Cannock Chase first timer

lastwords

Went to Cannock chase today the only other trail centre i have been to is sherwood pines and the difference is like black and white, Really liked cannock did follow the dog and monkey trail struggled with the drop offs at first and some of the rock sections.

Went to the shop bought some knee pads and upped the pressure a little in the front and rear suspension as it didnt feel enough even though sag was ok, then went round again.

It was ace cleared all the drop offs bar one but still had trouble with a couple of the rock sections even came off on one but managed to grab a tree lol, the bike fell down though.
Its a very loose surface in places and there are lots of braking bumps but definatly enjoyed it.

BennyB

I was at the chase today too. I really enjoy it there! The braking bumps are quite bad there.

Saw loads of people not wearing helmets too! tut tut

angry_bird

I saw something that really shocked me at cannock yesterday, bloody amazed nobody was hurt. Would start ranting about it but I'd be going for ever. There are some seriously irresponsible parents out there though.

lastwords

Saw a young kid being taken round the monkey trail must of been about 10-12, i deffo would not take my lad round there.

I now know what brake jacking feels like due to all the braking bumps trying to scrub a little speed with the back brakes in some places without skidding and you can feel the difference between brakes on and off in the rear suspension of my bike.

Didnt see anyone without a lid on but they must be crazy with all them rocks.

angry_bird

These 3 kids were 7/8, no helmets, dads on halfords specials. Thing is the kids were behaving like idiots, completely unsafe manner, dad's didn't care. If I'd been pratting around like that on a bouncy castle when I was a kid I'd have had a right bollocking let alone at the top of one of the monkey descents, and again halfway down, and again at the bottom...

.blitz

lastwords wrote:

...had trouble with a couple of the rock sections even came off on one but managed to grab a tree lol

Sounds curiously familiar

lastwords wrote:

Saw a young kid being taken round the monkey trail must have been about 10-12, i deffo would not take my lad round there.

I guess a lot depends on the individual but there does seem to have been an increase in the number of 'football dads' taking their offspring round the trails. Credit to the kids they do really well and although it's none of my business their dads seem to pile the pressure on :?

shx8000

Saturday I had to ask some young lad to get off the wooden bridge at stegosauras. His parents were watching him from the path. Then just before the rollers were some old buddies walking up the trail with their dogs.

.blitz

This is the problem with the Chase. Everybody has a 'right' to go where they want to, whether it's kids on the bridges or dog walkers on the rollers.

I think in terms of MTBing you can only get better by practising so I have no probs with people of all abilities riding the official trails but I draw the line at people using the official trails for other purposes out of sheer ignorance/bloody mindedness.

The other week there was a family on the fireroad that runs below Lower Cliff who thought it was great fun to let their two over-enthusiastic dogs bound up-and-down and across the trail, and bark at MTBrs on the descent. The dogs nearly had the bloke in front of me off but I just cogged it up and aimed for them - they moved. Sometimes you need to be as thoughtless as other people.

leaflite

I saw loads of kids on £50 full sussers not wearing helmets on saturday too! There was hundreds of them!

I think i saw "Angry Bird" too-I was following a red G3 hardtail up the big climb on the FTD.