Best Trail Centre?

welshkev

cooldad wrote:

welshkev wrote:

Riding a featureless trail fast isn't always going to make it fun.

I guess riding what's available is always the main reason people ride places like swinley (I've never been)

But I have ridden Ashton court and it was ok to kill some time, but I wouldn't go back unless I was wasting time to meet someone again. I did 3 laps, tried going as fast as I could and it was still pretty dull

On a similar note - how far is swinley from sunbury?

Lazy farker

thank you 8)

but going back to the OP - IMO coed y brenin is best for the sheer amout of variety available. plus withing 30 mins drive you have penmachno, marin trail or antur stiniog.

ilovedirt

welshkev wrote:

cooldad wrote:

welshkev wrote:

Riding a featureless trail fast isn't always going to make it fun.

I guess riding what's available is always the main reason people ride places like swinley (I've never been)

But I have ridden Ashton court and it was ok to kill some time, but I wouldn't go back unless I was wasting time to meet someone again. I did 3 laps, tried going as fast as I could and it was still pretty dull

On a similar note - how far is swinley from sunbury?

Lazy farker

thank you 8)

but going back to the OP - IMO coed y brenin is best for the sheer amout of variety available. plus withing 30 mins drive you have penmachno, marin trail or antur stiniog.

Oh yeah, North Wales is a goldmine for trails - Llandegla isn't too far away either. And there's so much natural riding! Also Dyfi forest (Climachx trail) is only round the corner from brenin. there's a LOT of riding within not much distance if you base yourself around Betws Y Coed.

Angus Young

ilovedirt wrote:

there's a LOT of riding within not much distance if you base yourself around Betws Y Coed.

I'm thinking of buying a house there. You're all invited if I do! I'll make sure it's got a secure bike lock-up.

welshkev

Angus Young wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

there's a LOT of riding within not much distance if you base yourself around Betws Y Coed.

I'm thinking of buying a house there. You're all invited if I do! I'll make sure it's got a secure bike lock-up.

it's a superb area, I do love it there.

ilovedirt

Angus Young wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

there's a LOT of riding within not much distance if you base yourself around Betws Y Coed.

I'm thinking of buying a house there. You're all invited if I do! I'll make sure it's got a secure bike lock-up.

You won't regret it! So many off piste trails around betws... Some pretty scary!

fat_homer

For a single trail, I enjoyed Kirroughtree the most I think, the section after heartbreak hill, Talnotry Hill is just ace, 2.5k of fast but techy single track.

But the best trail centre for me Coed y Brenin. like it's been said, loads of variety, the Beast being the best of the bunch.

And I'm going to have to disagree with a few on here, Cannock is fantastic for what it is and the land they have to use. Plus it's pretty annoying when people come on forums and slag off hard working volunteers, who build trails for people to ride, just for the love of it (granted, a small part is contractor built).

steve_muzzy

Laggan. I have ridden a lot and nothing compares to here. Shame about no cafe now though

declan1

steve_muzzy wrote:

Laggan. I have ridden a lot and nothing compares to here. Shame about no cafe now though

I've heard Laggan's really good - need to have a go at it sometime.

Ryan Jones

fat_homer wrote:

But the best trail centre for me Coed y Brenin. like it's been said, loads of variety, the Beast being the best of the bunch.

And I'm going to have to disagree with a few on here, Cannock is fantastic for what it is and the land they have to use. Plus it's pretty annoying when people come on forums and slag off hard working volunteers, who build trails for people to ride, just for the love of it (granted, a small part is contractor built).

Agreed with both points there !

Just got back from Cannock, and it is what it is....remember it was only built as a local setup initially and now it gets serious traffic. Could really do with some extra hands, or even some funding from somewhere, maybe fundraising events or something ?

lochussie

Whistler Bike Park.

cooldad

RockmonkeySC wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Obviously not everyone is a super gnarrly DH god.

It's close to civilisation, has enough variety, especially off piste.

