Took the family & dogs over Birches Valley Cannock today for a walk – it was packed full of families, kids on new bikes and dogs etc..
Two idiots riding Sur-ons came through Birches this afternoon around 2pm.
They came belting down the path next to the play ground and nearly took out me & dog as they veered onto the grass to avoid loads of people.
Then back on the path & on back wheels all the way along the car park……

There’s going to be an accident soon – How can these be policed?

Never anyone from the FC around and the Police don’t seem all that bothered either.

A what?.

Edit – just googled it, I can imagine the issues those will cause in areas like Cannock, nightmare.

Our local police have been on a bit of a purge against quad bikers, mainly in the galloways, which on the face of it is great, but in reality they don’t really cause much bother locally, they’re not hammering about eroding paths or anything, quite the opposite, they’re more like greenlaners just getting out into the hills.

Nowhere near the issues vanlifers, dirty campers etc are causing on the area.

Accept this is a different thing entirely, just thinking out loud really!

An electrical motorbike

How do you feel about the clothes line?

Its “Sur-Ron”.

Stop the brands/influencers advertising them?

Good luck with that.

I guess if you keep logging it with the Police on 101 they’ll be able to see that it’s becoming a bigger problem and might do something about it.

We’ve had similar problems with MX bikes (and a few Sur-Rons) where I live on the edge of Bristol and they’re recommending that we report them when we see them so they can then allocate more manpower and resources to trying to stop it.

Illefgal off road bikes were ( still are?) an issue locally – the cops put two cops on bikes to chase and catch them – there are also some areas where they are tolerated so they tend not to cause any trouble now as they go to the areas that they are tolerated on.

the solution is IMO legislation to stop the sale of these and other vehicles that cannot get road worthy

I stopped one riding up Robin Hoods Well for Rossendale locals who know it. Busy nice weather Sunday afternoon and a scroaty **** razzing up a Singletrackworld narrow bridleway on one full chat. Claimed it was an evoke and was legal to be there – had nukeproof ‘pedals’ instead of the motorbike style footpegs which was his arguement it was a pedal bike.

Nothing else I could do – he was wearing a full face and too many witnesses knocking about to make his death look like an ‘accident’

Seen a dude on one at Woburn.
Yeah, it’s going to be an increasing issue unfortunately. 😐

the solution is IMO legislation to stop the sale of these and other vehicles that cannot get road worthy

The Sur-Ron can be, you can buy one all registered and with a numberplate if you wanted.

Legally no different to someone riding a petrol motorbike somewhere they’re not allowed, and just as unlikely to get caught.

As said, report if you’re bothered by how they’re riding, if there’s enough reports at a regular day/time then the police might take some interest.

I expect the ‘problem’ is paperwork, if they changed the law so the rozzers could just take the offending item and scrap it without 2 days worth of paperwork and hoops to jump through the issue would go away. Same with fly tippers, scrap their vehicle and they can’t do it again, doesn’t need fines and courts!!

Yeah, that sounds like a sensible, well thought through solution to the problem – let police dole out punishments on the spot with no legal process or documentation. Can’t see how that could go wrong 🙄

I expect the ‘problem’ is paperwork, if they changed the law so the rozzers could just take the offending item and scrap it without 2 days worth of paperwork and hoops to jump through the issue would go away. Same with fly tippers, scrap their vehicle and they can’t do it again, doesn’t need fines and courts!!

Fortunately due process is still a requirement for lawful destruction of property. The ‘problem’ is funding and thus manpower.

Cheap and cheerful Aldi/Lidl walking pole through the wheel each time should get the message across.

Fastest way would be a good stout stick in the front wheel. 😁

edit – gah, beaten to it while reading.

There were a few of them buzzing around Swinley in the last year or two, with one particular nob end posting his antics on YouTube, quite often with some not so polite and considerate friends. Can’t remember his name, but he looks like Jay from the inbetweeners.

Haven’t seen anything of them lately, perhaps it’s a bit cold and they’ll re-emerge in the spring. I’m hoping they’ve got bored and moved on to something else.

Legally no different to someone riding a petrol motorbike somewhere they’re not allowed, and just as unlikely to get caught.

This really. At least there no noise pollution (small mercies)

(Edited) as Tonyd says where was a bunch of them that frequented Swinley – documented here:

Sauron at swinley.

TL;DR They got a fair bit of grief from other riders and eventually the penny dropped, I think they sold the bikes and I’ve not seen one there since.

I’m not sure how this is different to ebikes? Both create loads of erosion and additional ecological cost. Surely the issue you have here is the people riding them were being dicks?

Duxel rides aka alfie harris was the surron swinley helmet. He now rides a kenevo & is likely still a helmet.

EDIT above obvious troll is obvious, so I wont respond.

The difference is legality!

an unregistered sur Ron is effectively a battery motorbike

an ebike if untampered with is still a bike! If tampered with it is now not legal.

having seen these 🛎 ends flying around with a complete disregard to other users I think the vilification is justified, however I as before will draw the similarity of them riding where they shouldn’t and us riding where we shouldn’t (cheeky trails)

I’m not sure how this is different to ebikes? Both create loads of erosion and additional ecological cost. Surely the issue you have here is the people riding them were being dicks?

the difference is the amount of power and the legality

An e bike has a lot less power and is legal to use.  these bikes are not legal and are a lot more powerful.

the Police don’t seem all that bothered either.

