Calendar

Jul
28
Sun
Ladies Lakeside Ride @ Cricklade Leisure Centre
Jul 28 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ladies Lakeside Ride @ Cricklade Leisure Centre

Debbie will be leading a gentle novice friendly ride around the Cotswold Lakes.

This is non technical and will be at the pace of the slowest rider. It is designed to suit ladies new to mountain biking and those who want a steady ride.

There will be a cafe stop 3/4 of the way round, but feel free to bring any snacks and water.

Helmets compulsory and this is not suitable for hybrid bikes, due to the possibility of mud on the tracks.

Meet in the car park to the Cricklade Leisure Centre for a 10am start.

Aug
21
Wed
Wednesday GetintoMTB @ Croft Cycle Trail
Aug 21 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesday GetintoMTB @ Croft Cycle Trail

Wednesdays are one of our #getintoMTB events, designed to help people get started, get back into MTB or anyone wanting a shorter, flatter ride. But there’s plenty of fun for all abilities.

The evening will be split into two parts:

6-7pm will be a Croft trail ride, laps of the trail (sessioning some of the features along the way)

7pm-8pm will be a local, fairly flat route, less than 10km in total.
PLEASE LET US KNOW BY POSTING BELOW IF YOU INTEND ONLY ATTENDING THE 7PM RIDE, so that we know to wait for you, as we leave promptly.

Under 18’s are allowed on this ride unaccompanied, as long as you have been out with us before. If you haven’t and wish to come, please drop an email to welfare@swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk so we can let you know the process for signing up to these rides.

As with all our rides, Helmets are compulsory.

Meet in the Croft Trail car park for both rides

Sep
4
Wed
Wednesday GetintoMTB @ Croft Cycle Trail
Sep 4 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesday GetintoMTB @ Croft Cycle Trail

Wednesdays are one of our #getintoMTB events, designed to help people get started, get back into MTB or anyone wanting a shorter, flatter ride. But there’s plenty of fun for all abilities.

The evening will be split into two parts:

6-7pm will be a Croft trail ride, laps of the trail (sessioning some of the features along the way)

7pm-8pm will be a local, fairly flat route, less than 10km in total.
PLEASE LET US KNOW BY POSTING BELOW IF YOU INTEND ONLY ATTENDING THE 7PM RIDE, so that we know to wait for you, as we leave promptly.

Under 18’s are allowed on this ride unaccompanied, as long as you have been out with us before. If you haven’t and wish to come, please drop an email to welfare@swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk so we can let you know the process for signing up to these rides.

As with all our rides, Helmets are compulsory.

Meet in the Croft Trail car park for both rides

Nov
13
Wed
Wednesday GetintoMTB @ The Baybury
Nov 13 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Wednesday GetintoMTB @ The Baybury

Wednesdays are one of our #getintoMTB events, designed to help people get started, get back into MTB or anyone wanting a shorter, flatter ride. 

We will be doing an urban ride out of 10-15km, seeing what fun we can find along the way. It won’t be technically or physically demanding, just fun 😊 

Under 18’s are allowed on this ride unaccompanied, as long as you have been out with us before. If you haven’t and wish to come, please drop an email to welfare@swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk so we can let you know the process for signing up to these rides. 

As with all our rides, Helmets are compulsory and you will also need lights. 

Meet in the Baybury car park at 6pm

(Please note the new start point) 

Jan
8
Wed
Wellness Wednesdays GetintoMTB @ The Bayberry
Jan 8 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wellness Wednesdays GetintoMTB @ The Bayberry
New Year, new theme 🙂
 
It’s the start of the year and lots of us have been off our bikes for at least the festive period, some of us longer.
Wednesdays have always been a relaxed beginners ride and we’re continuing that in 2020, but specifically aiming at getting you going.
 
So this is the perfect ride if you are just starting, coming back to riding after a break or just want to go for a pedal to lift your spirits.
 
The ride theme is Wellness. There are main reasons to ride – fitness, physical and mental health – but they’re all about making yourself feel better and having fun 🙂
We will been doing a gentle pace and there will be lots of opportunities for having a chat and asking about anything MTB related. I am a MIAS Level 3 Ride Leader and skills coach and am always happy to answer any questions – if I don’t know the answer, I’ll know who to ask 🙂
 
Rides will be about 10km and fairly flat. Nothing technical, mainly using cycle paths (especially in the winter weather!). Perfect for all abilities.
 
All you need is a helmet and bike (and at this time of year, lights as well).
Meet in the Bayberry car park for 6pm start.
Jan
15
Wed
MTB Wellness Wednesdays @ The Bayberry
Jan 15 @ 6:00 pm – 7:45 pm
MTB Wellness Wednesdays @ The Bayberry
It’s the start of the year and lots of us have been off our bikes for at least the festive period, some of us longer.
Wednesdays have always been a relaxed beginners ride and we’re continuing that in 2020, but specifically aiming at getting you going.
So this is the perfect ride if you are just starting, coming back to riding after a break or just want to go for a pedal to lift your spirits.
The ride theme is Wellness. There are main reasons to ride – fitness, physical and mental health – but they’re all about making yourself feel better and having fun 🙂
We will been doing a gentle pace and there will be lots of opportunities for having a chat and asking about anything MTB related. I am a MIAS Level 3 Ride Leader and skills coach and am always happy to answer any questions – if I don’t know the answer, I’ll know who to ask 🙂
Rides will be about 10km and fairly flat. Nothing technical, mainly using cycle paths (especially in the winter weather!). Perfect for all abilities.
All you need is a helmet and bike (and at this time of year, lights as well).
 
