Took a trip to Cannock TC today under protest and against my better judgement.

First time in 5 years, maybe more and hated it then, back then it seemed like a fairly mundane trail that was all too flat punctuated by strange man made obstacles to give it a red graded – but it a lot more bedded in now, more stuff to play with.

It’s still all too flat but you can’t build mountains, and it seems the most sceney place I’ve ever been too – lots of super bright Enduro colourways – Troy Lee must do a roaring trade there and etiquatte is a bit different to Wales – too busy looking cool to exchange pleasantries and it doesn’t seem the thing to do to pull over for anyone, ever, but only minor irritations and the older riders seemed less Blue Steel and more the MTBers I know. Trials are a lot more fun that I remember them.

I’m sort of glad the bits that were very tight with 640mm bars are too narrow for 740mm and actually impossible to go through with 800mm even if it’s just because I like hearing my mate moaning because he can’t get his massive bars though.

Pfft, 740 is a piece of cake, doesn’t start getting tricky until 780.

I love Cannock, bloody good job too, I’d be shafted if I didn’t like it seeing as it’s stupidly local.

We just spent a week at Easter staying in the middle of the chase in a cottage that led straight on to the biking trails. We had a great time really enjoyed the red trails but also running and biking the blue trails and the maze of bridleways around it.

Just have to time it right with a bar wiggle or bike lean with the longer bars. Once you get used to them it’s surprising what I can get through when I know the width is smaller than the bars.

I had the same impression some years back with Cannock and not been back since. Just felt like Swinley to me, maybe a bit more of a continual flow, but for the drive there, meh. Maybe I’ll check it out again. As I’ve said before though, for the distance, I’d rather go to Wales.

I ride Cannock chase roughly twice a week and think for free it has a bit for everyone really from blue trails to stile cop. All trails can be rode with 780mm bars. There’s some great off piste sections too. I do wear a Troy Lee helmet though hahahah

It is a bit tight in places isn’t it!

My only gripe is they cut FTD short just at the good bit (where it would go right into the trees and now instead crosses the road).

Had a great day off-piste today. Milford to Beaudesert with all the interesting stuff I knew and one ace new bit I found. 20 years and more and still the place has things to be found.

Oh yeah gets tight it places but that’s part of the fun haha have to squint sometimes. Some great trails over Milford!!

You don’t truly know Cannock until you have been shown some of the off piste – and there are literally miles of it. We only ride the Donkey in winter as we treat it as an ‘all weather’ trail.

From about now to November though, we barely touch marked trails – though we do sometimes finish off with a blast down Tackeroo to Birches at the end of the Dog as it’s on the way home and such a good blast too.

I live 2 miles from the start of FTD.

I don’t doubt it – we found some last time that was pretty good but a bit against the clock today – failed to tell my wife that I was going to spend 2 and a bit hours driving there and 2 and a bit back ontop of 2 hours riding. 😳

If anything I think some of what was off-piste last time was waymarked now.

You don’t truly know Cannock until you have been shown some of the off piste – and there are literally miles of it

Truth! So, so much. So many routes you can put together from different starts and finishes too.

though we do sometimes finish off with a blast down Tackeroo to Birches at the end of the Dog as it’s on the way home and such a good blast too.

Us too! Great finish.

5hrs driving for 2hrs riding !!!!!

North Wales 1/2hr, Peak District 1hr Lake District 1 1/2hr

Now I know why I have resisted being poached to the flat lands 😉

Yeah – it’s rare thing when

Great trials a 20 min pedal from my house
BPW 20 min drive
Cwmcarn 30
Afan 45
Brechfa 60
FOD 75 ish

But sometimes we like a little road trip and the ice cream at Cannock was lovely 😉

Some new of less familiar scenery is worth a 5 hour return trip. Takes me about 5 hours or a bit more to get to CyB for a few hours riding. Couple of loops and then done and home. Definitely rewards a bit of a drive.

Pjay – nice trails from by yours!

Yeah – it’s rare thing when

Great trials a 20 min pedal from my house
BPW 20 min drive
Cwmcarn 30
Afan 45
Brechfa 60
FOD 75 ish

But sometimes we like a little road trip and the ice cream at Cannock was lovely 😉

Similar times to those places for me too, also like Cannock! I’ve an old mate who lives in Nottingham and finds it hard to find time to get down here so Cannock’s a good meeting point. For the terrain they’ve got it’s a good mix of riding there! It’s nothing compared to a good ‘natural’ ride in the Beacons or Elan Valley for example but as an easy waymarked, all-weather and predictable option it’s good.

Mind you I also really like Llandegla which is a bit marmite on here too, so much fun blasting the black sections-eat cake-black sections etc 8)

Mind you I also really like Llandegla which is a bit marmite on here too, so much fun blasting the black sections-eat cake-black sections etc

I like Llandegla, I find the blacks are less techy than Cannock though.

It’s funny how the “man made” trails were conceived nearly 15 years ago by two fellas who wanted to give a bit of structure to riding in the forest. It wasn’t with a plan to develop the next CYB but a chance to see if some ideas could work, ease a bit of pressure elsewhere and help give mountain bikers a better reputation locally.

Since then it’s grown in ways that we never expected and is now compared (and slammed) against the best trail centres around.

It’s funny how things work out sometimes ;o)

Glad you had a good ride P-jay (and my 780mm bars did actually get properly stuck between two trees this afternoon, d’oh!)

I like Cannock on its own terms. It’s the same time driving for me as The Peak, but I expect different things from riding those two places.

What they’ve done with the terrain at Cannock is great, and the two cliff descents on the Monkey are great, fun trails full stop.

