Ah Well what can I say Cork Fire Brigade haven’t exactly got a mountain bike club just a gang of us who go out and rip up the trails occasionally. It all started a couple of years ago when a few of us who had mountain bikes but never really used them started going out together and hey found it was fun…. I mean I ask you how would you rather work out, a couple of hours in the gym on the tread mill or the static bike or out on the numerous trails in the area , the wind in your hair (if you still have it) and the wonderful smell of dog dirt you just rode through (ask Owen) and in the summer you get loads of midge bites every one thinks you have measles! No seriously if you are into your training there is no better interval training out there than to get those heart bursting up hills rewarded with fast flowing heart stopping free wheeling downhill’s.

So what bikes do we have? A real mixture really. Every thing from entry level bikes, hard tails, full suss, doesn’t matter really one member had a no suspension bike he brought out a few times. He complained he couldn’t see much going down hill at speed as his eyeballs were rattling round his skull to much and eventually Tracton Wood just got the better of the bike and it now rests in the great bike scrap yard in the sky happy mountain biking across fluffy clouds instead. All I can say is if you want to try it borrow a bike off a friend come along and we can do a ride to suit your experience.

So where do we go biking? All over really. Our favourite trails would be in the Ballyhauras. Great trails are to be found there where you can choose what you want yourself. We have done most of them from the quick hour to the 6 hour ride from Doneraile over to the man made trails and back again. As the photos show there is bike hike if you want it where a map and compass helps, also North Shore where you have to be soooooooo careful with your front brake. We also ride in Tracton where I have to say its quite technical but don’t let that put you off just ride within your limits. I have to say at this point we have had some fun in Tracton where all of us at some point have become quite intimate with a tree or two. Other great trails are to be found in Midleton where some go mountain biking at night. Yeah I know sounds crazy but fun.

So how often do we rip those trials up? We generally get out at least once a week, usually twice if we can. Recently we have been doing one hard core ride weekly and a reasonably easier one. The harder ride would be 35K in the Ballyhouras probably increasing to 50k as the spring approaches. The easier one would depend on who turns up and we would scale the ride to suit.

What of cycling holidays? Recently our members organised a mountain biking trip in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Spain. More of that in the future as I will write up a full account for the web site.
Well lads and lasses what can I say. If you want to come out with us then just grab anyone of us and say so. Bike rental is possible in the Ballyhouras or we can try to beg or borrow a bike for you. Well you know us Fire Fighters if there is a will there is a way! Go on give it a go there is nothing like it.