The "Photos From Today's Ride" thread...
Discussion
seiben said:
I grew up cycling around Pitch/Holmbury hill and loved the trials there. I'm going back over Christmas this year and would love to revisit, but it's been a good decade since I last hit the woods in anger! I remember Barry Knows Best, Yoghurt Pots (known as the bombholes in my day) and a nice run down towards Holmbury (Telegraph Poles?). Are they still there? Any other routes worth checking? 
Years ago there were a load of 'north-shore' style ladders hidden somewhere up Pitch Hill, but I doubt they've survived this long.
I can vaguely remember the locations of most of them, but not necessarily how to piece them together without a whole lot of unnecessary climbing
I am not familiar with the hidden stuff really. I've seen the jumps below the view point but they got flattened recently, I dont know if they are still there. I typically ride whats on Pitch and winterfold, plus Barry Knows. Dont venture over to the other side as it looks a bit garbage. Oh, there's always loads of pissed off land owners as well which I'm sure you're familiar with.Years ago there were a load of 'north-shore' style ladders hidden somewhere up Pitch Hill, but I doubt they've survived this long.
I can vaguely remember the locations of most of them, but not necessarily how to piece them together without a whole lot of unnecessary climbing
Barry knows is probably one of the more fun ones for speed and length. John the baptist was similar but this year the trails have been chewed up bad, earlier in the year loads of braking ruts appeared and since then they seem to have eroded something rotten, some sections of trail have changed dramatically and are no longer fast and flowy, but rooty and eroded to s
t. I get that trails change all the time but I don't see how they can recover from where they are at now unless someone comes in with a digger or makes the trail out of something a bit more durable, something all weather like Swinley is.El Capitan is good but short. The end of the trail has a nice steep section which again has just eroded something rotten these last few months. Supernova is also still good fun.
Be loads of people willing to ride with you if you wanted showing around, myself included. Facebook groups like MTB Fanatics or the Forest Chumps are worth a look if you want some company.
Not been out since last Friday. The immunosuppressant meds I have to take means I heal very slowly so my previously pictured knee has been really sore.
Anyway, I’ve been climbing the walls. Hence had a nice 21 miler earlier today
Weather in the Swansea area broke just in time. Stunning afternoon.
Anyway, I’ve been climbing the walls. Hence had a nice 21 miler earlier today
Weather in the Swansea area broke just in time. Stunning afternoon.
take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:
PomBstard said:
Jealous... It would take an atom bomb to burn the woods around us at the moment. We've not had 3 consecutive dry days in about 4 months. 
Anyway, from yesterday’s little scoot - part of the trail has been maintained with boards being put in place on sections which will wash away with use in wet weather - they’ve been done quite well too...
Bathroom_Security said:
seiben said:
I grew up cycling around Pitch/Holmbury hill and loved the trials there. I'm going back over Christmas this year and would love to revisit, but it's been a good decade since I last hit the woods in anger! I remember Barry Knows Best, Yoghurt Pots (known as the bombholes in my day) and a nice run down towards Holmbury (Telegraph Poles?). Are they still there? Any other routes worth checking?
Years ago there were a load of 'north-shore' style ladders hidden somewhere up Pitch Hill, but I doubt they've survived this long.
I can vaguely remember the locations of most of them, but not necessarily how to piece them together without a whole lot of unnecessary climbing
I am not familiar with the hidden stuff really. I've seen the jumps below the view point but they got flattened recently, I dont know if they are still there. I typically ride whats on Pitch and winterfold, plus Barry Knows. Dont venture over to the other side as it looks a bit garbage. Oh, there's always loads of pissed off land owners as well which I'm sure you're familiar with.Years ago there were a load of 'north-shore' style ladders hidden somewhere up Pitch Hill, but I doubt they've survived this long.
I can vaguely remember the locations of most of them, but not necessarily how to piece them together without a whole lot of unnecessary climbing
Barry knows is probably one of the more fun ones for speed and length. John the baptist was similar but this year the trails have been chewed up bad, earlier in the year loads of braking ruts appeared and since then they seem to have eroded something rotten, some sections of trail have changed dramatically and are no longer fast and flowy, but rooty and eroded to s
t. I get that trails change all the time but I don't see how they can recover from where they are at now unless someone comes in with a digger or makes the trail out of something a bit more durable, something all weather like Swinley is.El Capitan is good but short. The end of the trail has a nice steep section which again has just eroded something rotten these last few months. Supernova is also still good fun.
