MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Afternoon all
Me and missus plus our two lads are in the process of selling up and moving to Oxford. Its my home town but its been 25 years since I lived there and I guess things have changed a bit. We are looking to rent/buy a flat until we get settled then go for a proper family home in a year or two's time.
2 main questions
where to live? any areas to be avoided (i know about blackbird leys and littlemore) - what's Cowley and Rose Hill like these days?
where to ride? i have family in chinnor and thame so know the trails up in the chilterns/wendover etc. Is there anywhere good within riding distance of the city?
thanks
bump up for the morning crowd - anyone?
Rosehill - Stay clear - worse than BB leys and Barton due to lack of investment.
Cowley is hit and miss, good for students, maybe not family.
Satelite towns give you a lot more for your money.
Shotover hill is probaby only place worth riding to from the city.
Go west. Country side start of the Cotswold but a bit of a sh1t commute into the city.
Really busy at moment, so appologies for brief reply.
We north of there and rarely ever go to Oxford, purely because its nigh on impossible to park in the city - you have to really you the Park-and-Ride services - consequently we go to MK or Watford if we need anything we can't get in town.
And as its on/in the Thames Valley, bugger all riding for miles. You need to either travel to the Chilterns, Ridgeway (Wantage) or Cotswolds.
Yossarian if you want to mail me (in profile) i'll send you a more detailed message. I am a copper in Oxford so will give you advise plus we have a large MTB group who all met via STW that you are more than welcome to join. Night rides every Tuesday night in Oxford, weekend rides to Chilterns etc.
thanks Munqe-chick, have PM'ed you
I'm west of Oxford. Pretty flat here but Cotswolds aren't far away, and Chilterns are a little jaunt down the M40. Munge-chick, I'll get in contact as well if I may, sounds interesting.
Some riding to be had west of oxford.
Also good links to the south Wales trail centres. Roll on the weekend.....
My bro lives in Woodstock, seems nice.
Woodstock is very nice and having grown up just a couple fo miles away I can guarantee plenty of places to ride to the North and West of there. Anywhere close to the Thames spells flat terrain.
Munque-chick's your best bet for the inside knowledge on local neighbourhoods!
Cowley Road is getting more and more studentified at the moment. It's better the further out you go -- east of Magdalen Road for example -- or if you go up the hill slightly on Divinity / Southfield / Hilltop Roads. The area between Iffley Road and the river is really nice but might be expensive. Once you get past the 30s identikit stuff there are also some really nice pockets like Florence Park and parts of Temple Cowley (around Crescent Road and Temple Road).
And like Munque-chick says, we ride every Tuesday night and most weekends. Tuesdays alternate between Shotover and Boars / Cumnor Hill on the west side of town. Anyone that says there's bugger all riding just hasn't taken the time to look properly.
Email in profile--more than happy to offer any more thoughts if it would be helpful.
Cheers
Matt
used to live in abingdon south of oxford. it was shit. and from the times i`ve been back its only got worse. oxford didnt seem to have improved either.
only bmx trail riding available locally. well you can ride a mtb but its a bit crap going round in circles on the flat.
only bmx trail riding available locally. well you can ride a mtb but its a bit crap going round in circles on the flat.
Anyone that says there's bugger all riding just hasn't taken the time to look properly.
+ 1
Plenty of stuff within riding distance of the city centre to put together a good 1 1/2 - 2 hour night ride.
I'm guessing, with kids, you're also having to bear in mind catchment areas for the local schools?
M-C will definitely give you the best advice on neighbourhoods. In addition to above, West Oxford also seems a decent place to live, although you've got the potential for flooding around the Botley Road.
My first MTB came from Walton Street Cycles.
My first MTB came from Walton Street Cycles.
Me too! A rigid Trek in 1995. Paid something like £350 & couldn't believe how much I'd spent on a BIKE! 15 years later, £10k+ of bikes smiling at me in my lockup, who'd have thunk it.
only bmx trail riding available locally. well you can ride a mtb but its a bit crap going round in circles on the flat.
Have you actually been to Oxford Van Halen? I guess you've spent too much time on that tour bus to actually look around you...
Me too! A rigid Trek in 1995. Paid something like £350 & couldn't believe how much I'd spent on a BIKE!
Kona Lava Dome in 1992 for £400. Still ride it now - see here in commute mode for the recent snow:
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