off there next week after a couple of years off the bike, never been before. apparently we’ll be doing ‘follow the dog’ and the ‘monkey trail’.
been on the site to have a quick look to see how challenging it is. am i right in thinking you do part of FTD, then veer off for MT, then rejoin FTD?

you reckon itll be ok after after a 2 yr break in riding? not too much climbing for just getting back into it? (rigid ss gryphon)
how does it compare to the red route at sherwood if anyones done both?

ta

am i right in thinking you do part of FTD, then veer off for MT, then rejoin FTD?

yes.

not too much climbing for just getting back into it?

there is plenty of climbing, not lakes or peak climbing but there’s still ups. It’s as hard as you want to make it though, just pedal away, take something with gears though iiwy after 2 years off the bike.

Hi, went to Cannock the first time yesterday
Everything rollable (which I did!)
The worst was the ground which has lots of stones embedded which I slid around on.
And the people, I mean lots and lots of people.

Sherwood is about the same level but more dirt less stones.

It’s all ok for a rigid ss – just take it steady and you will be fine

Shiny pebbles – you’ll hate them but soon learn to let the bike slide (or crash repeatedly)

Took some almost complete novices around a few months ago – they all survived and two even managed the full MT/FTD loop on the third day!

yeah stay off the blacks. all the reds are rollable.

I went round on a rigid, it is not flat.

yeah stay off the blacks. all the reds are rollable.

Second that, the blacks are horrific (other than the small single feature drops) with the section on the original monkey still being my most painful crash to date (over the bars, bike landed on my back, suspected cracked rib, broken finger…)

There’s quite a few climbs on the monkey, not mega big but requiring a bit of puff in the lungs, after two years off I’d be wanting gears. You’d be grand on FTD. If you’re in no rush you’ll get round but you’ll be feeling it. (Unless you’re on of those superfit type bastards)

The braking bumps can get a bit tiresome on a rigid bike.

Sherwood is fairly straightforward, flat and can be ridden in about an hour.

FTD and the Monkey are quite a bit trickier and relatively hard work. If you’ve got plenty of time just take it steady and take a breather after the climbs.

The understatement of the year goes to oldnpastit!

As above, Blacks are a bit tricky, I’m thinking of that bermed switchback that leads into the two drops, very little space/time to get the bike stood upright before the first drop, and it’s not rollable, messes with your head.

take something with gears though iiwy after 2 years off the bike.

gryphon is my only bike these days.

It’s all ok for a rigid ss – just take it steady and you will be fine

thanks, thats what im hoping 🙂

Second that, the blacks are horrific

ah right, ill make a note of that as im sure some of them said they go for a play on the downhill bits too. ill politely decline 🙂

(Unless you’re one of those superfit type bastards)

nope.

thanks chaps,been talking to one of the others who’s also been off for a while so i wont be on my own at the back hopefully.

cheers

I did FTD and the Monkey a few years back on a 100mm hard tail. I was pretty fit from my work commute, however some of the Monkey climbs still took it out of me, I think it was the technical element combined with the gradient – smashing up a steep bit of tarmac is fine, but rough rocky ground with a step halfway up and a switchback at the top really adds to the strain.

I don’t know about your skill level, personally I wouldn’t want to take a rigid round the Monkey – some of the cliff descents are pretty fast and were strewn with braking bumps, or at least they were when I was there.

FTD should be a walk in the park though and is plenty of fun, a rigid will probably make it a good exciting ride.

did it yesterday and got round fine thanks. had to stop in a couple of places, mainly the switchback climbs that keep going on and on, and on, and on 🙂 there were 8 of us of varying levels so we were stopping for short spells at the end of sections to let others catch up which let me get my breath.

also towards the end i was getting the telltale twinges in my quads, probably the early signs of cramp id say.

the gryphon got plenty of comments from the others, mainly ‘nice looking bike but i wouldnt want to ride it!’

also by the end of the ride my hands and fingers were about shot. most of the ride your hands need to be in the drops with fingers hovering on the brakes, so after 2 or 3 hours of bang bang bang on the rocky bits i was struggling with them. its made me consider whether titec H bars may be an improvement, what do you think? i really like the looks of the flared bars (ragley luxy) and like the different hand positions, but might H bars be better for me?

thanks

Or maybe a bike with some new fangled bouncy bits at both ends 😉

weeksy – Member
Or maybe a bike with some new fangled bouncy bits at both ends

And some normal bars.
But not too wide in case the tree’s bite you!

let some air out the tyres/go wider – you can get a 2.4 in a Gryphon can’t you ?

let some air out the tyres/go wider – you can get a 2.4 in a Gryphon can’t you ?

not sure, ill have to have a google about that. historically ive always had my tyres pumped up fairly hard as ive preferred the speed of a hard, fast rolling tyre over the comfort of a more squidgy and ‘draggy’ tyre. mainly as a ‘fitness compensator’, more pain but i can keep going longer and keep up better.
i may have to try out a fatter, comfier tyre then, but when you run tubeless its a bit of a faff changing over just for a tester. only just put these tyres on (nevegals) and it took superhuman strength to get one of em on, i wont look forward to taking it off.

what tyres would you recommend?

thanks 🙂

EDIT: its a mk1

I reckon you’d squeeze something like an ardent in the front in a 2.4″ depends on the width of the rims though.

