Who We Are
2008 membership now open
Groovy Tribe Mountain Bike Club
Click here for the Groovy Chicks Page
Join us for a pint at The Lock & Quay (previously known as The Railway) at Botany Bay in Chorley every Monday evening, from 8:00 pm, in the snug bar. (click this link to see a map).
New to MTB? Not much experience? Need some tuition before you commit to a club? Try Ray Mazey at Mountain Bike Instruction You could also look at these pages ‘Basic kit’ and "Tips".
Need your bike servicing or repairing? Then why not ask Tony to quote you a price. Competitive rates for all kinds of work. From simple re-lube to bearing changes and a full re-fit. All kinds of forks and suspension serviced or repaired. DU or DX bushes to fit Fox shocks now available. DX bush has a nylon coating and should last a bit longer. Call Tony now on 01772616189 or 07719529868 or go to his WEBSITE
Holiday Apartment - Les Gets in France has some fantastic mountain bike trails for both DH and XC fans. Many lifts serve the area so getting to trails even in Switzerland is no problem. If you need somewhere to stay try here www.lesgetsapartment.co.uk One of our members owns the apartment and can offer club members some special rates. See the members section of the calendar page for details.
Dave's amazing website - mtbvideos.co.uk - lots of videos to watch (with broadband - 20mb upto 120mb files) including Innerleithen black run of cross country route (very, very good) and Mabie Forest Dark Side.
The club was started in 1994 by a group of like minded riders at a local bike shop near Chorley in deepest Lancashire, England. Now, 12 years on and the skill and fitness levels of the club members has risen dramatically.
Walna Scar - April 2008
The membership is still mostly based around the Preston/Chorley/Bolton area of Lancashire, but we also have members in Derby, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Cumbria and North Wales. Our Sunday rides are usually in one of those counties and typically within a 2 hour drive from Chorley where we meet on Sunday morning. We have occasional forays to Scotland, South Wales, and North Yorkshire for weekends away.
We have cross country race snakes and hard core downhill demons. We also arrange many more hard off road routes for the more experienced riders looking for a challenge. We have weekends away through the summer (bunkhouse or low cost self catering) with longer rides on a Saturday and easier routes on the Sunday.
In 1996 we were approached by Leisure Lakes.
They wanted a club and we needed association with a shop to help spread the word. So now we are the "Groovy Tribe supported by Leisure Lakes". This has worked out very well. We get a 12% club discount off bike parts (not complete bikes - you have to negotiate this). Also we get free entry into the Leisure Lakes site at Tarleton near Southport on race days and half price entry into the races.
We
hope this web page gives you some indication of what we are about.
If
you are already into Mountain Biking you will probably recognise some of the places we
have been and know that you are capable of the rides and distances we
cover.
However,
we need to stress that our rides are not for beginners. You need to be of
a good standard of fitness but also used to riding a bike regularly off
road. You need to have a decent MTB with at least front
suspension unless you are one of these minimalist types with the skills to
match.
We
are usually out for a full day riding (4-6 hrs) on the Sunday club rides,
and can’t always stop at café’s so you will need to be
self-sufficient with food and drink.
Mountain
Biking is not as easy as it might look so if you are used to riding on the road,
you need to more than double that distance for how tired you will feel after a ride
on an MTB. For example 25 miles off-road (typical Sunday club ride) is
equivalent to at least 50 miles on road.
Have
a look at our information page ‘Basic kit’
and "Tips" to see what you will need.
If
you are unsure then please contact us, we often do local rides that you
could come on to see what you think.
If
you are a beginner the following websites might be of interest to you: -
http://www.mountainbikeinstruction.co.uk
So here we are today. More than 100 members, and a very active calendar every month. If you want to be a member click here to go to our Email Application Form . Sending this form will get you a return email with an invitation to try a ride. For the Club Rules click here. You could come to The Lock & Quay (previously known as The Railway) at Botany Bay in Chorley (click this link to see a map) any Monday evening to talk to some members about what we do and what experience you have.
We now have a very active women's/ladies/girls/chicks section that ride independently of the main club rides and are exclusively for the female members. They also ride with the main club ride when it suits them! Click here for the Groovy Chicks Page
The Groovy Tribe MBC is a member of IMBA
The Groovy Tribe MBC is a member of the BCF.
Club membership of the BCF confers some benefits; all Clubs, Teams and Associations in England other than school clubs are automatically covered for Public Liability Insurance, with an indemnity limit of £5000000 upon payment of the Club Affiliation Fee to the Federation. Subject to the normal terms and conditions of the Insurer's standard Public Liability Insurance Policy, it indemnifies:
1. The Club against claims brought by non-members and invitees
2. Officials of the Club, who act on the Club's specific instructions during their term of office, against claims brought by non-members who have been invited (prior to possible membership) to take part in the Club's activities, for example, Club runs, social activities etc., for injuries sustained and damage to Third Party Property, sustained during participation. Also if they have carried out the Club's instructions, including the hire, rent, or loan of premises at the instructions of the Club Committee. Such instructions should in all cases comply with the decision given by the Club Committee.
3. Individuals who have been invited to participate in Club activities as invitees and are not already covered by any other insurance.
Exclusions: Events (races of any kind), Time Trials, Individual Club Members.
Not only that, but as a Groovy Tribe member you will get a Groovy Tribe car sticker, monthly newsletter (Granny's Ring) by email or snail mail and a membership card (needed in the Leisure Lakes shops for the discount) and you will have the opportunity to purchase apparel with the club motif ...
Shirt £35.00
Groovy Chicks T-shirts £11
Groovy Tribe T-shirts £5 (Beer extra!)
Groovy Tribe Polo shirts £10
So who is this?
It's HIRO our club mascot. He was originally conceived to represent some of the more fearless members. Inspired by the kamikaze pilots, the term was originally applied by grateful Japanese to a typhoon that destroyed a Mongol invasion fleet in 1281. It was revived in 1945 and applied to pilots who flew their aircraft, loaded with explosives, directly into United States naval vessels. Now, our club is not about riding into US ships! Or trying to kill ourselves! But we do like the cartoon, so we adopted it for our race shirts and car sticker. You will get a car sticker when you join, but you have to buy the race shirt, it's not included in the joining fee!
Email your comments, questions or quick quips to us.
Groovy Tribe MBC © All rights reserved.
What We Do
Groovy Tribe MBC, PO Box 306, Bolton, BL6 6FS
Email: groovytribe@btinternet.com