Ride Sheffield

Author: Henry

  • Cooking on Gas Rebuild – Update

    Probably the biggest question we get asked at the moment is “When is Cooking on Gas reopening? And why wouldn’t it be? Work started in the revamp of the much loved, but rather worn trail at the end of February. Surely the work must be finished already. 

    The answer is yes….and no! Maybe it’s time for an explanation of where we are at with the work.

    Farmer John and his crew were up on site from the end of February and had pretty much finished up the work by the end of March. With a little rain and a re-whack, we were looking good for opening for the Easter holidays. Unfortunately, the key ingredient of rain has not quite materialised. We need moisture to help the material to bond together as part of the build process, finishing this off with a whacker plate gives us a good, compacted surface that once is dried and settled gives us a good durable surface. However, as we experience one of the driest springs in 132 years, with only 15cm of rain since the end of February, it is not possible to finish the job, which means we can’t open the trail.

    We can’t state enough that we would love to get it open as soon as possible, but right now that is not going to happen for a while….

    But it looks finished

    Yes, it certainly looks pretty finished, in fact it looks pretty amazing and really tempting to ride. In some places it may look it is pretty solid too. unfortunately, what you can see is a crust of about 10cm, but then below this is soft, dry, uncompacted ground which would erode once we have had a few riders down the trail. It is also pretty unsafe and unpredictable as the crust can break through pretty easily.

    What is the impact if we open it now?

    Aside from the fact the trail would be unsafe and not that fun to ride, it also has a really big impact on how much it would take to get it back up to scratch after the summer. You can look at that in a couple of ways….

    1. Ride Sheffield is you; it’s our community of rider in the city who have donated over £40,000 to allow us to rebuild the trail and make it better than it’s ever been. It’s your money that made it possible. However, we would anticipate having to raise almost a third of that to reinstate the trail if we opened it now.
    2. Ride Sheffield is a group that is run by volunteers. All the trail work, the admin, even keeping the socials fed is done in our own time. We do it because we love rising mountain bikes, we love the community of riders we have in the city and we want to preserve it and make it better for all. Whilst we try and be as professional in our approach as we can be, we all have day jobs. We have to find the time to do trail work, not just hop into the digger (maybe one day!)
    3. In reality with the current dry conditions, if we were to open, it would probably only last a few days until it became totally unrideable, chich is too much of a gamble with the resources we have.

    So, what next?

    For now, we keep the trail closed, to give more realistic timescales, that is likely to be October at the earliest; cooler days and more rain should make it easier to finish it off. But if the drought continues, then we will push that date back. 

    You will be seeing new signs up on site explain what is happening, so all users of the woods understand why the fences are still up on site.

    We will post up when we have the dates for the trail days, we will be having a big volunteer push to get things open.

    What else can you do to help?

    1. Keep off the trail: No riding, running, dog walking etc. down there for now. Thanks
    2. Spread the word on the closure.
    3. Join us on our volunteer days: We will have a big weekend dig in October to get everything open, keep an eye out for that and sign up via our Eventbrite.
    4. Volunteer more with us: We would love to expand our core group of volunteers, so if you would like to help out with…
      1. Comms and Social Media
      1. Trail Crew’s
      1. Events
      1. Social Rides
      1. Or would just like to get involved more generally

    5. Please get in touch. We will be sharing more on this as well as some role        descriptions across social media soon

    • Donate: Either as a one of payment or set up a monthly payment via our Trail Fund here
    • Sign up to our mailing list to hear more and find out when trail days are here, or follow us on social media

    Feedback: Tell us what you would like us to be doing differently/more of etc. Drop us an email at info@ridesheffield.org.uk

  • Cooking on Gas Rebuild – Update

    the biggest question we get asked at the moment is “When is Cooking on Gas reopening? And why wouldn’t it be? Work started in the revamp of the much loved, but rather worn trail at the end of February. Surely the work must be finished already. 

    The answer is yes….and no! 

    Maybe it’s time for an explanation of where we are at with the work.

    Farmer John and his crew were up on site from the end of February and had pretty much finished up the work by the end of March. With a little rain and a re-whack, we were looking good for opening for the Easter holidays. Unfortunately, the key ingredient of rain has not quite materialised. We need moisture to help the material to bond together as part of the build process, finishing this off with a whacker plate gives us a good, compacted surface that once is dried and settled gives us a good durable surface. However, as we experience one of the driest springs in 132 years, with only 15cm of rain since the end of February, it is not possible to finish the job, which means we can’t open the trail.

    We can’t state enough that we would love to get it open as soon as possible, but right now that is not going to happen for a while….

    Read more: Cooking on Gas Rebuild – Update

    But it looks finished

    Yes, it certainly looks pretty finished, in fact it looks pretty amazing and really tempting to ride. In some places it may look it is pretty solid too. unfortunately, what you can see is a crust of about 10cm, but then below this is soft, dry, uncompacted ground which would erode once we have had a few riders down the trail. It is also pretty unsafe and unpredictable as the crust can break through pretty easily.

    What is the impact if we open it now?

    Aside from the fact the trail would be unsafe and not that fun to ride, it also has a really big impact on how much it would take to get it back up to scratch after the summer. You can look at that in a couple of ways….

    1. Ride Sheffield is you; it’s our community of rider in the city who have donated over £40,000 to allow us to rebuild the trail and make it better than it’s ever been. It’s your money that made it possible. However, we would anticipate having to raise almost a third of that to reinstate the trail if we opened it now.
    2. We are a group that is run by volunteers. All the trail work, the admin, even keeping the socials fed is done in our own time. We do it because we love rising mountain bikes, we love the community of riders we have in the city and we want to preserve it and make it better for all. Whilst we try and be as professional in our approach as we can be, we all have day jobs. We have to find the time to do trail work, not just hop into the digger (maybe one day!)
    3. In reality with the current dry conditions, if we were to open, it would probably only last a few days until it became totally unrideable, which is too much of a gamble with the resources we have.

    So, what next?

    For now, we keep the trail closed, to give more realistic timescales, that is likely to be October at the earliest; cooler days and more rain should make it easier to finish it off. But if the drought continues, then we will push that date back. 

    You will be seeing new signs up on site explain what is happening, so all users of the woods understand why the fences are still up on site.

    We will post up when we have the dates for the trail days, we will be having a big volunteer push to get things open.

    What else can you do to help?

    1. Keep off the trail: No riding, running, dog walking etc. down there for now. Thanks
    2. Spread the word on the closure.
    3. Join us on our volunteer days: We will have a big weekend dig in October to get everything open, keep an eye out for that and sign up via our Eventbrite.
    4. Volunteer more with us: We would love to expand our core group of volunteers, so if you would like to help out with…
      • Comms and Social Media
      • Trail Crew’s
      • Events
      • Social Rides
      • Or would just like to get involved more generally
      • Please get in touch. We will be sharing more on this as well as some role descriptions across social media soon
    5. Donate: Either as a one of payment or set up a monthly payment via our Trail Fund here
    6. Sign up to our mailing list to hear more and find out when trail days are here, or follow us on social media
    7. Feedback: Tell us what you would like us to be doing differently/more of etc. Drop us an email at info@ridesheffield.org.uk

  • Women’s Trail Day Sunday 20th February

    After a great couple of sessions on Blacka and at Lady Cannings, our women’s trail day in collaboration with Cotic Women of Steel returns. This time we will be working on the Eastern Moors Loop bridleway, improving the drainage and repairing the surface on the main track. 

    All are welcome  – whether you have experience or not, it’ll be great to have you involved. 

    As it’s an SSSI, the work and techniques will be a bit different to previous dig days, so we will be talking about what we’re doing and why, and why it’s different to the work we’ve done on Blacka Moor or at Lady Canning’s.

    (more…)
  • Lady Cannings Trail Day Social: Saturday 23rd October

    Lady Cannings Trail Day Social: Saturday 23rd October

    After over 18 months without a public trail day, it gives us great pleasure to announce that we’re back and this first one is going to be a really big one too!

