Dartmoor mountain biker

   For those who don't know, this is the birth of mountain biking (though there are those who believe that this was not the only birth of mountain biking). On Mount Tamalpais, California, during the 70s, a group of pioneering riders took their modified Schwinn Cruiser bikes and raced them down the mountain, in a race that became known as Repack. The name was coined after the fact that riders would have to Repack the grease in the roller brakes, as they would heat up so much on the descent that the grease inside would boil off! I've long lusted after a Schwinn Cruiser of my own, though the original 1940s bikes command premium prices these days. I've seen several very cool models from Electra (Trek), with Bosch motors, but I wasn't after another ebike. Though my knees could never power me on a real mountain bike ride, I am able to ride my static bike and most normal bikes, if ridden on the flat. Riding to the park is within my abilities, for now, so I've been looking ...

  One of my real pleasures in riding, is mastering steep, technical trails. Fortunately for me, the flanks of Dartmoor provide a wealth of such opportunities. Within riding distance of my home, I am spoilt for choice. From the big, all-day epics that take me 70kms or more, to a couple of hours spent riding roots and rocks in the valleys, I really do have my pick of the trails. The only thing we really lack here is elevation. The trails I rode yesterday, for example, whilst technically quite demanding in places, take a maximum of a minute to descend. Compare this to Gawton (a downhill centre near Tavistock), where the runs are three minutes long, or Wales and Scotland, where the choices are almost endless, never mind The Alps! I mustn't complain though, especially right now, when we can't travel and most people are severely limited in their riding options, I really do have quite a blessed life. One thing I can and do do, to keep my riding interesting, is coach others. It's q...