Red & Black trail centre routes how much skill required?

tsenior

Maybe have a short section at the start with some trail features that are representative of the stuff you can expect over the rest of the run/runs of that grade?

rocks/roots/boards, some exposure, non rollable drop etc and possibly a few junctions giving you a chicken run option, if you take the chicken run a sign along the lines of "dident fancy that drop? follow for the red"

you would also be close to assistance if your ego was writing cheques your body couldent cash.

theres something similar at coedy i think? a short armoured section near centre which gives you an idea of the technical skills required for the following trails.

Anonymous

tsenior wrote:

theres something similar at coedy i think? a short armoured section near centre which gives you an idea of the technical skills required for the following trails.

I strongly suspect that's what the armoured trailheads are meant to do, but I've not had it confirmed by anyone "in the know"

I've certainly seen plenty of people start the trails, then give up within a few humdred feet and come back to the cafe - so it may work. Those folk are not ready to be facing a similar kind of trail when they're tired, and miles away from the centre and help.

cee

now thats a pretty good idea.....make the first mile the most difficult technically that the trail is going to get anywhere on its length....

if they meant that...its genius!

Anonymous

cee wrote:

now thats a pretty good idea.....make the first mile the most difficult technically that the trail is going to get anywhere on its length....

if they meant that...its genius!

Certainly worked in chatel, we took a look at one of the mental double black DH tracks (more for curiosity, I don't think we ever intended to ride it) and shat ourselves when we saw the first drop-in :shock:

mackie1

How does something like Whites Level at Glyncorrwg compare to red runs at other centres?

weescott

Whites Level is deffo a red. Similar in difficulty to MBR/Dragons Back.

nick1962

cee wrote:

nick1962 wrote:

Rolled over the last drop at Caddon Bank last two times I've been there,no problem..slowly! .

sorry...don't believe you...you are the only one that can truly know....

roll the chicken run to the left of the drop...yip...roll over a 4' drop...nope.

for reference...this is it...random image from the web



who reckons the bottom bracket would be all over the lip of the drop and handlebars would reach the ground first...and who reckons they could roll it out at snails pace?

Rolled over the "4foot" bit this Saturday with 3 witnesses !(they inhabit the STW forum I think)-I' Did it a copule of weeks ago too as did my riding mate(he did it first a while back and does it every time).
Not as hard as it looks. i have a Stumpjumper 120mm fsr with the big ring removed and a bash ring. My mate has a Giant full sus ,not sure which model.
Will try and get someone to take take some pics next time.If you look at the drop the top half is almost vertical but the bottom half actually comes out so your wheel can roll down it,arse over the back wheel of course. I assumed it was designed that way.But yeemhaceegee is right I should jump it- just building up the bottle. ,I chickened out of jumping cos of the high wind on saturday As they say It's not the taking off that put me off more the landing!

Anonymous

Wind shouldn't a problem, you're only in the air for less than a second. When we were up there, we had to lean sideways just to go in a straight line on top of the moor, proper galeforce winds :shock:
Sadly, a load of rivers burst their banks that day, and it's some of the worst flooding the Scottish Borders had seen in years, according to the news.

nick1962

To go back to the OP.
Trail centres are great but I do think that they should have more opportunities to improve your skills incrementally and I don't just mean out on the actual trails.For me drops are a bit daunting and I would love to be able to practise them at varying heights with wide safe landing areas,preferably soft and grassy to build up my confidence. I only found the Hucks at GT a couple of weeks back as I'd never been on the Freeride park and so tried them for the first time but only did the two lower ones.The run outs seem narrow and too steep to me ,far more so than anything I've done on any trails. I can see that they are a lot of fun but they don't really prepare you for the more run of the mill drops out on the trail. Perhaps it's just my lack of riding ability cos I can't get my head round table tops and doubles either and all the other things that these 9 year old kids can do with ease

Northwind

I think GT's pretty well blessed with learning opportunities, with its alternative lines and options... Spooky Woods is a brilliant place to work up to jumps and drops and the like, since they're not just rollable, they're easily rollable, if you go up to any of them with, oh, 10% too little speed you'll be fine whereas if you do that on a bigger drop you'll be getting an unexpected lump sum from the tooth fairy

I don't actually like Spooky much but it's taught me a lot, and when I can be bothered to ride it, it's still got a lot more to teach me.

peter413

Northwind wrote:

I don't actually like Spooky much but it's taught me a lot, and when I can be bothered to ride it, it's still got a lot more to teach me.

