Best Trail Centre?

rockmonkeysc

Chunkers1980 wrote:

That's not all you suggested though.

What else did I suggest?

Chunkers1980

RockmonkeySC wrote:

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

stubs

Bickerstaffe Trails is good fun but short ideal for a rinse and repeat till your legs are dead session. Well worth a trip if your in the area though Gnar Trail Gods who could show Steve Peat a thing or two probably wouldnt like it.

http://www.ibikeride.com/england/2206-bickerstaffe-cycle-track
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bickerstaffe-Cycle-Track/146432762198959

rockmonkeysc

Chunkers1980 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

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

Does not valuing your (or any internet goon) opinion make me a god?
As an athiest I don't believe in higher beings, I believe we are all equally low.

BloggingFit

We're all pretty fortunate to have the luxury of picking and choosing between trail centres at all.

Regarding Swinley I think it gets some unfair criticism at times. Yes the terrain has been diluted down. Yes it can be too busy to ride at times. Yes the cafe is a bit rubbish. The issues that Swinley suffers from are a result of the popularity of Mountain Bikes in general and that it's trying to cater for everyone not just the more hardcore. Back in the day, after getting permission, we started clearing some trails for our own use up where the likes of Deerstalker and Labyrinth are now while some clearing and replanting was in progress. This coincided with the set up of BOB officially and permit system as a way to regulate the use.

Fast forward 15 years and we have a series of natural trails ridden by more and more people. Many capable riders and many not so capable and after a few accidents and threatened court cases there was no option left but to dilute down the surface and trails to avoid a constant stream of issues and keep the centre open to the general public.

An obvious solution would be to close off public access as such and run a pass/permit system but as this isn't the nature of Swinley it would make no sense. If the Red section were bigger and more diverse then this would help but there are many limitations on the land use out there.

M personal take on Swinley is that it's fantastic for the convenience as I can get into the back end of the Red DH sections in 10 mins by bike and thrash about for an hour. Anything more than once every couple of weeks gets boring though so I hit the MoD areas instead. I'd love to see some of these areas developed in conjunction with MoD but doubt this will ever happen, especially with them hitting up of use of bikes on their land, ie, don't.

welshkev

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Chunkers1980 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

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

Does not valuing your (or any internet goon) opinion make me a god?
As an athiest I don't believe in higher beings, I believe we are all equally low.

there are multiple things that you've said in various threads that hint towards the fact you believe you are better than everyone else at pretty much everything.

rockmonkeysc

No, I'm average (on a good day) and a slightly rubbish but enthusiastic downhill racer, second from last in my last race is a reasonable indication of my skill level!
I think some people take my suggestions of "man the funk up and ride it" the wrong way.

t0pc4t

BloggingFit wrote:

We're all pretty fortunate to have the luxury of picking and choosing between trail centres at all.

Regarding Swinley I think it gets some unfair criticism at times. Yes the terrain has been diluted down. Yes it can be too busy to ride at times. Yes the cafe is a bit rubbish. The issues that Swinley suffers from are a result of the popularity of Mountain Bikes in general and that it's trying to cater for everyone not just the more hardcore. Back in the day, after getting permission, we started clearing some trails for our own use up where the likes of Deerstalker and Labyrinth are now while some clearing and replanting was in progress. This coincided with the set up of BOB officially and permit system as a way to regulate the use.

Fast forward 15 years and we have a series of natural trails ridden by more and more people. Many capable riders and many not so capable and after a few accidents and threatened court cases there was no option left but to dilute down the surface and trails to avoid a constant stream of issues and keep the centre open to the general public.

An obvious solution would be to close off public access as such and run a pass/permit system but as this isn't the nature of Swinley it would make no sense. If the Red section were bigger and more diverse then this would help but there are many limitations on the land use out there.

M personal take on Swinley is that it's fantastic for the convenience as I can get into the back end of the Red DH sections in 10 mins by bike and thrash about for an hour. Anything more than once every couple of weeks gets boring though so I hit the MoD areas instead. I'd love to see some of these areas developed in conjunction with MoD but doubt this will ever happen, especially with them hitting up of use of bikes on their land, ie, don't.

I totally agree, the marked trails are good for a quick smash even though you have to be patient on the blue and there's other stuff around for those who know. I love living next to Swinley.

ednino

Nant Y Arian

welshkev

Nant yr Arian? Are you drunk?

It is a nice ride but it's definitely not the best trail centre. All the loops pretty much use the same bits if singletrack with just more out on the moors for length.

poah

can you consider BPW a trail centre?

rockmonkeysc

POAH wrote:

can you consider BPW a trail centre?

