was reading a few months old singletrack mag on lunch today – basically telling you to try and ride non-cycling paths/tracks/trails etc…..

now there is plenty where i go riding that are out of bounds to cyclists – some of the stuff ive not done does look truly brilliant …

ive started to explore more now, and i am often riding where i shouldnt be – NOTE : only at off peak times, ie, later after work/night, or very early mornings weekend nor if the weather is terrible ruining the paths etc etc etc…

i dont see a single person on these unauthorized off road routes- which annoys me, as i clearly have caused no harm (in the summer = dry ground) and think of more people who could enjoy it too…

so ive sort of decided its a free for all, i pay what i call respect, by not using it peak times(weekend days) and DONT ride them when the weather has been raining heavily for days, to cause the wear on paths etc(though this isnt a massive concern as its mostly rocky ish singletrack)…

i find it a bit upsetting im not allowed to enjoy it by default and made to feel im doing something totally wrong, when really im just riding a bike and enjoying the scenery like the rest….

what are your views on this? do you go where your not allowed? do you ride them regardless of condition/time of day etc?

Yes, sometimes though not stuff that’ll get trashed or is heavily used by walkers, etc.

Standard ‘Yes, silly isn’t it?’ response if told that ‘you’re not allowed to ride here’.

No, I wouldn’t dream of such a thing. Why would you need to when a trail centre provides all the riding you’ll ever need?

Local ones yes, and generally those that are better able to stand the abuse so that if anyone does complain (they haven’t yet) about environmental damage, its a bit easier to argue that its minimal.

Yes – a few of my local xc routes include some cheeky elements. I tend to ride them in an evening and have never had any bother.

I avoid cheeky routes that go through farms etc.

Yeah, not been questioned yet but we don’t really have much of a rambling community here it seems.

[on record] of course not that would be a terrible thing to do[/on record]
[off record] where and when necessary [/off record] 😀

nice witty reply to tell the ‘arsey’ ones 😆 i like it! will keep that one in mind!

to be honest, i have occasionally seen a few walkers (very very rare) on these bits when i have been out and they have always spoke – infact saw two just coming on to a bit we were finishing, and we had a chat about the weather and stuff, they were mega friendly, and clearly we were stood next to a sign that said no bikes allowed 😆

i feel like a naughty school boy doing it, and im not doing it to be funny/cause a reaction, i just love the stuff there and enjoy it immensely – and whats more people ive come across have never battered an eyelid (to my face)…

yes

The ones I’m most inclined to ride are the ones that are in areas where there are usually similar bridleways around too and it’s only historical (rather than any reasons due to sustainability, etc) reasons that mean it’s a footpath rather than a BW.

defintely think sunday afternoons especially id avoid at all costs – i imagine id get a lot of crappy comments then –

glad to hear its not just me then, makes it seem right somehow now 😆

MOST walkers don’t know of don’t care – I think if you are as polite as possible one would be unlikely to have any major encounters 🙂 Hypothetically speaking!

No, that would be a terrible thing to admit to on an open forum which could be quoted by any party with a vested interest against cyclists 🙄

Yep. Ride responsibly everywhere. If a trail doesn’t hold up well to wet weather then avoid it whatever the classification.

It’s only coloured lines on a map.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/hebden-wednesday-nightriders-youve-pissed-someone-off

There are couple of us out tonight. At some point of the ride, we might stray onto the odd bit of bridleway. Otherwise, cheekier than :

😀

Google image cheeky girls beach..

Beautifully put Hora. You are Lembit Opik and I claim my £5 😉

I can see why he had a faint-smile all the time now.

😈

on a side note – whats the worst that could happen say you got caught by a park ranger etc? they cant physically do anything other than tell you off and walk you off the path can they? can you get fined for doing such terrible and illegal riding? death penalty maybe? 😆

yes, all the time, biggest risk is the dreaded dogs egg.

Do you ride ‘cheeky’ trails?

almost exclusively.

