# As a NEWBIE to this 'OFF ROAD' stuff, wad'you guys do at this time of year ?



## Psycolist (14 Jan 2014)

As being a very recent convert to the 'off road' persuasion of riding, where do you guys go for your jollies during these dark, wet winter days. The tracks and bridle paths that I road during the autumn are either so deep in mud as to be impassable, or they have been ploughed up. I've realised that off road riding isnt about the mileage, but the time in the saddle. I have found a very small area of woodland that I can use, useful for practising slow tight control type riding, but my local trails are just impassable, all but about 2 anyway. Am I just unlucky or are you all in the same boat. And yes, that was supposed to be funny !


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## ScotiaLass (14 Jan 2014)

Psycolist said:


> As being a very recent convert to the 'off road' persuasion of riding, where do you guys go for your jollies during these dark, wet winter days. The tracks and bridle paths that I road during the autumn are either so deep in mud as to be impassable, or they have been ploughed up. I've realised that off road riding isnt about the mileage, but the time in the saddle. I have found a very small area of woodland that I can use, useful for practising slow tight control type riding, but my local trails are just impassable, all but about 2 anyway. Am I just unlucky or are you all in the same boat. And yes, that was supposed to be funny !


I'm not into the technical, or extreme, type of off road riding anymore, but manage light trails/canal towpaths, so maybe not quite the same as you.

Ours are all fine...the local woods (3 within striking distance of my house) have been cleared of any fallen trees etc by our council and although some parts are quite muddy, they are more than rideable. A lot of surface water on parts of the canal towpaths but overall we're been lucky!


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## MikeW-71 (14 Jan 2014)

It does depend where you go.

Unmaintained bridleways can quickly become bogs, but a managed trail centre can stay surprisingly mud-free, so that's where I'd be heading. You and the bike will still get mucky, but you probably won't be riding though 6 inches of mud.

Otherwise I'll be on the road bike.


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## Ciar (14 Jan 2014)

Been hitting Epping every Sunday and doing 16 miles of xc/trails mud mud more mud and hills, just keep going all I do  roughly out for 3-4 hours, otherwise I have been down to Swinley or my local cycling centre.


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## Cubist (14 Jan 2014)

I tend to stick to the bridle ways I know will be solid under the wheels, and most trail centres are reasonably weatherproof. Etiquette and common sense dictate you should try and steer clear of boggy routes to stop damage worsening.


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## ColinJ (14 Jan 2014)

That has reminded me that my MTB is out of action with a knackered brake. I must sort that out because I miss my MTB rides!

I don't like mud so I try to avoid it, but I agree with Cubist that it would be better if riders didn't just go out and churn it up.

We are lucky round here in having some good stretches of bridleway that don't get too boggy. (There are plenty that do, but enough that don't.)


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## GrumpyGregry (15 Jan 2014)

trail centres, real mountains (in Wales usually), well drained chalk escarpments. the surrey hills.

So pretty much where I'd ride normally I just pick the routes more carefully.

That said it is utterly sodden around here at present.


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## akb (15 Jan 2014)

I stick to my normal route. Extra mud is always a bonus.


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## surfdude (15 Jan 2014)

i park up somewhere , take the bike off the rack and off i go on the roads first then if i see a good looking path or track just go down it to see where it comes out . if i have to get off and push sometimes so be it . i have found some great rides doing this . i try to go to different areas once a month . doing this i get miles/time on the bike .


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## Ciar (15 Jan 2014)

Cubist said:


> I tend to stick to the bridle ways I know will be solid under the wheels, and most trail centres are reasonably weatherproof. Etiquette and common sense dictate you should try and steer clear of boggy routes to stop damage worsening.


FYI in Epping they actually sign post anything which has been deemed too bad to ride, with a sign stating £200 fine, it applies to us mere riders of mountain bikes and the bloody great big horses!


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## Mojonaut (16 Jan 2014)

No you are not alone, I prefer autumn/winter riding on bridleways/byways (lack of nettles and long grass hiding rabbit holes and tire ruts being a bonus) this year though they seem particularly bad. One of our local ones currently looks like this.....


