And it’s back…..

Happens every year and every year I’m never prepared for it. Of course I’m talking of the ‘slop!’

I’ve definitely been spoilt with extended periods of dry trails this year where I live so the transition to riding wet, muddy, off-camber roots seems more abrupt than ever.

No major falls though 👍

Has the “what tyres?” Threads started yet? 😅

Several what tyres threads already!

I haven’t been out on my mtb for a couple of weeks as I couldn’t bring myself to start mud cleaning up yet – ridden the road bike instead. Should be dry ish so going to go and see what’s occurring at my local trails this Saturday I think. Once I’ve stuck a dhr2 on the back of the bike that is 🙈

I want to be sympathetic but when you said ‘where I live’ I immediately had a tingly spidey sense that it’ll end up being somewhere reeeeeeeeally awful like Madeira or Austria etc. and so in which case i have NO sympathy at all.

Having said that we rode last night/later afternoon and it was like riding through a fast flowing stream but at least it wasn’t sloppy mud!

Been on clipless all summer in the Highlands and riding well. Hit the slop in them a few days ago and felt like a total noob! Back to flats!

For reference I stay in the Scottish central belt so nowhere as exotic as Madeira. 😓

I’m already thinking of parking the gravel bike up for the winter, not because I mind the mud but because cleaning it is such an absolute pain where I am (a flat in London with a balcony but no hose) and I’d really like not to wear out the cassette. Might be road bike only for the next few months…

parking the gravel bike up for the winter

I was about to say that gravel bikes are ideal for the inclement winter months, and then you threw this grenade in..

Might be road bike only for the next few months…

Mentalist!

Mentalist!

Yeah I mean, I can’t argue with that. It’s just… the cleaning is such a giant pain. If I could hose it down that’d be one thing but I can’t 🙁

Yeah I mean, I can’t argue with that. It’s just… the cleaning is such a giant pain. If I could hose it down that’d be one thing but I can’t 🙁

Posted 2 minutes ago

You could get a portable jet wash that holds it’s own water? I’ve got a cheapie eBay thing that runs off a 20nlitre water container I bought from the local camping shop. You could go smaller with 10 litres and it’s be fine for a single gravel bike. Mine plugs into the car – but you could get a Worx battery powered one alternatively.

Last time I checked, skin was waterproof and getting wet and muddy is still vastly preferable to Zwift.

Thanks for the portable jet washer though, I hadn’t considered that and I’ll look into it.

Last time I checked, skin was waterproof and getting wet and muddy is still vastly preferable to Zwift.

In my defence the road bike is still very much an outside bike. Apart from anything else, I don’t have anywhere to put a Zwift setup either!

Well said Jimmy748. Also riding in mud is great fun.

Wash the bike

Quietly sneaking into the house trying not to drip muddy water on my way to the shower. Maybe just showering with my clothes on is an option?

Wash me

Wash the shower

Wash away the odd muddy splodge off the floor

Wash my clothes and kit and towel (remember to rinse first)

Stash filthy shoes in the boiler cupboard

And she’ll never know…..

Time for a cuppa and a biscuit

Typical autumn/winter/spring (even some summers) midweek night ride.

Skin might be waterproof but body heat is finite 🙄

Perversely I’m out looking for muddy trails right now for some quality sideways CX fun. Auchterarder doesn’t appear to have them in the same abundance as Linlithgow did! Suspect the off cambers at the school fitba pitches will be getting a hammering…

winter is my favourite time of year to ride. more slop = more sideways fun.

Unfortunately it had to end eventually but it’s been a good run of weather this year – not had to properly wash my mtb since May. Local trails were running great, going to miss being able to pop out for an hour without needing another 30 to 40 minutes extra faff cleaning and sorting kit.

I’m already thinking of parking the gravel bike up for the winter, not because I mind the mud but because cleaning it is such an absolute pain where I am (a flat in London with a balcony but no hose) and I’d really like not to wear out the cassette. Might be road bike only for the next few months…

My mates got their bikes cleaned at the local hand car wash for years. They were very happy spending £2.50 a time 😂