What would you like to know about UK Trail Centres ?

mtbinuk

Hi there fellow MTB friends,

I'm going to be writing articles on the many MTB trail centres around the UK but would like your input if possible please, as I don't want to miss any information that readers will want.

What sort of additional information would you be looking for besides:

1. Location of trail centre
2. How to get there including map and directions
3. List of each kind of trail (Blue route, red route etc)
4. Pictures of each route
5. Video of each route
6. Information on trail centre facilities (food, cafe's etc)

Thanks in advance for your input

Cheers

John Metcalfe

reformedfatty

If I wanted that I would go to the trail centres website which already have all that information and more. If I wanted one catch-all that pulled them all together id get a mountain biking mag which every year one or the other of them has a book of trail centres.

An online version, that pulled content from the primary source e.g. the trail centre operators, and then made it so that it was all in standard places without having to hunt around varying website formats would be useful, as would something that divided up technical vs fitness effort ie. so you know that red @ glenlivet or cwmcarn is because of the climbs, not the tech.

Bottom line - imho the effort involved in doing that and making sure it stayed current enough to include diversions and closures would massively outweigh the benefit gained.

dusk

I think it could be useful if it was properly comprehensive (given the number of trail centres a 50 best booklet just doesn't cover it). A bonus would be if you could include bike parks/jump spots etc.

A sensible consistent grading would be good (I.e. Thetford black should be more like a blue) one grading for effort and another for technicality.

A review of the quality of the amenities would also help like if there are decent washing/changing facilities.

StinkinHippy

Dusk pretty much covered the only thing I really need to know before I start hitting the trails. How each centre compares to the others. A length and technical rating that is consistent between them all.

rockmonkeysc

How tough or easy are trail grades. I've ridden black trails which are easier than some blues.

supersonic

Definitely that - a good run down on difficulty. Some routes are downgraded because they have B lines or the jumps can be rolled. You might not have that choice on some routes.

rockmonkeysc

50 Shades of Black at Bikepark Wales should be the benchmark black trail. Just a brilliant trail but also loads of unavoidable, committing features which aren't that difficult but are intimidating and some proper old style tech. But all still perfectly do-able on a trail bike.

mtbinuk

Thanks everybody for your input, much appreciated

John

Angus Young

Make sure you tell people how good the food is at Llandegla.

_jon_

Overview map showing where the trail centres are in relation to each other.
Postcode for the car park and parking fees.
Distance and climb in feet/meters for each trail. Trail profile showing climbs.
Nearby places to stay (campsite/bunk house/b&b etc) that are bike friendly and have lockups.
Nearby places to buy food and drink. Does it have a cafe?
Maybe even a GPX for the routes as not all trail centre are very well sign posted.
A reviews and ratings section.

Thinking outside the box, and assuming this will be a website, a lift sharing feature would be good. If you're going to a trail centre on a particular day and can pick someone on enroute who is also going there on that day then it would save parking and petrol costs as well as having someone to share the ride with. The site would have to be popular though in order to make this work.

rockmonkeysc

Angus Young wrote:

Make sure you tell people how good the food is at Llandegla.

The food there is good. Coffee isn't bad either. Unfortunately, the trails aren't so good. The black was particularly disappointing. I've ridden more technical blues.

_jon_

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

Make sure you tell people how good the food is at Llandegla.

The food there is good. Coffee isn't bad either. Unfortunately, the trails aren't so good. The black was particularly disappointing. I've ridden more technical blues.

So the black gave you the blues?

(I'll get my coat)