Now obviously there are fantastic trails in far away places and we spend thousands getting there and enjoying them for a brief one, two or 3 weeks.
But I tell you, if you know where to look and have the cop on, you could ride everyday in Ireland and have an amazing MTB experience.
I'll give you an example and this is for the benefit of guests and non epic people who don't have members access.
We went on a spin today, less than an hour from the City Centre of Dublin.
The spin took 2 hours and we did one 15 minute climb that gave us a descent that took about 5 minutes and it was as gnarly as fcuk !!!!
then we did another 30 minute climb in spectacular surroundings and this brought us to 30 minutes of Singletrack in a complete wilderness.
after that we rode along the roof of Wicklow and then descended on the single most enjoyable descent anywhere.
Afterwards we had coffee and fancy sambos in the sunshine at a cheap enough deal.
Ireland has a huge amount to offer.
In the PM I went out from my house here in Deansgrange to Carrickollogan and back through historic countryside and unbelievable views over Dublin bay.
I'd say it was 70% singletrack .
I'm not saying it can compare with Whistler or Morzine but I can do it every day if I want and so can you.
And its absolutely brilliant. There are people here who have been to Whistler and New Zealand but who have never ridden off the Sugarloaf or Camaderry.
Open your eyes !
So tonight I went from Eurocycles HQ home via 3 rock...
Me an Smithers left Taylors at 6.00 and went up Stackstown and up through Ticknock, Past Toms , the Phantom Rockdropper has gone mad on this trail !! up via a trail MAD built last year and never used for their event that didn't happen.
on to Fairy castle and on to the upper Coillte speedway and then on to the second one that leads to Ticknock and down the boneshaker.
And home in record time.
Fantastic stuff on a carbon hardtail.
Have to agree its a bloody great auld spot, I went on a 4 1/2 hour jaunt yesterday and coverd lots of different terrain, long wet rocky downs through a river, lovely single track, nice and skinny board walk, few tough climbs, well tough for me... a hike a bike and even a bit of road action as I couldn't find another way, bloody great day. I started at 8.30 and didn't meet one other biker till I got back to 3 rock. Ride on!
Have to totally agree , shame Failte Ireland doesnt see the potential in mtb tourists , could help our fcuked up economy ( then may be not , down south here you can go for a spin and not meet a soul on some beautiful trails ) .
Nps Nagles is go with some serious mountain biking , it is a fantastic mtb area with a big mountain feel , where you could be out for a spin and be the only mtb on the mountain .
Nps Nagles is go with some serious mountain biking , it is a fantastic mtb area with a big mountain feel , where you could be out for a spin and be the only mtb on the mountain .
Don't mean to be a smart-ass but... if Ireland really were the best place for mountain biking wouldn't there be more mountain bikers around? Instead of reports of empty trails?:)
I haven't discovered most of the trails yet but there definitely is good material around if only the weather and coillte would be a bit more supportive... Personally it's still hard for me to get used to everything being so rocky, what's up with that? And would love to see some more marathons like the Cooley thriller to discover all the good stuff around the country!
Rattur..
My point about it being great is that you we who live here can do it every day if we want and all weekend if we want to.
Sure its great to go to other amazing places and ride your bikes but what i'm highlighting is that the resources here for mtbing is brilliant.
And man , the rocks are the best bits !!
At the moment Wicklow is riding absolutely brilliant, after only a week of no rain, everywhere is bone dry and if you know what you are doing you can link up so many trails to give an awesome experience !
Some of the best spins I've had were in torrential rain and schlomp..I nearly drowned in a puddle in France one time during a downpour !!
We are not just blessed with amazing topography, but also by a small cohort of visionaries have also built some of the most amazing trails in these places. Think of Djouce, it is like an mtb Disney World of trails, Dave asked today who found and built the EWOKS, damned if I know but if they had been there today I would have kissed them.
Sean and myself discovered it ye thick eejit !! who did you think ? we came in from the bottom fireroad first and then we built the top sections, Rogan,Eamo, Killian Dave Gilroy, Colin,even Sophie had a hand in it ! Colin built that bridge and we had another section near the top but the trees got munched !! Sean built a suicide jump up there one time..very funny escapade there one time. I had to put Sophie in the wheelbarrow to get her up there with me !!
