Glentress riding conditions

billynobates

If anyone has been to Glentress or Innerliethen during the last week or so i'd like an idea of the ground conditions as i'm up there next week and wondered what sort of tyres would be best to use

Anonymous

Looks like it'll be raining most of next week too :x

billynobates

You mean it hasn't been sunny there all week like it is in Kent? :roll:

Anonymous

unfortunately no. A mate of mine has gone to London for the week on his motorbike, I texted him yesterday, asking if he'd swapped it for a sailing boat yet - because of all the wind and rain
Annoyingly, he didn't understand, because he's been sweltering in the heat all week (he says)

Mancunianfightingcat

I was up there last week, it was damp but still very much rideable, not really any big puddles to speak of. Glentress seems to drain extremely well. We did the black route in the pouring rain on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed it, it's not cold, so so what if you get wet! I was riding Conti Rubber Queen USTs.

theedjit

Hi, went for the first time yesterday and had a blast. I am not that experienced on a mountain bike but was there with people that have been a few times. Like my name suggests I took the black route. It was a bit mental, came off 3 times lucky it was on slow areas, not too much damage.

Ground conditions were excellent, can give no advice on tyre choice. I was on a specialized 09 pro disc with standard tyres and it was good for me.

Good luck.

Theedjit

Northwind

GT is fantastically weather hardened, it should be fine. Pie Run can be sketchy in the wet with all the damaged tree roots, very slippy, but it's a shortcut anyway. A sensible all-round trail tyre works there all year, unless it's icy.

stanfree

It was in good condition last Sunday but has been hammering down torrential rain all day today in Edinburgh so I'd imagine it will be really slippy from now on till over the weekend.

moray_gub

Northwind wrote:

GT is fantastically weather hardened, it should be fine. Pie Run can be sketchy in the wet with all the damaged tree roots, very slippy, but it's a shortcut anyway. A sensible all-round trail tyre works there all year, unless it's icy.

Yea i can vouch for that took the pie run last week as i was pushed for time and when its wet its a nightmare. But in answer to the OP Glentress seems to cope really well with heavy rain not too many large puddles about especially on the red route.

stanfree

Was back there today and the conditions were excellant , probably the best fun Ive had there since i started going . Everything was really dry apart from some parts on the lower level . Was limited for time so took the fire road up to Spooky wood . Think Im going to go to Carron valley for a change next time ...

fitch28

stanfree, just a heads up, was there on sunday, work is starting very soon (if not already) on The Runway and Eas Dubh at Carron Valley which is quite a chunk of the route. Don't know how long for, no info on forestry website yet.

stanfree

Thanks for the info fitch , was looking at youtube video's of CV today and the reviews werent great so might try another 7 stanes .. Cheers though.

Northwind

It was a bit damp last night mind, lots of standing water. Trails naturally were fine but we got a wee bit wet... Pie Run very entertaining, watching my mate bounce down the corner Trail Perfection on his head in particular was good. "Watch out", I said, "It's a bit slippy"

AlasdairMc

Any tyre will work at Glentress, people have been known to ride it on a crosser so you'd be fine.

Anonymous

AlasdairMc wrote:

Any tyre will work at Glentress, people have been known to ride it on a crosser so you'd be fine.

motocrosser?

ratty2k

Anonymous

seriously, people do the jumps and drop on a fricking cyclocross bike? :shock:

Northwind

Really good riders could, but most times when you hear "You could do X route on an X" it means dong all the chicken runs, tiptoing any rough bits etc. Which is OK but it would make GT a bit pointless. When I see video of someone taking a cyclocross bike down the left hand line of the pennel's vennel exit with all the roots, or riding at speed across the spooky oods jump with the rocky entrance, or even just carrying decent speed across the braking bumps on magic mushroom, I'll be more impressed

DaveyL

I was there a week or so ago - Friday 4th. I had been absolutely tipping it down for at least 12 hours beforehand. We rode the Black route and it was OK - a fair bit of standing water but I don't think I ever felt my front wheel slide - at least due to the trail conditons...

I think the bit of trail from the radio mast to the start of Deliverance might be my favourite section of trail in the UK :-)

Had the usual toastie, banoffee pie and coffee at the Hub. Might be the last time for me before they move to the new place :-(

Johnny Chimpo

Im hoping to get down to Glentress this weekend, just hoping the good weather continues. Never tried the black route but feel more than comfortable on the red route, is the black a big step up in difficulty?

Northwind

I didn't find it so... Not the main long black anyway. It's physically harder, and a little bit harder in terms of skills needed, but if you're comfortable on the red you should be OK on the black.

But! The sections after The Remains of Ewok Village- that is XX, the Bitch and the Wormhole- are a different kettle of fish, definately do approach them with a little more caution. But they're all nicely laid out, you can see the tough bits before they arrive so I'd still say give em a go.

busta gonad

IF you are planning on stopping for a picnic on the climbs it should be perfectly fine, the climbs are a lot harder than the Red which is a breeze in comparison, but then i am a masochist, climbs must be cleaned to the summit or else you are a slackjawed faggot.

SDK2007

I was there on Friday and Saturday and it was 99% completey dry

RichMTB

Only bit of the red you every really get standing water is the corners on Pennels Vennel,

The black can be a different matter but the solid surface means its always rideable.

As for red versus black, there is more than twice the climbing on the black so the biggest difference is the level of fitness you need to complete it without being knacked. The technical bits are all towards the end (which makes them harder becuse your knackered by the time you get to them)

Johnny Chimpo

Cheers for the info on the black route guys, was down yesterday with a few mates who had never been so just stuck to the spooky wood and various runs down from there, actually enjoyed it so much we done a top to bottom run twice. Was totally knackered at the end of it and struggled with the two drive home, but cant wait to get down again!

Anonymous

Johnny Chimpo wrote:

struggled with the two drive home,

I'd struggle with two drives home as well. I was knackered after just the one 5 hour drive.

Johnny Chimpo

oops... shoudla said the two hour drive home

Anonymous