possibly doing this in a couple of weeks time. im told its probably around a 3hr ride. ive no idea whether its flattish like sherwood pines, or lots of hills to it.

so………….singlespeed, or geared hardtail?

yes i know i know, singlespeeds can do anything really, but will it be quite hilly and better suited for gears? or a flattish mudfest, where my singlespeed will leave my geared chums cursing their clogged up drive-trains?

ta

I rode Dalby for the first time last saturday and it was in excellent condition considering the rain we've had, I was on my Cotic Soul and found having the gears helpful for climbing some of the steepish climbs. I ride the Pines regularly and it is more hilly than there and the tracks are more solid under tyre, a lot of the trails are based on rock/hardcore.

It was excellent and you should have a great day out. 🙂

bout 3and a bit hours.
fastest i have done it is on a ss, but far more enjoyable on gears.
quite a good surface, can get a bit muddy on top,but not boggy.

and when are you going, and can i tag along.
not rode with you yet, and it is my mission to ride with as many forumites as i can…… 8)

last time i went to dalby i did it in 2 hours 31 mins 🙂 i didnt stop once and i rode while i was eating that energetic mars bar i managed to grab from my bag lol ;p was a good ride though, dont know where i got the energy to do it 😀

@ ton –

short notice, but there's a few of us from the wakey area heading up there tomorrow, rtr 8:30
you're welcome to join us 🙂

sohala
thanks for the offer mate.
full of manflu tho, and my grandaughter is coming tomorrow.
another time??
and where from in wakey, and with who.
i'm from wakey.

@ ton –

with bad brains mbc, we're from all around the leeds/wakey/d'bury etc area.
maybe next time

hi tony

theres a few of us doing it on fri 11th, (im the only singletracker, rest are lads from our station), but im only a 50/50 at the mo cos i dont know if i can wangle the time off work. thats the 'problem' with going abroad for 3 weeks earlier on in the year. no hols left 🙂

if i can sort it tho, ill defo give you a shout.

and thanks for the info chaps, id be taking my gears if i go then.

cheers

Im off up on wednesday coming and was going to ask a similar question.

Im guessing the world cup xc won't be as good as the red?

I asked a similar question a while back about SS, i thinks its pretty well suited to SS riding myself, really enjoyed it, never ridden it geared but certainly didnt feel like i missed them.

hmmmmm *strokes chin*

what sort of climbs are there? compare the worst climb to a peaks climb for me please 🙂

I ride the lakes, so personally i cant compare, sorry

There is nothing too long, it a trail centre after all, there is a couple of stiff climbs on singletrack and a few draggy fire roads but i didnt have to push any of them, 32×18 by the way.

hmmmm again 🙂

me 34:17 and 29" wheels so a bigger gear. think gears is still winning 🙂

Honestly, i reckon you will be fine, you wouldnt have a SS if you coulndt ride it, and again, its a trail centre

and if its wet its a real sandy mess which creates a nice grinding paste for your drivetrain

There's no tough climbs on Dalby red, one or two short ups that most folk could ride SS – I've done it a couple of times with 32:17, so anyone can really.

On the other hand I am fat and old and sticking to gears thank you. Agree with the above, there are some short steep bits and some draggy fireroad.

theres not really any bad climbs there all mainly switchback climbs that take about 5 mins to ride up

Did Dalby red yesterday, (up until someone broke their fork at waymarker 32 or something), and i was very impressed.
If singletrack is your bag, (it's certainly mine), it's some of the best i've ridden.

you do it geared or ss dood? muddy?

Im really impressed with the place. Only ridden it with gears but next time I'll be on singlespeed – shouldnt be too much of a problem I wouldnt have thought. I'll be there xmas eve on the way to the parents from newcastle if anybody is down that way then…..

After selling mw swift i only have geared.
Not much mud at all, the sand (although often complained about)means drainage is very good, and a few puddles but nothing too sticky if you stick to the trails. Some of the margins were bad, clipped one or two with my rear tyre (Racing Ralph), and no grip there at all, but overall eminently rideable.
In fact i'd hazard a guess that its better in these conditions, all the sand could make some of it tough in really dry weather.
Im not sure if i'd personally manage it ss all the way round, but you dont need a granny ring for sure.
If you're coming past gy sadexpunk, youll have to let me know, might join you.

gy? Spelling mistake or am i missing something? Theres a ride happening next Friday but i need to sort work out before im a definite.

grimsby

ah right. Can you make it next Friday if i go?

I've done it both on my Cotic Simple and on my Yeti 575. Whilst i found the ss ok, id say the fully sprung and geared option was more fun.

Dalby red is one of the most boring red routes I've ever ridden with very little character and totally and utterly sanitised unlike the black which is mental and superbly designed and laid out trail.

I am not a 16 downhill freak of a kid who reads MBUK btw but an old git who loves XC and was throughly disappointed by this trail after spending 3hrs in a car up and down to Dalby.

Well fungus, we'll have to agree to disagree, and im sure youve ridden more than me, but as my nearest trail centre (by some distance), and taking it on its own, rather than comparing to here or there, its brilliant.
and Sadexpunk, ill have to check with the lad i ride with if i can get a lift (i'm a non-driver unfortunately), but i am definitely free, dont go back to work until the tuesday after.

Fungus – You drove from the flattest place in England past all those other exciting red trails to get to Dalby which was boring? Can you tell me where the interesting red trails in England are?

Been off riding so late response 😉

Thetford forest is actually more technical than Dalby red but that doesn't preclude that Dalby red (for me) was one of the worst trails I have ever ridden.

Why did I go there? because I have a car and like to see lots of different places and not just ride the same old route week in, week out.

Whats good in between Suffolk and South Yorks? For me Peaks every time, lots of different routes all natural and very challenging in parts. Trail centre wise I've only ever done Sherwood Pines and Cannock Chase and both are very much like Thetford ie flat and technical single track in parts, neither that I would rush back to do again as too similar to what I've got on my doorstep so I avoid in preference for Welsh and Scottish trail centres.

BTW Cambridgeshire's that flatest place in UK, Norfolk a close 2nd and then Suffolk as where I live there's a hill I use for training that they honestly use for hill climbing competitions! hehe

Is it really that bad/untechnical? I'm going to be staying nearby over christmas and thought I would have a go and see what it's like. I'm up there for 10 days so I could probably make it there quite a few times! The one complicating factor is that I will be hiring a "proper" bike some of the time but thought it might be fun to have a go on my cross bike which is the only bike I'm taking with me.

I can comfortably do Thetford "black" on the crosser and reckon I could give Cannock a good go but had been told Dalby Red was much more technical and that I'd be borderline suicidal to even attempt it!

If people think it's not that bad then I may well have to give this a go (apologies if anyone here gets held up by a nutter on a cross bike in late December!)

I wouldn't attempt it myself, but you obviously are used to riding a cross, so why not. A few sections are a little rocky though, may be uncomfortable on the behind.

Dalby is better the more times you ride it. I totally disagree with it being characterless. It's got some great flowing tracks through typical North Yorkshire woodland, it's a beautiful place. You must be riding it wrong Fungus 😉
FWIW I've done it in 2hrs 25mins.

All this talk of it being technical or not? well it depends on the person and what they're used to surely? I'd say it wasn't very technical at all, but that would be different if I was just starting out. It's all good the more you ride it.

When riding the red, you can swoop off and try the little black sections alongside.

I love it, never boring and gorgeous forest scenery.
Maybe we went to a different Dalby to you!