Now obviously there are fantastic trails in far away places and we spend thousands getting there and enjoying them for a brief one, two or 3 weeks.
But I tell you, if you know where to look and have the cop on, you could ride everyday in Ireland and have an amazing MTB experience.
I'll give you an example and this is for the benefit of guests and non epic people who don't have members access.
We went on a spin today, less than an hour from the City Centre of Dublin.
The spin took 2 hours and we did one 15 minute climb that gave us a descent that took about 5 minutes and it was as gnarly as fcuk !!!!
then we did another 30 minute climb in spectacular surroundings and this brought us to 30 minutes of Singletrack in a complete wilderness.
after that we rode along the roof of Wicklow and then descended on the single most enjoyable descent anywhere.
Afterwards we had coffee and fancy sambos in the sunshine at a cheap enough deal.
Ireland has a huge amount to offer.
In the PM I went out from my house here in Deansgrange to Carrickollogan and back through historic countryside and unbelievable views over Dublin bay.
I'd say it was 70% singletrack .
I'm not saying it can compare with Whistler or Morzine but I can do it every day if I want and so can you.
And its absolutely brilliant. There are people here who have been to Whistler and New Zealand but who have never ridden off the Sugarloaf or Camaderry.
Open your eyes !
So tonight I went from Eurocycles HQ home via 3 rock...
Me an Smithers left Taylors at 6.00 and went up Stackstown and up through Ticknock, Past Toms , the Phantom Rockdropper has gone mad on this trail !! up via a trail MAD built last year and never used for their event that didn't happen.
on to Fairy castle and on to the upper Coillte speedway and then on to the second one that leads to Ticknock and down the boneshaker.
And home in record time.
Fantastic stuff on a carbon hardtail.
Have to agree its a bloody great auld spot, I went on a 4 1/2 hour jaunt yesterday and coverd lots of different terrain, long wet rocky downs through a river, lovely single track, nice and skinny board walk, few tough climbs, well tough for me... a hike a bike and even a bit of road action as I couldn't find another way, bloody great day. I started at 8.30 and didn't meet one other biker till I got back to 3 rock. Ride on!
Have to totally agree , shame Failte Ireland doesnt see the potential in mtb tourists , could help our fcuked up economy ( then may be not , down south here you can go for a spin and not meet a soul on some beautiful trails ) .
Nps Nagles is go with some serious mountain biking , it is a fantastic mtb area with a big mountain feel , where you could be out for a spin and be the only mtb on the mountain .
Nps Nagles is go with some serious mountain biking , it is a fantastic mtb area with a big mountain feel , where you could be out for a spin and be the only mtb on the mountain .
Don't mean to be a smart-ass but... if Ireland really were the best place for mountain biking wouldn't there be more mountain bikers around? Instead of reports of empty trails?:)
I haven't discovered most of the trails yet but there definitely is good material around if only the weather and coillte would be a bit more supportive... Personally it's still hard for me to get used to everything being so rocky, what's up with that? And would love to see some more marathons like the Cooley thriller to discover all the good stuff around the country!
Rattur..
My point about it being great is that you we who live here can do it every day if we want and all weekend if we want to.
Sure its great to go to other amazing places and ride your bikes but what i'm highlighting is that the resources here for mtbing is brilliant.
And man , the rocks are the best bits !!
At the moment Wicklow is riding absolutely brilliant, after only a week of no rain, everywhere is bone dry and if you know what you are doing you can link up so many trails to give an awesome experience !
Some of the best spins I've had were in torrential rain and schlomp..I nearly drowned in a puddle in France one time during a downpour !!
We are not just blessed with amazing topography, but also by a small cohort of visionaries have also built some of the most amazing trails in these places. Think of Djouce, it is like an mtb Disney World of trails, Dave asked today who found and built the EWOKS, damned if I know but if they had been there today I would have kissed them.
Sean and myself discovered it ye thick eejit !! who did you think ? we came in from the bottom fireroad first and then we built the top sections, Rogan,Eamo, Killian Dave Gilroy, Colin,even Sophie had a hand in it ! Colin built that bridge and we had another section near the top but the trees got munched !! Sean built a suicide jump up there one time..very funny escapade there one time. I had to put Sophie in the wheelbarrow to get her up there with me !!