Muddy Matt

Welcome and thank you to new followers! I plan to stick to my lane with the occasional swerve, posting links to our writing on the Muddymoles, an enthusiastic but typical group of riders in the Surrey Hills in the UK. I hope you like it. We love bikes and we support bike lovers everywhere.

You know, the thing is, I had drafted this piece a month ago, and then never published it, because I thought maybe it was too mean.

A first report of our weekend adventures muddymoles.org.uk/rides/ride-r... #bikesky #gravel #mtb #isleofwight #cycling

The problem isn't Somalis or Indian-American students or teen trans athletes or democratic socialists or woke anything. The problem is an evil, dishonest and incompetent authoritarian government (manipulated by Russia), billionaires fucking everyone else over, and many millions of stupid people.

Just off for a couple of days cycling across the Isle of Wight. About 40 miles a day, easyish with a mix of road/off road on the gravel bike. Looking forward to a couple of nice meals and drinks with my riding buddies #cycling #bikesky #mtb #gravel

Just remember that no-one can ride your bicycle for you. (True as both a metaphor and a fact). And especially not AI.

So much of the world today is stupid views earnestly held. If people could focus on making things less stupid we might get somewhere.

I really like this bike, just wish I had the wedge (and issue not confined to bikes!) muddymoles.org.uk/news/scott-s... #scottbikes #mtb #cycling #bikesky

The thing with AI is it's built to take instruction from natural language rather than code. But as humans we know when we say one thing it's often understood as another (just ask my wife!). Right there is the problem. We struggle talking to humans, why think we can talk to machines? #AI

Put another way, it’s not “Now do cars.” It’s a question of whether or not drivers are asked to take collective responsibility for the behavior of all other drivers in the way people ask of “cyclists.”

This is just to say... I have stolen the work that you spent years creating and which you were probably hoping would pay your bills But online sharing doesn't count It's actually a compliment So fuck you BTW, I'm a fan

Crazy that we hear about Train Drivers who get £60,000 a year for driving a train. But we never hear about the boss of Tesco who gets £30,000 a day and doesn't even pay tax in the UK. Or the £250m a day that the likes of Amazon, Vodafone, BP and Shell don't pay in tax.

Powerful and important letter about artificial so-called intelligence from Sheila Hayman from Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, University of Cambridge, in the FT today

Drama should be a core GCSE subject iandunt.substack.com/p/the-hellbo...

Of the 29 pedestrians killed on the pavement, 28 were hit by cars and one by a mobility scooter. None were hit by bicycles or e-bikes.

I've seen this before and it's really enlightening to the point it should probably be on the driving test, theory test, highway code, regular PSAs etc.

everything but

If I was a bicycle manufacturer I would get together with 'rivals' and co-fund a rolling cycle to work roadshow in a given area, showing up in shopping malls, office parks and large employer offices to showcase cost savings, bikes and kit. Every six months to each location. #bikesky #cycling

Elliot's latest review, this time the DT Swiss F233 ONE fork muddymoles.org.uk/reviews/dt-s... #bikesky #mtb #dtswiss #cycling

Robbie Williams giving strong Jimmy Saville vibes in that tracksuit #worldcup

As we watch the Wimbledon final I'm reminded that there are no line judges anymore and the calls are made entirely by machine, but made to sound like the people they replaced. I resent the subterfuge, but if they simply blooped and bleeped people would reject them out of hand. #wimbledon #tennis

A comprehensive review from Elliot of his Cannondale Scalpel with Lefty suspension #mtb #mountainbiking #cannondale #scalpel #bikesky muddymoles.org.uk/reviews/bike...

The last in my series of write ups from our Dutch trip in May #bikesky #cycling #netherlands muddymoles.org.uk/rides/ride-r...

I especially love this diagram.

Friday night was a little.deflating #bikesky #mtb #mountainbiking #cycling muddymoles.org.uk/rides/ride-r...

it's not complicated.

My ride buddies were talking punctures. Half a mile later I cut my tyre... cause and effect right there. Seriously, careless talk costs lives (or at least tyres). Fortunately one of us had a spare inner tube and a tyre boot, otherwise it would have been a long walk! #mtb #mtbtyres

Small when you ride it. Big when you need it. The basket unfolds in seconds and carries up to 70 kg. With the muli transport mat, bulky items, crates and groceries stay organized and secure. Up to 100 L of cargo space. Less than 2 m long. Built for #everydaytransport. #muli #cargobike

“I grew up in a very typical Chicago suburb: very car oriented, where bikes were considered just toys for kids and teenagers, until they got their driver's license. But my parents are immigrants from Germany, and I spent summers in Germany with them, and my grandmother. . .” 🧵

Another installment of our recent Dutch trip, we finally reach Amsterdam #mtb #gravel #cycling #bikesky #dutchcycling muddymoles.org.uk/rides/ride-r...

When you listen to those radio stations in 2026 that play '80s hits - familiar as they are... It's basically the same as people in the '80s listening to music from the 1930s... Maybe we should look where we're going instead of where we've been?

Am I trolling with this post? 😁 muddymoles.org.uk/news/santa-c... #mtb #mountainbiking #cycling #bicycle

Natalie Anne Kyriacou OAM - an Australian environmentalist, social justice advocate & author, delivers a powerful and deeply provocative address. Opening with the question, “How do you think we will be written about in history books?”

Finally got round to writing up day 3 of our Dutch trip... Middelburg to Rotterdam via the Watersnoodmuseum #mtb #mountainbiking #cycling #gravel #watersnoodmuseum muddymoles.org.uk/rides/ride-r...

It's occurred to me that Wes Streeting suffers from Palantir Fascistitis. It's an debilitating condition that's very hard to shake off. #palantir #labour #nhs #wes #streeting

Liberal England: To Chessington South and beyond

Today’s column: some initial thoughts on what a “whole of society” approach to tackling antisemitism in the United Kingdom would have to do:

Day 2 of our Dutch tour finally reaches the Netherlands! #bikesky #cycling #mtb muddymoles.org.uk/rides/ride-r...

In a world where we throw figures of £billions around, £5m doesn't sound much. But with a 5% return, I could have a £250,000 income per year for the rest of my life. Conversely, it could make a significant impact on a local community. Worth asking, where does all this money go?

The adventure begins - day 1 of our Dutch trip muddymoles.org.uk/rides/ride-r... Intro post here muddymoles.org.uk/rides/going-... #netherlands #bikesky #cycling #mtb #mountainbiking

Going Dutch Part 1: the moles head to the Netherlands muddymoles.org.uk/rides/going-...

A business retro insulating people's homes, then installing heat pump + solar + batteries at as close to cost as possible. Using local trades to ensure money stays local.

Just been to Netherlands. This is true, incredible infrastructure, working on a report for the Muddymoles website.

the big mac

This time next week I should nearing Rotterdam on a four day leisurely bike trip from Dunkirk - Ghent - Middelburg - Rotterdam - Amsterdam. Looking to explore and enjoy Belgium/Netherlands bike infra with four friends. Hopefully good riding, good company, good food and drink. Can't wait!

Worried your bike’s not cool enough or you’ll get left behind? Don’t sweat it, group rides are just riders figuring it out together. 📖 Learn the ropes, signals & tips in our beginner guide: cyclinguk.org/group-cycling

At the risk of sounding like a sociopath, I wish everyone would tag their cat pics with #cats or something so I can block the hashtag. I really don't care about your cats and don't expect anyone to care about my dog...