Who's got the biggest ruts?

[steve_sordy]

What is the biggest rut that you have come across whilst riding? It can be wet or dry, as long as it is on the trail. Here's a couple of mine:

Kona Kula hardtail on the Viking Way, near Grantham. Those are 26" wheels, so the rut is only about 20" deep, dry though.

This is also on the Viking Way. Take a look on the left about half way up the picture. Myapes and I estimated that rut to be about 4 feet deep. That is all proper sticky Lincolnshire clay mud. Awful stuff (shudder)!

 

[Madmatt75]

Can’t beat that in Kent. All we get is some boggy bridleways.

 

[irie]

I initially mis-read the thread title and did a double take!

My bad.

 

[Jurassic]

I don't have any photos of it in full winter conditions but the section of trail that springs to mind for me is between Lilla Cross and Goathland lane end on the North Yorkshire Moors. It's been dug up by 4x4s and dirt bikes and the ruts are deep and full of water so very nasty. I live in Scotland now but I grew up nearby and have ridden that section many times while visiting family and friends down there.

 

[Arminius]

I initially mis-read the thread title and did a double take!

My bad.

#metoo

 

[Tubby G]

I don't have any photos of it in full winter conditions but the section of trail that springs to mind for me is between Lilla Cross and Goathland lane end on the North Yorkshire Moors. It's been dug up by 4x4s and dirt bikes and the ruts are deep and full of water so very nasty. I live in Scotland now but I grew up nearby and have ridden that section many times while visiting family and friends down there.

On Fylingdale Moor. Know it well and yes I can confirm it’s still a rutted hell hole

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Soar Y Mynnydd, I rode up here

 

[Eliadn]

Here several of the trails are Fkd up from heavy machinery dragging cut trees etc. One time after rain I fell in with front wheel. The brake disc was completely submerged lol, I thought it's a small puddle!

 

[irie]

Soar Y Mynnydd, I rode up here

View attachment 106583

Wow, that's ugly!

 

[steve_sordy]

Soar Y Mynnydd, I rode up here

View attachment 106583

That's not a rut, that's a landslip!

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

That's not a rut, that's a landslip!

some parts were so deep, you could lose the entire bike in them.
water damage

 

[Tony4wd]

I think Dobby's deadly downhill is winning so far, but I do run into some nasty sections on 4WD tracks which are closed during winter (the wife doesn't join me on these rides anymore )

 

[irie]

I think Dobby's deadly downhill is winning so far, but I do run into some nasty sections on 4WD tracks which are closed during winter (the wife doesn't join me on these rides anymore )

View attachment 106618 View attachment 106619

Got some round here too and as you say, the wife won't join me on these rides. I often get lost so can't blame her tbh.

 

[steve_sordy]

I think Dobby's deadly downhill is winning so far, but I do run into some nasty sections on 4WD tracks which are closed during winter (the wife doesn't join me on these rides anymore )

View attachment 106618 View attachment 106619

Those look rideable, but decidedly unpleasant!

 

[steve_sordy]

@myapes and I were exploring at Sherwood Pines and the National Coal Board area that borders it. They are divided by an old railway line that many, many years ago, used to serve Mansfield Colliery (a coal mine). We rode along an embankment and I went to show myapes where the motorbikes used to ride down one side of the 20-feet tall embankment, across a narrow gulley and then up a 60-feet tall hill (probably a soil and tree covered slag heap). If I hadn't seen a dozen or so get up it I would not have believed it possible. When we got there, the start point was a massive rut that looked as though it had collapsed. The collapse was big enough that the embankment itself was starting to be undermined. See the pics.

Above left: The photo is more than a bit distorted; the bike has a 29" front wheel and I'm not 8 feet tall with a huge head! But you get the idea. The aggregate I'm stood on is horizontal not sloping up towards me. There is a deep gulley on the other side of the bike.
Above right is myapes in a manly pose, undistorted this time. That hole in front of him is about 4-feet deep and goes underneath where I was stood.

I wonder what the last motor-biker up that slope thought as the embankment collapsed underneath him.

 

[Ark]

I hate ruts... in my experience if someone is walking along the track and you ring your bell to let them know a bike is coming they just carry on in the centre and expect you to ride on the rut...

must b e hard to side step for a few seconds., also had people just refuse to move off the path and expect me to stop whilst they walk around the bike.
last time was a woman and bloke around 40-50 years old... was half tempted to ask if they are trying to get into a fight with a cyclist or what.

even the roughest looking chavs who you might expect to try and steal your bike usually happily give space.

 

[B1rdie]

 

[Tim22]

Mine are so big they hit the water when I sit on the toilet!

 

[The Hodge]

@myapes and I were exploring at Sherwood Pines and the National Coal Board area that borders it. They are divided by an old railway line that many, many years ago, used to serve Mansfield Colliery (a coal mine). We rode along an embankment and I went to show myapes where the motorbikes used to ride down one side of the 20-feet tall embankment, across a narrow gulley and then up a 60-feet tall hill (probably a soil and tree covered slag heap). If I hadn't seen a dozen or so get up it I would not have believed it possible. When we got there, the start point was a massive rut that looked as though it had collapsed. The collapse was big enough that the embankment itself was starting to be undermined. See the pics.
View attachment 119323 View attachment 119324
Above left: The photo is more than a bit distorted; the bike has a 29" front wheel and I'm not 8 feet tall with a huge head! But you get the idea. The aggregate I'm stood on is horizontal not sloping up towards me. There is a deep gulley on the other side of the bike.
Above right is myapes in a manly pose, undistorted this time. That hole in front of him is about 4-feet deep and goes underneath where I was stood.

