Never been there but I am fairly certain I can manage it really, however I am taking a fairly timid beginner with me… I had heard that FTD was a piece of cake but the extra additions are quite a bit more advanced. Can we still do the original FTD? Is it way marked as such?

Yes the original Follow Your Dad route is still there and waymarked, very popular with beginners and iron-clad Stormtroopers alike. One section is currenly closed wth diversion signs.

Donation tin by the bike shop helps with upkeep of the trails, Chasetrails get no money from carparking or the bikeshop.

FTD is fine for a beginner, I have “initiated” a few people there.

The new additions are a bit more advanced, but not massively so. The only part most people won’t ride is the little drop between 2 trees on the last section of singletrack, but you can easily walk round it.

If it’s their first time, don’t be tempted to take them on the Monkey Trail unless they’re obviously pretty skilled and fit from the off. The trails are good fun, but a step up technically and fitness wise from FTD (which it splits off from and rejoins of course), and you don’t realise how much longer and more technical it is for a newbie until it’s too late. Those of us that have been riding for years take these things for granted, and dismiss the Monkey Trail as a relatively easy trail compared to say a Welsh or Scottish mountain trail, but to a newbie it will be a little daunting.

Do it (FTD that is not Monkey) fingers crossed you get weather like we have here today, clear blue and bright.

As said above Monkey might be a little too steep in places for a newbie! Take the longer loop of FTD as well as it’s still less than 10 miles 🙂

Excellent guys, thank you, might attempt the monkey myself after a loop of the Dog while leaving my friend for a cup of coffee or something 🙂

Will make sure to donate a few pounds scruff! 🙂

Try the first section with your friend and see how it goes.

There are a lot of people around who will comment at how their 6 month old baby rode it blindfolded but just use your common sense when you get there.

Some people I’ve seen around the trail seem to miss the point that the early technical features are there to help them decide whether the trail is for them or not and instead just slip, slide and fall their way through the Stegasaurus rocks in an effort to continue around the trail.

It’ll be no fun for your friend if they spend half the time dabbing and walking sections and it’s not fair to other riders trying to use the trail around you.

Take it steady and if it seems a bit too much then it probably is and revert to some fire road hacking. If all looks like it’s going well then go for it.

Oh and a few pennies in th Chase Trails tin at the shop would be appreciated ;o)

Well if it is just under 10 miles I can have a go first and then decide? Shouldn’t take me more than an hour to complete.

FtD is roughly 7 miles and an hour is plenty to do a lap.

Current FULL lap record is 24 minutes by Snakebite.

24 minutes????? Bloody hell…

My mum rode FTD on a shopping bike 🙂

When I was there last weekend a huge chunk of FTD seemed to under a diversion due to forestry operations. The diversion’s signage wasn’t great either. I’m not sure how much was actually skipped but it seemed to be quite a bit.

Stu…that diversion…its awful. 🙂
How longs it on for ?

23 mins acshully, but it was on a ss

and I was padded up and taking a few risks-and it was dry!

OH yeah don’t forget when it’s damp it’s like riding on slippy rounded pebbles – doh thats what the trail is made of 😆

snakebite – Member
23 mins acshully, but it was on a ss

Takes you 23 minutes just to get your shorts on…….

Was fannying around on Follow Your Dad this evening for an after work stretch – the latest diversion – does that mean the link down to the monkey is off limits? Didn’t seem to be any diversion signs but i was riding blind thanks to yet another DX battery problem.

“The new additions are a bit more advanced, but not massively so. The only part most people won’t ride is the little drop between 2 trees on the last section of singletrack, but you can easily walk round it.”

That will be the werewolf slope. At weekends they set up temp spectator stands there.

ftd reminds me of a bmx track, better to get an OS map and make your own fun

Not good at following maps I am afraid, you reckon this route might be any good fotorat?
41KM at Chase

Sorry I posted on the other one about Cannock as well!