Run tubeless at about 30psi shoudl be a good bet.
I used to be the same in terms of running tyres higher pressures than others but having got back into it this year after a long lay off I’m now converted to the big a squishy approach – to the point where I’m riding 29+.

I notice no increase in rolling resistance between my 3″ chronicles and the 2- 2.2″ tyres I had before. There are weight differences and differences in acceleration etc for sure.
I think tyres have come on a lot in the last few years

I did Cannock for the first time a couple of weeks ago. There’s no more climbing than a couple of laps of the Verderers Trail in the FoD but it seemed much harder for less reward (downhill blasts) and I felt more knackered at the end.
I certainly wouldn’t consider it on a SS!

I certainly wouldn’t consider it on a SS!

I actually think it was one of the better trail centres for a SS. 😈

Cannock’s one of those places that sometimes you go round you feel you get loads of downhill for your efforts and other times it feels like much harder work. I suppose it depends on how you’re feeling that day. I usually just miss out out upper cliff these days and do lower twice coz I just cannot be arsed with ‘what goes up’ … the switchback incline.

weirdly enough i seem to prefer the switchbacks (even tho i had to stop a couple of times) to the looooong slightly uphill fire roads which just seem to drag and take more out of me.

I like the switchbacks!

I usually just miss out out upper cliff these days and do lower twice coz I just cannot be arsed with ‘what goes up’ … the switchback incline.

By the same token I usually miss out the Upper Cliff descent and instead hang a right at the top, go round the hill via the Mincer’s Path and ride the switchback climb again ‘cos I really like it

I did Cannock with a mate a couple of weeks back, slightly reluctantly as I’d got a bit bored of it.
It was a blast and we both had a superb ride. There’s nothing too technical and I’ve ridden some of the blacks on my 120mm 29er.

The reds would be doable on a fully rigid if a little uncomfortable. But then I’m getting soft in my old age!!

I usually just miss out out upper cliff these days and do lower twice coz I just cannot be arsed with ‘what goes up’

Head straight past it, follow the track up parallel to the road on your left and turn left at the T junction – nice forest climb and at the top you go exploring… 😉

I also hate what goes up… no idea why, it just grates on me.

I really don’t get on with Kitbag Hill. I have no problem with What goes up or Insidious incline which are both steeper and more technical. I suppose it just comes at a time when i’m starting to feel a bit knackered.

I really don’t get on with Kitbag Hill

😯

It is without a doubt my favourite section. Quite often turn right at the top and go back down High Voltage + Devil’s Staircase just to do it again. Really enjoy the first bit up to the Zig Zak junction and the new ending is just great.

In fact just posting this has made me intensely eager to go round tomorrow and destroy it 🙂

RMan, do you ever go up the real kitbag jus for laughs? I’m so glad they built that singletrack incline. Remembering the old days going up that track, it was horrendous. & the new bit at the top… fixing a problem that didn’t exist. What was wrong with going over that log drop?

RMan, do you ever go up the real kitbag jus for laughs?

Most definitely not – the reason I like the new route so much is that I disliked the old route so much 🙂

No problem with the log drop in itself but I prefer it how it is now. Should be even better when the link is surfaced – great work Chase Trails!

What’s your favourite section Jekkyl

my favourite section is more a series of sections, from the campsite all the way down to birches valley carpark, virtually no incline and it just flows soooooo good.

Yeah it is pretty good I usually start there

What was wrong with going over that log drop?

It was going rotten and falling to bits…

Can’t often add anything constructive on there,
But, I would recommend chunky monkeys on the ‘shiny stones’ of Cannock.
I’ve tried loads and these work well for me there.
Hope it helps.

You will be fine, the majority of people there will be riding with no helmets, flip flops and on bmx’s.

My most enjoyable ride there was on my own at 11 pm.

It’s not bad on the climbing.

The reds would be doable on a fully rigid if a little uncomfortable. But then I’m getting soft in my old age!!

It’s a little rough on the hands but it’s fine. *Coughs modestly* As are some of the blacks…