And that was that...

ShinySideUp

New Member
Jun 4, 2022
84
74
UK
And so, here in Cornwall at least, the long, hot summer comes to an end as rain starts to fall, seemingly to continue for at least a week or more. No more T shirt-only cycling, no more mostly-clean bikes coming home, no more sunglasses in which to look and feel cool. No, it's back to rain, mud, hosing down of bikes (if you can be bothered to go out in the cold rain) and wondering whether or not, when you want to go somewhere, just to take the car instead. I am a fair-weather biker and I've had more than my share of fair weather this year having done 600 miles in the last couple of months but now I'm looking at my coal supplies, thinking about putting up the draught-proofing curtains over the open plan stairs, getting the dog's towels out for when they come back from their walks soaking wet and wondering when to take the battery out of the bike for winter. It was good while it lasted, and it did indeed last, but now it's gone and met-office summer is officially over. Roll on next summer.
 

Rob Rides EMTB

Administrator
Staff member
Subscriber
Jan 14, 2018
6,164
13,307
Surrey, UK
And so, here in Cornwall at least, the long, hot summer comes to an end as rain starts to fall, seemingly to continue for at least a week or more. No more T shirt-only cycling, no more mostly-clean bikes coming home, no more sunglasses in which to look and feel cool. No, it's back to rain, mud, hosing down of bikes (if you can be bothered to go out in the cold rain) and wondering whether or not, when you want to go somewhere, just to take the car instead. I am a fair-weather biker and I've had more than my share of fair weather this year having done 600 miles in the last couple of months but now I'm looking at my coal supplies, thinking about putting up the draught-proofing curtains over the open plan stairs, getting the dog's towels out for when they come back from their walks soaking wet and wondering when to take the battery out of the bike for winter. It was good while it lasted, and it did indeed last, but now it's gone and met-office summer is officially over. Roll on next summer.
Get some lights, some fiveten Goretex boots, some wet / cold weather gear and carry on riding.
Wet weather riding can be fun too! Just takes a bit more prep and cleaning. Side benefit: your skill levels increase after encountering shitty greasy trails, roots and rocks! Balance improved and you realise just how much grip you can get in the dry!
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,141
4,672
Weymouth
..............or move somewhere less wet than Cornwall!! :p. .....and ride somewhere with no claggy mud. The forests a round here are sandy loamy soil that just brushes off when dry and we have plenty of winter days when the riding is good. I look at it slightly different. In cooler temperatures I can wear armour without getting too hot..........I wear the same clear Oakleys all year round.......and I love coming back to a roaring fire! Cheer up!!
 

Rob Rides EMTB

Administrator
Staff member
Subscriber
Jan 14, 2018
6,164
13,307
Surrey, UK
And from the opposite end of the world, we had our first day of spring yesterday in NZ, 24c and sunshine. We have just finished one of the wettest winters on record and about to embark on 6 months of dry & warm weather riding. I cannot wait!

To top it off I pick up my new Rail today (y)
The dream! Enjoy 😊
 

RustyMTB

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jul 22, 2020
2,544
6,217
UK
Love winter riding. Getting covered in s**t is all part of the fun for me. Bring it on!

azGLXvT4.jpg
 

Doomanic

🛠️Wrecker🛠️
Patreon
Founding Member
Jan 21, 2018
8,478
9,957
UK
Got to say I’m not looking forward to winter this year; I’m not sure I can be arsed with all the cleaning and maintenance required to keep an eeb in tip top condition. I might have to buy a cheap HT mandraulic bike with this year’s C2W voucher…
 

Dax

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 25, 2018
1,473
1,841
FoD
Got to say I’m not looking forward to winter this year; I’m not sure I can be arsed with all the cleaning and maintenance required to keep an eeb in tip top condition. I might have to buy a cheap HT mandraulic bike with this year’s C2W voucher…

Cleaning? Maintenance?
 

Long Way Home

New Member
Jun 9, 2022
22
10
Cornwall
And so, here in Cornwall at least, the long, hot summer comes to an end as rain starts to fall, seemingly to continue for at least a week or more. No more T shirt-only cycling, no more mostly-clean bikes coming home, no more sunglasses in which to look and feel cool. No, it's back to rain, mud, hosing down of bikes (if you can be bothered to go out in the cold rain) and wondering whether or not, when you want to go somewhere, just to take the car instead. I am a fair-weather biker and I've had more than my share of fair weather this year having done 600 miles in the last couple of months but now I'm looking at my coal supplies, thinking about putting up the draught-proofing curtains over the open plan stairs, getting the dog's towels out for when they come back from their walks soaking wet and wondering when to take the battery out of the bike for winter. It was good while it lasted, and it did indeed last, but now it's gone and met-office summer is officially over. Roll on next summer.
I feel your pain my Cornish brother. I live in a microclimate area of unusually miserable weather, with muzzle most of the winter.