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (17 Jan 2014)

learn to like mud...
don't ride with your mouth open
and don't ride behind anyone else


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## Psycolist (18 Jan 2014)

quote="SatNavSaysStraightOn, post: 2876964, member: 10876"]learn to like
don't ride with your mouth open
and don't ride behind anyone else[/quote]


SatNavSaysStraightOn said:


> learn to like mud...
> don't ride with your mouth open
> and don't ride behind anyone else


 HaHaHa Your pics are a pretty good reflection of the tracks around here......I tell you, i'm going stir crazy  I dont mind a biy of mud, but last time out I actually had to leave a shoe behind. I couldnt get it out of the mess of mud that forced me to a stop ........NOT HAPPY The bike sank up to the height of the bottom bracket. Fortunately I was only 1/2 mile from home. I wont be going onto that track again in a hurry.


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## Diggs (18 Jan 2014)

Yep, chanced a bridleway on the way home the other day. Was out on mtb after slashing Tricross tyre out on road debris(so that's not much better). Not much round here so resigned to slinging it in the car. Got Thorndon fairly close and a couple of other options


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## Chris-H (19 Jan 2014)

Cubist said:


> I tend to stick to the bridle ways I know will be solid under the wheels, and most trail centres are reasonably weatherproof. Etiquette and common sense dictate you should try and steer clear of boggy routes to stop damage worsening.


I wish the blo0dy horse riders shared that same etiquette, they've really churned some of my favourite tracks up so much that they're impassable by anything other than a horse!!


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## Mojonaut (19 Jan 2014)

Cubist said:


> .............. Etiquette and common sense dictate you should try and steer clear of boggy routes to stop damage worsening.


Maybe someone should tell the farmers and 4x4 off roaders that, I don't think a couple of mtb's is going to add much if anything to the damage they've already done.


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## Psycolist (21 Jan 2014)

At last i've found some hardpack tracks that are still in good condition. There are two areas of woods that I can fool around in doing slow close control stuff in, and an area that the local farmers have sold off as a wind farm that has a network of unmade but hard pac tracks conecting up all the turbines. Had a decent bit of time in the saddle over the last few days so feeling alot happier now.


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## Mojonaut (22 Jan 2014)

Psycolist said:


> At last i've found some hardpack tracks that are still in good condition. ......and an area that the local farmers have sold off as a wind farm that has a network of unmade but hard pac tracks conecting up all the turbines..



You are lucky, we have a similar area at Burton Wold windfarm, I was recently using one of these tracks which breaks out onto a bridleway, the farmer chased me in his Landrover and blocked my path. After a lengthy (but friendly) discussion he was having none of it and it was a case of 'Get Orf my Land'.

His arguments being if he let me do it others would follow and the next thing there would be a bike club up there. Also it is a conservation area, bit lame imho as permission has been granted for another 10 windmills, how one guy on a bike disturbs the local flora/fauna to the same degree as months of heavy machinery will is beyond me. I since found out one of my friends sons used to run there and was met with the same attitude and told to leave.

But I accept I was in the wrong, it isn't a public right of way, sad though it was a nice little trail which I will miss.


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## Psycolist (23 Jan 2014)

I did spot a couple of notices in bordering woodland suggesting nasty things happening if i deemed to enter, but the area has a number of fishing lakes so there has got to be access for the anglers, so I assume i am not trespassing on private land, providing I stay on the tracks. However, there hasnt been anyone around during my visits. Time will tell I guess. Something I have noticed, landowners are not above putting up signs saying about "no public right of way" or similar, when the ordanance survey maps have the route marked as a public footpath. Several of these, on what were my autumn routes, have actually been ploughed over. A tank could have a bit of bother getting along them now !  I wonder if thats even legal.


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## Jody (24 Jan 2014)

Psycolist said:


> I did spot a couple of notices in bordering woodland suggesting nasty things happening if i deemed to enter,



Reminds me of some woods near where I live although there are no signs. We were once riding in there (many years ago) and a guy started firing an air rifle at us from his house. I would have called the police had I been older and known better.


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