[Closed] Swinley meetup 6th/7th Oct

Possibly, need to get fit for Xmas gorrick round, swinley ideal training for that. Although ahvent checked my calendar yet.

Yup - Hopefully, I can make that.

Can probably do either day.

Ah, Swinley is boring! Nice one Weeksy.

I shall endeavour to make any time* what is arranged on that weekend. Hoping to persuade the teenager** away from the Xbox too.

*no earlier than 10am start though! See **

I'm elsewhere racing boats that weekend.  Although given that someones booked one of those horrible London concrete bowls for it a lap of the ginger seems quite appealing!

I’m in

I'm in if it's the 6th.

I could do Swinley on the 6th as well.

Lets go with the 6th then... 10:30 so the teenager can get out of bed...

Meet at the 2 weird round things in front of the entrance. I'll be on a sky blue T-130.

Saturday 6th! Not a massive sign up by the looks of it (maybe the "boring" thread put people off 🙁 )

Will invite my child along for his first STW meetup. He'll probably go "Ugh".

(See my thread history for why! 😆 ) (But, if he does come, please don't let on that I have aired this in public!)

Early days yet mate. My lad is away so at least we won't be getting destroyed by the lightweight 10 year old on the little hills 🙂

We're always nice, don't worry about that 🙂

I'll be the duffer at the back on the black & red Canyon.

Probably coming on the train that arrives 1017 - so might be a smidge late.

We'll wait Jim 🙂 Don't worry 🙂

I am up for either day, happy to show round some of the non marked enduro stages if people like?

I am up for either day, happy to show round some of the non marked enduro stages if people like?

On a weekend? What will the ranger say :O

Mrs Kilo is on for this,,she may even let me ride as well (might be on a cx Bike if I don’t fix my bloody brakes)

Sadly ,I'll have to miss it because I’ll be at Brechfa& Afan. Woop.

have fun. 😋

I'm a maybe.......

Get it sorted Jon, you're one of the guides along with Giles 🙂

I see Rob Warner went there this weekend. Oddly, by all accounts he didn't think it was shit and had a good day.

lightweight 10 year old on the little hills

*is relieved*

Me too mate, I've got maybe 2 years left on the uphlills before he destroys me.

I see Rob Warner went there this weekend. Oddly, by all accounts he didn’t think it was shit and had a good day.

What does he know about how to have fun riding bikes eh? 😀

I made the last one, but have to give this one a miss as the Mrs is away and I have daddy day care.  I just hope the weather is better than previously.

No excuse! Trailer/trailerbike obvs!

6th is free at the mo 👍🏻👍🏻

DezB I wish I was at a point where I could bring the kids but I'm nowhere near that state, shame as I could re-unite Weeksy with his kid's old Cube which now belongs to my eldest.

I'm also 'reasonably' fit (for me) after a summer of evening road rides preparing for the L2B (road) earlier this month, and could have joined in with the 'show your favourite off-piste' game (some nice loamy short but steeps).  Maybe next time.

I’m also ‘reasonably’ fit

Thats it I'm not coming. I'm not riding with "reasonably fit" people, which is usually a disguise for "I'm an Elite level racer .3s short of the podium.

*throws toys out of pram*

Thats it I’m not coming. I’m not riding with “reasonably fit” people, which is usually a disguise for “I’m an Elite level racer .3s short of the podium.

*throws toys out of pram*

Firstly, I can't make it.  Secondly, I really do mean the 'for me' part, but at least it makes me feel that I wouldn't be wheezing at the back (maybe), though I am reasonably quickish on the down bits (I ride a gnarpoon #enduro bike, not a carbon 29 HT) - anyhow I refer back to my first point.

*places toys gently back into pram*

Good job I can't make it then, I did my local loop for the first time in a while and got PB's on 20 out of 23 STRAVA  segments! I'm feeling* fast!

*not actually fast, it's a fairly flat route and I was on my commuter which has much higher gearing than my fat bike!

I can only make the 7th. Would have been great to meet up again.

@weeksy - if I’ve got a mtb by then I can be there on the 6th!

