Christening the new bike

[Intelligenthamster]

My Spesh Rockhopper Disc arrived a couple of weeks back...

My mountain unicyclist brother led me round the Swinley Forest trails near Bracknell today (on this occasion he was on two wheels). It's a bit too civilized for some maybe... car park, signposts... but I've only just graduated from hybrid riding on bridleways and I really had fun. It's got an "expert" area for jumping and downhilling etc, twiddly forest trails, and fireroads for pootlers.

What I really loved were the forest trails, they just lead off from the fireroads and aren't mapped, so you just follow your nose. We only did a few, as I had a time constraint, but they are all over the place and you could easily have a day there exploring. You have to buy a permit to ride but £1.50 doesn't exactly break the bank (even mine) and some of the proceeds go to trail maintenance.

Serious downhillers would find it too tame but to XC'ers I'd recommend it .

 

[Keith Oates]

Although my first choice is riding on the road, I also enjoy some light off road days out and find it refreshing to change the mode of transport for a day. However I also think that is better if done with one or more friends riding with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[barq]

Swinley Forest is great. There's a really nice range of stuff and like you say it is enough for the entire day. There are some bigger drop offs and and areas with jumps and stuff. Nothing really downhill (not high or steep enough), but it is certainly quite lively XC.

A few weeks back my sister and my three young nieces enjoyed an afternoon at the Lookout discovery centre on the same site - so it has real potential for a family day out.

BTW, how's the new bike?

 

[Intelligenthamster]

The new bike is really, really good fun... I can't believe the hills I can get up on it (although not without stopping to rest ) as it has so many rear cogs! Lockable suspension is great as well, but the disk hydraulics are the dog's... my other two bikes have rim brakes and that can make things very interesting on the hybrid in the mud .

I will definitely be going back to Swinley for more... I like the look of that aerial rope course too!

 

[stevenb]

Sounds like a good location.
Nice bike the Spesh Rockhoppers.
Have fun.

 

[barq]

I will definitely be going back to Swinley for more... I like the look of that aerial rope course too!

The only thing I've never forgiven Swinley for is one of their trails that starts with a gradual descent, gets steeper, goes around a corner and suddenly there is a drop off. Caught me totally by surprise. That one hurt.