I'd love a proper seasonal winter with some cold dry and sunny days to be able to cross the moors and actually enjoy it.
 

ragnor

Active member
Apr 23, 2020
115
220
U.K.
Can't wait for Winter. Dig out the crampons and the ice axes. Bugger all that mud, freezing cold rain and endless faff of cleaning. Brings back bad memories (very distant) of cross country running and hypothermia 🥶🥶changing in a muddy field. Mind you Winter mountaineering is usually the pits unless it's the nice hard neve and the sun is shining with little or no wind!:cool:
 

High Rock Ruti

Active member
May 13, 2019
405
322
Massachusetts
Get some lights, some fiveten Goretex boots, some wet / cold weather gear and carry on riding.
Wet weather riding can be fun too! Just takes a bit more prep and cleaning. Side benefit: your skill levels increase after encountering shitty greasy trails, roots and rocks! Balance improved and you realise just how much grip you can get in the dry!

High Rock Ruti

Hello Rob

The Voima is close to being shipped, seems I remember "someone" was promising a review, no pressure of course, hoping "the" tester is NOT as BROKEN as my anticipating heart is....?

As Spike Lee says in somebodys gotta have it "Please baby, please baby....baby baby Please"

Wear

Warm Regards Ruti
 

galaga187

E*POWAH Master
Apr 15, 2018
795
596
Wroughton
Not sure you’ll be able to clean the bikes this winter in the UK due to the double whammy of hose pipe bans and rising fuel costs.
 

7869hodgy

Well-known member
Jul 15, 2020
395
627
Reading
Get some lights, some fiveten Goretex boots, some wet / cold weather gear and carry on riding.
Wet weather riding can be fun too! Just takes a bit more prep and cleaning. Side benefit: your skill levels increase after encountering shitty greasy trails, roots and rocks! Balance improved and you realise just how much grip you can get in the dry!

+1 100%
 

cozzy

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2019
792
855
Hampshire UK
It truly has been an epic uk summer 😎, despite the eco loons proclaiming it's a "climate emergency" :ROFLMAO:
But once it's wet and stays wet, the bike goes away till spring.
I get zero enjoyment from slopping around in the mud.
MTB is very much a seasonal hobby to me.
 
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MountainBoy

Active member
Mar 4, 2022
228
205
Washington State, USA
Can't wait for Winter. Dig out the crampons and the ice axes. Bugger all that mud, freezing cold rain and endless faff of cleaning. Brings back bad memories (very distant) of cross country running and hypothermia 🥶🥶changing in a muddy field. Mind you Winter mountaineering is usually the pits unless it's the nice hard neve and the sun is shining with little or no wind!:cool:

Your profile says you live in the UK. I thought mountains were a necessary component of winter mountaineering. I will give you a pass on "mountain" biking, but "winter mountaineering"? That seems unlikely without crossing the channel. ;)
 

MountainBoy

Active member
Mar 4, 2022
228
205
Washington State, USA
It truly has been an epic uk summer 😎, despite the eco loons proclaiming it's a "climate emergency" :ROFLMAO:
But once it's wet and stays wet, the bike goes away till spring.
I get zero enjoyment from slopping around in the mud.
MTB is very much a seasonal hobby to me.

It's not just "eco loons" proclaiming it's a climate emergency, it's very sober and competent scientists. I can't help it if you narrowly define "emergency" to something that can't extend beyond 5 minutes. The fact that it threatens the very existence of major cities within our children's lifetime and is very difficult to undo, is enough to classify it as an emergency in my book.
 

stiv674

E*POWAH Elite
Mar 4, 2019
777
600
Wiltshire
Your profile says you live in the UK. I thought mountains were a necessary component of winter mountaineering. I will give you a pass on "mountain" biking, but "winter mountaineering"? That seems unlikely without crossing the channel. ;)

I presume you've heard of Scotland... 🤔
 

stiv674

E*POWAH Elite
Mar 4, 2019
777
600
Wiltshire
The thing I'll miss the most once the weather deteriorates is having a couple of beers sat outside a pub, not so nice when it's freezing cold or raining...
 

ragnor

Active member
Apr 23, 2020
115
220
U.K.
Your profile says you live in the UK. I thought mountains were a necessary component of winter mountaineering. I will give you a pass on "mountain" biking, but "winter mountaineering"? That seems unlikely without crossing the channel. ;)
Some of the best mountaineering in the world in my neck of the woods. If you're into winter mountaineering/climbing then I would suggest The Ben ( Ben Nevis) in full on winter conditions might be entertaining for you. If not try the world class downhill track although better not from the top if it's covered in ice. ☠☠Our Mountain Rescue teams are also great if you need to call on them.
 

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