Fort Bill Red DH- why can't they use chickenwire?
neil_sheehan2000
Posts: 529
So, the new red DH run at Fort William is pretty terrifying, isn't it? I had heard that the boardwalk was supposed to be covered in some sort of anti-slip stuff but, having been up there on Friday, I can assure everyone that it doesn't seem to work in the wet. Which is, err, when you really need it!
Actually, it was Friday afternoon by the time I got to riding it. The rain had stopped but everything was still pretty soggy. The route's pretty mental, but nothing impossible if you've ridden other trail centres' red/black XC routes (just much, much harder than you'd expect if you've only ridden other trail centres' red/black XC routes), apart from that damn boardwalk- it was impossible to brake on it without starting to skid, so I just had to crawl down, constantly dragging the brakes. My nerves were shattered after getting through that section.
Now, in hindsight I probably could have done with fitting a big, fat sticky tyre to the rear instead of just a 2 inch job, and that might have made a difference; but my mate had bought a brand new big, fat sticky rear tyre just for the occasion and he didn't fare any better than me.
So: anyone know why they can't just use chicken wire on the wood instead of the non-stick coating they appear to have used? Is it purely because of what would happen if someone fell off onto it? If so, I'd have thought that would be slightly balanced out by the fact that people are less likely to fall over when their tyres can actually grip a surface...
Actually, it was Friday afternoon by the time I got to riding it. The rain had stopped but everything was still pretty soggy. The route's pretty mental, but nothing impossible if you've ridden other trail centres' red/black XC routes (just much, much harder than you'd expect if you've only ridden other trail centres' red/black XC routes), apart from that damn boardwalk- it was impossible to brake on it without starting to skid, so I just had to crawl down, constantly dragging the brakes. My nerves were shattered after getting through that section.
Now, in hindsight I probably could have done with fitting a big, fat sticky tyre to the rear instead of just a 2 inch job, and that might have made a difference; but my mate had bought a brand new big, fat sticky rear tyre just for the occasion and he didn't fare any better than me.
So: anyone know why they can't just use chicken wire on the wood instead of the non-stick coating they appear to have used? Is it purely because of what would happen if someone fell off onto it? If so, I'd have thought that would be slightly balanced out by the fact that people are less likely to fall over when their tyres can actually grip a surface...
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It's not as grippy as chicken wire would be though, spot on there, chicken wire can sometimes wear very fast though (as you can see on the Witch's trails, where the centre of some of the boardwalks has no wire any more). It does tear you up if you fall on it though, as you say, you're less likely to fall.
what was the river bit before it meets the black run at the wallride like in the wet?
Hah, trust me, nobody who's riding this trail is afraid of a bit of a challenge, it's a beast... Thing is, the boardwalk ridden slowly and cautiously would just be tedious, and it sounds like that's how the lack of grip made him ride- it's only really fun with a bit of pace. I didn't find that myself but different tyres, weather, etc...
Yes you will mess your face up, and also if it snags it will puncture your tyres.
If its too rough for you dont ride it.
I would not go to the downhill in ft.bill unless it was nice and dry as I am no expert.
Actually I prob would not go down it..
http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92 ... 010735.jpg
H.G. Wells.
Chicken wire is great, but needs to be maintained a lot. I saw a Guy in Morzine a couple of years back lying on the floor looking dazed and confused with his bike still sat on the boardwalk, it's was worn to censored and lifter from the wood.
Got tangled somehow in his front wheel, Bosch 30 to 0 in 1 meter and he flew for miles over the bar, luckily it was only there to cross a boggy section so he had a soft landing.
This red DH track, any good? I've mostly read of people hitting it on XC/AM bikes, is it worth taking a proper DH bike?
if you are going to do the orange dh as well then take a dh bike, its not worth taking a separate bike to do the red on
These are some of the solutions we are trialing
I think that red grade downhill at Nevis Range is partly not FC land, but it would appear they have applied the same policy.
Heh, the problem isn't the rough, it's the smooth
And talking of winter, what about snow and ice? Surely 'they' should find some way of making those dangerous surfaces grippy? [/sarcasm]
Seriously, just man the fark up. :roll:
The OP has nothing to worry about on the MTFU front since that's exactly what he did
So that differs with your opinion, big deal. You can have your own opinion. So can I.
There are some things that are difficult without being a fun challenge, ie the bumpy logs at Llandegla - lots of people find it tricky, no-one finds it fun or interesting.
My thoughts are, though, that I don't mind things being hard to ride. But, if you're going to run a ski lift to the top of a hill, in Scotland, then construct an incredibly artificial way of getting a good part of the way down, in Scotland, that you then invite people to pay £25 to ride on all day, in Scotland, you should probably try a bit harder to ensure that it's ridable at a decent speed when it's raining. Rocks and roots can be slippery in the wet, that's fine, that's mother nature's way, but I just think it would have been nice if the obviously constructed bit of the trail was a bit more all-weather.
Appreciate the arguements against chicken wire though. The sand paper idea sounds interesting. Not sure I would want to go all that far over the chopped up logs but, hey, it's better than that boardwalk!
The bumpy logs in llandegla are a perfect example of people moaning about nothing. I think it adds an interesting, techy climb into the mix. Whilst I don't "love" it, I honestly do wish it was a longer section.
What I DO think is odd though, is that the bumpy logs are on the red trail. I think all their moaning problems would be solved if they were grouped with the "black" sections of trail.
After all, as easy to clear as they are, they are still trickier, and require more technical ability than anything on the black routes.
I did think in places the wooden parts of the trail seemed to take over and was a bit too much wood and not enough trail, but thats what they need to do to make a ridable trail so be it, as for chicken wire, wouldn't fancy hitting the deck with that on.
Overall was a fun route and im looking forward to hitting the trails again next june!
You are the only person I have ever heard of that likes that bit. Think that says a lot. :P
That's just contradiction
Let's put it another way...
Every single time I go to Llandegla, one or two, of the hundred or so riders there, will moan about it.
Almost every single one of the moaners will admit they can't ride it.
Does that mean that everyone else loves it? Or do they just not feel strongly about it enough either way to bring it up in a conversation with a complete stranger?
For the record, none of the guys I ride with dislike it. The two who can't ride it damn it to high hell, for sure, but they enjoy the challenge regardless.
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No it isn't[
+1
Although our government have recently decided that they would help us out and have put in a couple of boardwalk sections over some of the deeper bogs in the local hills. They are shared use but they have let MTBers take credit for the work 8)
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