Did you call them?

I ride Cannock Chase from my house usually these types of riders wouldn’t be anywhere near Birches Valley.

I encounter them on a fairly regular basis but never seen them at what I’d consider honeypot locations. They’re usually ride at out of the way locations not usually frequented by non locals.

Not ever had an issue with them personally, they’ve always given way to me should we cross trails.

I’ve never seen these trails motorbike Police riders mentioned they’re probably more over Brindley Heath I suspect.

The worst erosion I’ve seen is from MTB riders creating paths that didn’t exist previously, probably best not too much chatter about trail erosion.

I saw two of these a couple of years back, having just come down the Lairig Ghru descent. I can’t imagine any sort of policing working in remote areas, so I have no suggestions as to how they might be controlled but, at the moment, they don’t seem to be a huge problem around here.

Having said that, if it’s an issue of legality and excess power, many cyclists seem happy to turn a blind eye to ebike chipping so there is an element of hypocrisy at work.

Duxel rides aka alfie harris was the surron swinley helmet. He now rides a kenevo & is likely still a helmet.

Interesting, thanks. I’d take an e-bike helmet over an e-MX helmet any day – less chance of them damaging me or my kids 🙂

(I’ve no issue with people generally being helmets, I can be one myself)

many cyclists seem happy to turn a blind eye to ebike chipping so there is an element of hypocrisy at work.

I’ve started getting targeted adverts for ebike chipping on Facebook, which do generate a fair bit of pushback from MTBers in the comments, to be fair.

I don’t see the Sur-Ron **** at Rivington any more. Maybe the things broke down, or they just don’t like the cold?

They got a fair bit of grief from other riders and eventually the penny dropped, I think they sold the bikes and I’ve not seen one there since.

Say what you like about Swinley but this is an instance where a community came together & achieved a positive outcome. Yes, he got lots of grief but he absolutely deserved every bit of it. Well done all!

I’ve started getting targeted adverts for ebike chipping on Facebook, which do generate a fair bit of pushback from MTBers in the comments, to be fair.

Sure but you don’t have to look further than this forum (this thread even 😉) to find an example.

I think some people in this thread are seriously confusing a chipped but still 250w bicycle with a 6000w motorbike and the scum of society that ride them.

I assume these things are a bit like jet skis were when they became popular with certain types.

Ride them twice while making Top Gear type woohoo noises then get bored and move on to the next thing.

 confusing a chipped but still 250w bicycle with a 6000w motorbike and the scum of society that ride them

Is that both riders your referring to…?

🙃😜

Problem with Cannock is its proximity to major populated areas therefore being really accessible to folks who don’t necessarily adhere to rules etc. I think there’s also a Sur-Ron dealer based in Cannock too which surely isn’t going to help.

Personally I don’t think I’ve ever seen any up there but then I don’t tend to ride that side of the Chase. I encountered a load of blokes on Enduro bikes riding the main bridleways around Sherbrook Valley once which is definitely a no no. Especially on a Sunday afternoon.

Like others have said, the only real practical thing to do (that won’t land you in trouble) is to report it. Use 101 or report it online. I’ve done this a few times (found some traps set up near Brocton) and they do respond.

I should clarify before some other smartar$e, when I say Enduro bikes I mean motorbikes. Unapologetic, loud, motorbikes…

I should clarify before some other smartar$e, when I say Enduro bikes I mean motorbikes. Unapologetic, loud, motorbikes…

We are very close to the “loud” part going away. Electric proper motos from the major players are imminent.
Whether that means people are going to be pushing beyond the limits of legality more when they are inaudible is something to be seen.

I should clarify before some other smartar$e, when I say Enduro bikes I mean motorbikes. Unapologetic, loud, motorbikes…

Naa, the smartarses will just come to the defense of enduro riders by asking if they had road-legal tyres, number plates, or how could you tell if they had wide range gearboxes, low compression pistons and plusher suspension, or that enduro is a race format, not a bike, you can enduro on any motorbike depending on the events requirements, how do you know they weren’t MX bikes with number plates and daylight MOT’s, are you sure they weren’t dual sports or green laners?

Must be where I live but I never see Sur-Rons on the trails, but on the (pedestrianised) high street… Yes, at full chat!

Can you get a daylight mot? When I was 17 I converted my kx80 to road legal with a 6v headlight and stop light and front hub mounted speedo. Ground the hub down to fit the speedo in the dropout. Wasn’t quite enough thread engaged. Wheel came off and it died buried in a parked capri. It was road legal taxed and insured though. Q185ENR

Not seen any here yet (rural Oxfordshire) but I expect them, chipped ebikes and electric scooters (as in not the legally hired ones) to become increasingly common and likely to cause more problems.

Mind you attitude matters a lot, I declined to dob in the two lads on mx bikes on the cycle path/footpath that they were illegally using to get to the farm fields, about 5mph max, stopped twice to let walkers by, interacting sensibly / considerately with everybody.