Never been over here before, but finally got my new DH bike built up and have a bit of spare time this afternoon – and then it goes and starts raining again.

I’m sure I’ve read around and about that Aston Hill can be treacherous in the wet. Does this apply to the DH runs as well as the XC course?

Should I take a, ahem, raincheck?

Nah, it’s OK, but it does make it, erm, interesting in a whoaaaaa, shiiiiiitttt, kinda way. It’s fun, after a fashion.

Makes a mess of the bike though

I would think it would be quite tricky/fun in the wet! It’s very rooty in places.

Haha, I know you’re both saying go for it, but it’s having the opposite effect!

Still, might as well get padded up and go for it though, eh?

Which DH run(s) are the mildest then? Are they graded in order of danger?

Cheers

If it rains I stay away from Aston.
The chalk (all chalk) is dangerously awful in the wet, especially on this XC course. Roots galore on the upper section too.
Ride elsewhere and save your clavicle for another day!
Tim

Booooooo

The chilts are all chalk FFS, may as well learn how to ride it.

I think he’s DH-ing.
The XC lap is not worth committing both body and new bike to if it’s a first visit IMHO. Too slippery on the chalk and steep in some places. Fun in the dry though.

Make sure you are running super tackys at real low pressure and you will be sort of ok.
The wet roots there are amazing fun, full on drifty bu without the reassuring knowledge that you will get grip at some point…………. you wont

it’s quite good fun in the wet – slow and sketchy. tests your skills and the roots aren’t that bad, it’s the clay you need to worry about

Where are you based. Mayne try chick sands instead, its much more weather resistant

Back in one piece, with only a grazed knuckle on my little finger to show for the experience.

Well, that was a bit of a baptism of fire for my first time riding a DH bike. The locals round there must need about 40 different words for “slippery”!

DH3 run was good fun, nice bit technical but nothing too daunting – all rideable – my favourite run probably (maybe because it was in best condition).

Red run (XC descent) was fast and flowing but really slippy. Good fun anyway.

Black run mostly rideable too, but discretion seemed the better part of valour on some of the rooty switchbacks.

DH4 started well but became comically steep and slippery about half-way down. Came off three times I think. Seemed to have a three-inch layer of semi-granular chalky mud on much of the surface.

Think I’ll wait for the next dry spell before I go back, but will definitely go back. Bloke I was chatting to said it was the worst it’s been all year, so things can only get better!

Bloke I was chatting to said it was the worst it’s been all year

Really, it’s been dry for a while, but at Easter it was pretty shocking.

Didn’t want to say anything ’bout the tracks before you set off, thought you might not go if i said roots, steep, more roots….Glad you had a good time 🙂

I bet it was lovely about three days ago, but a lot of the surface was like cottage cheese smeared over glass.

Amazing that a few drops of rain can do that, whereas they’d just soak in most places after the heatwave, but I guess it’s because chalk is impermeable.

grew up by the dunstable downs nearby aston
they are even chalkier and treacherous as frak in the wet

but aston is great fun in the wet enough regular mud in with the chalk to make it rideable, if you can ride there in the wet you can do it anywhere