New Job!! Right, now where to bike?? Oxfordy area

[gump]

Hey

Have a new job, which means will be moving to North Oxford sort of way. Anywhere from Banbury to Oxford, or one of villages around, not certain yet where.

Question is, is there anywhere to avoid? Anyone live around there?
Whats the road/offroad biking like around there?

Appreciate any comments or first hand words of wisdom on places to live!

Cheers

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

There is a very good wine & beer shop in Bister I think they also have a brach in Banbury as well. look at the area between Banbury and Daventry, i found a few deals to be had when I moved to that area a few years ago (I have since moved away so wont be much help)

 

[GT-Steve]

This is pretty much my territory, so to speak, so we'll start with the important stuff first - Biking!! There's positively loads of stuff about, like hills, railways (disused) singletrack, bridleways, blah blah.

To live? Oxford's pretty expensive, plenty of places north of Oxford - Bicester (which has a great LBS) is nice, though pockets of it are very rough, as is Banbury tbh, but then where isn't. West of Oxford starts to get pricy again as you head toward Blenheim Palace, etc.

Delve more into the villages and house prices shoot right up, but they really are all quite stunning (the villages, that is), and most are reasonably friendly places too... and all offer pretty easy access to M40/A43/A34/M1 etc..

I love it here, and if you need any more advice, gimme a shout and i;ll try and help... and when you do eventually move, gimme a shout and we'll meet up for a spin on the bikes!!

 

[gump]

damn, first time I have had to mod myself for posting in the wrong forum

 

[GT-Steve]

damn, first time I have had to mod myself for posting in the wrong forum

 

[gump]

Hey GT Steve, thanks! I am definately moving soonish, so will be great to hook up for a ride.

We have been looking at villages on outskirts of Banbury/Bicester. Seen some nice places in Hethe area, just North of Bicester.

Currently living in Brum, so guessing rough places are not too bad..

Glad to hear theres some biking about too

 

[GT-Steve]

Hethe's a very pretty village - nowt more than a church and a pub (like most villages ) and the missus' grand parents hailed from there too...

All the surrounding villages for Bicester/Buckingham are as good as one another - it really depends what you're looking for and the type of budget you have (and the proximity to your new job, I guess), hence my rather vague reply earlier......

 

[JeRkY]

Lived in wantage in south oxon for getting on 4 years loved riding the ridgeway on a Sunday. Miles of green lanes and awesome views.

 

[gump]

If its got a pub, we sorted!!

Both me and partner have lived in villages before, so no problem with the quite life

Will need to shoot back up to Warwick area every week, so looking on North side of Oxford and easy access to M40. I will be working in Abbingdon, no idea what that place is like but its opposite the Army Barracks

Always exciting with new job and place!

 

[squiffy]

I live just south of Buckingham riding wise depends what you're into theres loads of bridleways quiet roads to ride not a lot of singletrack but Woburns not a long way if you fancy some big jumps