Glentress Red Route on Wednesday in the rain

DunbarKev
DunbarKev Posts: 29
edited June 2009 in Routes
Hi guys, I have looked at the weather forcast for Wednesday and it will be peeing down all day. I bought a Trek Fuel EX8 a couple of weeks back and booked the day off work to spend time at Glentress on Wednesday.

Should I just 'man-up' and get get down there whatever the forecast and hit the freeride area & then the red route? I am heading down alone as my mates are all working. As you can guess I am very keen to head out on my new bike.

Comments

  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Yeah, why not? The trails don't cut up in the wet. Though the wooden features on the essentials are certain death, sorry, CERTAIN DEATH!!! in the rain :lol: I try and get down every 2 or 3 wednesdays though I've not managed lately, it's nice when it's quiet.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • DunbarKev
    DunbarKev Posts: 29
    Thats sorted then, I hope my tires hold up in the wet, I have not read good things about the EX8 tires :shock:
  • andyrbiggs
    andyrbiggs Posts: 8
    I live in Edinburgh and I have ridden the red route at Glentress in all weather, including snow. In fact its the trail I normally turn to when weather is not so good because it really holds up well in the wet. You should be fine, the wooden sections have chicken wire so they are also fine in the wet. Also don't trust the weather reports too much this far out. They seem to really change a lot for the tweed valley. You should have great fun on your Fuel, its the perfect tool for ripping up something like spooky woods. :)
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    The wooden features in the essentials aren't wired btw.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • andyrbiggs
    andyrbiggs Posts: 8
    What time are you riding? I can probably meet you and take you round if you want.
  • DunbarKev
    DunbarKev Posts: 29
    Hi Andy, I will get to the Osprey car park for about 9.30am. I drive a blue Renault Scenic. I am working on my technique and down hill speed, trying to get a good line in and out of corners etc so I would say overall I am competent but nothing special. I am not the fastest climber in the world but if you are happy to head around the trail with me that's great.
  • DunbarKev
    DunbarKev Posts: 29
    After 3 hours on the trails I managed to get wet head to toe but well worth it. My EX8 was great, I almost flew off the side of the 1st downhill section on the red route after picking up far too much speed. I saw a few others out in the rain, the red route certianly holds up well in the wet.

    I spent over a hour once I got home cleaning my bike, I think I have managed to get all the dirt off and it is looking good. Looking forward to the next outing already, I need to work on keeping my front wheel down on the ground during the uphill sections and better braking on the downhill sections.
  • Rocketmagnet
    Rocketmagnet Posts: 70
    Perhaps you've not got your seat position or stem length correct if your struggling to keep your front end down on any glentress red climb as there isnt anything that steep IIRC.
    Im sure your shifting your weight forward and on really steep scetions moving forward to the nose of the saddle to keep pressure of the rear while moving weight over the front bars. Smooth pedal strokes help aswell... still its a new bike and can take some getting right and getting used to, its maybe more relaxed and hence more prone to lifting and your just not used to it compared to ur old bike.

    Really like Glentress its a great ride and im always looking forward to my next trip up there.
  • DunbarKev
    DunbarKev Posts: 29
    Thinking about it I might have been in too high a gear for the climb. I was loosing speed at the wrong times due too trying to pedal to quickly to catch up with the gear I was.

    Very good point about my seat height, I lowered my seat for the main downhill and felt I had a lot more control over my bike. It was probably 3" too high on the climb.
  • Rocketmagnet
    Rocketmagnet Posts: 70
    A higher saddle helps with climbing as it puts your weight up and forward onto your bars and your knees aint round your ears so you can get more controlled power.
    Dropping the saddle on the climb will make it harder and more prone to lifting (which is what you dont want).

    Simply put just set your saddle height to the guidelines (look online for correct saddle height adjustment - or ask at the shop where you bought it) and tweak it to what you like.
    Getting your saddle height too high or low can cause injury to your knees and/or hamstrings and back.

    Yeah lowering the saddle allows you to get off the back and move around on the downhills - your not sitting on the downs so your seats redundant and gets in the way
    so lowering its the best option. It's why a number of people buy joplin seatposts so they can quickly adjust saddle height. Personally I dont need a joplin - especially glentress your climbing for most of the time then its dropped saddle all the wasy down Spooky wood, super G etc

    I assume you have a lockout on your rear shock for flat and climbing - if its a talas on the front end drop the height to its lowest for climbing.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Yeah, once you're used to the flow of GT red, there's hardly any need to shift your seatpost, since every section is designed to be almost all either up or down. THere's a couple of exceptions but not many. On the black, or places like drumlanrig or innerleithen, it'd be great to have some sort of dropper post though. Especially innerleithen, because you always want your seat down for some bits but there's enough pedalling to kill my legs if I don't stop and raise it.
    Uncompromising extremist

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