I prefer long, fast, swoopy and jumpy. Give me technical rocky bits as well, but attached to the ground. Peak District-style loose-and-rocky is fun, but I don't rate it as highly as many on here. Classic example is Potato Alley – fun in a "hold on and go as fast as you dare" way, but not a classic downhill in my book.

What's the consensus?

Fast and swoopy for me! More flow is better!

long, fast, swoopy, jumpy AND rocky for me (lakes district descents for instance)

Rocks and stuff. Anyone can ride swoopy.

I like the peaks, but there are no corners! I like loamy, barely ridden in yet trails the most… Medium pace, s

Both, it's all good!
I love really techy stuff, but then i love going flat out aswell…

😀

Both please! What about snow and roots too? All good!

I find fast and swoopy makes me feel amazing when done right, but I'm faster at Loose and Rocky….

Isn't there another category we're missing here? Tight and Technical?

As long as I'm on my bike I'm happy!

fast n stuff. anyone can ride rocks 😉

flow is prob more important to me than what the surface is, but I'd always prefer steep technical to fast plow riding.

I like it all, providing you don't throw in man-made jumps. They just wreck my day.

Loose rocks are dull.

Fast, slow, rocky, smooth, loose, whatever, i dont care as long as it has plenty of corners. Long straight steep bits just arent as fun.

Anyone can ride swoopy.

Give me a slippy off-camber corner and I will soon disprove that 😆

Most things can be "ridden" with modern bikes, but most people I see out riding are not "good" riders – myself included. All enjoying themselves tho' which is the point I s'pose

loose and rocky!

with a bit of fast and swoopy linking the loose and rocky sections

I like rocks, solid or loose.

Not saying it's better, just what I like the most.

Fast and swoopy with some nice jumps thrown in.

I would most certainly say yes.

Really good trails can have any combination of those elements IMO.

Why does it have to be just one thing?

In my book a good run will have a mix of stuff, rocks, roots, loamy forrest ground and/or exposed eroded stone trails, flat techy corners, bermed “rail-able” corners, drops, various types and sizes of jump possibly…

Obviously there are very few places you get absolutely everything in the UK, but a nice mix of some the above is available, wide open cornerless boulder gardens are OK I suppose but hardly a technical challenge are they? I suppose it depends on how much of a mincer you are…

Why does it have to be just one thing?

I'd prefer it if it wasn't, but something like Potato Alley in the Peak District is exactly that – one thing. There are no corners, very little change in gradient and just a loose and rocky surface. Perhaps that's the problem with a lot of the Peak District. The descents are often short and unvaried

wide open cornerless boulder gardens are OK I suppose but hardly a technical challenge

I refer you again to exhibit A – Potato Alley. I've ridden it by the skin of my teeth more often than not. All I had to do was hang on until I got to the bottom. Fun in a way, but not a patch on some of the long (and varied) descents I've done further afield

Being more skilled than all of you, I've resorted to spraying fork juice all over the rock gardens near me just to provide some sort of challenge. Whilst riding blindfolded, naturally.

I like downhills that go uphill

lyons – Member
I like the peaks, but there are no corners!

That's right. No corners in the Peak District. Nothing to see here. 😉

haha, im sure there are some on the lesser known tracks… What track is 'potatoe alley?

From Hope Cross, up and over (NW) to cross Blackley Clough before going down to be spat out on a lane just off the Snake Pass below Rowlee Farm…or at least this is what I refer to as Potato Alley

cynic-al – Member
Anyone can ride swoopy.

and that matters because????

fast, swoopy and rocky for me please