(insert obvious stereotypical caveats about cobbles being like riding on ice and ridiculous braking bumps)

It’s funny how the “man made” trails were conceived nearly 15 years ago by two fellas who wanted to give a bit of structure to riding in the forest. It wasn’t with a plan to develop the next CYB but a chance to see if some ideas could work, ease a bit of pressure elsewhere and help give mountain bikers a better reputation locally.

Since then it’s grown in ways that we never expected and is now compared (and slammed) against the best trail centres around.

It’s funny how things work out sometimes ;o)

Ignore the naysayers. Ridden in most of the UK centres and Cannock IMHO stands up well. The trails have got better and better over the years and the blacks are proper blacks that are tougher than most. The lack of true altitude is worked around well, with good climbs and descents that make the most of the undulating terrain over there.

You’ve done an excellent job. I just love the widespread off-piste options too.

Good trail in the week, far too busy at weekends with dayglo heros on one side and the grey marl trackie bottom & no helmet chaps on the other.

and it seems the most sceney place I’ve ever been too – lots of super bright Enduro colourways – too busy looking cool to exchange pleasantries and it doesn’t seem the thing to do to pull over for anyone, ever,

sounds like BPW TBH.

I like the fact that there aren’t many dull fireroad climbs on the purpose built trails, it’s nearly all on singletrack

I like the fact that there aren’t many dull fireroad climbs on the purpose built trails, it’s nearly all on singletrack

Most of the climbs are very good. Only one I dislike – unfortunately it’s Cardiac Hill – which is too near the start for me to be warmed up.

Grannyjone, it’s interesting that you say that as it’s Chase Trails’ aim to ultimately have a 100% Singletrack trail. It’s going to take time and it’ll be testament to our volunteers if it does happen but that’s the plan.

Cannock isn’t that bad at all given it’s not blessed with loads of elevation and is really busy so gets battered by tons of visitors. Most of those grumpy people are probably visitors, because myself and all of the other locals avoid the main trails until the winter ruins the off piste.

There’s some really good stuff if you fancy exploring and some of it isn’t even that far off the main trails.

Off course you never see TLD kit in Wales or grumpy people…

I don’t get the ‘this is rubbish’ type comments for any trail centre. They are what they are and are all good fun if you ride within your ability and expectations.

Of course if you’re a riding god and expect the Cannock blue to be a thrilling white knuckle ride you’re going to be dissapointed but, if you wanted a nice relaxing saunt with some climbs and good views away from it all, the blue is a great ride.

Cannock is my go to centre along with Sherwood as I’m an hour from each. Both are great in there own way, with Cannock being rhe most visited. Must admit I don’t do all of any regular routes any more as I much prefer being away from the masses.

Having said all that, I crashed quite hard on the technically hugely difficult son of chainslapper yesterday and am feeling very fragile this morning. Only been riding Cannock since it opened so should really not crash there.

I crashed there last week Twonks – not on chainslapper, but on a bit I know well. So you are not alone’

Cannock is a staple for me too, especially in the winter. It’s great fun and good for a bit of peddally fitness as the natural riding I do as well basically consists of repetitions of 20 minute steep technical climbs then a steep technical descent. Absolutely brilliant but after 2 hours of riding we’ve only usually covered about 6 miles. Also its all pretty technical and challenging, which is great for progression and an adrenaline rush, but it not what the doctor ordered if you want to just go out for a fun care-free blast – which is what Cannock (and other trail centres) is brilliant for. Nice flowy trails, the blacks are pretty tricky and if you’ve only got a 2 hour window you can get round, clock up 11 miles or more if you loop back and do the upper and lower cliff descents a couple or few times, and still grab a coffee at the cafe – yes, I do park in the car park and pay the parking fee.

I wouldn’t mind hunting out the off-piste bits though. I know a couple of sections, but they are not easily linked up and spit you out at the bottom of a boring fire-road climb.

How come I get an email for trying to circumvent the swear filter, but you can /actually/ swear in a thread title?

That’s bo77ocks / b0ll0cks. Delete as appropriate.

I can say bollocks with impunity it seems…

Bollocks

hi wobbliscot ,
if you want to find out some off piste theres a old evans route on just go ride which serves as a basemap , I just downloaded that and the amount of great trails you see shooting off to the sides of it is pretty great , only just started exploring over that side of the chase and already the routes start stacking up by just using the evans ride it route as a guide , some of it was quite boggy a few weeks back but it seems to have mainly firmed up nicely now, I’m normally over there weekday mornings (benefits of 4on4off at work )email is in profile if you want to meet up .
ps I’m no racing man prefer a good steady ride

How come I get an email for trying to circumvent the swear filter, but you can /actually/ swear in a thread title?

because they’re are naughty words you’re allowed to use and naughty words your are not. Shit is OK for instance the naughty words beginning in F and C are not, and will be starred out if you type them normally, so no ban, if you try to circumvent the filter, it will get you a ban/warning. So the rule is, type what you want, the swear filter will capture the words it wants to and allow the words it wants to. Simples

****
****
Shit
Bollocks

He’s right!

Those SSUK tossers still haven’t taken down the roadside direction signs.

I like Cannock. It’s in between where me and a mate live and we try to get there at least once a year. I’m due a revisit come to think of it!

I wouldn’t mind hunting out the off-piste bits though. I know a couple of sections, but they are not easily linked up and spit you out at the bottom of a boring fire-road climb.

That’s the only downside with the off piste stuff – there can be a fair bit of fire road bashing. It’s largely worth it though because the good bits are really good fun. I’ve worked out a few spots where fun can be maximised in a relatively short time period.