Hello guys.
My friend and I are gonna hit the trails at Swinley on Saturday morning. I have only ridden there twice. Once about 6 years ago and the other time was at the “STW massive” meet-up in January. I was guided round by Ian (I think he goes by the name of Fumanchu) on here and loved it.
What we are after is some local knowledgeable rider/s to hit the trails for a couple of hours and show us all that Swinley has to offer.
We are both pretty fit and fairly technically gifted and will both be on single speeds, probably ridged as thats what we tend to ride lately.
We plan to have a bit of lunch in the cafe and then head out for some more single track heaven in the afternoon, but if you can only make the morning then that is fine by us.

Does anyone fancy it? We are planning to be in the Lookout carpark and ready to ride by 9.30am on Saturday.

Matt

I can’t this weekend at that time will be heading out at 8.00am as got stuff to do in the PM, if you can make it earlier your welcome to join us, though it will be a more relaxed pace to Fumanchu fast group on the STW day 🙂

Would have been OK for you to join our group but we are going Sunday, if you can change to the next day then please tag along.

Thanks for the offer forge197, but we are coming up from Portsmouth area and its about an hours drive for us in the van, so getting there for 8am is abit of a mission. Was Fumanchu’s group the fast group at the STW meet-up? I thought that it was the poodle round the woods group? Not too bothered about the pace of the ride, but we do like to keep moving and not hang around too much.
Thanks again Count for the offer, but it has to be Saturday as Sunday is always are big milage day and we have a ride planned with a few friends on Sunday.
Anyone else available on Saturday?

Matt

We are both pretty fit and fairly technically gifted…..it has to be Saturday as Sunday is always are big milage day and we have a ride planned…..Was Fumanchu’s group the fast group at the STW meet-up? I thought that it was the poodle round the woods group?…..

Wow! Would anyone even be able to keep up, let alone guide you? 😉

Thanks for the complements geoffj, thats very kind of you.
I am actually a Mountain Bike guide and have been for over 10 years, its just that I dont know Swinley very well as stated I have only ridden there twice. Local knowledge definately wins at Swinley as its easy to pedal right past the best bits. All I was stating was that we like to cycle at a brisks pace and dont like to spend a lot of time “mincing about”.
Dave and I are both ex BMX racers and fairley competent cyclists.

The joke about Fumanchu’s group was a joke, but if you wern’t at the STW Swinley meet-up you wouldnt have got it!

Matt

bikey I was about to ask if you were the bike guide that was in Fu’s group. 🙂

I had a feeling hence I mentioned that if I was to show you around that it would be at a more social pace with some though limited mincing 🙂

🙄 Sorry Matt, it was meant in jest – hence the smiley.
Perhaps you could download the GPS Tracks from the swinley stw ride and use those as a guide?
Or perhaps you could get out of bed a bit earlier!

Bikey – I was in your group (red inbred).

I might be able to do the morning (10 ish) for a couple of three hours. I ride Swinley a bit – and I know some other spots that Fu did not ride.

Although, I have no idea how to get to the last bit (the cork screw). But if all else fails I could churn out a copy of the ride we did in minus seven.

I’ll know if my folks are coming to London on Friday – so can let you know by lunch time if you are interested.

forge197 – I could be up for an 8am ride this Saturday. Can you drop me a mail at simon AT murfin DOT org DOT uk

All – I have several gps tracks for Swinley, including the STW one. Mail me for a copy.

thanks, smurf

Thanks for the replies so far but still no real offers!

GDRS, yes I remember you and thanks for the offer. If nothing else comes along I may well take you up on your offer.

Yes Geoffj I could get out of bed earlier. I usually ride at 8am on a Sunday so starting at that time is not a problem, its the travelling to Swinley that takes up the time. Not sure about the GPS stuff as dont use them. I am a map and compass guide through and through.

Matt

Assuming car is fixed I will be there,(even if not I can ride over in about 30 mins) was going to ride with forge197, but have a free day so if no-one else can guide at the later time I can assist.

Ooh, I woon’t mind a Swinley ride, but I’m doing a London one on Sunday, so I’ll be doing other stuff on Saturday. 🙁

Me and Hackney Rider were talking about the Fu Manchu group on Sunday! I think we stopped at one point, and I was knackered, so was HR. Someone asked if we could take it a tiny bit easier, then it turned out most of us were knackered too! Great fun, though.

Fu_manchu: you are a star. My mate Dave is picking me up at 8am from near Portsmouth, so we are about an hour away. We said that we would be ready to ride at 9.30am, but that was to give us a bit of extra time just incase of any hold ups. We could probably be good to go just after 9pm.
Ian if you can do it I will happily buy your lunch in the cafe as a thank you?

Matt

ok no probs, exploring options on getting there as will want to bring SS, may end up on the train as can’t spin from reading to bracknell on SS. but i will be there!

fu

Thanks again Fu. Unfortunately my friend only has 2 seats in his van otherwise we would have happily given you a lift.

Matt

Bikey, thats no problems, worst case is a 40 min train journey and a quick ride, takes about that in the car, but hopefully car will be back anyway.

Hoping that my new rigid carbon fork will have arrived by then as well as keen to give them a try 🙂

Also, meant to ask before, any chance you still have the pics you took of the STW ride?

smurfin sent you a mail

Rudeboy your welcome anytime we are there most weekends.

bikey/fu_manchu although you are starting later you might catch us up 🙂

Ok forge197, it would be good to meet up again. I dont know what Fu has lined up for us, but I hope to see again on Saturday. Its a shame Rudeboy cant come out to play.

Matt

Paging Fu_manchu. Ian I am all sorted my end for tomorrow. Is you car sorted yet or will you be travelling by train? I will meet you there just after 9am in the Lookout carpark. We will be in a Blue VW T4 Van.

It looks like the weather wont be the greatest!

I have tried to email you at the address you have on your profile, but both times it has bounced back. If you email me at the address in my profile then we can swap phone numbers just in case something unforseen happens!

Matt

Bikey

No probs, car sorted, backup company pool car at standby if not! Therefore I should be in the Black Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Yes, doesn’t look like as good conditions as last time, but it should at least be warmer. Phone number on the way.