New in Leicester / enduro rouets

Sir Usly

Hi all,
I've recently moved to Leicester and looking for any enduro routes, singletracks in, let's say, 100 miles radius.
Do you know of any decent places?

Additionally, could you advise me on any UK bike parks to have rough, natural terrain singletracks with some good beating from roots, rocks, steep sections etc?
Something with this character:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olel7snzotA&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asbb2VOZwxQ&t=15s

Thanks!

billycool

Welcome to the forum and welcome to the area.

I live near Melton and work local to Leicester.

Sadly - you won't find any BPW type trails locally (unless I'm missing something).

The best place for that type of riding is probably the Peak District. I don't know where you are from originally, so you may already be aware of it. You do have to ride/push up stuff but some of the decents are mental. If you're on Facebook, look at Coggers MTB. Mainly Sheffield and surrounding areas folk who ride out that way most days and do regular group rides.

In terms of `local` - I go up to Sherwood Pines. It's a fairly tame 9 mile `red` route that is really XC forest single track. Good fun though if you blast round it and you can session some bits (they do have a sort of Bike Park with gap jumps etc and a few tame drop offs). It would be less fun with a heavy DH rig. It's quite flat so no long DH runs as such. Might not suit you depending on what you like.

You also have Cannock Chase, which is longer/harder than Pines and has some nice decents but nothing too technical. Bigger hills to ride up as well. Still good fun and worth a blast. Generally considered to be miles better than Pines.

Both require an element of pedalling uphill but are limited in technical features as both are Forestry Commission.

I can't tell what you ride but you mention Enduro, rather than pure DH riding. I ride a 140mm Enduro bike but I'm very much an XC rider at heart (20+ years riding hardtails). I don't really do the jumps/drop offs very well (lack of ability and bravery). At BPW my limit was the red routes (I secretly really prefer the fast flowing blues).

Hope you get to find something you like.

Sir Usly

Thanks @BillyCool
Have to check both Pines and Cannock then.
Wales Bike Park is not that far away too, something around 150 miles from Leicester so for all weekend riding should be fine.
Yeah, I'm not into DH, typical enduro I'd say - up and down (stressing down). Red lines mostly, sometimes black but can enjoy flow trails from time to time

billycool

Sir Usly wrote:

Thanks @BillyCool
Have to check both Pines and Cannock then.
Wales Bike Park is not that far away too, something around 150 miles from Leicester so for all weekend riding should be fine.
Yeah, I'm not into DH, typical enduro I'd say - up and down (stressing down). Red lines mostly, sometimes black but can enjoy flow trails from time to time

You'll probably find Pines quite `flat` and not that exciting, so be warned. I was there on Sunday and it was dry so flowed quite quickly. Going again this Sunday as my mate has just fitted some forks and wants to test them out. There is a lot of `off-piste` stuff that is good fun if you know your way around. A friend is doing a small guided ride for those who want to ride off the beaten trail.

I did Cannock at Xmas and the weather was grim - more ups and therefore more downs (big smiles). Deffo more technical (and longer) than Pines.

I've done the Peaks in a day and that's good fun. If you do the White Peak (South) it's more trails and if you do Dark Peak (North) it's much knarlier. I did an Evans RideIT event last year with my mate and it nearly killed me. We did Hope/Casteton inc Jacobs Ladder etc. Decents were `fun` but not so keen on the push ups. It's not all like that and you can do some really nice routes out that way. I used to go up for a week with friends and hire a holiday barn.

I can't do BPW in a day - just too far for me. I'm doing Afan at the end of May for 2 days/1 nght. 14 of us are going - a combination of people near here and some Southern softies that I know. We did it last year and had a riot.

Locally, you might have to make your own fun!

steve_sordy

@Sir Usly
I am "the friend" that Billy Cool referred to. If you want an exposure to the off-piste stuff at Sherwood Pines, then be there this Sunday 3rd March. Be ready to ride at 10:30 by the cafe veranda overlooking the big field. You will be made welcome.

For an overview see this:
viewtopic.php?f=10014&t=13094429

billycool

And watch some video (it's not so green at the moment)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yok4paTehPw

Sir Usly

@steve_sordy
Thanks for the invitation!
I'd love to ride with you guys, always better this way than alone. This very weekend (and week) I have to go to London but next time I'm free I'll send you PM.

doomanic

Forest of Dean has some excellent riding. If you need someone to show you around give me a shout.

898kor

doomanic wrote:

Forest of Dean has some excellent riding. If you need someone to show you around give me a shout.

I personally think Gisburn is beter/harder/knarlier/more fun than Cannock.

Not sure what it is, but I am just not a fan of Cannock - Gisburn, Dalby Forest, Pines then Cannock for me.

doomanic

I hate Cannock, but I'm not sure what that's got to do with the Forest of Dean...