Hi there, on the slim chance that someone’s actually clicked the ubiquitous, but mostly ignored phenomena that is the About Page, I suppose I need to tell you a little about me, Colin Gray, and my website, Mountain Bikes Apart.
This blog is all about my adventures in mountain biking, from great trails and trips to outright fiascos and racing disasters. For some reason I can’t explain the latter tend to outnumber the former… Anyway, hopefully the trails I find, the kit I test or the fiascos I endure can help other bikers.
Outside of biking, my background’s a bit computer geekery. I’m a web developer by trade, creating websites and working on internet marketing and SEO for clients around the country. I also do a lot of work in online education working part-time for a university in Scotland. All of this leads to an inordinate amount of time sitting on my ass at the desk and makes me even more keen to get out on the bike and fend off the ever more threating belly.
Recently I’ve been getting a bit more into the dark side of biking, namely those skinny frames that seem to prefer the tarmac, and I have a bunch of races planned for next year around those lines, including triathlons and sportives. Have no fear though, the mountain bike will always be my first love, and lycra has no place in my heart, so off road capers will continue to grace the pages of this site.
Anyway, feel free to write back about anything, either on the blog or at the links below. I’d love to hear your own trail tips or just comments about anything
Colin on Google+ | Colin on Twitter | Mountain Bikes Apart on Facebook
See you all out there!
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Colin started mountain biking in the early 2000s and has haphazardly, and with barely increasing skill, dragged his bike around the majority of Scotland's trail centres since then. Colin has oodles of hard earned experience in how NOT to do things - listen, be warned and don't repeat his mistakes... 
Hi Colin,
I work for a network of tourism businesses which provide goods and services to MTBers who come to the 7stanes – well the five in Dumfries and Galloway anyway.
The businesses are always looking for new ways to provide things that mountain bikers want and last year one of them tried to run a 7stanes challenge. They were offering all in 2/3 accommodation, food, transport to and from each of the 7stanes over the course of a week at a cost of £890.
Despite lots of effort marketing the challenge it wasn’t successful and we’d like to know why. I’d be really grateful if you could give me any ideas about what kind of package could offer that would work for mountain bikers.
It would also be good to get some feedback on the network website at http://eat-sleep-ride.com. We want to make Dumfries and Galloway a great place for MTBers to come and all help will be very gratefully received.
Cheers, Tracey
For anyone interested in economical yet funky alternative accommodation close to mountain biking trails in Scoland – Wigwam Holidays has sites at the following locations:-
Solway View (Ross Bay, Borgue, Kircudbright) 7stanes approx 25m Downhill (DH) and Cross Country (XC)
Barnsoul (Irongray, Dumfries) seven stains approx 10m DH & XC
Strathfillan (Tyndrum, west Highlands) Glencoe and Fortwilliam 20-30m DH & XC
Newmill Farm (Stanley, Perthshire) Dunkeld 10m DH
GlentressWigwams, Peebles – 7stanes
Look them up on our website Locations page for more details.
Wigwams are cozy, heated wooden camping cabins sleeping up to 5 people with on site facilities.
I hope the folk above are paying you for those adverts Colin
Not so far David! Apparently the cheque’s in the post….Since 2008…
Just in the process of planning my trip to Dumfries. Need to get somewhere close to the trails and with enough for the rest of the family – including the in-laws to do. Better get reading some touristy sites I guess.
Southerness or Castle Douglas are pretty good bases for the biking Chris – Castle Douglas for closeness to the trails and Southerness for a place by the beach!
Worth having a look at the Dumfries and Galloway council site in particular, some good hotel recommendations on there. And I know there’s a fair few cottages to rent around Castle Douglas – I’m sure you wont have trouble finding one.
Cheers,
Colin
Hello mate – nice site. Noticed you were looking for Edinburgh routes and I have a cracker – however I prefer to keep it quiet. I also have a couple of wee projects on the go and if you want to meet up I will quite happily show ya as long as they are kept discreet. Might get ya to help me with computa stuff in return! I work stupid long hours so a sat/sun is best for me. Ive a couple of cracking out of town runs as well. If thats of any interest to ya let me know. Im a pretty decent rider and one of these trails is quite techy but theres a lot of options – its forkin ace mate! Im an active trailbuilder as well which is why I want this kept quiet. Take it ez and maybe hear from ya soon.
Hi Colin, I recently came across this site and saw your comments on trails in South Africa, I was hoping you could perhaps assist me. I while ago I saw a special camber digger with rubber wheels used to build trails in Scotland. I have tried searches on the web numerous times to find this article again and trace this piece of machinery as I have someone locally interested in building trails on his property and believe a low impact machine like this will be useful locally.
Any chance you have seen this special trail building machine or can send me in the right direction.
Thanks a million, Paul