How far do you drive with your bike?

[Barbara_Reed]

I'm just curious, for those of you that don't have a suitable mountain outside the door, how far do you have to take your bike for the right sort of track? Plus do you often go to the same place or do you get bored doing that?

 

[Gary]

Unlike in the US or England we in Scotland can ride pretty much anywhere we please. So from the door I have miles and miles of singletrack to ride. Unfortunately it's not the hilliest terrain. But just 40 miles drive away there are many hills with enough good trails you'd struggle to ride them all riding all day every day for a month.
Ive also driven to each end of the UK to ride and 2000 miles including a ferry trip to ride in Europe . But obviously not just for the day.

Why do you ask?

 

[Shinn]

I take a few multi day trips each year that are 6 or so hours one way. Ride locally a lot, but do drive 1-2 hours often to change it up.

 

[Barbara_Reed]

Unlike in the US or England we in Scotland can ride pretty much anywhere we please. So from the door I have miles and miles of singletrack to ride. Unfortunately it's not the hilliest terrain. But just 40 miles drive away there are many hills with enough good trails you'd struggle to ride them all riding all day every day for a month.
Ive also driven to each end of the UK to ride and 2000 miles including a ferry trip to ride in Europe . But obviously not just for the day.

Why do you ask?

Just curious, really. Seems a lot of people are driving a long way to ride a bike.

 

[Shinn]

Just curious, really. Seems a lot of people are driving a long way to ride a bike.

I drove a long way even when I lived in Western Colorado, with tons of trails in the area. Many of our trips back then involved visiting a brewery or three as well.

 

[Mabman]

As little as possible. There is an IMBA epic trail system, the WRT, 40 minutes from me I go to once in awhile and if going north I will try and hook up with my old gang and trails an hour and a bit away. I keep threatening to go to get in some high plains drifting/hot springing and who knows I just might yet this spring! Otherwise it's ride out the door and also trail work.

 

[Mteam]

20 minutes drive most of the time, plus a few trips of up to 5 hours drive, and then I also go abroad once or twice a year to ride - To spain,france,italy,portugal etc.

 

[steve_sordy]

For the trail I ride the most, it is 30 mins away. Others are 1.5 - 3 hours away. Any further and it's an overnighter for me.

A friend and I with 2 passengers and our bikes shared the driving from the Midlands (middle of UK) all the way to the French Alps (Prix la Joue) for a week. We stopped for food and toilet, slept in the car while the other guy drove, but it still took 'effin ages, more than 24 hours. I'm surprised that none of us suffered from a DVT, especially the guys in the back hemmed in with kit. We were almost there when we had to divert because a landslide had blocked our route! That diversion took over an hour because it took us into the next valley and then back again. Which in the Alps, meant a mile high climb and back down again on perilous roads, when we were all knackered. Thank heavens for the sat nav!

 

[EebStrider]

I never drive anywhere to ride my bike, as I’ve got decent routes & tracks in all directions from my home.

 

[Pdoz]

I can ride from the end of my block, but life is too short to ride the same trails all the time.

 

[Gary]

Just curious, really. Seems a lot of people are driving a long way to ride a bike.

Yeah. For most of the last year due to covid lockdown ruling we've been restricted to travelling no more than 5 miles or within our own counties. Plenty folk are regularly breaking the rules to ride their bikes in their preferred riding areas though.
Out of interest. How far do you consider to be a long way?

 

[Neverbeentomoab]

I drive from Middlesbrough to glentress and back in a day quite regularly. I drive to whinlatter a few times a year and dalby or hamsterley weekly. Going to try a few different places this year and more over night stays.

 

[Zimmerframe]

How far do you consider to be a long way?

She does own half a plane .. so he next thread might be .. how far do you fly to ride your bike ?

 

[DT36]

We can ride in any direction from our house, as we live on the edge of the Brecon Beacons/South Wales valleys.
However, I've just bought an old small van that I'm currently snagging/carpet lining/converting to take our bikes, so that we can start doing more coastal rides as we come out of lockdown and possibly stay at a few campsites.

 

[routrax]

She does own half a plane .. so he next thread might be .. how far do you fly to ride your bike ?

I'd feel safer in a whole plane.

 

[Barbara_Reed]

Yeah. For most of the last year due to covid lockdown ruling we've been restricted to travelling no more than 5 miles or within our own counties. Plenty folk are regularly breaking the rules to ride their bikes in their preferred riding areas though.
Out of interest. How far do you consider to be a long way?

