The Midweek Ride Picture Thread.

Took the kenevo sl up ruberslaw nigh on impossible climb without a bit of assist.

Wrote a quick thing on how fantastic an unexpected dry ride in mid winter is: https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/a-chink-of-light/

Went for a ride with a couple of riding buddies not seen for at least a year. Some fantastic trails I’ve not ridden in the Malvern hills before. Some proper steep and rooty stuff if you know where to look (I don’t so was very happy to be guided around)

Stunning day. So many great photos I should have taken but was too busy riding. Or in two cases, crashing 😉

Out taking some photos and checking a route for a magazine write-up (not STW). I did have to walk through a freezing cold river but it was still worth it.

I might have some drone shorts to share too.

Hmm. Difficult light. Low sun made getting a good angle very awkward. I reckon this is the best shot.

I definitely need to go back later in the year when the sun is higher and not casting such a shadow over the pass.

Midweek Golfie rip today with an old mate that’s just moved to Inners.

1200 Meters of decent and another brand new fresh cut trail found lurking in the trees.😁

INZO by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

Baws by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

No Content Top. by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

No Content Bottom. by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

Beautiful morning for our regular Wednesday ride, although only two of us braved the sub zero temps for the 8am start…

Specialized Diverge by Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

Crisp midweek ride by Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

Crisp midweek ride by Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

A dry and puddle free, easy 20 miles after work, started at 5.15 and didn’t turn the lights on until at least 15 minutes in.

A second Tuesday skive in Feb.

Seb (from the other mag 🙂 )

Somewhat different to the death march of Dec 28 last year. 95% dry. A few more people unsurprisingly.

Managed to ‘lose’ the rear brake between home and car park. So that made for an entertaining ride. I expected it to come back a bit. It really didn’t. So just rode slowly and enjoyed the views.

Nice pictures @Alex.
May I ask where that is please?

I also rode today but it was rather dark in the woods so my phone stayed in my pocket.
Just imaging some dark woods with steep ruts in them that are half full of rocks and roots.😀

That’s the classic gap ride @singlespeedstu – lots of options to extend/change it but we start from Talybont, up the old tram track, over the moor, descend to close to heritage railway, then up the old roman road to the Gap itself and down the otherside into the Talybont valley. Finsih with 5km of canal path.

Route profile there, if you want a GPX let me know. If you’re ever down this way I’d be very happy to show you round if you don’t know it.

I find those rutted, rocky trails ride better in the half light 🙂 I don’t want to look at them!

You know what, I’ve done the Gap ride several times but i don’t think I’ve ever done it when there was a view.🤣

We’ve always started in Brecon though and done a slightly different route.
We even did The Brecon Beast one year when they sent us up the Gap. It’s OK though I’ve mostly blocked that climb out of my mind now.

Ah it’s okay. I have a one-off ridiculous time up there when I broke myself trying to see how fast I could do it. Nowadays I am far more relaxed. On a day like today, just spin and take in the view. Lovely.

The views for first.3 photos and last one is new to us (both in terms of not being mid winter and being sightly higher) pointed out by a lovely fella we met who we’d seen above where we were riding. He showed us the track to get up there (and pointed out a few others). I’ll definitely be back later this year to try out some alternatives.

I love riding in the forest, but there’s something about a big sky day.

oh sorry they sent you UP THE OTHER SIDE. Jeez, they were lucky to escape alive 🙂

UP THE OTHER SIDE

Yep. **** sick bastards. It took me a long time to block that one out.😂

It’s giving me palpitations just thinking about it. We saw an ebiker on his way up that way but he’d snapped his mech hanger. I’d be taking that as a sign 😂

Valentines Night was cold & moody, so a bike ride with some mates in the freezing fog was a timely distraction! 😁

No pic from the ride, but did a night ride last night, it was so dry (including the leaf covered trails which were running really fast) that I found dust on my fork stanchions afterwards. I cleaned the bike the day before so it wasn’t dust from not being used…

Dust!! It’s bloomin’ February!! 😲🤣

Regular service has resumed here in south east wales, the unseasonably dry conditions and hero dirt have finally buggered off. Still, it was fun while it lasted!

Lovely ride of the classic loop from Clapham with grown up son. We thought I it was a great route

https://strava.app.link/grr4sh7Rsxb

Quick sprint round at lunch time.

2023-02-21_04-47-22 by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
2023-02-21_04-48-02 by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

Taking advantage of the glorious weather!

Dutton viaduct over the River Weaver

I had a job to do in Balvicar near Oban yesterday, so drove up from Bournemouth Monday morning, and back down to Penrith last night after finishing the job, so I rode the Borrowdale bash route with the time I’d gained, before finishing the drive home, home just in time to put the boy to bed.

Strava with video clips.

https://strava.app.link/S2JinussDxb

Solo Golfie ride this morning.
Half frozen half thawed.
Wasn’t really feeling it but still managed 1000 meters of descent.
A ride’s a ride though so can’t complain.

Half Ice Half Mud. by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

Another tootle out to make the most of the sunshine.

Today’s commute

Why is sharing images so hit and miss 😔

Something about that image almost makes it look ‘painted’ @sofaking esp the wall and planters! (Or maybe just me)

Just a phone shot turned black and white and upped the contrast a bit

Other than the cold wind, it was lovely out tonight.

Definitely felt a little spring like today.
Another 1000+ meters of descent and some friendly folks out today.
Only a couple of degrees but the trails are in prime condition.
We’re being spoiled at the moment with all the new trails appearing at the golfie.
Chatted to one of the diggers and he let me ride one of his unfinished trails* So nice to ride a fresh cut trail before it gets hammered to death.

*Its built but doesn’t have an entrance in off the fireroad yet.

Spring is in the air. by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

Mine in here for anyone that hasn’t visited the thread

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-familiar-with-drymen-loch-lomond/

Near perfect conditions last night, shame it non stop rain forecast for the rest of the week.

Had some fun on my last ride in Wiltshire (for a while – been here for work for 3 days each week for the last 6 weeks). Big skies and learning some new trails, including f finding some old Erlstoke downhill trails that are super steep and slippery! Wasn’t with my bike at the bottom of one of them! 😂

Rains held off this afternoon, so went back out tonight, still prime conditions with no evidence of this mornings down pours, snow forecast for overnight & tomorrow morning, followed by sleet and rain, so I think the Wednesday night group ride will be canned.

A few from last night and first pictures with the pixel 7 night sight setting. Really impressed as it was very low light

Balmaha to Rowardennan last night

20230307_175554~2 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

20230307_181530~2 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

20230307_184835~2 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

Similar pictures without an ugly bike in the way in my Drymen thread

Clear, cold and crisp: frozen solid trails and bright moonlight last night with no hint of mud. Temporarily lost feeling in my fingers on the descent and my waterbottle was solid by the end. Happy times.

Not highest quality photos, just used my iPhone on night mode.

Another 1200 meters of descent before 12.00 this morning.

Minus 5 to start with and dusty.

Making the most of things before the snow comes.

High Calorie. by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr

Trimmed by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
Fluffy by StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr