Lost Kiwi
Well-Known Member
Thought you guys may be interested in seeing what riding is like on the other side of the pond.
*Note: Riding in Coventry is not representative of the rest of the UK (Its pretty shite round here off road)
First a bit of geography/ history. Coventry is in the Midlands, called the midlands cos its in the middle innit.
I'm the blue dot just south of Coventry, Birmingham is the UKs 2nd biggest city and about 4o minutes to the west and the edge of London (M25 ring road) is about 1.5 hours south east down the M40 - commonly referred to round these parts as the english autobahn, you can comfortably cruise @ 90 without to much hassle from the fuzz. I was hoping to head to Cannock Chase (the red pin) which has a dedicated bike park as around here its easiest the best riding but the missus had stolen the chariot for the little man so I had to make do with a local run I have found. Anywhere on the map you see a big green splodge is generally a good spot to go riding, note the very obvious exception of any sizeable green splodge near me
Coventry actually has a pretty big bike history, bike manufacturing started here when sewing machine manufacturers diversified in the late 1800s (https://oldbike.wordpress.com/7-bicycles-manufactured-in-coventry/)
The local transport museum has a cool collection of some of this old stuff. I have an illogical want to get an early 1900s machine to park in the garage and play with but anything that comes up locally usually gets snapped up by the museum for restoration and display...
Anyway onto the ride, the weather was a barmy 6 degrees (43f for you lot) up from the overnight low of -3 (26f) whilst we hadn't got any snownear us places within an hour had. I'd managed to patch up my leaking brake MC so rugged up and headed out. First stop is the woods at the top of my street, probably the best single track on the whole ride.
From there its a pretty cruise up the local bike/dog walking path beside a stream (round here they call it a river
)
crossing to the wrong side of the tracks
Out past the hospital and along a local bridleway through some farmers fields
From there I can get into the back of Coombe Abbey, its a Downton Abbey abbey rather than a churchie one. Probably the most scenic part of the ride.
After dodging some angry swans (I kid not, seen one of those fiesty buggars take on a Bull Terrier!) its back onto more bridleway for the run home....
There is one more wood for some more singletrack along the way
Dodging mole holes heading across the park
If you've been left with the distinct impression that things are rather flat around here then give yourself a gold star, nearly 14 miles of riding and less than 500 feet of elevation!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed, time to start packing my bags for a return to the OC on Monday for another 9 days. Looking forward to some warmer weather and a decent climb / descent or three
*Note: Riding in Coventry is not representative of the rest of the UK (Its pretty shite round here off road)
First a bit of geography/ history. Coventry is in the Midlands, called the midlands cos its in the middle innit.
I'm the blue dot just south of Coventry, Birmingham is the UKs 2nd biggest city and about 4o minutes to the west and the edge of London (M25 ring road) is about 1.5 hours south east down the M40 - commonly referred to round these parts as the english autobahn, you can comfortably cruise @ 90 without to much hassle from the fuzz. I was hoping to head to Cannock Chase (the red pin) which has a dedicated bike park as around here its easiest the best riding but the missus had stolen the chariot for the little man so I had to make do with a local run I have found. Anywhere on the map you see a big green splodge is generally a good spot to go riding, note the very obvious exception of any sizeable green splodge near me
Coventry actually has a pretty big bike history, bike manufacturing started here when sewing machine manufacturers diversified in the late 1800s (https://oldbike.wordpress.com/7-bicycles-manufactured-in-coventry/)
The local transport museum has a cool collection of some of this old stuff. I have an illogical want to get an early 1900s machine to park in the garage and play with but anything that comes up locally usually gets snapped up by the museum for restoration and display...
Anyway onto the ride, the weather was a barmy 6 degrees (43f for you lot) up from the overnight low of -3 (26f) whilst we hadn't got any snownear us places within an hour had. I'd managed to patch up my leaking brake MC so rugged up and headed out. First stop is the woods at the top of my street, probably the best single track on the whole ride.
From there its a pretty cruise up the local bike/dog walking path beside a stream (round here they call it a river
)crossing to the wrong side of the tracks
Out past the hospital and along a local bridleway through some farmers fields
From there I can get into the back of Coombe Abbey, its a Downton Abbey abbey rather than a churchie one. Probably the most scenic part of the ride.
After dodging some angry swans (I kid not, seen one of those fiesty buggars take on a Bull Terrier!) its back onto more bridleway for the run home....
There is one more wood for some more singletrack along the way
Dodging mole holes heading across the park
If you've been left with the distinct impression that things are rather flat around here then give yourself a gold star, nearly 14 miles of riding and less than 500 feet of elevation!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed, time to start packing my bags for a return to the OC on Monday for another 9 days. Looking forward to some warmer weather and a decent climb / descent or three
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Maybe even pay a courtesy call on the Bard since Stratford-on-Avon is just down the road.