Good question. I always put my bike on the back of the campervan when camping with my husband, but the primary purpose of the trip is to get him out of the house and moving at least somewhat. This year's trip will have two trikes in a trailer.
Other than that, I ride from home. I don't do gnarly stuff, just grass tracks and gravel, which there is lots of in all directions. In lockdown I always shop by bike.
So I would say anything over 50km would seem like a long way to me. Both from the point of view of cost, and ecological reasons. I've always seen a bike more as transport than a user of transport. That said, if the point is to have fun whooshing downhill then obviously you need a hill, and it's no less ecologically sound than towing a caravan to Spain once a year, after all.

 

[routrax]

Nearest place worth riding for me is about 30 miles (Aston Hill, which is closed due to ash dieback). Surry Hills if I fancy sitting in traffic on the M25, only 30 ish miles, but could take 2+ hrs.

 

[andyb2]

the quantocks are literally on my door step, so no need to drive anywhere, however I can't wait to drive somewhere else for a change of scenery

 

[B1rdie]

She does own half a plane .. so he next thread might be .. how far do you fly to ride your bike ?

Just waiting for that...
I have flown with bikes many more miles than driven with them for sure.

 

[sunstoner]

I'm just curious, for those of you that don't have a suitable mountain outside the door, how far do you have to take your bike for the right sort of track? Plus do you often go to the same place or do you get bored doing that?

I dont mind driving a couple of hours, although since getting my first emtb last Aug I've not had the opportunity over the last 12 months to get too far. Yes, I get bored pretty easily with the same routes. The part of Notts I live is in pretty flat so im looking forward to get to tackling some routes in Derbyshire and the Lakes too.

Do you mind a drive?

 

[The Hodge]

9hrs +to North West Scotland Highlands ..similar to Cairngorms ..2 hrs to Lake District / Yorkshire Dale's & Moors..Glentress/ Inners...even though I have big hills & forests on my doorstep ..love a change of scenery ..
The Scottish trips are usually for a full week with friends..

 

[Gary]

In lockdown I always shop by bike.
So I would say anything over 50km would seem like a long way to me. Both from the point of view of cost, and ecological reasons. I've always seen a bike more as transport than a user of transport. That said, if the point is to have fun whooshing downhill then obviously you need a hill, and it's no less ecologically sound than towing a caravan to Spain once a year, after all.

Yeah. Ive always seen bikes as the best way to get around and find them massively fun to ride whether that be to work or the local shop or pub or a proper mtb or road ride. I typically ride further than I drive most years. I'm not really a fan of walking at all though.

I rarely ever just go biking for the day if the driving time is greater than the riding time. As I just don't think it's worth it as I find driving incredibly dull.

 

[steve_sordy]

I agree that the same trails time after time can get a bit boring, despite what the weather can do to make them different. But the forest I ride in has a maze of off-piste stuff to ride and/or develop. Keeping this clear of fallen trees, projecting brambles etc can take time, but adds interest.

So, just as I have developed and linked together a nice trail, the Forestry Commission comes along and does a massive forest clearance! OK, I understand, it's what they do, it's their raison d'etre. The FC guys develop the specification so that the harvesters have to avoid certain features, but what a mess is left behind! I am currently spending time putting together a new route, which is a mix of recognised trails and off-piste trails that avoid the clearance areas. Only got 14 miles so far without repetition, really need 18miles. It looks like I'm going to have to include more of the recognised trails, but that feels like failure!

Later Edit: I referred above to the Forestry Commission (or FC). This was renamed last year maybe the year before into separate bodies; Forest England, Forest Wales and Forest Scotland. I expect that there may also be a Forest Northern Ireland, not sure. After a previous attempt to sell off the FC, which was defeated by a howl of public outrage, the separation may be a precursor to selling off the parts that did not get quite as much support. Watch this space.

 

[smtkelly]

As a kid I used to ride in my local park (Richmond Park) sunrise to sunset all summer. But they banned (or rather started activity enforcing) all off track cycling and restricted to a few shared paved paths. Which sucks because I live now 2mins cycle away.

Surrey Hills or Swinley are the closest bike friendly places (let me know if there's more) both are about 40/45mins from me by car. In the past I been as far as Haldon woods/Gawton Gravity hub (170miles) CWM and forest of dean (140miles), Okeford Hill Bike Park (100miles) mainly for the uplifts and my friend was local to cornwall/devon for a while.

I been to the Alps a fair bit for the chair lifts. Since the UK started organising uplifts you get more bang for your buck in the UK with less consequence if things go wrong such as an accident or a mechanical.