Why not? You don't have to use the uplift, the climb is actually not bad. They are working on a big xc loop. I guess they quite sensibly built the trail likely to bring in the mosr money first.

poah

RockmonkeySC wrote:

POAH wrote:

can you consider BPW a trail centre?

Why not? You don't have to use the uplift, the climb is actually not bad. They are working on a big xc loop. I guess they quite sensibly built the trail likely to bring in the mosr money first.

just down to the type of runs they have - trail centre for me doesn't describe it accurately in its current incarnation. Suppose its just a bit pedantic

rockmonkeysc

It has trail ranging from beginner friendly to 40 foot gap jumps. I guess it goes a bit more extreme than most trail centres but the easy stuff is there as well.

mrcoley

POAH wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

POAH wrote:

can you consider BPW a trail centre?

Why not? You don't have to use the uplift, the climb is actually not bad. They are working on a big xc loop. I guess they quite sensibly built the trail likely to bring in the mosr money first.

just down to the type of runs they have - trail centre for me doesn't describe it accurately in its current incarnation. Suppose its just a bit pedantic

Vibrio???? what else can you call it though an beginner to extreme mtb centre doesn't really sound that great tbh

welshkev

POAH wrote:

can you consider BPW a trail centre?

Isn't the clue in its name ?

rockmonkeysc

What's the difference between a bike park and a trail centre?

welshkev

RockmonkeySC wrote:

What's the difference between a bike park and a trail centre?

I was joking and to answer your question, I have no idea

The Northern Monkey

My opinion?

Bike parks are all about uplifts and not much else - cable car/lift, van + trailer etc - but have a variety of "DH" trails to suit all abilities.

BPW and Antur are pretty much the same, only difference is you can't pedal to the top at Antur (as far as I know anyway). The pedal up BPW is shite.

poah

The Northern Monkey wrote:

My opinion?

Bike parks are all about uplifts and not much else - cable car/lift, van + trailer etc - but have a variety of "DH" trails to suit all abilities.

BPW and Antur are pretty much the same, only difference is you can't pedal to the top at Antur (as far as I know anyway). The pedal up BPW is shite.

this is my point

poah

mrcoley wrote:

Vibrio???? what else can you call it though an beginner to extreme mtb centre doesn't really sound that great tbh

welshkev wrote:

Isn't the clue in its name ?

rockmonkeysc

There will be big xc loops at bike park wales. I guess the trails they built first will bring in the most money and help pay for more building.
Last time I went there I was told they aren't even half finished with trail building.

The Northern Monkey

Thats true, but they do need to make money to build more trails as I think the funding is gone!

They should install a bike lift, that would be awesome.

mrcoley

apparently they have planning permission for another 10 trails there so far

rockmonkeysc

They need something to improve the uplift. There's a three month wait to get on at the moment so they must be missing out on a fair amount of potential business. I guess buying more busses and trailers is risky. The hill doesn't really lend itself to a proper lift, its a bit convex in profile.

Angus Young

RockmonkeySC wrote:

They need something to improve the uplift. There's a three month wait to get on at the moment so they must be missing out on a fair amount of potential business.

I was amazed when I checked that out the other day. To not address that is a serious managerial oversight. What was it, a two million pounds or so development? And they can't spring for another mini bus when the waiting list is stretching into the months? Isn't one of the selling points of a bike park the convenience factor, the 'just turn up and go' thing? And, for many, not having to ride/push to the top?

The Northern Monkey

The management of the place is one of the things that annoys me most.

The Northern Monkey

I reckon that once the Flyup 417 Project gets going, its going to take a lot of the "non-local" traffic to BPW.

Anyone coming from the M5/M4 around Bristol/Gloucester will have the choice of either centre.. and by the looks of things, Flyup 417 looks like it'll have a bit more to offer!

welshkev

Angus Young wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

They need something to improve the uplift. There's a three month wait to get on at the moment so they must be missing out on a fair amount of potential business.

I was amazed when I checked that out the other day. To not address that is a serious managerial oversight. What was it, a two million pounds or so development? And they can't spring for another mini bus when the waiting list is stretching into the months? Isn't one of the selling points of a bike park the convenience factor, the 'just turn up and go' thing? And, for many, not having to ride/push to the top?

That's the thing. It's not just turn up and ride. I've only been twice and it's 25 mind from me. Last time s friend of mind went it took him 40 mins of arseing around filling in forms etc before he could ride

dusk

welshkev wrote:

Nant yr Arian? Are you drunk?

It is a nice ride but it's definitely not the best trail centre. All the loops pretty much use the same bits if singletrack with just more out on the moors for length.

I think it's great, aren't opinions wonderful.....