Had a go on a red route last night

DomWint

At Healy Nab near Rivington. And I have to say I hated almost every minute of it.

Definitely need to get myself on a skills course before I try anything like that again or it'll be bridleways and reservoirs for the rest of my life. Even the green route stumped me in a couple of places.

If you were up there about 8.30pm, I was the muppet on the Giant Boulder looking petrified.

ExeterSimon

Skills course do have their uses but before shelling out the cash just go riding with your mates.

Watch what they do and don't be afraid to ask for advice.

You'll be amazed how much it helps. Also follow the advice given out in the skills sections of MBR and WMB.

chedabob

Just relax a little and it'll get a lot less nerve-wracking. I was scared to death the first time I went out on my crappy bike, but I relaxed a bit, and finished the trail with a smile a mile wide

Definitely helps if you've got someone else of similar skill.

stumpyjon

Skills courses are good. if you're very nervy a one to one course (if you afford it) will be your best bet.

Also don't forget not all red routes are as hard as others. Red at Lee Quarry is very technical and has quite big drops if you come off the trail. Llandegla red is relatively easy all the way around. Gisburn has bits of techy red and bits that are easier to ride. Also don't forget that Red grade trails are aimed at proficient and experienced riders so don't be to put off if you found it difficult to start with.

For courses in the north west I'd personally recommend either Anthony O'Conner (trailmotions.co.uk) or Ed Oxley (great-rock.co.uk). I've been on training days with both and rate them both as tutors.

Edit: Get up to Gisburn and give the blue route a try, see if you like that.

DomWint

stumpyjon wrote:

Red grade trails are aimed at proficient and experienced riders

Oops! :oops:

Just felt out of control all the way down bar one straight-ish bit. When faced with any sort of rock/slight drop I freeze.

Have to say though, my fears about being laughed at at such an occurrence were unfounded. There were a good few riders up there on some proper kit who didn't even give me a second glance, let alone poke fun. Paranoia is a dangerous thing.

Oxygen Thief

What did you find scary about it? I've only done one red and it was the only trail I have ever done. @ Kielder Forest and I thought it was absolutely fine. There was one drop off which was less than a foot but you could ride round it, a few steep bits but I don't mind steep bits and the rest was just single track with shit surface as teh rocks were big and bumpy as hell. But it's better travelling voer them at pace, riding them slowly is just asking for touble as you get chucked from side to side etc. I'm guessing other reds will be harder than that one. i think it was only red because it was like uphill for 10 miles or summin stupid!

DomWint

@jbj - To me, it felt incredibly narrow, fairly steep and there seemed a lot of obstacles in the form of rocks which just completely fazed me. I was sort of fine on the switchbacks and the smoother downhill sections, but if there was a tricky section, ie - corner, downhill with rock/obstacle in quick succession - then I was stumped.

On a few bits I tried to apply the 'less brake is more' approach and I got a couple of good little spurts in which I have to admit felt incredible.

I don't want to write it off and never have another go. I don't think this is my sort of thing entirely, but I don't want to avoid it altogether as I think it could teach me skills that are useful in more open terrain and teach me my limits on the bike.

Chronicbint

Sounds tougher than the only "Red" I have done at Thetford which was just single track and a few tiny berms......guess they over classified it.

Northwind

jonbonjovial wrote:

What did you find scary about it? I've only done one red and it was the only trail I have ever done. @ Kielder Forest and I thought it was absolutely fine. There was one drop off which was less than a foot but you could ride round it, a few steep bits but I don't mind steep bits and the rest was just single track with shoot surface as the rocks were big and bumpy as hell.

Was that Deadwater or Lonesome Pine?

Mancunianfightingcat

The red at Healey Nab is nothing like Trail Centre reds. To start with it's a downhill course and secondly it's not very good!

Get yourself up to Gisburn Forest and have a ride round the red route there, I'm sure you'll feel different about reds then.

Oxygen Thief

Northwind wrote:

jonbonjovial wrote:

What did you find scary about it? I've only done one red and it was the only trail I have ever done. @ Kielder Forest and I thought it was absolutely fine. There was one drop off which was less than a foot but you could ride round it, a few steep bits but I don't mind steep bits and the rest was just single track with shoot surface as the rocks were big and bumpy as hell.

Was that Deadwater or Lonesome Pine?

