# First trip on my new bike



## Steam Pig (26 Oct 2014)

Not sure if this is true mountain biking, so, sorry in advance (mods feel free to move)

This was basically a a trip out to try my new bike, panniers etcetra. Did about 30 miles on and off road around Oxenhope and Shibden Valley.


----------



## ColinJ (26 Oct 2014)

Nice!

Where is Shibden valley - is it by Shibden Hall, east of Halifax?


----------



## Steam Pig (26 Oct 2014)

Yes, towards Queensbury


----------



## ColinJ (26 Oct 2014)

I've just realised that you have duplicated yourself, unless there happens to be another Steampig/Steam Pig in this area ...  

I'm glad that the forum ride we did in May didn't put you off cycling for life!


----------



## MikeW-71 (26 Oct 2014)

Nice one 

And yes, that's proper mountain biking


----------



## Mrs M (26 Oct 2014)

Enjoy more trips to come.


----------



## mustang1 (26 Oct 2014)

Cool beans! Write a little ride report!

I bought an MTB a few weeks ago, looking forward to hillasaurus in a couple of weeks if I can make it.


----------



## Steam Pig (26 Oct 2014)

Sorry I'm not steampig, just a coincidence. A Steam Pig is a well known piece of kit in certain circles


----------



## ColinJ (26 Oct 2014)

Steam Pig said:


> Sorry I'm not steampig, just a coincidence. A Steam Pig is a well known piece of kit in certain circles


I didn't think he lived in Queensbury, but that is a real coincidence, and confusing too!

Now I'm off to try and discover what a steam pig is ...


----------



## Steam Pig (26 Oct 2014)

Re Mustang1
ok report to follow, never been given homework to do on a forum before


----------



## Steam Pig (26 Oct 2014)

You asked for it

First trip out on a “proper mountain bike”

Queensbury, where I live is a small village between Bradford and Halifax, in the south Pennines. One small problem (or benefit depending on how fit you are) is it’s location, on a spur of the Pennine ridge at about 1000ft above sea level, so basically anywhere is downhill, (or uphill on the way home).

Anyhoo, my first trip, as keen walkers me and Mrs Steam Pig know the area pretty well, so it was a perfect starting point. The first piccy in in OP is taken looking over Leeming res. Towards Oxenhope and Haworth. Anybody who doesn’t know or is thinking of visiting this area forget Haworth, Oxenhope is much much more Bronte.

To get here the route is pretty good bridleway, just a few gates to negotiate, once on top there’s plenty of choice of routes. I decided to descend through Sawood (three houses) on quiet tarmac roads to the out-skirts of Haworth. I did a small loop and retraced back up through Sawood, very steep climb!

Back up the hill to Q’by and down the other side. Shibden Head, picky two taken above what I call Shibden Valley (not sure proper name) looking towards Shibden Hall. Anybody who’s heard of the “Shibden Wall” a 1:4 cobbled hill climb, that’s just off to the left.

It was pretty tricky here for me, wet single track, rocky and downhill, then you get a bit of respite before the steep drop down to the next traverse, which soon got much worse than I expected. Extremely steep, muddy, rocks and fallen branches, I’m slightly embarrassed to say, I had to dismount.

This track then emerges into the car park of a very nice pub nestling in the bottom of the valley, some 600-700ft below my destination. Tarmac from now on, steep climb out of the valley (note to self: remember to re-inflate tyres next time)

Third piccy taken looking back from the other side of the valley, again looking towards Shibden Hall.

Home is about 3miles away

This route could be easily split into two, MTB’ing around Oxenhope would be great for families, the Shibden side is probably a bit more extreme.

A couple of things I’ve learnt

Speed can be a friend, and an enemy
Tyre pressures can be critical
Don’t stay in the pub too long

Cheers

Next weekend, Swaledale. Mrs Steam Pigs first outing !!!


----------



## ColinJ (26 Oct 2014)

And the Mary Towneley Loop next year ...?


----------



## Pale Rider (27 Oct 2014)

A good adventure for your first ride.

Happily, you will find most rides turn out that away.

You seem to be carrying a lot of stuff for 30 miles.

The less on the bike, the more fun it will be to ride.

Of course, it's your bike so you carry what you want, but my suggestion would be to leave some if it at home next time.


----------



## Steam Pig (27 Oct 2014)

To be honest the panniers only had waterproofs in, the top bag has my camera and lenses. It was more of a test ride to see if my heels cleared the bags. I set off to just go around the block


----------



## Heisenberg (27 Oct 2014)

Nice bike and set up, that looks similar to what I'm thinking of doing for a few big rides next year


----------



## Berk on a Bike (28 Oct 2014)

Don't know if you saw Tony Robinson's documentary about Brontë country at the weekend? It illustrated perfectly what amazing scenery there is in that neck of the woods. Rugged beauty!


----------



## Cubist (28 Oct 2014)

Looks great. I think I know that singletrack in your second pic... does it go back towards Ploughcroft from the top of Shibden?

And yes, it's proper mountainbiking. 

........As well as all the other sorts!


----------



## Steam Pig (28 Oct 2014)

Yep Cubist, it does, but I turned left down he hill and left again back towards the Shibden Mill Inn


----------

