BPW Increasing Prices...

TheNorthernTrain

most trail centres are not out to make a profit but most need all the help they can get to generate enough cash for maintenance and development.

Briggo

UH DH wrote:

Wait, they charge to ride? I assumed the fee being whined about was for an uplift or something. I can understand parking charges and stuff, but pay to ride is pushing it a bit.

I suppose the costs are for insurance or something.

Do you only do stuff that doesn't cost?

rockmonkeysc

Its £5 to ride at bike park wales but parking is free so its only a couple quid more than Afan and lets be honest Afan hasn't had a new trail in years (lost one or two though) and is overcrowded.
I won't be going there much. DH tracks at trail centres never work well

UH DH

Briggo wrote:

Do you only do stuff that doesn't cost?

No, but the majority of places I go fund their trail network through parking charges.

It's all well and good to say that FC places don't need to charge to ride, but more often than not they really don't want to pay for trail maintainance or new stuff. That's where parking charges come in. It explains some of the ridiculous parking fees I've seen. But for every overpriced day of parking at Llandegla, they can afford to build even more hill and remove some more of the downhill sections.

rockmonkeysc

The race track was fun, very high speed. I dont like the bike park style berm and groomed jumps but fortunately there's enough rocks and roots to make up for that.
The uplift was terrible though. Hour long que right back to the bottom of the uplift turning area. They really need to get that sorted before the BDS race next year.

welshkev

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The race track was fun, very high speed. I dont like the bike park style berm and groomed jumps but fortunately there's enough rocks and roots to make up for that.
The uplift was terrible though. Hour long que right back to the bottom of the uplift turning area. They really need to get that sorted before the BDS race next year.

how'd you get on?

rockmonkeysc

Nerves got me in the first race run and I rode like an old woman. Second run I rode much better other than running wide and having to get back on track. After that I ended up a disappointing 19th place, looking at final results I should have been aroud 12th.
It was a great weekend with the atmosphere of a much bigger event than any regional champs I have been to before, there were several hundred spectators, local tv and a few world cup riders.
I even got my photo in Dirt's race report!
The track is absolutely brilliant, just a shame about the uplift.

booldawg

+1 with Dusk.

We are lucky enough to enjoy a fairly cheap sport, its only really as expensive as we make it with latest bikes, gear etc.

I have mates who are tight as ducks asses and will only come out if it doesn't involve transporting the bikes by car/train anywhere and are happy with their bikes as they are and only replace bits that need replacing and never upgrade. Being content with your bike must be a happy place to be!

In the offset I have mates who do expensive hobbies such as sailing, golf etc and know how much they pay out to follow their pursuit. Living where I live visiting a trial centre is a rare luxury I don't mind paying a few quid for now and then.