Lonesome Pine. The deadwater is a black route. Do that next time

Northwind

Cool, we were planning to do that yesterday but ended up doing Deadwater twice, once down the red ending and once down the black. (it's a red trail btw, just with loads of black options and diversions. 2 whole seperate endings, which is cool, and some proper black black. And a really kind of crap top fireroad climb-and-descent)

I gather Lonesome Pine is designed as a sort of beginner-red, which is a weird idea, especially since their blues are so lowbrow. Lakeside Way made me laugh a bit, "It is recommended that people in wheelchairs are accompanied. Visitors using a mobility scooter should ensure batteries are fully charged before setting off." Doesn't sound very blue

Seems like they should've built a real blue rather than an easy red. But it still looks a good ride. I guess they didn't want to downgrade the other trails to green.

Oxygen Thief

Ah right, I didn't know that. Will try it next time I think. The little bit at the start like the trial kind of thing to test if the course is do-able put me off since it was my first time at a trail centre.

It looks like a beginner red, it was only red I thought because it's lots up hill so for fitness level purposes. The single track downhill was worth it for my first experience but i bet there's a lot better on offer, it wasn't anything special I didn't think.

Might do the blue next time as we're there for two days so just to have a look really.

stubs

Dont knock youself DomWint I wouldnt like to do Healey Nab Red on a Giant Boulder. Its a budget starter bike with a cheap fork you did okay getting down in one piece. You will get someone coming on and saying he went down the red on his mums shopping bike but it isnt the easiest red route out there. Have a go at something a bit smoother and flatter like Llandegla or explore the trails round Rivington Pike and just build up your experience then have another go you will surprise yourself at how much easier it is.

Northwind

jonbonjovial wrote:

Ah right, I didn't know that. Will try it next time I think. The little bit at the start like the trial kind of thing to test if the course is do-able put me off since it was my first time at a trail centre.

Oh, mate, I came accross a wee bit partronising there, sorry about that. My first trail centre trip was glentress blue and I still scared myself silly Seems like you picked a good place to start. If I'd done the Deadwater red as my first ever trail centre ride I'd probably never have ridden a bike again.

The Deadwater red is good, very loosely surfaced and does have some tricky bits, lots of fun. The black is fairly black If you can make the extra hour and a half up the road to Glentress the red there is one of the best to just build up your riding, it's accessible with any reasonable amount of skill but the better you get the better it gets, it really rewards the effort.

Oxygen Thief

Na not at all pal. I didn't see it like that.

Haha, there was a few steeps on the Lonesome which I thought hmmmm, wasn't scared as such but was surprisingly confident. I think I'd be more scared next time lol. I'm like that, first time it's kind fo like survival mode you've gotta get throgh it, second time feels a bit silly to do if your out of your comfort room in my mind. But that's part of the fun aint it. Going back there in a couple of weeks.

Cheers, could have a look at Glentress actually. WIll def look into it. The red was very bumpy at the start but soon got used to it. Roll on!

DomWint

Thanks stubs and fightingcat. I blame my brother-in-law. He took me. "Let's just have a ride down here," he says. "This is brilliant," he says. I'll take a ride up to Gisburn one day and have a go on a proper red.

TBH, the bike is better than me! Just need to put more miles in on rougher terrain. I still can't get my head around the fact that it will go UP obstacles as well as down them. I see a rock and I freeze.

Oxygen Thief

If the green route stumped you in places you probs don't wanna be trying any red route in all honesty. You won't enjoy it. Do the green until your confident and then move on is the way to do it wouldn't you say.

Anonymous

I hate to be negative, but maybe mountain biking just isn't for you. If you're fazed by a green route then I doubt you'll find satisfaction in the thrill of clearing a tough section.
It's not for everyone, it requires a certain mentality.

Of course, it could just be that you need to learn how to handle a bike, only you will know for sure, but green routes tend to be family oriented affairs.

Matt N

i remember my first red route, it was at dalby, i did it on a BSO and overshot where i was meant to meet my parents by a couple of miles- we were having fun!

DomWint

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I hate to be negative, but maybe mountain biking just isn't for you. If you're fazed by a green route then I doubt you'll find satisfaction in the thrill of clearing a tough section.
It's not for everyone, it requires a certain mentality.

Er, I can see how you would get that impression from my whining.

I don't think it's that. As has been pointed out, think this was just the wrong route at the wrong time. I will never be any sort of downhiller. Ever. But I love being out on my bike and don't mind when the terrain gets stony etc. Just don't like rocks that require 'climbing' or preparing for rather than just simply going over.

Of course, you could be right. In which case, anyone want a nearly new bike.

stubs

DomWint wrote:

Er, I can see how you would get that impression from my whining.

I don't think it's that. As has been pointed out, think this was just the wrong route at the wrong time. I will never be any sort of downhiller. Ever. But I love being out on my bike and don't mind when the terrain gets stony etc. Just don't like rocks that require 'climbing' or preparing for rather than just simply going over.

