Tim – they’re pretty good now, even in trees and usually have a better idea where I am than I do.

Painey – I agree it’s about being sensible and accepting a compromise.

Holy crap! I can’t believe we’re criticising the trails some nice people built as best they could with limited means and in their own time…Personally, I reckon I owe those Stanmer trail pixies a pretty massive beer!

I’m at a certain forum member’s wedding that weekend – if I’m fe next year I’ll definitely be giving it a punt! Looks brill, and chatting to local riders, stamner is a pretty tight but fun course…..

DrP

I’m not criticising Stanmer, it’s a great little spot, tight, nadgery and a great fitness test. If I thought Mrs Ming would let me I’d be Big Dogging this year.

My accident was totally down to me, tired, end of a fast lap for me (would have been sub 40 without tree…..) and poor judgement/looking ahead.

love the big dog. been there fore the last 2 on totally unsuitable bikes for XC racing. killer on the ups but good on hte descents though!

i`ve noticed the straightlining devils have been out this winter making all the trails that bit lamer. shame on you corner cutters. dunno if its just me but it seems worse this year since strava/mega wide bars have become more popular.

i like the tight twistyness. its a challenge to ride fast.

Ming: no worries, It happens to all of us. 😀 I had an OTB at Big Dog last year after a tree came out of nowhere and grabbed my bars!

VH: Agree on the straightliners – one of the many reasons it wouldn’t work as a “trail centre” IMO.

i`ve noticed the straightlining devils have been out this winter making all the trails that bit lamer. shame on you corner cutters. dunno if its just me but it seems worse this year since strava/mega wide bars have become more popular.

i’ve been pondering the same, mostly the wide bars thing though

on the plus side, since Stanmer has become all trail-centrey and people just do laps all the millions of other trails in the area are less used and more narrow twistery fun
🙂

if there are any spots left after this thread then book up! first time last year and came 5th in solo on a single speed, got some generous prizes as well. booked up again this year but competition is looking fierce!

I still need to go and have a spin around Stanmer to see what it’s like and get the upper hand on my brother on law but hoping for the trails to dry out a little. Think that may be a big ask this year!

all the millions of other trails in the area are less used and more narrow twistery fun

ssssshhhh….

tried to ride a few bits in the Great Wood last night (where the Big Dog course is), two observations;

1) trail vandals have been busy – never seen so many sticks/branches placed across the trails – especially near where the travellers are now encamped

2) it needs at least a month of dry weather to recover – the trails are in a really bad state and I think people need to stop riding a lot of them or they’ll just disappear/become so rutted they lose their flow [ 😉 ].

I’ll be leaving it well alone until it’s a bit drier, as Jo says, there’s other stuff to ride locallt that holds up better – the tops of the Downs were bone dry last night.

My point though is that although the “trails” in Stanmer Park are tolerated, I can’t help thinking they’d be better and more importantly safer for cyclist/dog walkers if some more thought was put into them. They’re still great fun but I’ve had a couple of close calls on blind corners.

….Learn to ride within your skill or accept the consequences then.

If you don’t like the way the trails are then build your own, just don’t go playing around with the ones that those of us who currently take time & effort to build have made because they have been built the way they have for a reason, namely to make them fun, challenging & once you’ve got the hand of them fairly quick. The other thing that the newer ones have been built with in mind is that they are not attractive for walkers & horse riders to use which is why some of them have low slung branches and log rolls in them. If we can keep MTB’s away from the great unwashed then they is less likely to be issues with other users.

+1 BigSi

Completely agree. I’ve nothing but admiration for the guys who put in time to build and maintain the Stanmer trails.

To the OP… sign up for Big Dog, it’s an excellent course and great vibe. 8)

I don’t think bar width is the problem, I’m not convinced that the people who find the narrow bits too narrow all have wide bars, and vice versa. I have wide bars and I don’t want anyone cutting down trees on my behalf.

What is annoying is the corner cutting. The route that misses out the last climb on ‘the long one’ has been used so much that it’s getting harder to spot the real route. I occasionally try and block off the cut corners with dead wood etc. but it soon gets moved.

Awesome race and incredibly fun course. It chewed me up last year, but I’ve been trailing properly, practicing my singletrack technique and well up for this. Rain or shine, it’s going to be ace. I may even get the white Rocket Rons out especially 😉