Same here, not that keen on Spooky, much prefer the other descents but, unlike in the FR park, the jumps are not groomed so they are a different experiance, quite often harder, to the FR jumps.

And the drops are great to learn on, like Northwind said, they can be rolled easily but also jumped easily as well and the landings, although occasionally rough, are very easy to use well so its a great place to 'update' your air skills

Anonymous

If you want to practice drops, is there nowhere near you that is suitable?
I think I mostly learnt how to ride drop offs by launching off stairs and suchlike, or just heading into the hills and forests near my house.

Oh, and remember, a steep landing is a good landing, it almost completely takes the impact away.

paul.skibum

To the OP - whenever I ride the Peaks I love it and it is generally pretty hard riding and technical. Trail centres are fun to do but no replacement for the natural.

Northwind

cee wrote:

roll the chicken run to the left of the drop...yip...roll over a 4' drop...nope.

Just so's you know, did all 3 myself tonight. As I'd thought the roll-out is pretty nice, the bottom slabs are nicely pitched so all you really have to do is keep your weight back and low, though still it's a pretty big roll. A long bike with a triple on would definately drag its chainrings quite hard (there's a few grooves in the rock ) and I wouldn't attempt it on a racy XC bike, I just tapped the bashring but nothing serious but then I was on a proper manly bike.

There's basically 3 rollable options on the biggest one, the one that people think is impossible- the middle option which I did is a bit hairy and which I might not do again, the one onto the lefthand rock at the base looks to be easier, and the best of the 3 to roll is on the right but would need a quick correction to stay on the trail after. None of them's easy mind but those other 2 have less drop than the line I took.

Still, I think there's harder rolls at Kielder, just going by how hard I hit the bashring there. Though with less consequences, going over the bars on that one is going to spoil your day.

(this isn't a "look at me, look what I can do" post because you're supposed to drop the bloody things and that's just not happening for me in a hurry!)

nick1962

Thanks Northwind maybe Cee will believe it now...even without photographic evidence

BTW Cee we are 4 riders in our late 40s and 50s.
Never been known to film ourselves and post it on Youtube as the youth of today seem obsessed with (wouldn't know how!)
Texting on our 10 year old phones is about as technologically advanced as we get.
Neither are we prone to exaggerating our limited abilities either!

cee

nuff is a fairy.

Northwind

FWIW if it was just a drop I wouldn't go near rolling it, but luckily the builders have put some work into giving it options, it's nicely done though so not really obvious unless you're looking! But I'm ALWAYS looking for an option that keeps my wheels on the ground

lockrobnkel

The main issue on all these trails is ego’s or willy waving...

People just can not admit that they are not as good as they believe they are...... I have never been to a trail centre as I prefer the natural flow and obstacles of the hills, plus when I push myself or do something stupid I’m no danger to other rider just myself

A question do you purchase a day pass for these centres if so do they not have a waiver on them stating you are undertaking a dangerous activity and as such any injuries are down to you the rider? (same a ski passes)

I’m in full agreement with beginners not going near red or black runs why run before you can walk, learn the basic skills required on a bike hone them on easier trails and gradually progress the more skilful and competent you get.

People need to get over graded runs where riding a black run is the be all and end all of everything and just ride what you can safely...

Surely it’s also common sense that no one red or black run is same, no different than ski resorts I have boarded on blacks which I would call them a red or even blue and red’s which should be black runs and a couple of blue’s in fernie which were boarding on black.

So make people sign a disclaimer and that will make them think twice if they have no comeback..

P.S. Nice to meet you all

Anonymous

lockrobnkel wrote:

I have never been to a trail centre as I prefer the natural flow and obstacles of the hills,

So, you prefer what you do to something you've never tried?

Trail centres are like track days for sports cars. It's great fun to rag them senseless on B-roads(natural terrain) but it's equally fun, in different ways, to go completely ballistic at a track day (trail centre)