Of course, you could be right. In which case, anyone want a nearly new bike.

I will say it again DomWint dont knock yourself the Healey Nab red section is pretty tough for a beginner. Try something a bit easier get some experience build up your confidence and go back. Dont let anyone put you off doing your thing, if you dont want to do a section get off walk and no one apart from a few saddoes who need to get a life will think any less of you.

miss notax

stubs wrote:

I will say it again DomWint dont knock yourself the Healey Nab red section is pretty tough for a beginner. Try something a bit easier get some experience build up your confidence and go back. Dont let anyone put you off doing your thing, if you dont want to do a section get off walk and no one apart from a few saddoes who need to get a life will think any less of you.

I agree with this - give yourself a chance!!

When I started riding my other half didn't tell me that trails were graded and I spent months on red routes with him (mostly with me walking with my bike) wondering why people MTBing enjoyable :?

With hindsight I wish I had started on the greens and blues!

And regarding the walking over tricky bits I have done this for years and I still do it and no-one has ever made any sarky comments or anything negative. In fact i've had some very pleasant chats with people who are also walking over rock-gardens etc, and people with DH bikes who can't ride up stuff etc

DomWint

You're both too kind. I'm not going to let it put me off. Just something to bear in mind and aim towards.

cycle monster

Two years ago I cycled for the first tine in thirty years by chance. It was a nervy ride around a green route that my eight year old son does not like because it is too easy. In the last two years I have lost four stone and gone from a novice "ooh that root looks nasty, I'll get off and walk round it" to a "back up a bit and hammer the pedals into the bomb hole to get more air on the way out" kind of rider. I now know that I was far too cautious at first but what a transformation and what a sport.

If you stay on greens forever and get out often it will still do you some good but the bug will bite you and slowly you will tun into a cycle monster like the rest of us!

peter413

Just keep at it.

A year ago I was really nervous on a bike and wouldn't try anything new, I even found 2 inch drops scary

Now, a year later, I love bombing down the reds and some of the black stuff and occasionally some proper DH stuff, although pretty badly

So what if you have to walk around stuff, I still do it a lot but so long as your having fun, thats all that matters.

Way I see it, after some persuasion from people I ride with who I now definatly agree with, it's better to try something and fail or at least look at the trail and walk the hard stuff than just go "no, it's a black grade, it will be too hard". I have surprised myself what I can ride if I just relax and let the bike take the line it wants too although sometimes that ends in a tree hug

Noizetek

I had a similar experience when I went to Lee Quarry for the first time and did the red route there. Even after 12 months or so of 'proper' mountain biking and riding where I live (in the peaks) I thought it would be fine...WRONG! Sh*t myself in parts, some of the steep drops (especially one in the middle of the berm sections) were terrifying and once it reached the part where there is some skinnys and things I gave up and headed back down to the bit just to the right of the start of the quarry (with the few jumps and a little bit of singletrack. Still want to go back but I am really nervous about doing it again.

NDawn

I'm the same. Never liked DH, never liked technical rock sections. I like a nice long ride out into the countryside, nice views etc. Don't get me wrong I will give sections a go, like the Ice cream run at Rivington etc. but I much prefer faster flowing tracks with no rocks/berms/rocky drops etc.

I'm a wuss, maybe. But I know what I like and try not to pretend to be anything more than I am

Splatter

I'm ( mostly ) with you on this one NDawn. Find what you like and stick with it! Did Folow The Dog and the Monkey Trail at Birches Valley, Cannock Chase about 6 weeks ago - absolutely LOVED it - was on a hire bike, so decided to splash the cash and got myself a nice little hardtail. Went to Dalby yesterday and I found it to be a real slog! The Cannock trails just seemed to flow and by the end ( when I'd got use to the bike and the trails ) I was railing the berms - they were so nice by contrast Dalby was stoney/rocky from beginning to end with hardly any let up - I can't say that I really enjoyed it
All three trails ( FtD, Monkey and DAlby ) aare suppose to be "Red" - but for me I'd travel the extra hour to get to Cannock every time ( 2 hours from home whereas Dalby is about 1 hour 10 ). I guess had I had a Full-Suss 120mm both ends rather than an 80mm HT I might have got a little more enjoyment from Dalby, but, you pays your money and you takes your choice!

cloudynights

I think to much importance is given into being able to ride a red or black route at a trail centre,my advIce would be to get Some experience riding your bike on xc routes, thIs way your gonna build up confIdence And depending where you are in the country will come across what most trail centres throw at you

Northwind

Nothing at all wrong with sticking with what you know, "mountain biking" means different things to different people. It's one of the best things about the sport I reckon, it is what you want it to be.