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Kinda torn between two options tomorrow. Weather looks good, trails might have dried out a tad?
So... Swinley could be fun for a tomorrow of afternoon's fun.
But I also have a hankering to leave straight from my door and head out for a 70-80 mile cotswolds epic... hmmmm... really can't decide!
STW hive mind thoughts? Is Swinley an XTR drivetrain grinding mess of wet sand and grit? Is road riding really where I should be at? Hmm mm....
road ride? 😯
G E T I N T H E S E A!
I'm heading to Swinley tomorrow am for a quick spin... hoping it hasn't rained over there today, in which case it'll have drained nicely (i hope).
Yeah... I'm hoping the rain will have dried out a tad by now at Swinley and I really shouldn't be going anywhere near the road bike at this time of year!
But Swinley's a 100 mile round trip - so only worth it if it's gonna be worth it.
I really should wash my road bike mouth out with soapy water (I know!) 😳
No you should get the grinder out and make a clothes airer with it 😉
I wouldn't say Swinley was worth a 100 mile round trip at the best of times.
It's the same distance for me and i would have to agree.
Maybe a few years ago it would have been, but since it's been turned into a coarse aggregate-paved super-highway, it's appeal has reduced somewhat.
If it helps at all, I was at Swinley today and it was mostly dry, few puddles and muddy bits, but compared to my local stuff at the moment it was unexpectedly dry.
Cotswolds - Swinley will be choco
Cotswolds it is then! Weather's not looking brilliant either, so road plodding seems better option... such a bloody hassle going for a mountain bike ride living in deepest Oxfordshire anyways..!
It's fine down this way. Swinley would be okay on the cobbles. Drains well. Would be rammed though and really not worth a long drive.
Surrey Hills would have been a better choice. Running really nice. Yes there's mud out there, but the fun factor outweighs it, and it's not grinding yellow paste stuff like Swinley.
If you wanted a trail centre, from Oxfordshire I'd have gone with Cwmcarn, FoD or Afan. At a push Cannock. Before even considering Swinley 😉
Surrey Hills: 150 mile round trip
FoD: 150 mile round trip
Afan and Cannock: 200 mile round trip 😯
Swinley really is my nearest bit of 'proper' 'mountain' biking, and I actually quite like it, TBH. It is what it is. Fast singletrack. Fun, if you hammer it.
Did something like ~95 miles in the Cotswolds road riding yesterday though. Pretty satisfying. Got a bit wet at the end though!
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