Be loads of people willing to ride with you if you wanted showing around, myself included. Facebook groups like MTB Fanatics or the Forest Chumps are worth a look if you want some company.
There are trails further up that lead into John the Baptist, we usually go all the way down with them all linking up.
Then nearly always yoghurt pots into telegraph row at the end.
If it's just me I'll sometimes cycle from Dorking up Leith hill and down summer lightning which is quite a long run now.
cml24 said:
Back up to Pitch and Holmbury today. Not as wet as it had been and have a new front tyre (panaracer trailraker) so felt more confident in the mud, got a couple of PBs even!
Not sure why but it was really quite compared to the last few weeks.
People going back to normal life now places are opening up again? I figured today would be busy with it being the nicer of the two weekend days forecast. Not sure why but it was really quite compared to the last few weeks.
Going to head out tomorrow for a blast hopefully
cml24 said:
Bathroom_Security said:
seiben said:
I grew up cycling around Pitch/Holmbury hill and loved the trials there. I'm going back over Christmas this year and would love to revisit, but it's been a good decade since I last hit the woods in anger! I remember Barry Knows Best, Yoghurt Pots (known as the bombholes in my day) and a nice run down towards Holmbury (Telegraph Poles?). Are they still there? Any other routes worth checking?
Years ago there were a load of 'north-shore' style ladders hidden somewhere up Pitch Hill, but I doubt they've survived this long.
I can vaguely remember the locations of most of them, but not necessarily how to piece them together without a whole lot of unnecessary climbing
I am not familiar with the hidden stuff really. I've seen the jumps below the view point but they got flattened recently, I dont know if they are still there. I typically ride whats on Pitch and winterfold, plus Barry Knows. Dont venture over to the other side as it looks a bit garbage. Oh, there's always loads of pissed off land owners as well which I'm sure you're familiar with.Years ago there were a load of 'north-shore' style ladders hidden somewhere up Pitch Hill, but I doubt they've survived this long.
I can vaguely remember the locations of most of them, but not necessarily how to piece them together without a whole lot of unnecessary climbing
Barry knows is probably one of the more fun ones for speed and length. John the baptist was similar but this year the trails have been chewed up bad, earlier in the year loads of braking ruts appeared and since then they seem to have eroded something rotten, some sections of trail have changed dramatically and are no longer fast and flowy, but rooty and eroded to s
t. I get that trails change all the time but I don't see how they can recover from where they are at now unless someone comes in with a digger or makes the trail out of something a bit more durable, something all weather like Swinley is.El Capitan is good but short. The end of the trail has a nice steep section which again has just eroded something rotten these last few months. Supernova is also still good fun.
Be loads of people willing to ride with you if you wanted showing around, myself included. Facebook groups like MTB Fanatics or the Forest Chumps are worth a look if you want some company.
There are trails further up that lead into John the Baptist, we usually go all the way down with them all linking up.
Then nearly always yoghurt pots into telegraph row at the end.
If it's just me I'll sometimes cycle from Dorking up Leith hill and down summer lightning which is quite a long run now.
I'm less familiar with Leith Hill, but I'm tempted to get a bit of distance in and head over that way,
seiben said:
Thanks guys, that's really useful (and thanks for the offer Mr Bathroom!). Should probably add I'll be tackling this on an early 90's Univega with a whopping 80mm travel up front, so I won't be going mad
I'm less familiar with Leith Hill, but I'm tempted to get a bit of distance in and head over that way,
I ride a mid 90s Diamondback, and still have fun! V brakes, sometimes a rigid fork, old school geometry!I'm less familiar with Leith Hill, but I'm tempted to get a bit of distance in and head over that way,
Bathroom security, I am getting through brake blocks every three rides which is slightly tiresome! I'd love four months rather than a week on occasions!
Ares said:
Bathroom_Security said:
I can top that. Less than 5 weeks to do a set on my gravel bike!! Now swapped from resin to metal!
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