Morzine f*cking braking bumps.
Joe_Pineapples
Posts: 1,718
Just back from a week in Morzine yesterday and, as per usual, the place is just amazing, but the trails are being totally ruined by a total lack of any maintenance that I could see.
The braking bumps are, quite frankly, ridiculous and compared to last year the place has went totally downhill (Boom Boom!) to the point where I might not go back next year. :x
Has anyone got any suggestions for any other European locations with similar trails that actually give a sh*t about their condition?
The braking bumps are, quite frankly, ridiculous and compared to last year the place has went totally downhill (Boom Boom!) to the point where I might not go back next year. :x
Has anyone got any suggestions for any other European locations with similar trails that actually give a sh*t about their condition?
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a guy who went to mega avakanche also said theres loads of braking bumps. could be something happening everywhere0
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I've been twice, had a great time too, but I think we'll leave it for a few years.
I know they had a big push to keep the trails maintanied last year, perhaps they've let it slip again, or the weather might have just been worse.
Last year I went ('08 - Hospitallised myself 4 days before I was meant to go last year) some of the bumps on the motorway trails were getting silly, one near the top of the Pleney could swallow bike and rider whole.
It must be possible to get it right, we're off to Whistler next year, the weather is not really any different, if anything they get more traffic, but the trails are meant to be nye on perfect if you avoid the majorly busy cranworx fortnight.
The lift passes cost a hell of a lot more though! Perhaps that's the key to Morzine / Les Gets, double the price of the lift passes (still not massive shakes in comparison to the cost of a whole holiday) and employ a load more maintenance teams.0 -
Braking bumps are definitely a feature of the French trails - lack of maintenance, they just dont have people out every night raking and to be honest I think thats fair enough. The lift ticket is pretty cheap and mtb's as a whole arent spending that much in resort.
That said my hill in Canada (where I ski) is Silver Star which features on Follow Me. They have a 4 man trail crew and are reknown for the smooth trails - probably helped by the very low number of users.
The best place to head for trails in the Morzine area is over to Chatel Bike Park and Avoriaz but even there you will find bumps - too many people not riding the trails right and very downhill oriented runsCloset jockey wheel pimp whore.0 -
When we were in Morzine a few years ago, there were definitely trail maintenance teams. They were out in the middle of the day though, whilst people were still screaming down the mountain. Crazy mofos.
It seemed to me that the main reason for the braking bumps was a combination of very steep slopes (unfriendly to beginners) leading to very high speeds, and, well, lots of beginners.
I read a while back an opinion from an MTB Journalist, who thought the French resorts should build more like the Canadians, where the trails criss cross the mountain rather than heading predominantly down them.
I've never been riding in Canada, but if what that journo said has any truth, maybe that's why the Canadian trails fare better?0 -
yeehaamcgee wrote:When we were in Morzine a few years ago, there were definitely trail maintenance teams. They were out in the middle of the day though, whilst people were still screaming down the mountain. Crazy mofos.
It seemed to me that the main reason for the braking bumps was a combination of very steep slopes (unfriendly to beginners) leading to very high speeds, and, well, lots of beginners.
I read a while back an opinion from an MTB Journalist, who thought the French resorts should build more like the Canadians, where the trails criss cross the mountain rather than heading predominantly down them.
I've never been riding in Canada, but if what that journo said has any truth, maybe that's why the Canadian trails fare better?
I've certainly heard Whistler Mountain Trails are far less steep than Morzine's. Call me a great big tart if you like, but I fancy some of the stuff in Les Morzine is too steep for it's own good, speed's fun, but arriving at the bottom with smoking rotors and a thousand yard stare I could do without.0 -
i've just bought the latest copy of dirt magazine and there's a big feature about Are in sweeden, now that place looks awsome
and if you fancy some winter riding in the sun, there's always tenerife. i used to live there and the riding's pretty cool 0 -
There are braking bumps at trail ctrs over here too and they meander through the forest.Advocate of disc brakes.0
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true, but you imagine those people who leave braking bumps on an XC trail, and imagine the carnage they create when they suddenly find themselves at 35+mph, well out of their depth heading towards a large jump/dropoff/massive berms.homers double wrote:There are braking bumps at trail ctrs over here too and they meander through the forest.
Therein lies the problem in Portes du Soleil I think.
Chatel had noticeably less braking bumps, but didn't have the same swathe of inexperienced riders.0 -
That's true McGee, but to be fair, you have to make the place applicable to riders of all levels.
If that means more maintenance then that's what the trails should get.
The management of the trails should remember how much much tourist dollah us bikers bring to the place each summer.0 -
I know, I know...Advocate of disc brakes.0
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Joe_Pineapples wrote:Has anyone got any suggestions for any other European locations with similar trails that actually give a sh*t about their condition?
The 7 Stanes are in Europe...0 -
The 7Stanes are on my doorstep!0
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Wait a mo, Glentress and all that are good, but they're hardly Morzine!
