I visited there for the first time 2 weekends ago and rode the 2 star trails from the uplift drop off point.
I was surprised how completely eroded they were; essentially roots with big holes beyond them and berms with holes in them, so whilst it was fun working my way down on my Blue Pig hardtail and being pleased I could do so without crashing or any drama, I felt they certainly lacked flow of any kind.
By the middle of the day my mate and I had settled on a combination of the top of Corkscrew into Launchpad which kept us whooping for run after run until the last uplift.
Looking around the place it was all big bikes so maybe that’s what’s needed to cope with all the holes, but as I’m hoping to return there as I did like the place I’m wondering if it was a case of end of winter erosion and if I went back in summer everything would be smoother?

It’s not a groomed trail centre or bike park. Big holes, gullies and roots are all part of the fun.

I’ll fully agree the big holes in the berms are just annoying though.

They are DH tracks, its meant to be rough. I wouldnt want to ride it on a hardtail. (que people saying how they ride it on their rigid bikes…)
The 2 trails there are smoother from memory, as is the launchpad as you mentioned.
Love fod, hopefully will be uplifting again in a couple of weeks.

It’s managed by dean trail volunteers, funded by donations and we have come off the back of a particularly wet winter. They do the best they can with the resources they have to be fair. I think they do a bloody great job and am ever thankful to them

groomed trails? look away now. Launchpad is just groomed, if you want that I’d suggest getting a road bike. Roads have bigger longer runs.

They do the best they can with the resources they have

this plus 10 – how about dropping in and giving a hand rollingdoughnut plus friend?

a bloody great job and am ever thankful to them

couldn’t agree more

Would love too help build but live in Kent so bit of a hike!
Wasn’t having a go, just wondered how they changed with the seasons.

I imagine some of the rootier sections (that root garden before the fireroad on Sheepskull) are absolute carnage in the wet! 😉

The downhill trails are mostly rough and rooty (and a bit rocky) and natural feeling, the blue is groomed and bermy and the red is a bit of both. I bumped into the trail building crew a couple of weekends ago, as they were surfacing a climb on the red extension. I think they’re doing a fantastic job, especially considering the limited funds and volunteer labour – they should be proud of what they’ve achieved so far. Very impressive!

The rough parts ride much smoother if you can stay off the brakes or pedals and carry as much speed as possible – not easy on a hardtail though.

It’s not a groomed trail centre or bike park. Big holes, gullies and roots are all part of the fun.

This…

They are DH tracks, its meant to be rough.

…and this.

Fair enough you were on a HT and that can be hard going at FoD but i’ve also heard people on 160mm Enduro-weapons complaining about how rough the trails are…lol!

The UK has a rich and varied uplift scene given our relative lack of elevation, the appeal of FoD is that its not another BPW with groomed trails and ‘flow’ (yawn)…sometimes its nice to have to think about line choice and pick your way down a trail mountain-goat style.

Its one of the few places in the UK that dual crown/triple clamp forks make sense, i usually ride my Ragley Piglet HT there but had the pleasure of swapping to an Empire-DH rig when a bloke and i got chatting on the minibus…his bike was a revelation, the mythical ‘flow’ that people often say is lacking suddenly appeared, the big holes in the trail became mere divots, the exposed roots were nothing to be worried about etc…the speed over my HT was bonkers, at somewhere like BPW i’m usually able to keep up with FS bikes but at the FoD i dont bother trying…if i’m going abroad to the Alps i’ll often book an uplift day there as i think its far more technical than some of the longer runs in the South of the UK and great for getting your eye in before going somewhere challenging.

I love the place and would choose a day there over BPW any day of the week….(except maybe deepest winter, then i may relent and opt for the groomed Blue runs at BPW instead)… 😀

What Deviant said.

Personally I wish more places were left to deteriorate naturally, much more interesting IMO.

isn’t there a law against grooming…

Totally agree with Deviant – last year I rode BPW and FoD over a weekend. BPW is flat and smooth, FoD is a fun downhill track!

BPW is flat and smooth? Wut?

Compared to other uplift accessed tracks I’d say its very flat. Dai Hard for example, its really fun from half way through the woods and out into the open but the first half is flat and pedally. The faculties are amazing and the tracks are well made, but its not a proper downhill venue.

We were there in the dry so I guess we had an easier time of it but I thought it rode superbly tbh, warts and all- the wear and tear is just the other side of the “natural feel” coin. There were a couple of bits with the berms and jumps that felt like they didn’t work so well, but that’s always the way- more natural riding can work well with worn tracks, really manmade riding suffers more as it wears.

You do feel every hole and raised root on the hardtail mind, some bits are pretty bloomin rattly, but I thought it worked great even then.

plus 1

BPW is flat and smooth

Yes FoD could be better but there you go. Instead of wanting everywhere to be the same, embrace the difference. Its not about which is best. Its just different. If you want to help change it turn up and dig/maintain 😉

The downhill tracks were much better years back but once the uplift came they got hammered to many bikes down there and now they build more by the side of them.FOD trail builders do a great job but there is only few of them.If you want less worn out trails then go of over to the Dowies/shut castle these are made by locals but you have to make the effort to get to them and they are not hammered by big downhill bikes much better for a hardtail.Same goes for the trails at Staunton.Just the way it is.