Surrey Hills – Conditions

Heading up there tomorrow anything I should avoid?

Thanks

Cheeseburgers at Ryka's ?

After the snow and the current rain, I would say it'll be gloop central! I'd avoid Parklife, in fact, I'd ask you to avoid it, as the trail really doesn't need getting mashed up too badly! (Especially after all that work!)

The sandy lane up from the Rookery to the start of Summer Lightning (Wolvens Lane, I think) may well be a killer, as that sand will just turn to abrasive paste!

Have fun! Not ridden there in a while. Off out on the Plain on Sunday instead!

Everything is super wet. I haven't got an official ride and I won't bother with a ride for the sake of it. If I did though I'd avoid most of the little twisty ones (T trails etc) and just get about on the fire roads more than usual.

I'm just going out on the road! Sod spending longer cleaning the bike than riding it!

I'd stay clear of the trails completely when it's been this wet: They are just going to be ruined if used too much.

Makes sense I'm not one to churn the place up.

Fire roads here we come.

A good old fashioned roll along the fire roads is totally fine though. Doesn't rip up the land, gets you out in the countryside and so on. Like a road ride but without the cars.

Road riding on a road bike round here is almost a no-go at the minute because of the debris and pot holes. Punctures all the way. On balance I'd take an mtb and ride the wide fire tracks. No bombing past walkers though. Or indeed, take a trip to the lovely Surrey Hills but leave the bike at home.

I've not had a proper ride in days cos of the snow I'm getting on that bike tomorrow come hell or high water.

Last Sat- From Peasklake it was quite snowy but rideable. Last Sunday- Summer Lightning side of the tower -it was definitely rideable. From Leith hill all the way to the bottom on Summer Lighthing was clear bar the first 200m's upto the start of Summer Lightning- if that gives you an indication?

If it hasn't snowed since a week last Friday- it will be fine.

I think it's just muddy now!

Its really muddy now, the extra snow we had on wednesday has melted and its rained all day today….I don't care as will be in Chamonix by 11pm tonight 😛

I went up there tuesday night and it wasn't that wet, there was just a few puddles in places. I am hoping the rain we have today hasn't made much difference.

It's likely to piss down tomorrow too I heard. I'll take a towel I suppose.

I have just got back from Holmbury hill and it is VERY wet and misty.

It's wet but the trails are riding okay, as the mud is still pretty liquid (if you know what I mean). The claggiest part we rode was the main bridleway on Peaslake (from the bottom car park to the top).

Went yesterday and it was fine, even Parklife wasn't too bad.

Shop in Peaslake had run out of baked goods though, downer.

Road riding on a road bike round here is almost a no-go at the minute because of the debris and pot holes.

No it's not, it's fine! Admittedly there are a few potholes around, but not that much worse than normal!

Rode around on Pitch Hill yesterday, It was hard going but really, really good fun.

Don't know where you've been riding, but around my house the roads are in shreds. Hollow Lane for example would give you a pinch flat and very dinged wheel if you didn't have the whole road to choose from (ie something comes the other way). Maybe you mean the main roads, although even the A25 would be very dodgy in the dark.

Meh, generally around, I agree it's worse than before the snow, but it's not that bad! Can't say I've ever pinch flatted on the road!

Most holes can be hopped over anyway!

If you've never pinch flatted on the road I think you have been extremely lucky! I once blew both tyres going down Reigate Hill at full speed – I did indeed clear the broken patch of tarmac, but landed in the next patch. Which is the problem with these blown frost/damaged patches – there is often an extended stretch rather than an isolated hole.

I guess I've just been extremely lucky then! I'm not that heavy, which may help, but surely if you're pinch flatting on the road you should run higher pressures, it's not exactly the Arenberg pave!

I use 25mm tyres at 120psi. I'm not as light as I was 20 years ago, but I ain't masive either. Pinches are as a result of the very abrupt hard edge of a fresh pothole that one either fails to see (very rare) or cannot avoid because oncoming traffic sends you that way. Hopping over is fantasy on the very narrow back lanes – you don't want to be trying that once an oncoming 4×4 has put you in the wet leaves at the edge of the road. I've also pinch-flatted on sticks and stones – for example going down the hill from Coldharbour where debris sometimes gets washed to the middle of the road.

Since I've cycled round these lanes here for forty years I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing – how much tyre pressure would you suggest?

Just a thought, not trying to suggest you're wrong! I've had 2 flats in the last year on the road (c5000 miles), both were from flints which also cut the tyre, incidentally neither were anywhere near the hills! I'm really struggling to remember the last time I flatted on any of the roads around there, not in the last 5-6 years certainly!

I weigh about 11 stone, and run Hutchinson Fusions at 105 psi, perhaps we should meet for a ride, see if you can teach me to puncture more 🙂

Was up Holmbury today and rode over over pitch and into Hurtwood. Hurtwood was very wet but Holbury and Pitch Hill weren't that bad.

STW poster avoids argument shocker! 🙂

While you mention road riding around Surrey Hills, I'd be well up for an STW darkside ride round there when conditions are better. Anyone?

Sorry njee20, I do bristle when I think someone is teaching egg sucking! To be honest the road bike stays in the shed in the winter because the roads take so much care. All my punctures are probably within a mile of my house. I mostly ride on the road just for transport plus a spin for an hour or two here and there. In the winter I like my old Kona which is rigid with flat bars and bar ends – I use that with either 25mm Conti Ultragators or I sometimes go with an old pair of 2" mtb tyres. Surprisingly the off road tyres are only about 5 minutes slower over ten miles commuting.

Not a darkside ride, but be really up for a road ride sometime! Seems there's a reasonable contingent round here!

I've not ridden my MTB properly in about 3 months, just been on the road, much more sensible at this time of year IMO, but this could become a circular argument!

Let's leave that idea open then – I usually have trouble finding time (supposed to be working now!), but you never know.

A road ride's easier to organise than MTB ride, just need a couple of hours on a weekend morning, would suit most. Can meet somewhere like Peaslake, probably doable for most.

cool. will prob wait a few weeks while the weather sorts itself out and get a post up on here.

Well the potholes aren't going to get filled any time soon, and it's dry and 7 degrees today, we gonna wait until summer!?

Iv,e just come back from a road ride around Newdigate,Charlwood and today has been perfik

how about next Sunday then? Assuming I've been able to fix my bottom bracket? Just need to find a shop that can post me the adaptor in time.

Anyone else?

Adapter for bottom bracket? Doing the Brass Monkeys enduro next Sunday. A week Saturday?

I've got a skills session to lead on Saturday, which means Sunday is for the family. Unfortunately that is a typical weekend!

Skills sessions on the hills presumably? Could be interested in one of those.

I've a whole list of skills stuff I want to work thru when the weather's better, Glen P

Are we talking weekend of 13/14 Feb now then? My road bike is only 3 rides old and bottom bracket is creaking like a creaky thing. Just needs a nip up I think but needs a specific Campy tool which I ain't got

If you will buy Campag…

I was thinking Saturday 6th Feb?