...and until they get a chairlift installed at Innerleithen....0 -
Oh I understand that, but it would be great to see some DH trails there that aren't as steep. As it stands, even the Les Gets "introductory" DH course seems far too steep for people new to DH.Joe_Pineapples wrote:That's true McGee, but to be fair, you have to make the place applicable to riders of all levels.
If that means more maintenance then that's what the trails should get.
The management of the trails should remember how much much tourist dollah us bikers bring to the place each summer.0 -
Cheaper though! Plus there is all that natural riding up there... just look at the Peaty/Hans/Macaskil video of their trip to Scotland!0
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You think there isn't natural riding in the Alps? :?The Northern Monkey wrote:Cheaper though! Plus there is all that natural riding up there... just look at the Peaty/Hans/Macaskil video of their trip to Scotland!
What?
I'm pretty sure not even Scotland can come close to the Alps in terms of DH course lengths, I mean, the Alps are properly massive.0 -
yeehaamcgee wrote:
You think there isn't natural riding in the Alps? :?The Northern Monkey wrote:Cheaper though! Plus there is all that natural riding up there... just look at the Peaty/Hans/Macaskil video of their trip to Scotland!
What?
yes.. i most definately said that in the above txt... I am currently reading the bit where I said there is no natural trails in the Alps.
Don't be a tit.0 -
yeehaamcgee wrote:
Oh I understand that, but it would be great to see some DH trails there that aren't as steep. As it stands, even the Les Gets "introductory" DH course seems far too steep for people new to DH.Joe_Pineapples wrote:That's true McGee, but to be fair, you have to make the place applicable to riders of all levels.
If that means more maintenance then that's what the trails should get.
The management of the trails should remember how much much tourist dollah us bikers bring to the place each summer.
I don't disagree McGee, they seem to go from Blue grade stuff straight to Black grade downhill, with no intermediate trails in between.
I can only imagine the terror on a newbie's face hitting Mont Chery for the first time.0 -
I misunderstood then, when you said "plus there is all that natural riding there", I thought you were suggesting that there wasn't in Portes du Soleil.0
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yeehaamcgee wrote:I misunderstood then, when you said "plus there is all that natural riding there", I thought you were suggesting that there wasn't in Portes du Soleil.
DW lots of things get taken the wrong way on this forum... like the time that chap wanted to arrest me.... anyways...
What I meant was to stop being such a moaning barsteward (to the OP). I'd love to have the quality of the stuff thats in the 7 Stanes on my doorstep!0 -
dealing with brake bumps does this help? :oops:0
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braking bumps is as much about fork/shock setup as it is rider skill... a badly setup fork can rebound you off the bike!0
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Yeah, true. The 7Stanes is great. I'm hoping to make a return visit up there this year.
As for newbies on the DH runs, I witnessed a horrific crash on Pleney.
A family had gone for a cycling holiday, and the young boys wanted to try out the DH tracks.
Unfortunately he came a cropper on the last humpback bridge as you're returning to the lifts. It looked like his brakes had given in completely, he hit it flat out, was tossed several feet into the air and landed on the handrail. He was lying almost motionless, just twitching, it was very uncomfortable to see.
He had a lightweight XC lid, no armour, and an XC full suss, with the kind of brakes that would be unsuitable for Wales/Scotland, in other words, I really don't think he was prepared at all.
Poor kid.0 -
True, but these things are getting on for half the size of a wheel :shock:The Northern Monkey wrote:braking bumps is as much about fork/shock setup as it is rider skill... a badly setup fork can rebound you off the bike!0 -
yeehaamcgee wrote:
True, but these things are getting on for half the size of a wheel :shock:The Northern Monkey wrote:braking bumps is as much about fork/shock setup as it is rider skill... a badly setup fork can rebound you off the bike!
Yea i just looked at some photos! thats crazy!
Doubt i'll be going there.... plus its in France.
Whistler for me 0 -
I'd love to go to whistler but it's soooooooooo fahookin expensive.
A whole week in France cost me about 700 quid all in. I'd barely get the flight to Whistler for that :shock:0 -
hehe my cousin lives about a 30 min drive from Whistler
He doesn't ride MTB's though! :shock:
i Also have Cousins in Toronto, so could technically get a flight to Toronto, stay with them, then get a train over to whistler!0 -
Can I be your friend? 0
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yeehaamcgee wrote:Yeah, true. The 7Stanes is great. I'm hoping to make a return visit up there this year.
As for newbies on the DH runs, I witnessed a horrific crash on Pleney.
A family had gone for a cycling holiday, and the young boys wanted to try out the DH tracks.
Unfortunately he came a cropper on the last humpback bridge as you're returning to the lifts. It looked like his brakes had given in completely, he hit it flat out, was tossed several feet into the air and landed on the handrail. He was lying almost motionless, just twitching, it was very uncomfortable to see.
He had a lightweight XC lid, no armour, and an XC full suss, with the kind of brakes that would be unsuitable for Wales/Scotland, in other words, I really don't think he was prepared at all.
Poor kid.
Pics?Advocate of disc brakes.0