    On Saturday the 23rd October we will be having a super-sized trail day up at Lady Cannings .
    Working on Blue Steel, the plan is to rework the most tired sections of the trail, smooth out the rougher sections to keep it on grade and to start to reshape the berms to return that roller coaster feel.

    (more…)

  • Trash Free Trails Halloween Trail Clean Tour: Greno Woods

    As if one opportunity to give a little back to your trails in a weekend was not enough, how about two? We are really lucky to have trash Free trails feature us as part of the their Halloween Trail Clean Tour on Sunday the 24th of October. Here is a bit more detail on the day and how you can get involved.

    From the 22nd – 31st October, the Trash Free Trails Team (aka the TrashBusters) are visting 7 locations in the UK that nominated their trails in partnership with Trak Bikes, Bosch eBike Systems, The North Face, Red Bull and Cotswold Outdoor. Trails, and the communities that represent them that needed help, and on the 24th October, the Trash Free Trails #TrashBusters responded to the Greno’s local community call. 

    (more…)

  • Cotic Women of Steel/ Ride Sheffield Trail Day 16th October

    Ride Sheffield have joined up with Cotic Women of Steel to put on a women-only trail maintenance day on Blacka Moor on 16 October.

    The event is aimed at encouraging more women to learn about trail maintenance requirements and techniques and will hopefully (if we get enough interest / don’t scare everyone off on the first session!) be the first in a series.

    For this session, we will be working on Blacka Moor bridleways, repairing trails and improving drainage before the winter. We will also be looking at how bikes, horses and walkers use the trails to try to understand the best way to make the repairs work for everyone (so no, we won’t be building any gap jumps or kickers…)

    Spaces are limited on this session, so if you’re interested, please contact info@ridesheffield.org.uk for details, or check out the Cotic Women of Steel Facebook for further details too

    We will provide tools as well as some snacks too. But if you can bring your own drinks and dress appropriately for the work that would be great.

  • Women In Cycling Festival 2021

    After a really successful event last year, the Women In Cycling Festival id back for a second tear. While we not be able to meet up and enjoy the same kind of social vibes as last year, there is still lots to enjoy. Here are more details from the organisers…….

    CALLING ALL GALS (AND GUYS TO SUPPORT THE GALS)

    Fancy a challenge? 
    The University of Sheffield Cycling Club is virtually organising their Women in Cycling Festival as a competition for all riders of all abilities to raise money for the Ride for Charlie Foundation. 

    (more…)

  • Lyme Disease – Take Care of Yourself

    At a recent Sheffield Moors Partnership meeting, local land managers stressed that Lyme Disease season is just around the corner and asked Ride Sheffield to get the word out. Lyme Disease is a serious condition that can have life-changing consequences. It is transmitted to humans by ticks that reside in the very undergrowth that we ride through. However, take some precautions and you can reduce the risk dramatically

    During spring and summer, particularly when bracken is at its height, ticks can attach themselves to a passing mountain biker. Obviously, we tend to be bare legged during the heat of summer, but wearing something on your legs can help prevent the ticks latching on.

    These are the ways you can protect yourselves:

    1. Use a tick repellant on your legs.
    2. When you’re riding singletrack where the undergrowth is encroaching, stop regularly and check for ticks.
    3. Carry a tick removal tool. This ensures that nothing is left in the skin which could spread the infection.
    4. Check yourself all over for ticks and wash clothes which will kill them. If you spot the ‘bullseye’ pattern or suffer flu-like symptoms, see your GP.

    The picture shows the classic bullseye pattern that can result from a lyme carrying tick having attached itself to you.

    For more information visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/

  • Redmires Update: Project Postponed

    Redmires Update: Project Postponed

    Over the years Ride Sheffield have dreamt big and grafted hard to realise some very ambitious projects and have built a well earned reputation as a riding community that gets the job done.  Our latest venture, Redmires, was set to be another example of this same commitment but unfortunately we have faced an ever growing set of unforeseen challenges and now three years down the road, we have had to make the difficult decision to postpone our work on the project. 

