Calendar

Mar
31
Sat
GetintoMTB – Try A Trail @ Croft Cycle Trail
Mar 31 @ 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
GetintoMTB - Try A Trail @ Croft Cycle Trail | England | United Kingdom

We’ve got another weekend session at Croft coming up.

This is a perfect opportunity to try a mountain bike trail if you haven’t before, or just to reintroduce yourself if it’s been a while (it’s been a pretty grotty winter!).

We will have at least 2 ride leaders there, doing ladies only and mixed groups of all abilities.

We will meet in the Croft Car Park at 10.30am

Please bring a helmet

Sep
5
Wed
Wednesdays After Work @ Croft Cycle Trail
Sep 5 @ 5:45 pm – 7:30 pm
Wednesdays After Work @ Croft Cycle Trail | England | United Kingdom

We will start with a lap of the Blue trail to warm up, then sees what people want to do next. The options will be to head over the motorway to Wroughton for a couple of laps of the new pump track there, do a practice trip up and then down Ladder Lane, or just more laps of Croft.

This a very relaxed ride, at an easy pace, with lots of opportunities to develop and practice skills. Everyone is welcome and this is a great introductory ride if you’re just starting or coming back to mountain biking.

You must bring a helmet, but you don’t need lights yet 😊
Also thoroughly recommend insect repellent!

Meet in the Croft car park at 5.45pm

Sep
19
Wed
Wednesday After Work at Croft @ Croft Cycle Trail
Sep 19 @ 5:45 pm – 7:30 pm
Wednesday After Work at Croft @ Croft Cycle Trail | England | United Kingdom
This a very relaxed ride, at an easy pace, with lots of opportunities to develop and practice skills. Everyone is welcome and this is a great introductory ride if you’re just starting or coming back to mountain biking.
 
This week we’re going to do some skills demonstrations and practice, using the features of the trail. We’ll cover the basics you’ll need for tackling technical terrain – front wheel lifts, unweighting the back well, climbing and descending safely.
 
You must bring a helmet, but you don’t need lights, yet.
Also thoroughly recommend insect repellent!
 
Meet in the Croft car park at 5.30pm for a 5.45pm start.
Nov
14
Wed
Wednesdays After Work at Croft @ Croft Cycle Trail
Nov 14 @ 5:45 pm – 7:00 pm
Wednesdays After Work at Croft @ Croft Cycle Trail | England | United Kingdom
This a very relaxed ride, at an easy pace, with lots of opportunities to develop and practice skills. Everyone is welcome and this is a great introductory ride if you’re just starting or coming back to mountain biking – just bear in mind at this time of year the whole ride is in the dark though.
 
We will do some skills demonstrations and practice, using the features of the trail. We may also venture up Ladder Lane for a bit of root and faster descending practice, or over to the pump track at Wroughton if it’s a muddy one.
 
You must bring a helmet and lights too.
 
Meet in the Croft car park for a 5.45pm start.
Jan
6
Sun
White-Horsing Around Scenic Ride @ Foxhill Car Park
Jan 6 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
The first of my scenic rides for 2019 will be a round trip along the Ridgeway to the Uffington White Horse and back.
 
Along the way we’ll take in the stunning descent through the Hinton Parva coombes, a beautiful climb (honest!) from Bishopstone to the Ridgeway and the delights of Weathercock Hill.
We’ll be taking it easy to appreciate the scenery, covering about 27km in distance and 400m of climbing.
 
Meet at the Foxhill car park, just past The Ruji Restaurant.
 
You must bring a helmet and appropriate clothing, as well as snacks/food for the duration, as we will be out past lunchtime.
Jan
19
Sat
Saturday Scenic Broad Hinton @ Bottom of Barbury Castle
Jan 19 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

I’ve found time to squeeze in another weekend Scenic ride in January, going in a different direction along the Ridgeway.

The start is at the bottom of the Barbury steep side (see map posting) setting off along the Ridgeway away from Barbury to Broad Hinton. From there we amble along the valley and a potential pub stop. Then the climb back up to the Ridgeway and the White Horse trail to Rockley. Then it’s back along the valley and up onto the ridge back to the start.

The ride will be 27km in length with 350m of climbing and some beautiful scenery.

Please see map for the start point, although you can also park at Barbury and cycle down to there if you want.

You must wear a helmet and dressed according to the conditions – it’s pretty cold out there still!

Feb
15
Fri
@ The Tawny Owl
Feb 15 @ 7:00 pm – 9:45 pm
 @ The Tawny Owl
This year’s AGM will be held at the Tawny Owl at 7pm . To discuss items on the agenda from the club accounts, voting on election of the committee and future plans.
It is open to members and non-members, but only members will be able to vote, so please make sure you have an up to date membership.
If you wish to have any comments to raise on the night, we will have a slot for it, but for smooth running of the evening, if you wish to put forward suggestions prior to AGM or you cannot attend, please PM or email Andrew@swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk 
Feb
27
Wed
Wednesday GetIntoMTB
Feb 27 @ 6:00 pm – 8:15 pm
Wednesday GetIntoMTB

Wednesday rides are back with a new format.

The evening will be split into two parts:

6-7pm will be a Croft trail ride, laps of the trail (when it gets lighter we will also be sessioning some of the features)

7-8.15pm will be a local, fairly flat route, less than 10km in total.

These rides are part of our GetintoMTB series, designed for anyone just starting mountain biking, coming back after a break or just wanting a shorter, flatter ride 😊

Helmets are compulsory and you will also need lights at the moment.

Meet in the Croft car park for both rides

Jun
9
Sun
Cotswolds Pretty Rocky Ride @ The Carpenter's Arms, Miserden
Jun 9 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Although we go south of Swindon lots, but we’ve not yet done a trip to the north, so let’s change that!
Starting in the village of Miserden, just north of Cirencester, we will do a 20km lap of some fantastic scenery and riding. The views are driving the route, but there are some epic downhills as well. It’s graded as Red for technicality (due to the rocky descents and climbs) and Red for fitness, as there is over 500m of climbing involved.

We will start and finish at the Carpenter’s Arms in Miserden. It’s a great pub with excellent post ride sustenance and even a sweet shop inside.

Helmets are compulsory as always and knee pads are advised.
Full suspension bikes recommended – the uphills are just as rocky as the downs!

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