 

[flash]

Mostly ride at one of two trail centers. 30 mins and an hour respectively. But recently packed up the bike and drove (plus overnight car ferry) from NSW to Tasmania to ride in Derby. Twas epic...

Can't travel internationally so I'm planning more trips like this for 2021. Lot's of places to explore with 4-5 hours drive for a long weekend of riding. That's the plan anyway. As soon as I'm allowed to ride....

Gordon

 

[Marley]

I got into mountain biking 30 years ago because we have lots of mountain ?‍.
Every weekend the brother and I pick a different trail but we definitely have our favorites.
I've driven to other states to visit family with bike aboard but back home the trail systems are so vast it take years to ride them all.......within 2 hours.

 

[EebStrider]

I agree that the same trails time after time can get a bit boring, despite what the weather can do to make them different. But the forest I ride in has a maze of off-piste stuff to ride and/or develop. Keeping this clear of fallen trees, projecting brambles etc can take time, but adds interest.

So, just as I have developed and linked together a nice trail, the Forestry Commission comes along and does a massive forest clearance! OK, I understand, it's what they do, it's their raison d'etre. The FC guys develop the specification so that the harvesters have to avoid certain features, but what a mess is left behind! I am currently spending time putting together a new route, which is a mix of recognised trails and off-piste trails that avoid the clearance areas. Only got 14 miles so far without repetition, really need 18miles. It looks like I'm going to have to include more of the recognised trails, but that feels like failure!

Do they clear up the mess eventually, after clearing the trees? At Swinley, it was a total mess a few weeks ago, but speaking to the ranger he said they always make sure they do a proper job of re-grading all the tracks afterwards, which they’ve now done.

 

[RustyMTB]

South Downs almost literally on my doorstep. I live at the bottom of the hill, the top of which is the South downs way. I feel very privileged about that. A mile in the opposite direction is the beach & I practically never feel the need to ride anywhere else.

The only bummer is the irrational proprietary feeling that the downs are ours, we've ridden them for years leaving only tyre tracks behind yet the endless lockdowns have seen them overrun with people leaving them strewn with litter, not closing gates etc.

 

[steve_sordy]

Do they clear up the mess eventually, after clearing the trees? At Swinley, it was a total mess a few weeks ago, but speaking to the ranger he said they always make sure they do a proper job of re-grading all the tracks afterwards, which they’ve now done.

If they have been affected, the recognised red, blue and green trails are always cleared up afterwards. Sometimes they are better afterwards!

There are some off-piste trails that have been deliberately blocked to prevent access to the working areas. MTBrs are nothing if not persistent and the prevention measures are usually extensive. I came across four separate piles of logs across the trail until I gave up. (I was just checking to see how far the harvesting had penetrated my area of interest). Those blockages will be removed.

Other off-piste trails are not so lucky! Once a harvester has ridden down it, it's gone! If the harvester drives across it, that is not so bad. You either incorporate the huge grooves into the trail, or if they are too disruptive to the flow they can be filled in by collapsing the sides into the centre. Sometimes I can use the harvester tracks to access other areas of the forest. Great in the dry season, but in the wet season the tracks can fill with water and turn to mud.

The worst areas are where the brash has just been left piled up where it fell. This has often also been driven over by the harvester and the result is a horribly tangled mess of broken branches pressed into the soil and/or sticking upwards to a height of several feet. It is a daunting sight and it is not cleared by the harvesting team. The trail I want is underneath that lot! Often it is just too big a mess to recover and I just have to find a way around it or abandon that section of the forest. I say "I" but in fact it's an "us". I have no idea who the others are as I have never met any, but I know that they exist because I can see that additional work has been done since I last visited. Thanks whoever you are!

The larger cleared areas are often later driven over by a mulching machine. This is like a massive horizontal shredder. It grinds up all the brash leaving a carpet of sawdust, shredded branches and the odd bark-stripped tree limb sticking up like a drowning man waving for help. I once rode over such a mulched area and it was like what I would imagine riding over a mattress would feel like, totally energy sapping. Underneath the carpet of mulch is all the surviving brash. This looks like a moonscape and to all intents and purposes is un-rideable. New trees are -planted through this.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am not criticising Forest England. Forest management is what they do and from what I have seen (despite my disappointment at the results), they do a good job looking after the needs of the users. It helps that the guy in charge is a very keen mtbr. When the harvesting spec is written he is very careful to ensure that it is made clear where they can go and what state the forest floor is left in. But it is a commercial operation after all and he cannot require them to leave a pristine floor where it is not required.

 

[chrismechmaster]

30 minute drive to Swinley forest for me