From a DH POV is it worth a 3.5 hr drive?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wih58t6yqs8&feature=share[/video]

i’d say yes

Its a great place to go. DEfinately worth a 3.5hr drive.

It has got something for everyone but it is a DH course not a trail centre. The trails are set to be built soon. I saw group of older gentlemen riding down the blues and reds on what looked like supermarket special bikes. They were having fun and were happy to make space for faster riders. Good times had by all.

I take my 224 there and am happy on that with armour and a full facer, I wouldn’t feel comfortable riding without some padding and a Full face helmet. Other are welcome to do what they like though.

Doesnt look rockier than some of the Bridleways in the Peak, in fact all the rocks are flat and going in the same direction…any travel suits, DH bike overkill.

Doesnt look rockier than some of the Bridleways in the Peak, in fact all the rocks are flat and going in the same direction…any travel suits, DH bike overkill.

If you’ve not ridden it, you’re not really qualified to comment.
Plenty of DH bikes there when I went. They were fast too. You don’t need one but they are not overkill.

It’s a lot rougher than it looks in all the videos.

It is very good.

Full face is compulsory for blacks (says on the sign in form).

It is very good.

Any bike will do.

It is very good.

A proper DH bike is more fun.

It is very good.

If you want to pedal up go to an XC trail centre not a DH one.

My helmet cams here from 1st time there the other week (180mm travel for those that are interested): http://mountainbikerides.co.uk/video/15-wales.html I will be back.

And I’d probably avoid this if you’re taking your fatbike / rigid singlespeed fixie / other STW fashionable niche non big hitting bike

Thanks. My initial impressions of the tracks had been formed by some of the previous videos posted here (including that one with the inexperienced guy breaking his shoulder). They looked nothing like your photo 🙂

Mad Pierres photo doesnt do the middle drop off after the bridge on the black run justice. That’s a 10-12ft vertical drop. In no shape or way rollable or really possible without a biggish rig. Rollable options are there on either side.

Interesting.

**** me that drop looks WAY beyond my skills!

But then again I’ve been told you can simply roll over more things on a 29er!

That was my mate Rob doing the big drop. I didn’t have a go myself. 😮 Here is one of yours truly doing an easy step down up the top. Now while this could be rolled on any bike you will see that by adding skill compensation, mucho fun air time can be had even by a numpty like me! In the helmet cam videos it probably doesn’t even look like I leave the floor doing this?

Looks like Christ on a bike to me!

I think I’d need a lift to get me to the bottom safely on that drop!

The video in this thread from the spy camera really doesn’t do Antur justice.

Ok , now I’ve been I can make an informed(ish) opinion. A 120mm bike will be fine on the blue and red trails with an average rider , if you’re a good rider then with care the red/black trail(black powder trail) would be rideable , We didn’t ride the double black as we were told some of the corners were a bit dicey due to the ice on them so I couldn’t comment on it.

The Youtube video’s really do no justice at all to the trails they’re all much rougher than they appear on film , we had a great day and will definitely back in the future. I loved the red/black run although I couldn’t manage to get a decent line into the first tight left hand switchback .I ache like a bugger today but am still buzzing after my visit , the only downer was the traffic driving home from the start of the M56 till the other side of Manchester was a bit of a car park most of the time.