It was during a conversation with Adrian - our illustrious host, about myself having been involved in both petrol and pedal powered off roading, that we got on to the subject of how much fun off-roading without an engine could be. Yes that’s right, bicycles, with pedals that you have to push round in circles with your own legs! 

As the conversation continued I rashly offered to type out a few words in an attempt to justify how much fun they really are. ‘Compare and contrast the relative merits of petrol verses pedals for off road recreation’. Oh dear, that sounds horribly like an O’ level essay paper (yes I’m that old). Well here goes and please feel free to add comments in red pen in the margin as you read…

Power gets you far away to see wonderful trails. 

I’ll start with the environmental issues: Motorbikes burn petrol and produce exhaust gasses, cyclists puff and pant a bit up the hills and breath out a bit of carbon dioxide. Now we all know that there is a finite amount oil buried under the ground and that mankind won’t rest until it has all been dug up, refined and burnt in a motor of some kind. So if you or I don’t use it we can be sure that someone else will which to my mind leaves clear winner on that argument.

Motorbikes are heavier than bicycles and wear the trails more. Yes that’s true, but the network of trails open to motorcycles is far smaller than that available to cyclists and in many cases built on firmer ground to start with. We all have a duty to ride responsibly and if you want to roost divots to telegraph pole height then there are places to go where people won’t get upset. Maybe half a point to the cyclists?

On a motorcycle you can cover far more ground in a given time than a bicycle. You can’t deny that but with the trail network becoming ever more restricted by the powers that be, for most of us travelling is essential for getting in a bit of quality powered trail riding whereas finding a bridleway or some quiet woodland trails to ride your mountain bike along isn’t usually too difficult. Quits on that one then.

But pedals also gets you companionship - yes you can actually talk.

Motorbikes are more expensive than bicycles? Well yes a new KTM will set you back rather more than most mountain bikes but doesn’t everyone who goes trail riding know someone who owns a snotty old DT175 or XL250 and finishes every ride with the biggest grin of the pack? It’s even arguable that bikes like these are more relevant to the requirements of responsible trail riding than the competition machinery that a lot of people choose anyway. Bicycles can be cheap but up to a thousand pounds the increase in quality is astounding. I could give you the names of a dozen or more serious mountain biking friends of mine who have spent four figure sums on their mountain bikes with no regrets so once again, no score draw.

My next argument In favour of pedal power is possibly a bit of a shaky one. Picture a hot sunny summer evening and what would you rather be wearing? Tee shirt and shorts or body armour, jeans and MX boots? Personally I’d rather be feeling the sun on my skin although the argument starts to fall down when you consider how much you’re going to be sweating pedaling a mountain bike at any kind of respectable speed in hot weather and how pleasant a 20 to 30mph breeze fluttering through your clothing as you sit up twisting the throttle is going to feel. Yet again no points awarded to either side.

Let’s have a recap before my final point - Over five carefully thought out criteria the scores are: Motorbikes zero points, Mountain Bikes er half a point. It’s not entirely conclusive is it? But brace yourselves I’ve saved the best till last!

CRF250X - Honda enduro / trail, weapon of choice.

The final and to my mind, most persuasive argument in favour of pedals is - that when I’m out on a bicycle, I can combine the ride with enjoyment of my 3rd favourite pastime, at any of the better pubs en route (do I really need to explain what my first favourite pastime is here?). …and of course the best pubs are always the ones with a bit of top quality single-track close by.

One pint and you’re nicely loosened up for a quick blast through the twisty bits.

Two pints and you’re a superstar riding on the edge, drifting through the corners, missing trees by carefully calculated millimeters with the alcohol numbing any sense of tiredness in the legs.

Four pints or more and you’re a riding god, convinced that you’re invincible, although you’re quite obviously not, much to the amusement of your mates as they watch you running off the track, clipping trees and diving into gorse bushes before doing no better themselves.

During the summer months, it’s rare for there not to be a pub stop for a pint or two on my Thursday evening rides with the lads and once or twice a year, we’ll set up a full on pub crawl on the bikes, - riding between some of the better pubs in the New Forest.

It was during one of these rides that a friend of mine earned the nic-name "40MPG" for 40 miles ridden and 8 pints drunk, plus the obligatory kebab half way. Me, I’m a bit of a lightweight and decided that 6 pints was by far enough. But the icing on the cake is surely the way all that riding flushes the alcohol out of your system, thus minimising the following mornings hangover.

Ultra trick VMF Hardy off-roader.

Keith Whitten has been actively involved in both riding and supplying off-road motorbikes and cycles for what seems like a very long time, operating from his shop at 81 Rumbridge Street
Totton, Hampshire. SO40 9DT.

Keith back in 1981 on his Beta 50.

Originally trading as 'Totton Trail Bikes' Keith imported and sold literally hundreds of trail bikes to people from all over the UK. Now also trading under the more appropriate banner of 'Perfect Balance Cycles' Keith has moved into cycles in a big way.

Originally from a quest to keep fit for riding motorbikes, Keith has found immense fun via the pedals - which also allows him to combine the double pleasure of riding trails - and consuming large quantities of the amber nectar!

Those who would like to join Keith on one of his Thursday evening pedal powered off-road jaunts take note:

There’s a group of us that meet at 6:45 every Thursday at the Pilgrim pub in Marchwood (Hampshire) for an evening ride through the New Forest. We usually cover 20 to 30 miles depending on conditions before returning to the Pilgrim for a beer or six. These rides go ahead in ALL weathers and ALL seasons. During the winter a set of lights is usually available for first timers to borrow. Unless we have another summer like 2003, getting muddy is a certainty!

More details can be found on Keiths Perfect Balance Cycles 'Rides' page.

Keth operating as Totton Trailbikes, has always had a superb trail bike 'Model Guide' on his website (checkout www.tottontrailbikes.co.uk ), which starts off:

Low seat, which are trail styled bikes where the seat height has been kept to a minimum at the expense of suspension travel. The best known of these is the Yamaha Serow,
Standard, which is the sort of bike that most people think of when visualising a trail bike. These bikes will be tall with long travel suspension and styling that mimics the manufacturers competition bikes of the period.
Desert Race Replica, which are usually based on a standard model with modifications such as large headlights, large tank and broader seat.

I must say I was very impressed with the information on this page and feel that all potential trail bike riders and buyers would do well to check it out.

To contact Keith click here for email or call 02380 871777 during shop hours or 07989 703553 (mobile) at other times.

Extreme pedal power - fancy trying a trials cycle !