First off-road

[Gixxerman]

As winter is getting here and the bad weather, I decided that I needed a second bike for winter training.
My main bike is a Trek 7.3FX hybrid that gets a lot of use but is kept in very clean.
So a second bike. I decide that a MTB was the way to go as that would open up a few more options like the odd off-road.
So I spotted a Trek 7400 on these forums in good nick and the deal was done.
So I decided today to do an off-raod course.
The route I planned was about 25 miles consisting of bridleways and public footpaths.

Things I noticed.
1) Bridlesways are mostly ok for biking. Public footpaths are not - They tend to be too narrow, overpopulated by gates / styles and a lot of them have ploughed up by the farmers. Had to ride over a least 2 ploughed fields today.
2) How much harder it is riding off-road. I have done 100 mile rides and the road including some quite big hills. But off-roading is hard work even on the flat.
3) A need some knobbys. Going up hills just resulted in copious amounts of wheel spin and an eventual full stop and get off a walk.
4) It doesn't hurt as much if you can't unclip fast enough and fall off. Grass is softer than road.
5) Nettle stings hurt for many hours.
6) You get dirty.

So what are the best tracks / ways to use for off-road biking?
Are their any better maps for planning routes other than the OS ones I currently use?
Anybody got any good routes in the Market Rasen area?

 

[Norm]

1) Bridlesways are mostly ok for biking. Public footpaths are not - They tend to be too narrow, overpopulated by gates / styles and a lot of them have ploughed up by the farmers. Had to ride over a least 2 ploughed fields today.
2) How much harder it is riding off-road. I have done 100 mile rides and the road including some quite big hills. But off-roading is hard work even on the flat.
3) A need some knobbys. Going up hills just resulted in copious amounts of wheel spin and an eventual full stop and get off a walk.

1) You aren't meant to cycle on footpaths. Please don't, it doesn't help the reputation of any cyclists. Farmers need to plough fields at this time of year. A footpath can only be left ploughed for a short time, though don't expect to get much sympathy if you find it hard to cycle on any footpath.
2) Lots. On dry routes, I reckon it adds about 50% so 30 miles off road is equivalent to 45 on the tarmac. When it's wet, it is significantly harder than that, I had one point yesterday that I was struggling to keep up any pace at all, and I was heading downhill.
3) Yes, and fit them the right way round.

Remember, you don't ride off road to get fit, you get fit to ride off road.

 

[Ticktockmy]

Things I noticed.
1) Bridlesways are mostly ok for biking. Public footpaths are not - They tend to be too narrow, overpopulated by gates / styles and a lot of them have ploughed up by the farmers. Had to ride over a least 2 ploughed fields today.
2) How much harder it is riding off-road. I have done 100 mile rides and the road including some quite big hills. But off-roading is hard work even on the flat.
3) A need some knobbys. Going up hills just resulted in copious amounts of wheel spin and an eventual full stop and get off a walk.
4) It doesn't hurt as much if you can't unclip fast enough and fall off. Grass is softer than road.
5) Nettle stings hurt for many hours.
6) You get dirty.

So what are the best tracks / ways to use for off-road biking?
Are their any better maps for planning routes other than the OS ones I currently use?
Anybody got any good routes in the Market Rasen area?

You are not allowed to cycle on paths shown on the OS maps and also signed posted as Public footpaths., but you are allowed to push your bike along it, also if you have the permission of the land owner of course you can then cycle on any of his land, including the Footpath, as long as you dont force other Footpath users to divert from the line of the footpath.

You will not get better maps than the 1:50000 for road use or the 1:25000 for off road, just spend time learn to use them correctly and it will open up a whole new world for you.
For every patch of stinging nettle you will find a patch of Doc leaves near to hand to rub on the Nettle stings as every country person will tell you.

 

[Cubist]

SOunds great, welcome to the dark side.

Things I noticed.
1) Bridlesways are mostly ok for biking. Public footpaths are not - They tend to be too narrow, overpopulated by gates / styles and a lot of them have ploughed up by the farmers. Had to ride over a least 2 ploughed fields today.
2) How much harder it is riding off-road. I have done 100 mile rides and the road including some quite big hills. But off-roading is hard work even on the flat.
3) A need some knobbys. Going up hills just resulted in copious amounts of wheel spin and an eventual full stop and get off a walk.
4) It doesn't hurt as much if you can't unclip fast enough and fall off. Grass is softer than road.
5) Nettle stings hurt for many hours.
6) You get dirty.

1) Then stop it. Ride on bridleways and BOATs
2) Try riding 35 miles of pennine hills, took myt 12 year old over 4 hours a couple of weekends ago!
3) Yes you do. Don't spend too much, I'm currently recommending Continental Slash (Edge in some shops) for the back for sloppy conditions, and a Gravity for the front. Both in 2.3 size and less than £40 the pair. You can find them for about 12 or 13 quid each online. You won't regret buying them.
4) Nothing like a few tumbles to teach you how to balance. Forget worrying about whether or not you're gonna have time to clip out, if you've time to think you're not going fast enough. Let the bike go, don't touch the front brake, get up out of the seat , arse over the back wheel and scream down those descents........
5) Nettles are designed to make the bath water feel hotter. Thnk of it as "proof of life" and enjoy them.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9YDAruh2KM

6) Undress outside and put you stuff straight in the washer. That's why we keep it by the back door.

 

[Panter]

Did you enjoy it though?

 

[GizmoGremlin]

Things I noticed.
> 6) You get dirty.

Er - that's half the attraction. It's about being a kid again.

6) Undress outside and put you stuff straight in the washer. That's why we keep it by the back door.
[/quote]

My wife decided we needed a downstairs shower right next to the back door. She will still hose me down outside first sometimes. I'm beginning to question her motives.

 

[Norm]

My wife decided we needed a downstairs shower right next to the back door. She will still hose me down outside first sometimes. I'm beginning to question her motives.

I also recognise this.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=y9YDAruh2KM

Nutters!

 

[Gixxerman]

What are BOATS?

I crashed twice. First time I hit a large hole and couldn't unclip in time. No damage done just landed on my hip and some nice soft mud.
The second time was when I was being chased by a herd of cows, instead of looking where I was going I was looking behind me to see if the cows were catching me, which they were a fair rate of knots.
The inevitable happened and I hit a large pothole and over the handlebars I went, landing head first in a huge patch of nettles and cowshit.
No damage to me or the bike. Hilarious at the time, but I was stinging for hours afterwards. I hurt like hell in the bath later on.

 

[Ticktockmy]

What are BOATS?

I crashed twice. First time I hit a large hole and couldn't unclip in time. No damage done just landed on my hip and some nice soft mud.
The second time was when I was being chased by a herd of cows, instead of looking where I was going I was looking behind me to see if the cows were catching me, which they were a fair rate of knots.
The inevitable happened and I hit a large pothole and over the handlebars I went, landing head first in a huge patch of nettles and cowshit.
No damage to me or the bike. Hilarious at the time, but I was stinging for hours afterwards. I hurt like hell in the bath later on.

"BOATS" stands for Byway open to all traffic, which means that any person, horse, carriage, cyclist and automotive can use the way. but because of the excessive use on some BOATS by recreational vehicles, 4x4 and off road motorbikes, local councils have applied traffic regulation orders on them (TRO) which means in reality they only have the same rights as a bridle way. However you should note the word recreational, as it will not apply to say a landowner or tenant using the way for his purpose of work. however all automotives must comply to the law, and if they are required they must have vechile exice disk displayed, also be insurred as per a normal road.