And did I mention it's close to civilisation?

I wouldn't travel hours to get there, but as a back garden it's not bad.

Swinly is close to Slough, surely that's a big enough negative no matter how good the riding is?
The trails are so boring though, Swinley sucks hairy dog balls.

Swinley is in the top 10, so suck on your big hairy dog balls.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/artic ... and-35974/

(They even managed to find a picture that has rocks - although it's not a picture of Swinley)

rockmonkeysc

Oh, well it must be amazing. I remember it being completely w@nk.

Angus Young

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I remember it being completely w@nk.

You must be doing it wrong.

rockmonkeysc

I have never heard anyone say anything good about Swinley or Cannock.

cooldad

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have never heard anyone say anything good about Swinley or Cannock.

I live next door, and enjoy it a lot. I have also had fun at Cannock.

So if you say that again, you will be a liar.

And you wouldn't want that.

rockmonkeysc

I have never heard anyone who's opinion I value say anything good about Cannock or Swinley.

declan1

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have never heard anyone who's opinion I value say anything good about Cannock or Swinley.

I know you think you're god, but you're not.

rockmonkeysc

declan1 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have never heard anyone who's opinion I value say anything good about Cannock or Swinley.

I know you think you're god, but you're not.

How does thinking a trail is sh1t suggest I think I'm god?

declan1

RockmonkeySC wrote:

declan1 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have never heard anyone who's opinion I value say anything good about Cannock or Swinley.

I know you think you're god, but you're not.

How does thinking a trail is sh1t suggest I think I'm god?

That's not the only post that displays your opinion of yourself.

rockmonkeysc

No, it's my opinion of a couple trails.
Nothing to do with my opinion of myself.
I just think Swinley and Cannock are particularly unimaginative trails. In both cases there are far better trails of similar difficulty and on land with similar lack of gradient.

cooldad

cooldad wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have never heard anyone say anything good about Swinley or Cannock.

I live next door, and enjoy it a lot. I have also had fun at Cannock.

So if you say that again, you will be a liar.

And you wouldn't want that.

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have never heard anyone who's opinion I value say anything good about Cannock or Swinley.

Backpedal much?

Anyway almost 3000 people here obviously don't value your opinion.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SwinleyforestMTB/

I'm sure there are others.

rockmonkeysc

Thousands enjoy riding on roads, doesn't make it right.

What is there at Swinley to make it worth more than a 30 minute drive? What are it's attractions? What keeps the riding interesting.
Less than 30 minutes there is obviously. convenience.
Obviously it's never going to compete with the big trail centres like Afan, BPW, Cwmcarn etc but even compared to Ashton Court I found Swinley to be unimaginative in it's use of the land. It can't even compare to the less well known but equally flat and brilliantly built Belmont Woods also in Bristol. FoD is fairly flat as well but there's some clever use of natural features on the flat sections.

Chunkers1980

Seriously who cares. It is all better than riding down a generic track.

cooldad

For me a 30 second cycle (until I move into the Surrey Hills in a month or so), but I don't actually ride the trail centre stuff to be honest, unless I'm showing someone around. I don't like the surface, the crowds on parts of it, and get a bit bored.
Lots of people do though.
Plenty of off piste stuff though, especially as I like slow windy XC stuff, not being a DH riding god myself.

welshkev

declan1 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have never heard anyone who's opinion I value say anything good about Cannock or Swinley.

I know you think you're god, but you're not.

that just actually made me lol

Ferrals

He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy

rockmonkeysc

How does not liking a trail suggest that I think I'm a god?

Chunkers1980

That's not all you suggested though.

pilch

I cant think of any trail centre i've been to and not enjoyed riding my bike to some degree... after all i'm riding my bike, even just riding sections repeatedly working on technique now & again gives me pleasure, not being a DH gnarr riding god like...

I would say Kirrochtree, closely followed by GT & inners

Angus Young

pilch wrote:

after all i'm riding my bike

^ This.