Does anyone know the unofficial trail thats marked out with orange spray paint in the FOD near pedalaway. where does it start and finish. found bits of it and seemed a good trail but kept loosing it in sections.

Also can someone explain all the Downhill Boys with stupidly big travel in the FOD. I ended up at the top where they all start thought id do sheepskull as a bit of a laugh. and apart from the back bouncing around a bit on roots managed it fine with my XC bike with 100mm SID’s

I saw some pretty big jumps on some of the DH tracks that I wouldn’t attempt on a big bike, let alone a HT. I’d have a bit more of an explore if I were you.

Dunno about the orange paint. I heard that the “Enduro” course (as used for the SSEC race) was to be waymarked at some point, perhaps it’s the beginings of that?
I’ll be down there in a few weeks to have another nose round, myself.

I’m sure one of the FOD regulars’ll know.

The orange paint marks out the enduro course, but a lot of it has been destroyed with logging recently, but some can still be followed.

I’ve got gpx file if any use to you

Cheers

if its not to much hassel that would be great.

My email is rob@s4rpf.com

stgeorge – any chance of a copy of that gpx route, cheers?

agentdagnamit@blueyonder.co.uk

I reckon I’ve ridden most of the orange route, but not all in one go.

s4rpf – maybe they just like riding downhill bikes, maybe they are training for more full on DH courses, maybe they want to ride it quicker than you, maybe you are just a riding God, who knows. Not our business really. But if a few roots caused you problems then the big tabletop in the skills area certainly will, and so will the gap jump over the forst road….

I ride my HT and my DH bike on the DH trails at the Forest of Dean and can get down on both. The ‘stupidly big’ travel on the DH bike though – that means I can go absolutely balls to the wall flat out fast and is a whole load of fun.

I take it you have fun on your 100 mm XC bike – so, quite frankly, don’t know what your problem is with other people choosing to have fun on theirs.

not having a go im just courious as i know im a crap rider so just wondered why everyone needs massive suspension to do the FOD trails and not just a all mountain FS.

You don’t need massive suspension, it’s just more fun if you have it 🙂

I think we’ve established that a 10″ DH bike isnt “needed” it just might be more fun or a matter of personal choice for some.

Not sure if the post was trolling, but what exactly is an “all mountain FS bike” and why would that be needed when 100mm is fine?

I think the main thing is to get out and ride and enjoy it, whatever you’re riding and wherever.

Maybe its the only bike they have………

A big bike can slow you (alright, me) down a bit on the FOD DH trails – especially when muddy – but I’d still rather ride them on that than a 100mm hardtail.

I went to FoD for the first time recently and used the very efficient Flyupdownhill uplift. Certainly don’t need a downhill bike to ride the tracks but it was certainly faster and more fun and because of the uplift there is no downside.
Will be going back again soon to combine with a trip to Afan with friends and so will be doing it on a hardtail. I’m sure that will still be fun but my feet will hurt more at the end of it.

Greg Minaar rode the Fort William race on a “stupidly big travel” bike, no doubt he could have cleared it on a hardtail.

The orange paint marks out the enduro course, but a lot of it has been destroyed with logging recently, but some can still be followed.

I’ve got gpx file if any use to you

Cheers

Thanks for that received fine

Just a slight correction
The orange marked course is the enduro course the ssec course does indeed ‘share’ parts of it but not all of it.

as mentioned previously, orange paint marks the Enduro route, Enduro is organised by the local cycling club RDFCC,

Back on Track are currently building a Blue Route, which follows the route of the Enduro,

lots of the Enduro route has been effected by logging, particularly the last downhill sections which ran close to the DH runs,

As said above the orange arrows show some of the enduro route but you wont find all of it from the arrows, logging has destroyed some of the route and trial building has closed some of it as well but plenty of other trails to find