    Thanks to the generosity of local business and riders, the money required to build the track in Redmires Plantation was quickly raised. We formed an excellent relationship with Sheffield conservation groups to ensure we knew what possible impacts we could have on local wildlife. Ride Sheffield and Sheffield City Council (SCC) went the extra mile to produce a proposal that addressed numerous issues that could have an impact on the project.

    But that’s where the good news ends. Redmires lies within the Peak District National Park (PDNP) and therefore comes under close scrutiny due to its proximity to land that is of prime conservation status. The National Park Authority has the highest standards and in spite of our best efforts to fulfill those standards, we have run into a brick wall.

    Along with local residents, the PDNP has raised a number of objections including the effect the trail would have on landscape value, exacerbated by Storm Doris felling a belt of trees adjacent to the Long Causeway. The possible increase in parking and the fact that an endangered species, nightjar, is now nesting in the plantation were also crucial issues.

    We may all have opinions about the veracity of these objections but we were under no illusions when we first proposed this project that it would be a real challenge. The delay has understandably caused some serious debate within the local riding community with some arguing that we should abandon Redmires. Rightly or wrongly, we stuck to our guns for three years but, as a result of changing circumstances, we have to make a difficult decision.  Given the complexity of the planning application, it’s highly likely that Redmires will not be built for five years.

    But we’re not giving up. For a number of reasons, we’re determined to continue striving to achieve what would be a ground-breaking trail. It would set an important precedent, that mountain biking and conservation can co-exist. Time will be a factor because the growth of new trees will have a number of benefits for our project, not least removing the landscape impact.

    Importantly, this allows us to move on in a number of ways. First up, we’re keen to revitalise Greno. All three tracks need maintenance and reinvention with DH3 due an overhaul to ensure it becomes as popular as Steel City and Pub Run. We’ve already spoken to our corporate sponsors and they’re happy for funds they donated to be used for Greno. That, along with donations to the Greno Trail Fund and the Xmas raffle means we’re close to the required sum.

    Secondly, Lady Canning’s has been incredibly popular since construction and is showing serious signs of wear and tear. Again, we want to bring it back up to the highest possible standard. We may not be able to rebuild both of them immediately as that will depend massively on the continuing generosity of the Ride Sheffield mountain bike community. We’re in the process of making an application to the Santa Cruz Pay Dirt fund which could go some way to financing this work.

    Sheffield is the coolest mountain biking scene in the country. Thanks to the support of our community, we raised £45,000 towards Redmires. At some time in 2021, we will seek your opinions on what to do with the remaining Redmires funds. Ride Sheffield is determined to carry on listening to our supporters, being influenced by them and supporting the local mountain bike community.

  • State of Play: Mountain Biking lessons from lockdown and beyond

    State of Play: Mountain Biking lessons from lockdown and beyond

    As we face another lockdown, what have we learnt as riders that can help us through the next one while preserving our physical and mental health and a positive outlook for the sport?

     To say that this year has been a little bit odd would be understating things just a touch. But for many of us, bikes have been our salvation during the past seven months. It gave us an escape once a day during lockdown, a way of spending time with friends as things gradually ease (and now as we lockdown again). It has brought countless new riders into the sport (not to mention huge numbers of people out into the countryside). It has stripped shops of bikes but has also meant that so many more people are trying mountain biking for the first time or bringing lapsed riders back into the fold, not to mention all the kids that learned to ride during that time too.

    So out of what is really quite a desperate situation, there can be some real positives. It’s not been easy, just the sheer number of people out in the Peak and beyond has at times proved to be a real challenge, but that does not mean that it’s a bad thing. This year has brought about a lot of change, but if there is something to take away from that, it’s that change happens, and the quicker we can get a handle on it the better.

    So, after more than half a year of change and facing a winter of discontent and further restrictions, what  has mountain biking learnt, what mistakes do we still keep on making and how do we work with this change to make the sport stronger on the other side?

    We asked riders new and old, land managers and anyone else we have stopped and chatted to (formally and informally) along the way and here is what we found…..