I’ll be turning up with a little bit of fitness and 0 skill.

I’ll be okay with road pedals & shoes, right??

Do any of you lot have a competitive streak?  Could get messy... 🙂

Do any of you lot have a competitive streak?

Nope.  I haven't raced for ooh,  erm let me see....  at least 2 weeks now 😀

Are you going molgrips?  I might strangely be looking forward to meeting you, based on my perception via your STW personality of course, hopefully you won't be a let down 😉

Do any of you lot have a competitive streak?

Yes, about the size of Texas.... However, right time and right place 🙂

Last time i spent a few goes off the front with Magneto Dog, then some sections sitting at the back with a guy who wasn't quite on the pace... I enjoyed both sets of it just as much.

I can safely say, no-one will be made unwelcome, no-one will be asked to do things they don't want to and no-one will ride alone.

I’ll be okay with road pedals & shoes, right??

I don't know, will you ? 🙂

There's no attire of footwear that's better or worse, just whatever suits 🙂 There won't be any hiking going on put it that way.

Last time i spent a few goes off the front

Thats what you think, you'll be at least 3rd in line and behind Molgrips... 😉 😀

I've never ridden with a group before so chances are I'll either be the one weeksy takes pity on at the back or I'll reveal my secret talent and be faster than the racers. Probably the former judging by Strava.

Lol there's no pity, but we may talk you into the drop of doom!

On a serious note, how many laps?  At least two right?

Is this "drop of doom" in one of the fabled off piste sections?

If there is a split in the availability of people should we do two rides, one Saturday and one Sunday? There might be enough interest.

I seem to remember a drop of doom in some dark woods. Good fun.

It’s two 1ft (ish) drops, one after the other followed by a tabletop. It’s on the Red route.

Shame I can’t make it on the 6th I’d destroy you all with my excuses.

If there is a split in the availability of people should we do two rides, one Saturday and one Sunday

Sounds perfectly great to me. I may even attend both days!

Drop is off piste yes, entry into the old corkscrew

On a serious note, how many laps?

Laps? I don't see us sticking to the colours. Bit of blue, red then into crowthorne random frolics over there, then back to finish with some red/blue/whatever.

If someone wants to show us slightly further afield and away from the dedicated trails, I'm more than happy

weeksy : then some sections sitting at the back with a guy who wasn’t quite on the pace…

I should be a bit fitter this time 😉

So if that’s the Drop of doom, is there a name for the drop I cleared out  around 2000ish?

Around 6ft I think by the time you landed, there was a couple of smaller drops along the same bank and the start of the trail that was intersected by Red 15.

That pic of my kid on the "boring" thread - is that one of the drops of doom?

So if that’s the Drop of doom, is there a name for the drop I cleared out  around 2000ish?

Around 6ft I think by the time you landed, there was a couple of smaller drops along the same bank and the start of the trail that was intersected by Red 15.

That’s the one to the left at the top of the wall. I think it’s still there.  Always mean to see if that trail you mentioned still exists.

The new ‘drops of doom’ are the ones they put in on seagull as described above. Can’t say they are really doom worthy though and the tabletop after has very little in the way of a lip.

Drop at the start of the corkscrew ain’t bad either, just easy to overdo it and land to flat if you have too much speed.

@weeksy I’m asking about road shoes as I’m not sure if I’ll need to walk some bits? In which case I’d stand no chance in road shoes lol

Are you going molgrips?  I might strangely be looking forward to meeting you, based on my perception via your STW personality of course, hopefully you won’t be a let down

Hehe.  I'd love to meet you and everyone else, sounds like a laugh, however I can't really make it sadly given it's over a 2 hour drive.

@weeksy I’m asking about road shoes as I’m not sure if I’ll need to walk some bits? In which case I’d stand no chance in road shoes lol

I know mate, which was how i based my reply. I can't see you needing to walk anything..

There is that big hill behind the mountain that is a bit of a nasty one. I guess if you're wearing road shows you're quite spritley so won't be a problem. Just don't put your foot down in the boggy bits.

given it’s over a 2 hour drive

It's just not worth it! 😆

The kid has said he's up for it. So that's cool 🙂

can I be a maybe ?

