Stepping it up...

slimboyjim

Hi,

I'm looking to make the step up from red trails to black this year and just wanted a bit of advice on where is best to start.

I'm looking for a black with good visibility/signposting of it's features (don't fancy screaming round a bend to be met with anything too nasty at the moment!), preferably with a few spots that have good visibility (to see other riders) so I can session them and work on my skills safely. Any suggestions? If so, what are the 'scariest' bits on them and I can make an assessment as to whether I'm good enough (I want to push myself, not kill myself )!

I'm based in the Midlands but willing to travel to Wales (or possibly South Scotland).

In particular I've heard loads of good things about Kirroughtree and I'm very tempted - what's it like?

Also, is there any advice and/or tips anyone would give me for the step up?

Thanks!


James

homers_double

If you're used to the reds then a black shouldn't be a problem.

Try Coed Llandegla, the black sections are little detours off the main red so if you dont feel comfortable you can always hop back onto the main red loop.

The blacks are nice and flowing at Llandegla so you shouldn't have any problems.

Kirroughtree is full on and damn good riding but a bit far to test your first outing. Build up your confidence and then go there.

slimboyjim

Thanks for the recommendation - I was looking at doing Coed recently, then it got LOADS of snow and closed. Only about an hour and a half away so an easy drive!

I'll take your advice on Kirroughtree for the time being! I believe a couple of black features are being put into the new extension of Cannock which is pretty exciting and should be good for practicing on - 5 weeks to go! Any other suggestions for 'beginner' blacks to add to my list?

Thanks again!


James

delcol

this probably wont help but whistler is the place to advance your riding, the trail there are amazing...

the blk sections at gisburn forest are easy enough,, and lee quarry.. i cant see why the blk at llandeglla is graded blk...
most blk trails i come across are easy enough to ride.. it's when you hit a double blk they get tricky..
you should be ok riding blacks in the uk at trail centres..

slimboyjim

I would if I could afford it - saving with my brother to do a few days in the Alps next year and will maybe look to do Whistler in a few years (wife and kid allowing!). Funnily enough I saw your A-Line video earlier and it does look good...

I'm sure that most UK blacks are easy in comparison to those in Whistler but I'll build up slowly thanks - currently off the bike after a face plant!

Cheers!


James

delcol

whistler is an awesome place to build your confidence..

first time i went in may 08 i was a complete novice i never rode single track before. with a decent guide you progress so much in such a short time.
i bet you could do a week in whistler for a few hundred quid more than the alps..

i never been to the alps so can't comment..

just take your time only you know if your confident to ride something don't be pushed into something your not ready for.. remember that rock drop or ladder bridge will be there tomorrow and next week,,,
i'm pretty sure you will be fine on the blks in the uk...

enjoy and good luck..

aguesty1

In my honest opinion Llandegla's black routes are really reds. I don't class myself as hardcore but found them quite easy going. Lee Quarry would be ok for you to start the blacks but at the moment there probably isn't really enough for you to go at. Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire has some fantastic blacks some a little scary but there is always the option of bailing, another good option is Coed y Brennin or anywhere in the Seven Staines collection .

Hope this helps

Andy

TonyL2

We are building lots of new skills development stuff up at Lee Quarry at the moment aimed at helping people gain the confidence to ride a wider range of trails. The new trails are still being finished off and we are asking people to keep off them for the next three or four weeks but after that they should be fine to ride. New sections include a pump track, a berm line, a series of dropoffs of various sizes, a black graded and and orange graded line aimed at helping people to progress their skills even further. Idea is to session these sections and improve your skills rather than just going off on a long ride. Great Rock (Ed Oxley) is also running skills training days in the quarry so you can get the good quality tuition there if you want this will really help to progress your riding.

slimboyjim

delcol wrote:

i bet you could do a week in whistler for a few hundred quid more than the alps..

I've had a look and it's actually nowhere near as expensive as I thought so now you've made me want to go you b*stard! Hide my credit card! :roll:

Toss up between that, Morocco and the Alps next year I think...

For everyone else - it's a hard one thins isn't it since the difficulty is quite subjective. I'll look at Llandegla as, given it is on the easier side, it may be pretty good for building confidence. Maybe look at Lee Quarry soon after...

stumpyjon

As the others have said, Llandegla black isn't anything of the sort, Lee Quarry (exisiting stuff) is proper black with a high failure penalty (40ft drop onto rock ), the red there is also of a pretty good standard. Have a go at the red there, if that's a breeze then look at some of the black stuff. Try Gisburn as well, some of the black requires skill but without the falls, some of the red stuff is fun too, the staircase in woods freaks a lot of people out as does the slab at the top.