Hell yes – I think a couple of my local rides are 100% on footpaths.
I make way for walkers, carry over gates and have a blast. Not one piece of trouble ever. Even the farmer on the edge of the Chedder Gorge whom I asked for directions said ‘you’re not really allowed to ride along here’ to which I replied, ‘yes, I’m happy to push until I’m back on a bridalway’ so he replied, ‘nah, saw you push past the cattle anyway, there’s a steep as anthing hill down that way, have a blast!’

Most people are pretty sensible

on a side note – whats the worst that could happen say you got caught by a park ranger etc? they cant physically do anything other than tell you off and walk you off the path can they? can you get fined for doing such terrible and illegal riding? death penalty maybe?

I had a conversation with the Calderdale council/rights of way and I admitted I shouldn’t have been on the footpath. The person on the phone was more concerned about me being assaulted/the behaviour of the person with the two dogs. On this particular footpath it was 09.30am on a Sunday morning BTW.

My biggest fear is lack of control or speed especially if the cheeky is technical/corners/off-camber and theres a 60yr old walker coming up.

Lets face it we are all allowed to use the countryside but is it fair to spoil someones tranquillity? Ride very very early or very late.

Often yes, quite a lot of the trails i run are a lot safer if i use cheeky routes to link them up instead of roads!

cant believe the amount of people whom also do it – i know everybody doesnt live near trail centres etc – i have tonnes of peak open countryside near me – and its seem rude not to exlpore

so the consensus is yes everybody does it- but sensibly, and trying to accomodate the path conditions, walkers and the likes!

never really talked to people about it before, as i didnt want them to think i was being a bit naughty etc, and didnt want other riders to do the same and cause unrest etc

forgot to mention – good point – most of the reason for cheeky trails is to avoid doing huge amounts of road – managing now to link in routes with very minimal road which is great!

i dont feel ohhhh so bad now though – right of for some cheeky riding tonight then

Yep all the time. But sensibly. I know which footpaths (and bridleways) locally are busy at certain times and which are sustainable and avoid when nessicary.

Why did someone edit my cheeky girls comment? Is STW now run by a practising Christian? 😐

As a kid I rode my bike all over the place, never had any concept of what was or wasn’t allowed – don’t see any reason to change now. As above, it’s about being responsible, not what colour the line is on the map.

Yes, more and more often, as I find no one seems bothered so long as done sensibly and courteously with regard to other users, if any.

Probably just concerned about the absence of reference to flash grenades. Or offending wife-beaters from Sunderland. I wonder if there are any wife-beaters from Sunderland here?

Yes – but I smack myself for being naughty so that’s okay

Bound to be a few. Have you googled them yet? I know one day they’ll end up looking like their Mum however until that day….I will be their ‘cheeky boy 😀

Locally , then generally. However if I travel I avoid it if at all possible.

There’s a good article in the newest edition of ‘Privateer’ magazine, written by the chaps ‘in the know’ and what their take is on the legalities of riding ‘off piste’.

I personally don’t know anyone who hasn’t or doesn’t ride on footpaths but they are usually careful about when and where, with condsideration at all times for other users. We luckily live in a place where most people give you a cheery hello as you pass, unless they’re tourists, when I’ve actually been told off for riding a legal bw.

Fist pie to the next rambling vigalante that tells me i shouldn’t be there 😆

Everything defaults to bridleway of an evening anyway.

Bunnyhop’s right. The only time I’ve had grief is from precious red socked tourists in the Lakes, who are clearly under the impression that they own the place. You can ride around on footpaths all day in East Lancs and all you’ll get is a cheery ‘hello’

With care and a bit of common sense.

To be fair the only ones that ever give grief are the ones that are pissed you are having more fun than them, a sort of walking version of a pram face.

Living in Northern Ireland you don’t have much choice. Though the forest service are currently trying to pass legislation to make it a criminal offence to ride on forest service land, other than on designated trails, which there are none worth talking about.