My Saturday looks free but MrsPants is doing a 10k run and it's possible that I'm doing the driving/cheering (haven't had my briefing yet)

I'm really fast, mind - I don't want you lot turning out to be shit

I’m really fast, mind

even with 5psi in your tyres and your bar/stem bolts loose 😉  ?

Good luck with that - I expect the bolts are rusted solid and valves'll be jammed with dried up jizz.  I'm invincible 😀

I’m asking about road shoes as I’m not sure if I’ll need to walk some bits? In which case I’d stand no chance in road shoes lol

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">I actually tried to ride Swinley in road shoes once, so I'm going to say no. Unless you've tried to ride of road in road shoes before and already know what you're letting yourself in for. The pedals don't work with even a smidgen of mud, the plastic wears away in a matter of miles when wet and gritty, they're surprisingly difficult to unclip from in a hurry, </span>

Road shoes + mtb cleats will be fine as long as you can get up the steep bits (Nothing at Swinley really deserves being called a hill, but the gradients are quite sharp!).

@nathb I could bring a spare set of flat pedals if you're comfortable using them.

Having not ridden it since last year in anger (until a poor showing on it at CX Racing at the weekend), I thought I had better blow the cobwebs off of the Spark today. She’s a beaut on the practically cobbled roads around here 😎

Rest week next week too, so might try and do my recovery rides on it.

Hope it’s not too muddy or I’ll be off at the first bend mind you 🤣

You want to borrow some wheels with more appropriate rubber fitted?

No ta!!! Nothing wrong with Ron’s round Swinley 😉

I'm sabotaging my ride with Tyre's too.   I thought I may as well use the Mavic Pulses that came on the wheels.  They were fine on dry Epping forest single track, I'm not so sure they will be on the metalled sections at Swinley

Lol you're aware there's no start or finish line boys?

There is- they’re called Strava segments 🤣

I’m easy prey though. A year of steady-state road training, 90kg and zero ‘gnar skills means no

STW-O-M’s for me 😫

LOL you'd be right on the pace if you were pushing on that's for sure. You've got power and skill, I've seen both first hand.

I'm just looking forward to the cake !.

Tsk.

Last time on an STW ride I joined the self proclaimed "Fast Group" and got bored.   This time I suspect there's a few ringers coming alone.

Don't trust anyone who says they are fat and slow...

Well you are a pro-trained XC race whippet.... There'll be none of them antics next weekend

Certainly not from me and Jr. We just loik da jumpz.

Now you're making me really want to come for a bit of a challenge....

At this point out im fat, slow, mediocre and am in my off season so eating loads and not doing intervals, using second rate tyres and wont be in race kit 😀

Last time on an STW ride I joined the self proclaimed “Fast Group” and got bored.

At Swinley? It’s not possible! There’s fun around every one of the 2567 corners.

Bailing sorry, I’ve hurt my neck and haven’t bought a bike yet. Have fun folks!

So, are there two rides? I can make Sunday.

Not sure root. I'm free within reason all weekend

Let's have a list and see if we can round up numbers

Sat 10:30

Weeksy

Sun 10:30

Weeksy

Sat 10:30

Weeksy

Crosshair

Sun 10:30

Weeksy

Let’s have a list and see if we can round up numbers

Sat 10:30

Weeksy

Kilo and Mrs Kilo (depending on how her Achilles injury clears up)

Sun 10:30

Weeksy

Posted 1 hour ago REPLY | REPORT

Let’s have a list and see if we can round up numbers

Sat 10:30

Weeksy

Kilo and Mrs Kilo (depending on how her Achilles injury clears up)

Kryton/Steve

Sun 10:30

Weeksy

Let’s have a list and see if we can round up numbers

Sat 10:30

Weeksy

Kilo and Mrs Kilo (depending on how her Achilles injury clears up)

Kryton/Steve

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Sun 10:30

Weeksy

Root-n-5th/Sam

Stay 1030 theotherjonv probably