Swinley Forest Forum Ride – 10th January 2009

better change the thread title to Swinley knocking shop ride i think

So….

What Pub For Swinley Ride?

better change the thread title to Swinley knocking shop ride i think

meow

rOcKeTdOg – you’re just a trouble-maker. I don’t need anyone to fix my punctures!

How about to buy the ladies their lunch!!

Taff – you must be on the wrong forum, this won’t be an orgy! Having organised rides in the past, the one thing I’ve learned is that you never know how many will turn up. Will be riding til the light fades but I don’t do night-riding cos I’m scared of the dark!

I’ll try and do some research on pubs. I would rather “research” beer at home though 🙄

*moves troublemaking to other threads*

can you close the door behind you please? thanks!

REMINDER –

Don’t forget you can buy your day permit online, this will save time otherwise you will have to wait til the Visitor Centre opens at 10.00 am.

<https://sslrelay.com/www.mbsawebsite.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=15495bb078032ba/shopdata/index.shopscript&gt;

Hmmm, how does this linky thing work then? Sorry for being a bimbo 😳

You have to use the aquare brackets with “URL” in them

Mark – that’s what I used … I think

Oh, and the Bonty Muds (very good tyres, I use them) are exceptionally tight on rims, and DT rims are about the tighest rims out there! Don’t worry, I have to use tyre levers and a bit of force too.

Title [/urlX]

Removing the X

Well, I decided I couldn’t be doing with that faffing around, especially if I was on a solo ride in the middle of nowhere (and there’s never a man around when you need one!) so I, erm, went tubeless! This is the only tyre I have had a problem with.

ON TOPIC

Thought I had better clarify that this is not suitable for complete beginners with no off-road experience.

HI CG
I know this question ranks along with ‘how long is a piece of string’ but 100 riders would appear to be little unwieldly for one ride. Would be a bit like a motorway hold up with those at the back not going any where fast!
From your past experience how many do you really envisage will actually turn up?
I will be driving 2.5 hours to get there and want to be sure that any ride will be manageable in terms of numbers.
Thanks

100 riders? No chance. More like 20-30 max, I’d say. Less, if it’s very cold, or there’s a bit of moisture (IE, if it’s pissing with rain, and looking likely to rain all day, I won’t be schlepping all the way from London, I can tell you).

Hi puddle-rider.
Yep, understand completely what you are saying. Will try and answer.

I have previously organised some SheCycles ladies rides at Swinley. The first one I managed to totally underestimate how much interest there would be but fortunately, via the mtb grapevine, I ended up receiving lots of offers of help and support. Riders were divided into ability groups and each group had at least a leader and a sweeper who planned the route.

From memory we had 35 ladies turning up. The second year we had around 45 with 15 blokes for turning up for their own ride, which meant that we had 4 groups.

The leaders/sweepers/helpers I did not know from Adam but they were brilliant and it couldn’t have happened without them. Take a bow, Tunnel Hill Trolls!!

Basically it meant a lot of work beforehand, particularly when I had my route sorted, a couple of days beforehand the weather changed so I then had to replan the route!

So … rather than being dependent on people’s good nature/time constraints etc., I thought it would be easier to ride as one group. I have been completely honest by saying that it wouldn’t be suitable for racing whippets and that a sense of humour is essential. It’s just to get people back into riding after too many mince pies, colds/illnesses etc.

Nevertheless, I am surprised by how much interest there has been and am grateful to the people that have offered to be “strategically placed” within the group. They will be given details of the planned route beforehand.

This is the first time I have posted on STW about a ride and now that I have made it crystal clear that I do not work for a dating agency/am not young and fit/am not hardcore, perhaps the numbers will reduce 😀

Folk always have the option of just staying for the morning ride and then going off themselves to explore afterwards.

So … in answer to your question again … I haven’t a clue how many will turn up!!!

Hi CG – just thought I’d drop you a note to wish you good luck this weekend 🙂

I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you as my knee is still not in the best of shape – my poor SC is gathering dust 🙁

Hope you guys have a blast and I want to see loads of piccies 😉

Hi tinker-belle – that’s very kind of you. I do hope that your knee gets sorted soon and we can meet up. Hang in there!

shame you can’t make it tinker-belle – hope to meet you another time and hope your knee feels better soon 🙂

i have been to swinley a few times now with c_g and no matter the numbers the rides have always turned out good! i think you’ll find several will say they can make it and then some will drop out which is pretty normal.

i’m not worried at all about how many people will turn up as it’s going to be fun regardless!

How is Swinley holding up at the moment? I guess it’s muddy in places?

beaker – the conditions are great. Trails have been running really fast. Have had a little sleet today though 😥

Forecast is for a bit more sleet, but it’s going to be very cold, so little chance of heavy rain.

Which is good.

CG; any further info on good pubs nearby? The one in Windlesham is ok, actually. Quiet little place, and you can see the car park out of the window, if you’re worried about your bike. I can’t imagine anyone would break into your car there. And you’d be out the door straight on them, if they did.

no disrespect, but for a ride looking to be this big, i’ll likely ride elsewhere, as big groups are just chaos in my experience.

Will probably ride the North Downs early, and then go to yoga.

No-one’s forcing you to have to ride in the group! If you don’t like it, you can always slide off on your own.

Indeed I can, but if I’m riding on my own i’ll choose somewhere other than Swinley.

pk – how big do you think the group will be then? I just don’t believe you can tell with these rides. You can always join us for the morning and disappear to the jump gulley or wherever afterwards?

Alternatively ride behind me cos I’ve planned the route … and don’t have eyes in the back of my head 😀

are you for real pk? i’m really disappointed 😥

I’m 4real, although not in a Richey Edwards way (do a google images if you don’t know what that refers too…)

I’m thinking there’ll be 40+ people, and whilst i’m sure you’re all really nice and stuff, I hate riding in big groups – it’s a personal preference thing. 15, maybe 20 is a huge group in my opinion, and even then i would probably split it into 2.

Would a guided tour with just moi sway you at all?! 😆

You need to be careful offering one on one guiding…..

Why?

pk – what a bluet*t. Sometimes its not all about the ride, mainly its the company. Suppose with your attitude they’ll all be glad your not joining them. Get a life

Offering one on one guiding to male STW’ers…. I think you’ll have a lot requests

lol – and there from radoggair is the reason why I don’t bother.

rado, I agree it’s about the company, which is why in smaller groups you can actually chat to people, about a fair bit of stuff (not just riding, as that’s just one of many things I’m interested in) and actually get to know a bit more about them, all without worrying how many people are around you, whether you’ll clip a wheel if you switch off, whether someone else will trip yours etc. You know, actual chatting, rather than swapping around positions in a larger bunch, saying a cursory “hello, who are you on the forum, whoops, singletrack bit, hopefully catch up with you in a bit”. I wasn’t 100% that I wouldn’t be going, but hey, you’ve just helped me make up my mind.

oh, and bluetit really is a pathetic insult. You could have called me a **** or something, but no, you chose bluetit.

Oh, I thought the STW guys were true gentlemen 😉