    Riding

    • Trying harder than usual to avoid a trip to A&E provided its own set of challenges and arguments. You could hurt yourself doing the most benign trail, gnar and speed is relative and riding at less than 50% often felt scarier and otb worthy than normal riding. For most, their own judgement got them by just fine. #nocarnognarnotfar was an effective stick to beat ourselves with that we maybe could have done without.
    • For those who were lucky enough to have trails on the doorstep, the prospect of a daily ride sounded great. But at a sedate pace it may have seemed less interesting.  With a bit more repetition now was the chance to work on improving technique, tweaking setups and finding new lines through old trails. New trails were found closer to home. Routes were reversed, who knew your favourite descent could be an engaging climb too, not to mention the views you had been missing.

    Being Nice and Saying Hi 

    • Never has there been more of a need for this. Interactions in the outdoors were for many people the only time they encountered another person. That smile and hello you gave them could have been their  sole interaction for days.
    • Saying hi can smooth the ride considerably (especially if you ride with kids) – We’ve all encountered , the person who suddenly and silently appears on your wheel, huffing under their breath until they find somewhere to squeeze past. Who would have thought that a friendly “hi, could I squeeze past when there is space” would make it easier and quicker for all (this is not just an MTB problem).
    • Some people can’t hear you – the elderly person who doesn’t seem to hear you or the person who refuses to move out of the way because their hearing isn’t what it was anymore, or they could be profoundly deaf. So next time, rather than buzzing them and scaring the Werther’s Original out of them, maybe give them the benefit of the doubt and slow down and pass wide.
    • 2m passing space is not a bad idea – If giving everyone 2m as you passed by seemed a lot, maybe you have been passing a bit too closely all these years.
    • Brake checking or backpedalling is not how to let people know you want to pass– Next time you are on a stretch of road linking the trails, imagine a car or HGV locking up its wheels behind you (just to let you know it’s there!) nice eh!?
    • Say hi, pass wide, pass slow – try it on your next ride, you may be pleasantly surprised!
    • Lastly, being nice doesn’t just have to be reserved for the trails. We have a great riding community in Sheffield and even in the best of times our main interactions with one another are online. Just because someone doesn’t share the same view as you, doesn’t mean they are wrong. Just because we are united by mountain biking, doesn’t mean we will, or should have the same opinions. Embrace debate and if someone disagrees with you, deal with it or even reflect on their opinions. If you’re tempted to call out snowflake, you probably need to up your debate game!
    Photo: Duncan Philpott

    Access

    • Just because you aren’t at work, doesn’t mean that land managers are off too! – Lockdown saw an explosion of cheeky riding, less people out and no one to check meant that everywhere was fair game right? Well maybe not, reports of mountain bikers being in places that they were not meant to be, hit an all-time high during lockdown.
    • The hills and woodland surrounding Sheffield were not just a source of solace to riders, lots of people were suddenly out on the trails and who could blame them. Some people were more precious than others, unhappy that their spot was suddenly busy. I am sure some riders felt that too and could share a little empathy here. In more extreme cases we even saw trapping of trails as a sign of frustration. While never right, it does highlight how emotive people’s relationships to spaces they feel ownership of is.
    • So many new people out in the countryside has certainly created some headaches, from car parking to fires and lots of litter. But more people out in nature is overwhelmingly a positive thing. Just because they have not yet learned to respect it like more traditional users does not mean that they should be kept away. A delicate bit of education goes a lot further than shouting down someone’s mistakes.
    • There was (and still is) a big increase in the number of trails being carved into hillsides across the country. In some way this has to be applauded, it’s great to see riders with passion and dedication to create progressive riding. In some cases, these spots may well be adopted and become iconic destinations for riders. But for every well thought out and considerately constructed trail, there will be hundreds of others that will be forgotten scars in places that they maybe shouldn’t be, that cause friction between landowners and riders. A balance needs to be struck for sure.
    • There have been so many new riders entering the sport in the last eight months. So much so that it has caused a national (even global) shortage of bikes. More riders make our roads safer places to be and makes lobbying for increased access and other places to ride potentially easier. But they need to stay in the sport and the best way to do that (other than encouraging them to enjoy winter) is to show what a welcoming and inclusive sport it can be. Out on the trails and online, take the time to say hi and chat to people who are new to the sport (or just in general). Share hints and tips on setup and kit as well as riding skills (if they ask!). Chat to those colleagues who have just got bikes, take them out for a ride (on nice progressive trails), remember what it’s like to be a beginner again and feel how good it is to give a little back!
    • We still face a long winter of disruption, for many of us these are extremely difficult times, so what can you do to make it easier on yourself and others over the next few months and maybe even come out of the other end feeling good about something.

