Roadie considering a switch to MTB

MisterSpaccato

I relocated a month ago from Switzerland, and i already miss my bicycle so much!
I'm a road cyclist, but i'm considering mtb now, as it could be a great way to get to know the place and find lovely spots. My main difficulty with it, at least in Switzerland, is that mountain biking requires a certain knowledge of the place you plan to ride to, while with road cycling you just follow the tarmac and go with the flow. I live in south Dublin (actually closer to Bray than the city center ), but after a quick search on the web i only found two short trails. Is there any other way to get to know more trails and courses, or should i just get a bike and start roaming around wherever i feel like to ?

smacl

If you go onto open street map, anywhere you see dashed parallel lines is typically a forestry road / fire road which is ok for exploring on a mountain bike. Not specific MTB tracks but good for exploration. You can also get over a lot of them on a gravel or CX bike.

Borderfox

Strava segments? Go to explore local segments

triggermortis

OP - you'll find these things aren't as well set out here as they are in Switzerland, but they are here.
Sites like trailbadger.com can help find places to ride and Ballinastoe (Wicklow)must be close to you, as well as Ballyhoura (Dublin).

There are MTB specific clubs about too which would be a good way to meet people and find better information.

Oh, and welcome to Ireland

Macy0161

Join MAD or EPIC would be my recommendation - EPIC's "home" trails iirc are around the Leadmines which are near Kilternan/ Enniskerry/ Scalp.

I'm only getting the mountain bike back on the road, but doing a bit of fireroad riding and discovering new mtb trails that are close to where I live I never knew about (albeit fairly remote, so not sure I'd do them on my own). The issue tends to be that only certain woods are official mountain bike trails, but the others it's technically banned, so unofficial ones aren't widely advertised.

You could also try Biking.ie/ Ballinastoe - knowledgable and helpful people, and you can do bike hire by the day. There's both built and natural trails in Ballinastoe. I'd say they'd mind your road bike if you didn't have access to a car, or the St Kevins Bus will get you to within 10-15 minutes walk.

Wanderer78

Welcome to Ireland, some great advice here already but if you want a very exciting mtb experience and have access to a car, check out bike park Ireland just outside roscrea north county Tipperary. Not for the faint hearted!

TooObvious

Like the previous advice, join a club.

There are miles and miles of "unofficial" trails all over the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains. Best way of finding them is with people in the know, forget Strava. EpicMTB have a club course in the Leadmines in Kiltiernan, you've got Carrick Mtn closeby and Djouce and the rest of Wicklow a stones throw away.

Lemming

I'd echo advice of join a club, or if you discover a few workmates that are into mountain-biking, go ride with them.

To also get you going; trailforks. Even has a phone app. But as TooObvious has said above, most trails are 'unofficial' and rely on local knowledge. But that's the same the world over and not unique to Ireland.

Alek

To also get you going; trailforks.

Ticknock: Metro 1 is graded there as green (easy), while Eurosceptic and Euro/Metro2 as blue (moderate). In my beginner's experience its completely opposite... Is this grading correct?

Lemming

Alek wrote: »

Ticknock: Metro 1 is graded there as green (easy), while Eurosceptic and Euro/Metro2 as blue (moderate). In my beginner's experience its completely opposite... Is this grading correct?

I've not been up around Ticknock in a very, very long time so I'm not best placed to answer that question.

C3PO

I live in Shankill - probabaly not to far from you I'm guessing? If you get a mountainbike, drop me a PM and I'll happily meet up and show you some great local trails!

Miklos

I would have thought a road bike would be a better way to explore the country? From Bray you have the whole Wicklow mountains national park on your doorstep.

JazzyJ

Alek wrote: »

Ticknock: Metro 1 is graded there as green (easy), while Eurosceptic and Euro/Metro2 as blue (moderate). In my beginner's experience its completely opposite... Is this grading correct?

Euroskeptic and Euroservices would definitely be beginners level - nice flowy trains. Metro2's would be moderate - the rock garden probably too much for beginners. Metro 1 is meant to be for beginners too but its in bits - there'd be some dodgy spots that could catch them out badly.

OP, take the others advice - join a club. There's absolutely loads of trails out there - just unofficial.

paul mountainbike

If your down kilkenny way plenty of trails around here to but all unofficial.
Most colite fire roads are accessible just avoid if tree work going on for obvious reasons.