Meet in the Bayberry car park for 6pm start.
Jan
19
Sun
MTB Wellness GetintoMTB Weekend starter @ Croft Cycle Trail car park
Jan 19 @ 10:30 am – 2:00 pm
MTB Wellness GetintoMTB Weekend starter @ Croft Cycle Trail car park
We’re holding a ride and advice session to get you on your bike in 2020. The aim is to get you going with mountain biking, offering advice, answering questions and leading you on an introductory ride.
 
We will meet in the car park for the Croft trail opposite Nationwide HQ, which will be our base.
To start we will do a bike check with everyone – show you how to check your own bike and be on hand to sort any mechanical issues (where possible!).
Then we will have a quick session on your bike setup – basically help you to be as comfortable as possible on your bike. The more comfortable you are, the more you will enjoy it!
After that we will go for a ride. We have a nice local loop using towpaths, cycling paths (both dirt and tarmac) with gentle inclines, no longer than 10km, which will take in some great views and local parks – showcasing what’s on offer on our doorsteps.
When we return to Croft we will show you what ride leaders carry in their riding packs and there will be a chance to ask questions – what’s good wet weather gear, lights etc.
After all that, if anyone is still keen, we can show you Croft trail you 🙂
 
We will have at least 2 fully qualified ride leaders on hand at all times.
 
You MUST bring a helmet to ride in, but otherwise just bring yourself and a bike (the route is suitable for any MTB and even a hybrid with offload tyres).
 
Meet in Croft car park for 10.30am.
Jan
29
Wed
MTB Wellness Wednesday @ Bayberry
Jan 29 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
MTB Wellness Wednesday @ Bayberry
Wednesdays have always been a relaxed beginners ride and we’re continuing that in 2020, but specifically aiming at getting you going.
So this is the perfect ride if you are just starting, coming back to riding after a break or just want to go for a pedal to lift your spirits.
The ride theme is Wellness. There are main reasons to ride – fitness, physical and mental health – but they’re all about making yourself feel better and having fun 🙂
We will been doing a gentle pace and there will be lots of opportunities for having a chat and asking about anything MTB related. I am a MIAS Level 3 Ride Leader and skills coach and am always happy to answer any questions – if I don’t know the answer, I’ll know who to ask 🙂
Rides will be about 10km and fairly flat. Nothing technical, mainly using cycle paths (especially in the winter weather!). Perfect for all abilities.
All you need is a helmet and bike (and at this time of year, lights as well).
Meet in the Bayberry car park for 6pm start.
Mar
11
Wed
MTB Wellness Wednesdays @ The Bayberry
Mar 11 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
MTB Wellness Wednesdays @ The Bayberry

This is the perfect ride if you are just starting, coming back to riding after a break or just want to go for a pedal to lift your spirits.

The ride theme is Wellness. There are main reasons to ride – fitness, physical and mental health – but they’re all about making yourself feel better and having fun 🙂
We will been doing a gentle pace and there will be lots of opportunities for having a chat and asking about anything MTB related. I am a MIAS Level 3 Ride Leader and skills coach and am always happy to answer any questions – if I don’t know the answer, I’ll know who to ask 🙂

Ride will be about 10km and fairly flat. Nothing technical, mainly using cycle paths (especially in the winter weather!). Perfect for all abilities.

All you need is a helmet and bike (and at this time of year, lights as well).

Meet in the Bayberry car park for 6pm start.

May
23
Sat
May Weekender 2020 – Exmoor @ Porlock
May 23 @ 10:00 am – May 25 @ 2:00 pm
May Weekender 2020 - Exmoor @ Porlock
Our annual May Bank holiday trip will be to the fabulous Exmoor in 2020.
We have 3 days riding planned and you can do all or just some of them.
 
Day 1 – the big day out. Starting from Porlock we will do a 28km loop of some of the best hills and scenery Exmoor has to offer, including Wootton Courtenay, Ranscombe and Horner. There will be amazing views of the hills, sea and Wales, epic descents and glorious woodland. There will be options on the route as well, including a cut off near the end to remove 300m of climbing, to enable more people to have a go at the route. For the “adventurous” there will also be a chance to take in one of the tracks from the Southern Enduro champs along the way (that is optional and the alternative is still a great descent, just firewood instead).
 
Day 2 – lazy Sunday. Well sort of! We will start with a considerably shorter ride (9km) to the top of Bossington Hill, for the epic view, on our way to Horner. After a lunch at the excellent tea rooms we will then do 3 uplifted descents. First we will take in a long run from the top of Dunkery Beacon, followed by an epic singletrack run from the top of Porlock Hill. Finally we will return to Porlock Hill and take a super fast fireroad route down to Porlock Weir for a pint by the sea. Up to you if you do all 3 descents or 2 or 1, but the final one is suitable for all and takes us home, so if you’re only going to do 1, it should be that 1!
 
Day 3 – Big trees. To finish off on Monday we will decamp to the outskirts of Minehead (about 15 minute drive) to Dunster Castle. Here we will ride a nice woodland route out to England’s tallest tree and back.
 
Accommodation is DIY, but I would strongly recommend Sparkhayes campsite (which I will be at). It has excellent facilities, and lovely relaxed atmosphere and great views of the hills and sea. It’s also on a few minutes walk from the pubs and shops.
There are many B&Bs in the town if you would prefer a solid roof though.
 
Outside of your accommodation and food, the only cost will be the uplift, which will be around £10 per person in total. Exact price will be confirmed nearer the time.
 
All routes will be led by qualified ride leaders, who are also first aid trained.