    Look after your mental health

    Winter can be trying at the best of times, Christmas is not always happy for everyone, so try and do what you can to promote good mental wellbeing and health in yourself and others…

    • Try to get outside and ride in daylight once a week, it will make you feel good and the body will appreciate the vitamin D (it’s worth taking extra this time of year too).
    • Any rider with depression will tell you that the biggest challenge is getting out of the house (depression is physically exhausting too), but is always worth it when they do. The clean up from a short ride may not seem the hassle, but develop good routines for bike cleaning, leave a hat and a flask (Tea, Coffee Whiskey) near your cleaning kit, as well as a towel and a bag for dirty kit by the door when you head out and it will make it that bit easier.
    • Check in on your friends, especially the ones skipping out on rides, they may need your help the most.
    • It’s ok not to be ok! Simple really, but you don’t need to kid yourself you are ok or tough it out. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in this country. If you don’t want to talk to your friends call Samaritans on 116 123 (free call).
    • Be kind to yourself, give yourself a break and remember that one of the best things about riding a bike is that extra large cake allowance that it gives you!

    Look after yourself and others

    • Give your riding buddy and other users the space they need when you are out on the trail (and elsewhere) especially in the busier areas
    • If you want to avoid the crowds, try and ride away from peak times
    • Say hi to others out on the trail, a two minute chat may be the only contact some people may have had that day!
    • Check in on your family and friends when you can
    • Consider what you post online, your amazing picture of a bit of freedom out on the trail with a friend, may heighten someone else’s isolation and despair at not being able to be doing the same.
    • Winter is never the time to be learning new tricks or hunting KoM’s. Take a read of the advice of Tested to Destruction if you want a little help on this. Now is probably not the time for a hospital visit either! http://testedtodestruction.blogspot.com/2020/02/go-outside-sit-down-wait.html

    Look after the trails

    Over the next month and possibly more we will not be able to get out and work on the trails (we have been working hard recently, but in restricted size groups) so please be considerate of where you ride.

    • Try and ride on sustainable surfaces where you can. We are lucky to have a lot of rocky and free draining trails to give you a lot of riding options for winter.
    • Now is not time to explore delicate footpaths or to start to try and form your own desire lines (especially down the fall line) 
    • Follow @KOTP on twitter or keep updated on trail conditions here https://ridesheffield.org.uk/trail-conditions/ 
    • Donate to the trail funds, so when we can get out we can support our work better https://ridesheffield.org.uk/support-us-2/

    Give a little back

    • Kick out a drain, move some debris off the trail, report problems you see on the trail (info@ridesheffield.org.uk) and it will keep things moving a little easier.
    • Have a little Selfless Isolation and take a note from Trash Free Trails and have a litter pick at your favourite riding spot (some tips here…) 
    • Share your thoughts or ideas of what you would like us to be doing more (or less) of. Or even better, get in touch and ask to join a mailing list for our trail teams when we can get back out again.
    • Donate to Ride Sheffield and help us keep your trails running sweet https://ridesheffield.org.uk/support-us-2/

    And finally…. Let your riding give you a constant, a chance to take your mind off things and return home feeling more like yourself. Take the time to share that good feeling when you are out on the trails and online. 

    Let the wind and rain sting your face and remember how good it is to feel strong and free and privileged to be out on a bike in the hills