most of that is just skirting round the side of them. Or looking for the lowest pass between two of them. Or gazing at them from a distance.

Glad he's not Northern. Wishes he was French.

Add to that regrets being Welsh.

When I venture south to mountainbike events on the non-mountains, I get just as knackered.

Give me a long steep rocky climb over slimy tree roots any day 🙂

lets not forget london even has forest
[img] [/img]
you can even ride mountainbikes there its got trees, singletrack, hills(well small ones), mud, etc
[img] [/img]

and you can take your bike on the tube out to loughton- right in the middle of epping

But at the end of the day, London is shit. At least that's something we can all agree on.

Geographical snobbery is quite simple.

It's rubbish up north, but here in the south it's a bit better apart from Devon, Cornwall, Portsmouth, Southampton and London. Oh, and Swindon.

Hampshire's good, apart from the two dumps mentioned above.

Even the Romans noticed that people in southern Britain were more civilised than notherners because they'd had contact with the people on mainland Europe.

The north is full of small minded bigoted people, some of whom happen to be mountain bikers.

Which is why the vast majority of posts on this thread are from defensive southerners preempting an influx of hate-fueled Northerners that live in their large, unbigoted minds. Lollers.

Enjoy the Epping cycle paths chaps.

I think you've all got carried away by the marketing men...

The "M" in mtb was to make it sound 'ard.

The term ATB "all terrain bike" never quite sold as many bikes. Although I reckon the French still have it right with their term "VTT" - velo tout terrain

Mtb's have very little to do with mountains. Yes the vertical drop is nice, but it's not essential (or even all that appealing as one climb / one descent) Bikes need a trail to follow anyway - so for me, "mountain" bike is a bit of a bullshit term.

Even the Romans noticed that people in southern Britain were more civilised than notherners because they'd had contact with the people on mainland Europe.

Yes, that'll explain York and Chester.

they hung another monkey yesterday in Swindon. 🙁

[i]Yes, that'll explain York and Chester. [/i]

And Hadrians Wall. 😉

I'm southern by birth, living in Yorkshire by choice. I would hate to live somewhere where I couldn't see hills (admittedly in the distance). But that's me.

I ride an off-road bike about once a week. I'm not looking for 'hard' stuff, I think it's the best way to get out in beautiful scenery, cover a lot of ground, and have fun. I also have a (very) full time job and a child.

Probably have more in common with walkers than 20-something hardcore downhill mountain bikers.

It takes all sorts. People live all over the place, for their own reasons. Some of them enjoy riding off-road (or even on mountains given the chance). Why do people (read boys) on this forum get so worked up about it?

they hung another monkey yesterday in Swindon.

And they nicked that idea from Hartlepool!!

so for me, "mountain" bike is a bit of a bullshit term.

It's just a name, get over it. All terrain bike would be equally wrong, as you can't ride over all types of terrain. Of course, then you have road bikes that you can also ride off road or up mountains on. Downhill bikes that you can ride uphill. Freeride bikes that you have to pay for. Etc...

JulianA - Member
...Even the Romans noticed that people in southern Britain were more civilised than notherners because they'd had contact with the people on mainland Europe.

Nah, what they meant was quicker to surrender than the northerners...

🙂

But at the end of the day, London is shit. At least that's something we can all agree on.

London's great. But as a True Mountain Biker I'm glad I live in Spain.

Yep, London is pants. I'm a Northener by birth, live on the Isle of Wight, (Good chalk singletrack and some very steep bumps), but work (and commute by bike) in London. I can't stick the place, Hyde Park and the Commons are poop for MTBing so I can't wait to get home and shred some chalk. Best of all though is going home to my native Staffs and taking on the moors. 😆

ying and yang innit e.g. excellent riding at Lee and Cragg Quarries and in the Calderdale valley, just up the road, but the Rossendale Valley is about as grim as a grim northern [s]town[/s] place could be.

Scotland FTW