Mountain bike guides from the Forest of Dean
Where to ride, where to park, where the coffee is, and how to find people to ride with. Written by riders who ride here.
Riding the Forest of Dean
Trails, parking, coffee and the local knowledge you only get from riding here.
Mountain Biking in the Forest of Dean: A Local's GuideMountain biking in the Forest of Dean from a local: Cannop trails and grades, downhill and uplift, parking, coffee stops, wet-weather riding and where next.
Best MTB Trails in the Forest of Dean, by LevelThe best MTB trails in the Forest of Dean for every level: family and green trails, Verderers, Adit, Freeminers and the 14 downhill tracks, with local tips.
Mallards Pike Mountain Biking: Parking, Coffee and the Natural TrailsMallards Pike mountain biking from a local: free and paid parking, the lakeside cafe, 2026 harvesting closures and natural trails that ride well in the wet.
Forest of Dean Cycle Centre: Trails, Hire, Uplift and ParkingA local rider's guide to the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre at Cannop: the trails and their grades, bike hire, the uplift, parking prices and when to go.
Forest of Dean Mountain Biking for Beginners: Where to StartForest of Dean mountain biking for beginners: start on Old Bob's green at the Cycle Centre, then step up to the Verderers blue. Hire, parking and coaching.
Forest of Dean Downhill: Uplift Days, the Tracks and the Push-UpForest of Dean downhill uplift: FlyUp's minibus runs to the top of 14 tracks at Cannop. How to book, push-up and e-bike laps, which tracks to ride, and kit.
Finding people to ride with
How to find a group ride, join one, and turn strangers into a regular crew.
Forest of Dean Group Mountain Bike Rides: How to Find One and JoinForest of Dean group mountain bike rides: free shop and night rides, a women's group, trail digs, paid guides and where local riders meet. A local's guide.
Where to Find Mountain Bike Rides Near You in the UKWhere to find mountain bike rides in the UK: Cycling UK groups, bike shop rides, Breeze rides for women, guided rides, Facebook groups and apps like Plus1.
How to Join a Group Ride on a Mountain Bike: Your First Ride, Step by StepHow to join a group ride on a mountain bike: pick one at your level, message the organiser, bring the right kit and know how no-drop rides work. A UK guide.
How to Find a Mountain Bike Club in the UK (and Pick the Right One)Find mountain bike clubs in the UK: British Cycling's Club Finder, Cycling UK's 900+ groups, women's groups, taster rides, what it costs and insurance.
E-bike maintenance
Keeping an e-MTB running, from DJI Avinox to chains, pads, tyres, suspension and batteries, with the free Plus1 Garage doing the remembering.
Plus1 Garage: a free bike maintenance app for e-MTB ridersA free bike maintenance app for e-MTB riders: add your bike, type in the miles, and the Plus1 Garage tells you when the chain, pads, tyres and fork are due.
How to Maintain a DJI Avinox E-Bike: Cleaning, Battery, Firmware and the Parts That WearDJI Avinox maintenance from the manual: clean it without a pressure washer, store the battery at 30%, update firmware, and know which parts wear faster.
DJI Avinox Settings and Tips: Modes, Boost, Charge Limit and RangeDJI Avinox settings explained: the five assist modes, Boost's 60 seconds, the 100, 95, 80 or 70% charge limit, charging times, and what you can't change.
Best DJI Avinox E-Bikes: Every Avinox Bike We Could Verify, Grouped by TravelThe best DJI Avinox e-bikes, listed not ranked: motor, battery, travel, weight and European list prices, grouped into trail, enduro and big-travel bikes.- How Long Does an E-Bike Chain Last? Wear Limits, Checkers and Real MileageHow long does an e-bike chain last? Our starting estimate is about 540 miles in mixed UK riding, nearer 300 in the wet. How to check 0.5% and 0.75% wear.
- How Long Do E-Bike Brake Pads Last? E-MTB Pads, Rotors and BleedsHow long do e-bike brake pads last? Our starting estimate: about 430 miles front, 350 rear, roughly half in the wet. SRAM and Shimano limits, rotors, bleeds.
- How Long Do E-MTB Tyres Last? Wear, E-Bike Tyres and SealantHow long do e-MTB tyres last? Our starting estimate: about 310 miles for a rear, 605 for a front, about twice as fast as a normal bike. What worn looks like.
E-MTB Suspension Service: How Often to Service Your Fork and ShockE-MTB fork service intervals from Fox and RockShox, what a lowers service is, the signs it's due now, and why e-bike weight and wet winters mean going sooner.
E-Bike Battery Care: Charging, Winter Storage and Cold WeatherE-bike battery care from Bosch and DJI Avinox advice: how to charge, store at part charge over winter, ride in the cold, and tell when a battery is worn out.
How to Clean an Electric Mountain Bike (Without Wrecking the Motor)How to clean an electric mountain bike: no pressure washer, battery off and port covers closed, gentle water and mild soap, then dry, lube and check it over.
E-MTB maintenance schedule: every ride, every month, by the mile and every yearAn e-MTB maintenance schedule: what to check before every ride and each month, when to replace chains, pads and tyres by the mile, and what to service yearly.
E-MTB tech
The kit changing e-MTB riding, from 150 Nm motors and upside-down forks to auto shifting and big batteries, tried on Forest of Dean trails.
- FOX Podium Review: Nearly 1,000 Miles on an Upside-Down E-MTB ForkFOX Podium review after nearly 1,000 miles on a Mondraker Zendit e-MTB: how the upside-down fork rides roots and wet trails, setup, downsides and servicing.
- Full Power vs Lightweight E-MTB: Why I Swapped My Kenevo SL for 150 NmFull power vs lightweight eMTB: after five years on a Kenevo SL, I ride a 150 Nm Avinox and wouldn't go back. Torque, weight, UK law, self-shuttling, wear.
- Auto Shift E-Bikes and Gearboxes: SRAM Powertrain, Shimano, Avinox Smooth Shift and Pinion MGUAuto shift e-bikes explained by a Forest of Dean rider: SRAM Powertrain Auto Shift, Shimano Free Shift, Avinox Smooth Shift and the Pinion MGU gearbox.
- How Far Can an Electric Mountain Bike Go on One Charge? Real e-MTB RangeHow far an electric mountain bike goes on one charge: e-MTB battery sizes, what drains range, charging times, range extenders and real Forest of Dean days.