I wonder what the last motor-biker up that slope thought as the embankment collapsed underneath him.

Dont know about the ruts Steve ..but that outfit of yours is truly horrendous....
Have you been watching some Spider Man movies lately ?
( also your helmet straps need some adjustment) ..
Are you and MyApes related ?

 

[steve_sordy]

Dont know about the ruts Steve ..but that outfit of yours is truly horrendous....
Have you been watching some Spider Man movies lately ?
( also your helmet straps need some adjustment) ..
Are you and MyApes related ?

I did say that the first photo was distorted. But I chose that Fox Racing shirt because it was colourful! I had seen a group photo taken after a guided ride and there was me, all in black - my standard finish for more than ten years. In that photo I looked so dull and boring that I thought I would brighten things up a bit. My wife agreed, which is why she bought me the matching gloves. I am very pleased with the Fox shirt. The body is much more windproof than you would imagine for something so breathable (I can easily see through it). The sleeves are a tougher material and so far, despite all the brambles about, it hasn't snagged at all. There is a bit of scuffing low down at the back where my backpack rubs, but only on one side; I blame my posture, which is a bit lopsided first thing in a morning.

I agree that the shirt looks a bit tight in that photo, but I am leaning over to avoid the tree branches that are pushing into me (not at all obvious in the pic). And of course, I should have sucked in my gut before @myapes took the shot!

Speaking of @myapes. Nope. He is not a relative, just a good friend. He is half a foot shorter than me, but the same age, similar sense of humour and of course a similar beard and hair colour. He has all his hair and I don't. We just got on at our first meeting. We met on a group ride organised by someone else and he is the only one that I have kept in touch with. He is a wine drinker and I'm a beer drinker, But I don't hold that against him!

I agree that the helmet straps look odd in the photo. However, I have just checked them and as far as I am concerned, they are spot on. Again, it must be my odd stooping posture forced by the shrubbery. Thanks for taking an interest in my safety and my general appearance.

 

[The Hodge]

I did say that the first photo was distorted. But I chose that Fox Racing shirt because it was colourful! I had seen a group photo taken after a guided ride and there was me, all in black - my standard finish for more than ten years. In that photo I looked so dull and boring that I thought I would brighten things up a bit. My wife agreed, which is why she bought me the matching gloves. I am very pleased with the Fox shirt. The body is much more windproof than you would imagine for something so breathable (I can easily see through it). The sleeves are a tougher material and so far, despite all the brambles about, it hasn't snagged at all. There is a bit of scuffing low down at the back where my backpack rubs, but only on one side; I blame my posture, which is a bit lopsided first thing in a morning.

I agree that the shirt looks a bit tight in that photo, but I am leaning over to avoid the tree branches that are pushing into me (not at all obvious in the pic). And of course, I should have sucked in my gut before @myapes took the shot!

Speaking of @myapes. Nope. He is not a relative, just a good friend. He is half a foot shorter than me, but the same age, similar sense of humour and of course a similar beard and hair colour. He has all his hair and I don't. We just got on at our first meeting. We met on a group ride organised by someone else and he is the only one that I have kept in touch with. He is a wine drinker and I'm a beer drinker, But I don't hold that against him!

I agree that the helmet straps look odd in the photo. However, I have just checked them and as far as I am concerned, they are spot on. Again, it must be my odd stooping posture forced by the shrubbery. Thanks for taking an interest in my safety and my general appearance.

You're more than welcome Steve ..
By the way I said nothing at all about the shirt looking tight or your gut ..and I've been caught out a few times myself when I havent had time to breathe in ..
With regard to the helmet straps ..it was your avatar pic where it looks a bit loose and not the two you posted ..
Good to know you're a beer drinker ..me too but I also partake of the odd bottle of red for ...err ..medicinal purposes
Cheers

 

[steve_sordy]

You're more than welcome Steve ..
By the way I said nothing at all about the shirt looking tight or your gut ..and I've been caught out a few times myself when I havent had time to breathe in ..
With regard to the helmet straps ..it was your avatar pic where it looks a bit loose and not the two you posted ..
Good to know you're a beer drinker ..me too but I also partake of the odd bottle of red for ...err ..medicinal purposes
Cheers

I spoke to @myapes today about the distorted pic and he explained that he had inadvertently engaged "wide". So that explains that, except of course that he is a professional photographer and it was his own camera!
Ref the helmet straps. I had checked them when I read your comment and thought they were OK, but I asked myapes to take a look and he agreed with you. The outer one had slipped, so I took a minute or less to adjust it. Thanks.

I too drink wine and enjoy it, but when asked to choose which I would prefer for the rest of my life it would be beer without hesitation.