Stay Local Ride Tameside

As we are currently no longer able to get out on group rides and are no longer allowed to travel we thought we'd share some tips and advice that we hope will help you enjoy getting out on your bike around Tameside during the current lockdown.

What you need & recommendations

We always advice that you wear a helmet.(Just not worth the risk)
We would recommend that you wear a pair of mtb gloves. (on some rides you may also need some knee pads)
We recommend that you take a bag with you that can be easily carried on your back that contains-

Food and drink to help keep your energy levels up.

Spare warm clothing & waterproofs in a dry bag (always remember to check the weather before riding)

Spare inner tubes, pump (check valves on your wheels either presta or schrader) multitool & a chain link.

A fully charged Mobile phone with what 3 word app & ICE (In Case of Emergency)app downloaded.

A small amount of change (Enough to get some emergency drink / food or taxi / train fare home)

First Aid kit

You'll need a fully working Mountain bike, either hardtail or full suspension (We recommend doing an M check before every ride)
Learn some basic bike maintenance. (Change inner tube, repair broken chain)
Bike lights, both front and rear (On night rides we recommend a high lumen light on your bars and on your helmet)
Wear comfortable clothing, (most mountain bikers wear baggy jersey's and shorts / pants). Layer your clothing to help better maintain a comfortable temperature when riding. We'd recommend a good flat bottomed shoe to help with grip.
In winter you will need tyres with lots of grip & chain oil / lube designed for wetter conditions.
In winter your body temperature can constantly change during a ride, from sweating on a long climb, getting cold waiting for a mechanical to be repaired to freezing on a long descent on a frosty day. Taking snoodes, wintergloves, skull caps or a fleece which can be easily taken on and off is a great way to help regulate your temperature.
Taking a small flask with your favourite hot drink in is a great way to keep warm, give you an energy boost and can also be used to deforst parts on your bike on those very cold winter days.

Planning your ride.

In Tameside we are very lucky with the amount of off road riding routes we have. The area is crossed by two long distance cycle routes the Great North Trail ( Pennine Bridleway ) and the Trans Pennine Trail, there is also the Bridleway network that runs along the Tame Valley and lots of other bridleways that can be used to link areas together, which make planning a ride easy for either a challenging day on the bike or a steady family ride.

Plan your route before heading out, use an O.S map or Strava route builder. If you are unsure how far you can ride, plan a circular route with your start & finish destination in the middle. Don't just look at distance also plan in the amount of elevation (climbing) on the route.
Make sure your route is in line with the highway code, bridleways are OK for bikes, footpaths are for walking only. (Always Be Nice Say Hi when passing other trail users)
Always check the weather conditions for the day of your ride. ( You don't want to be at the furthest point when the heavy rain and wind start )
Think about the condition of the trail you want to ride, if there's been heavy rain for days stick to routes which are more sustainable where you will cause less damage. (Most routes in Tameside are good all year round)
Ride within your limit's, If you think something may be difficult to ride don't be afraid to get off and push.
ALWAYS TELL SOMEONE WHERE YOU ARE GOING & HOW LONG YOU WILL BE