Devon TRF Group Forum

kevinred · Clubman A

Winter Sport?

L'orange · Devon's Best

I think it is time for Morden Hill young warrior!

TTR · Powermonger!!

Quite like riding during the summer what with the long days and all the beach cafes etc open for the grockels smile

Nice not to have to dress for arctic or monsoon conditions and not have to dig off 1cwt of Devon's best from the bike when you get home.

Choose your lanes and/or avoid Sunday riding if you can. Challenges are nice but surely it is just nice to be out and about on your bike enjoying the countryside and the banter with a few mates - plus the occasional grub stop of course.......

I know old school trail riders who will have parked their steeds up now and won't get 'em out again until November.....

delvey91 · Devon's Best

Not having to spend 6 evenings cleaning the bike is one good thing! I enjoy riding much more in the Dry. Just pootling around enjoying the scenery

jt · Powermonger!!

No I don't stop, the lanes change with the seasons and I ride the same lanes now as 12 months ago and they are totally changed, some have been 'improved' and some have improved wink - the surroundings, the smells, the sounds, the colours - each to their own. If I was looking for a constant challenge I guess I would go off and ride enduros or something - I look on my rides as motorised rambles I guess.

The mates, the banter, the 'self reliance' when something goes wrong, the laughs.....thats what makes it for me not if it's muddy or dry, sunny or cold, green or brown.

Pete · Devon's Best

Some lanes take too long to get a group up in the winter but are well worth a look when not quite so tricky, and some are really only passable unless you are a masochist. Much as I love the Devils Steps and Tallyho I would not inflict them on a group in autumn unless they were really asking for it. There are plenty of tricky challenges all year round I assure you, some of which you would not be shown unless you asked for it.
I spent rather longer than I would have liked on 192-088 and 089 last week watching people struggle, and watching someone crash hard made me wince, so they certainly would not say they lacked challenge.
Try Muchlarnick or the Pink Panther or Morden in east cornwall any time of year if you like a challenge
Been up 237 or 235 or 265 recently? Without footing or stopping? Too easy? Mmmm..... Piggery here I come...

Shaggy · Clubman B

jt wrote:
The mates, the banter, the 'self reliance' when something goes wrong, the laughs.....thats what makes it for me not if it's muddy or dry, sunny or cold, green or brown.

I couldn't agree more!! biggrin

And with 1300ish lanes in DEVON alone, how on earth can anyone get bored?!! confuse

Steve H · Devon's Best

Try a night ride, that's a whole different experience wink

kevinred · Clubman A

Thanks for the replies, Nice to get some idea of what others think and do.

Don't get me wrong, I love getting out and about and meeting friends and visiting pastures new. On road or off road or even on the lanes. I think I have just become bored of the lanes around Tiverton, knowing what to expect takes the fun away a bit.

Today I went for a full day off road, not the lanes but private open land and miles and miles of it, a totally different feel to the lanes and it was fantastic. Had new Continental TKC80's on front and rear and that made things a bit more exciting on and off road. The tyres have transformed the DRZ to make it a real fun machine with true dual sport functionality. They even did well in the bogs! The AC10's I had on previously were great on the lanes over the winter but horrid on the road for anything more than a slow paced, excessive vibratory bimble. All I need to do is sort the plank of a seat out and the size of the fuel tank and the jobs a good un.

We practiced some "one pot" cooking today as well, which we need to improve for the RTW trip. Thank God we still have some time.

So I guess a look at pastures and lanes a new is on the cards.

-- Edited by kevinred on Sunday 10th of April 2011 10:22:01 PM

Pete · Devon's Best

Good to see another bike with mirrors on, I thought I was the only one who used them

kevinred · Clubman A

Pete wrote:
Good to see another bike with mirrors on, I thought I was the only one who used them

unbreakable and fold away mirrors too! I wouldn't be with out them.

-- Edited by kevinred on Sunday 10th of April 2011 11:08:00 PM

Pete · Devon's Best

Unbreakable? Sounds too good to be true. What make are they?
I use a type with a ball joint at the base which swivels instead of snapping when I fall off but I'm on my third one in ten years now so they aren't indestructible.

kevinred · Clubman A

Pete wrote:
Unbreakable? Sounds too good to be true. What make are they?
I use a type with a ball joint at the base which swivels instead of snapping when I fall off but I'm on my third one in ten years now so they aren't indestructible.

I use these. Not managed to break one yet. Sounds a bit like the ones your using with the ball joint?

RichT4 · Champion

You haven't sampled anything yet Kev.

I agree that the challenge disappears from many of the lanes when they dry up, and like many I tend not to ride as often as the summer comes on. I tend to do more trips away though or even a spot of bike camping. You'd be amazed how many lanes in Devon seem to be permanently wet. Also thanks to our balmy climate even in the middle of summer we'll get a long rainy period. So those deep winter conditions return but with mid summer temperate - it's great!

Also after riding one day just over the border in Cornwall on Saturday you should see the state of my bike - some of those lanes certainly didn't feel dry or easy lol.

However you are right about the increased dust and pedestrian/animal actively on the lanes.
Smaller groups make less dust and chatting to passers by lets you cool down.

You could try getting out east of Sidmouth - Beer to Stockland area.
Some of those lanes have fantastic rocky climbs/descents which retain their challenge even when dry, but are worse when wet....

Pete · Devon's Best

RE;
I use these. Not managed to break one yet. Sounds a bit like the ones your using with the ball joint?

Two ball joints! They look way better than the version I have which looks like a standard mirror with the small single ball joint hidden under a rubber boot at the bottom

Hazelwood 20090712_3959.jpg

They come with either a straight or angled stalk, but you only get one for £15.99

Yours look a better deal and much less likely to break