How do graded trails and good XC routes compare

flappy8
flappy8 Posts: 172
edited August 2011 in Routes
Hi All,

I've done a fair bit of cross country stuff with the most technical being some of the routes around Ladybower - Hag farm etc. - but I've never been to a trail centre. How do the routes around Ladybower compare - would they be graded red - or is the whole experience different?

John
MTB or Road - They are both good!

Comments

  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    They vary massively. Most trail centre grading is a comparison to other trails at that centre. So Thetford has a green, a blue, which is marginally harder, and a black, which is the hardest, but it's still Thetford, so it's still not technical, or hilly.

    Some trails (like W2 at Afan) are black graded because they're long, there's nothing difficult on it. Other red trails are harder.

    So basically, it's inconclusive... but trail centres are designed to be rideable, and you're unlikely to be phased by much you'd find at one.
  • flappy8
    flappy8 Posts: 172
    njee20, jsut remembered that I had done Thetford black while escaping from centerparcs but it seemed very mild. I take your point about length making a difference (ooh-errr) and seen this on CTC website

    http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3683
    MTB or Road - They are both good!
  • tsenior
    tsenior Posts: 664
    like njee says trail centres are designed to be ridden....if you've cut your teeth off piste then you are unlikely to find anything too technical for you.

    conversely because they are designed they can be much faster and have jumps and features which you dont get in the wild

    requires a slightly differnet approach: more gung-ho IMO :wink:
  • flappy8
    flappy8 Posts: 172
    Right then I'll take my gung-ho brain with me this weeken to Forest of Dean!

    Thanks
    MTB or Road - They are both good!
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Ooo you have the DH runs there too,

    Don't be afraid to have a look at them, there rolleble on hard tails and a great way to improve bike skills :)
  • flappy8
    flappy8 Posts: 172
    The DH runs waylander? Aren't they full face helmet territory only?

    (shows years of MTBing and no trail centres yet!)
    MTB or Road - They are both good!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    They definitely vary. For example Haldon Forest down by Exeter has one "proper" trail aside from the family friendly stuff and they call it an expert red and it has a tiny little black extreme section at the end. The black is no more difficult than some of the easiest rock sections on Whites in Afan.

    I rate it barely a red. Seriously nothing extreme about it. The actual red is nothing more than a simple blue you'd find in some of the more tame leisurely sections of trail centres.

Categories