Hi all,
Apologies for using a specific centre which some guys might not be familiar with, but I wanted to try to guage my fitness using an easily identifiable scale compared to others……

So the scale would be in relation to getting to the top of the Spooky Wood trail ….

1 – can pedal non stop to the start of the first singletrack leaving the fire road
2 – can pedal non stop to the top of the first section of singletrack as it comes out onto the fireroad
3 – can pedal non stop to the buzzards nest car park
4 – can pedal to the start of the next section of singletrack turning off the fireroad heading into the zig zag climb
5 – can pedal non stop to the top of the zig zags coming onto the top fire road
6 – can pedal non stop to the top of the spooky wood trail

Just wanted to assess how bad I am! My name is john and Im a 2 😳

So whats everyone else like on the Glentress scale?

5

Then I see that fireroad that leads to the spooky wood climb and my heart sinks

I could pedal non stop right to the top – just very slowly in granny gear the whole way!( I usually stop 2 or 3 times en route tho)

Even when breathing out of every body orifice on some sections if you just stay in granny gear you can recover on the less steep sections that follows

7 – Can pedal non stop to the top of the spooky wood trail on a singlespeed in 34:16.

I was a 7 last time I was there.

If you are a 2, just measure out your effort more intelligently and you will be a six.

6 easily. And I don't class myself as very fit, but I can keep going for a very long time. I'd say I could probably do 2 laps of the whole trail non stop if I wanted to. 🙂

6. used to see how long it would take – don't think i was ever quicker than 45 – 50 mins, I do recall that the hardtail was only about a minute faster than full sus. Not done it in last 6 months though.

Most of the time I miss out Pennels Vennel and the following climb and just follow the fire road all the way up to the bottom of the spooky wood climb

There needs to be a zero option…

I don't normally bother with Spooky woods but usually pedal up to the radio mast before stopping

some folk would be right round and on a second lap in the time it takes me to do the climb.

Out with the bike chain lot in the pentlands a few weeks ago we did one of the biggest climbs. I rode as much of it as anyone and more than most of them – but was one of the last to the top. 2.5 mph in granny gear all the way compared to 5 mph riding half and 2.5 mph walking half

i'd say a 5 but if i really tried and used my brain i could be a 6

>7 – Can pedal non stop to the top of the spooky wood trail on a singlespeed in 34:16.<

There's always one…

why would you pedal non stop when a few sections are actually flat/downhill?

oh.. and I would have thought most people could easily ride all the way to Spooky woods in one go if they simply pace themselves. I know I still could and I'm massively unfit just now.

Samurai – I witnessed a riding buddy do it on a 49lb Trek Deisel 8" travel DH bike with 2.5 supertackys, 42T chainring and road cassette – and he wasn't even out of breath at the top! one of the most mental rides I've ever had there. next time I saw him there he was whipping the jumps at the freeride on a v. lightweight XC hardtail with the seat at full extension.

7 FS HT or ss (32:16), must borrow a CX from somewhere. Do need a rest if i'm caning it to Buzzards nest (<11minutes for that climb).

I'm sure I could do a 6 just never really want to…

For me there is a difference between what I can do, and what I do do. Last time I rode GT was a few years back and then I'd always stop for a breather after the first section of singletrack joins the fire-road making me a 2. I'd certainly have been able to go considerably further without stopping if I needed to, possibly to the point of being a 4 or 5 on that scale.

Having said that it's a long time since I've ridden there and, if I took my Enduro (which isn't light), would probably need to stop for a rest after taking it out of the car…

6, no problem. It's only about 250m (vertical) of uphill isn't it?

It's been years since I last rode at Glentress on my own and if I'm in a group we tend to stop for a lot of chats. On my own I think I've managed up to the top of Spooky Wood without stopping or with only one stop but I have less fun on the downhills if I run myself ragged on the climbs so I am happier stopping more than that.

As for skipping Pennel's Vennel, why? It's great fun. 🙂 Certainly too much fun to be worth sacrificing just so you can get to Spooky Wood a bit sooner.

Humm – last time I was there (think it was May) there was still snow at the top and lots of forestry work had left branches all over the trail!

Still, without the additional challenges it's not really a matter of a 1-7 rating is it, I'd argue it's more a time thing to gaugue fitness isn't it? So, not one to shy away … 1 hr 25 mins for me and my 2 lads (11 and 9) from the Buzzards Nest car park to the top of Spooky Wood which I was extremely proud of 🙂 – oh we stopped here and there but mostly for sugar intake!

I witnessed a riding buddy do it on a 49lb Trek Deisel 8" travel DH bike with 2.5 supertackys, 42T chainring and road cassette – and he wasn't even out of breath at the top! one of the most mental rides I've ever had there. next time I saw him there he was whipping the jumps at the freeride on a v. lightweight XC hardtail with the seat at full extension.

Surely this guy needs to sort out more effectively which bike he takes with him? 😆

what glenh said!

If I am on my own, I'll do most of the black without stopping. If I'm with friends, then there's usually more re-grouping and chat stops.

Probably but I am genuinely afflicted by idleness. I just get bored climbing and stop sometimes!!

run what ya brung Glen.

incase you don't know, there's also a lot of DH tracks in the area. 😉

I often skip Pennels Vennel, why? because somehow it adds shit loads more climbing to the route which is a little freaky as it doesn't actually seem to go downhill anywhere 😕

I'd be a 6 too, although I'm having to use a trail centre conversion chart as its a long time since I've done the GT red. So if I can get to the top of Inners without stopping and can get to the radio mast at GT black without stopping then I'll call myself a 6.

This time last year I was probably a 3, its amazing how much fitter I am through commuting to work. The challenge now is not to lose the fitness!

think we got as far as 5 when I was there a few weeks ago but could have easily kept on going to the top without a break – I'm not very fit either, just good at pacing myself in the granny ring. I actually can't really remember any really steep climbs on the way up – the worst one seemed to be near the end.

GW's mate sounds well hard.

LOL I was hoping for a more varied response, but looks like Im just a REALLY unfit weirdo! I suppose I could push longer than I do, and maybe yes if I granny ringed it all the way and paced myself, but I am always being passed by other riders and like to maintain a non-embarassing speed, so tend to burn, collapse, burn, collapse till I get there. I enjoy regular stops too, but from a purely fitness perspective I need to get a whole lot fitter by the sounds of it 🙁

Can do 6 but never do these days. Usually have to stop to take off clothes 😯

8 – top of spooky wood via the black route on 32:14 on singlespeed.

Never been, guess I'm an 8 (all the above, plus dust) 😉

(edit: BAH, Obi even types faster – Downgraded to a 7.5 then 😕 )

0 should be the cafe chatting clean bike crew

I might need to stop on the third lap somewhere. Out of boredom. Or desire for cakes.

Depends if i am with anyone or not, if it's just me, usually non stop pedaling from my flat…in Edinburgh 🙂

6 top of spookywood in 1 hour

Obi wins!

Thing is, I would not win. Far from it. Compared to lots and lots and lots of people from round here I am seriously shit and unfit.

I'd be a 6. I did it on 32:16 last year, but haven't ridden GT for ages other than just passing through.

It's a good scale of fitness by the OP, in 2006 when I first got back into riding I was a 1 (just) but determination and commuting sorted me right out.

even fat old ton is a number 6………….ffs 🙄