Trail grading

Lewis A

Hi all,

Just a quickie, if I can easily tackle a red cx route at a trail centre, with appropriate equipment, can I also ride a red downhill route as easily?

Lewis

welshkev

they'll be different. but in my opinion (obviously not knowing how capable you are) if you say you can do a red xc route easily, there's not a huge step up.

but I do know some friends of mine who I ride with on xc trails won't ride the cwmcarn red downhill trails for example. a big impact will be the bike you ride, although I've ridden downhill trails on my hardtail before.

give it a go, what have you got to lose?

mcnultycop

It depends, grading is different in different places.

Red Llandegla would not translate to red at Antur.

welshkev

mcnultycop wrote:

It depends, grading is different in different places.

Red Llandegla would not translate to red at Antur.

that's what he's asking. red xc and red dh are different grading systems.

Lewis A

I was just considering what bike I should hire when (if) I go to chamonix, wouldn't want to hire a heavier bike to do downhill only to find I couldn't manage it, i did read somewhere that French grading is pretty much the same as British though...

welshkev

I've never been to the alps, but a lot of my friends go and most did it on 140mm travel bikes last year, but said that 160mm-180mm would be optimum unless you're doing solely DH trails.

that's 2nd hand info though so hopefully someone who's actually been will be able to offer some more concise advice

paul.skibum

I havent ridden Chamonix but I have ridden in PdS and surrounds - I have heard that Chamonix can be pretty hardcore but my friends used to ride off piste rather than graded tracks so not sure of their specific trails.

In PdS a red DH route is pretty doable on a 100mm hardtail but wouldnt be your first choice if you had options - welsh trail centre grading is a bit odd I find - something red is generally very little about the nature of the trail and a lot more about the distance, exposure and risk that comes with those factors.

Obviously you know how you ride and that is the key thing - your best bet is to work up to a red dh by trying a blue first - progression is key to any of these things. I wouldnt hire a big bike then chuck yourself down a black first run. read the trails and work out what you are into.

I have ridden BC bike parks, the Alps and all over the UK and I pride myself in being a capable rider but my first run in lift assisted terrain is always going to be an easier one.