Brand new trail built right next to me! (and some stories!)

cammyb96

Lots of negativity...

#1 - Its extremely local
#2 - As a beginner, its challenging me and pushing me to try harder trails
#3 - Yeah its packed gravel but I wouldn't fancy doing a natural trail on a hardtail

This whole trail is designed around beginners and accessibility, if you want to challenge yourself head to the black or red routes.

rockmonkeysc

Why wouldn't you want to ride natural trails on a hardtail?
Nothing wrong with beginners trails but that one has no real flow or interesting features. It doesn't appear to be very well designed. Very similar to Ashton Court in Bristol and thats terrible.

cammyb96

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Why wouldn't you want to ride natural trails on a hardtail?
Nothing wrong with beginners trails but that one has no real flow or interesting features. It doesn't appear to be very well designed. Very similar to Ashton Court in Bristol and thats terrible.

True, it might not be an amazing trail but I'm really enjoying it atm. First actual experience of downhill biking, as easy as it might be.

I just don't know why people want to bash on something that doesn't effect them at all.

rockmonkeysc

That's nothing like downhill mountain biking. Not even on a beginners level. It's closer to road cycling than downhill.

Angus Young

cammyb96 wrote:

I just don't know why people want to bash on something that doesn't effect them at all.

Don't worry about monkey. He's a riding god with a need to express himself. You'll get used to it after a while.

If it gets people out riding then it's all good.

felix.london

RockmonkeySC wrote:

That's nothing like downhill mountain biking. Not even on a beginners level. It's closer to road cycling than downhill.

cammyb96

Had this problem with this forum before, completely block newcomers. All I did was post pics of a trail...

I'm going continue to ride the trail because I enjoy it, regardless on your opinion.

cooldad

Don't take him too seriously. Some people like massive scary stuff, some actually enjoy riding on roads.
Most are somewhere in between.

The Rookie

I go to Hicks lodge in Leicestershire occasionally, it's not challenging, but I can take the wife for a ride round she enjoys and is fun enough (if not ridden too often) that I still enjoy it, not everyone wants gnarley challenging trails, so lets rejoice in the differences!

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

Don't take him too seriously. Some people like massive scary stuff, some actually enjoy riding on roads.
Most are somewhere in between.

I'm not convinced even roadies enjoy riding on the road. You never see them smiling!
I enjoy everything from blue to double black trails. All through that range there are good trails and bad ones. They can all be fun if they're well thought out and well built.
The trail the op posted about just looks like it has no flow to it, the berms aren't built right and the tables are in the wrong places.

cooldad

They do though, that's the weird thing. One guy I know's idea of a perfect holiday is to spend a few weeks riding up famous really long TdeF type hills. Not fussed about the downs, but is happy to spend whole days riding up.

t0pc4t

cammyb96 wrote:

Had this problem with this forum before, completely block newcomers. All I did was post pics of a trail...

I'm going continue to ride the trail because I enjoy it, regardless on your opinion.

if you enjoy it, it really doesn't matter. I love the new trails at Swinley, Cooldad seems less impressed but that won't affect my enjoyment riding them.

Trails just out your back door are always a win in my book.

cooldad

t0pc4t wrote:

cammyb96 wrote:

Had this problem with this forum before, completely block newcomers. All I did was post pics of a trail...

I'm going continue to ride the trail because I enjoy it, regardless on your opinion.

if you enjoy it, it really doesn't matter. I love the new trails at Swinley, Cooldad seems less impressed but that won't affect my enjoyment riding them.

Trails just out your back door are always a win in my book.

I do seem to be in a minority, just preferred the old stuff (most of which is still hidden away, often running parallel to the new stuff), but mainly I prefer my trails quiet. The new stuff gets a bit busy and I spend enough time on the M25.
Some of it is a lot of fun, and at least they didn't mess with Labyrinth, my favourite.

t0pc4t

I like some of the fast bermed sections a lot and I also like the fact that there are two distinct loops you can do (the blue is ideal for a quick blast) but I am also feeling you 100% on the traffic, it's worst on that first section of the blue.

cammyb96

Yeah, this trail has allot of berms. They're really fun if you hit them with speed. Starting to get confident with the blue, able to blast down it like its nothing. In my books as long as I'm progressing I'm doing something right

Dandy Dan 69

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Why wouldn't you want to ride natural trails on a hardtail?
Nothing wrong with beginners trails but that one has no real flow or interesting features. It doesn't appear to be very well designed. Very similar to Ashton Court in Bristol and thats terrible.

F me, what's your issue with Ashton court?

rockmonkeysc

Dandy Dan 69 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Why wouldn't you want to ride natural trails on a hardtail?
Nothing wrong with beginners trails but that one has no real flow or interesting features. It doesn't appear to be very well designed. Very similar to Ashton Court in Bristol and thats terrible.

F me, what's your issue with Ashton court?

It's sh1t. Every time you get a bit of speed up there's a really tight turn. All the trail marker posts are on the inside of the turns. The jumps are built way too short for the speed you can carry in to them. The surface is terrible. There's just nothing remotely interesting about the trail. And you have to share a car park with golfists.

Dandy Dan 69

Well, if you have to drive to get there then it's nothing special.

If you live in Bristol and it's a 10 minute ride away, then it's ace.

AAddict

I ride a lot of rocky and rooty trails in the Lakes, some of that lovely smooth stuff looks nice and relaxing. Would be nice to do a couple of miles of that back to the car at the end of your mountain biking.

rockmonkeysc

Dandy Dan 69 wrote:

Well, if you have to drive to get there then it's nothing special.

If you live in Bristol and it's a 10 minute ride away, then it's ace.

There's much better riding in Brizzle. Belmont woods is good and some of the un official stuff is loads better than the official trails as long as it's not wet!