I nearly called off today after waking up to pouring rain, but luckily it cleared and Trekster and I went off to check out Mabie’s new bits.

Those are big berms! And thanks to John I finally have a vaguely Ok photo of me biking 😀

Full set here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonralli/sets/72157625003778652/

September 21st by simon ralli, on Flickr

IMG_0021 by simon ralli, on Flickr

IMG_0026 by simon ralli, on Flickr

IMG_0027 by simon ralli, on Flickr

IMG_0030 by simon ralli, on Flickr

Nice photos Simon. Just one, small, irrational criticism. Tighten your bloody chinstrap!!! 😆

looks fun simon…………might have a trip up soon to ride with trekster and scotabroad………… 8)

Only been to Mabie once but must admit I really enjoyed it. Fast, swoopy and not much fireroad compared to other trail centres. I was poop on the 4X track tho’

with a trail like that who needs suspension?

Van Halen – Member
with a trail like that who needs suspension?

you ever drive on a motorway in you car??? 🙄

Nice pics well done.

Will have to check it out next time we’re down that way.

ton – Member

you ever drive on a motorway in you car???

i do. even all the way to mabie once. it was fun especially the 4x track the drive was ok too suprisingly)

I’ll admit that most riding in the UK doesn’t live up to my expectations, but Mabie exceeded them. It may not be the biggest or most technical, but for flat out fun it is great. Granted my expectations of it weren’t that high to start with 😆

Went to Mabie for a couple of laps on Sunday after the SXC racing thwarted my plans to ride at Drumlanrig.

Those new bits really add to the speed and flow of an already brilliant trail, I will definately be visiting Mabie on a more regular basis 😮

smoother than a babies bottom. what grade is that?

Yep – and for those who have never been to Mabie, but are thinking about it, there is a lot of natural stuff too off-piste, which look something like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonralli/sets/72157624841022240/

So if you return a few times, you can put together quite varied rides.

IMG_0013 by simon ralli, on Flickr

I am not a jumpy person, and Trekster’s hand was still healing, so there’s no jump photos here. If you have a full suss or just a happy hardtail you can still do all the stuff on the jump park, and even have a think about the Dark Side too. So what with the new descent at The Ridge, Mabie is really coming of age and still riding brilliantly.

As for my helmet strap, I think it is actually fitting quite well. Someone here said in words I don’t exactly remember that maybe I had a face for radio, so I think it is just my chin making it look long 😳

I’m not too sure of the grade, but Mabie does have quite a variety of surfaces, and much of it feels fairly natural. Well I like it and people seem to be able to speed along quite happily.

lovely bermage

Hope to join one of Trekster’s natural rides at some point, any group rides arranged Simon 😉

Pretty sure the track is red graded. That bit may be smooth but those berms help you maintain warp speed! The rest of the trai is more technically demanding than something like GT red.

Well I had planned one for this weekend but I will be in London. I may look at doing a ride one either 16th or 17th of October, but then I’d probably need a lift if I have sold my car by then. You can really mix both natural and normal well to make a ride of around 4 hours or more depending on stops and photos etc.

The red is red and has quite a few obstacles such as large-ish roots, stone, drops, jumps, table tops and the scorpion tail climb which make it good fun.

I am not a jumpy person, and Trekster’s hand was still healing,

Me niether, dodgy hand or nae dodgy hand I like to keep the wheels on terra firma 🙄

chrisdb – Member
smoother than a babies bottom. what grade is that?

RED.
What you see is an “upgrade/repair” to what was effectively a 10yr old trail which was suffering badly from the dreaded stutter bumps and severe water errosion from the past few years. The near 6mnths of snow and then thaw earlier this year caused some of the old “berms” to collapse and lots of riders were strting to fall off the side of the track.
Smooth as a babies bottom atm but once the mincers start riding it and hauling on the brakes and skidding off the sides it will not be long till it has erroded back into a nice trail again 👿 Signs of skidding and riders going off the side already and it is only 2/3wks old ❗ Tis fast tho 😈

Well I didn’t skid as I wasn’t going fast enough down the descent to need brakes 😀 After saying that there’s one bit now that can catch you unawares if you are overcooking it a bit.

Oh and i am more a front wheel on the ground, rear in the air kind of rider.

IMG_0035 by simon ralli, on Flickr

simonralli2 – Member
Oh and i am more a front wheel on the ground, rear in the air kind of rider.

You have been watching the Jedi vid on the front page 😉

with a trail like that who needs suspension?

There’s a lot of rocks and roots and stuff at Mabie too although I did enjoy it very much on my hardtail.

You have been watching the Jedi vid on the front page

Nah – he’s just talking about landing. I like to ride all the way around just on my front wheel 😯

Oh and i am more a front wheel on the ground, rear in the air kind of rider.

Hmmmm, really? ……..

😉

Heh – I feel I have even improved on my crashes since that was taken and am now able to end up very far from my bike as opposed to still clinging on to the handlebars 😀

Photos from Ed’s camera by simon ralli, on Flickr

In what section have the new berms been added to???

Those bigs ones are at descender bender. At the top there are now two alternative starts, but they merge at the first big berm. You also have the recently opened new ridgeway which is no longer a grassy ride but a cracking little bermy jumpy pumpy bit of fun.

hey Simon.. some quality photo’s there mate.. good to see Trekster back on his bike…

trekster hope alls healing well for you…

was down at mabie a couple of weekends ago.. it was a lovely autumn’s sunny morning.. i was surprised and stoked to discover the new berms at Mabie.. a most excellent addition to one of my favourite man made trails..

i only wish the place was twice as long…

hopefully you can get another STW meeting together next month…

Cheers Craig – watch this space. Yeah, you can pick up speed on the downhill ay??

craig1975 – Member
hey Simon.. some quality photo’s there mate.. good to see Trekster back on his bike…

trekster hope alls healing well for you…

Cheers Craig. Still only able to hold bars with three fingers 🙄 but geting better every day 😆
Planning on doing the Hardrock Challenge at Dalbeattie on 3rd Oct and heading down`t Peaks end Oct 😆