Fort William Red - Do or Dont in Wet Weather

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Fort William Red - Do or Dont in Wet Weather

16 posts & 12 voices | Started 8 months ago by Monster101 | Latest reply from mr plow

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Monster101 - Member

Hi folks, looking for some advice. Its the last weekend of opening for the Fort Bill Downhill runs and nightmare there is a National Downhill on Sat and Sunday.

Thinking of taking the day off on Friday but the forecast is rubbish with significnat rain forecast. Ive heard they have re-treated the boardwalk with grip paint etc. Wind hopefully should be too much an issue, 17mph from the South.

Anyone on here ridden in the wind and wet? I'm not bothered about getting wet, just wondering if it is that sketchy its bordering on dangerous?

Cheers

Posted 8 months ago #
The Southern Yeti - Member

You'll be fine. It's a big ol'hill that one... even if it's sunny in the car park it can be raining at the top.

Posted 8 months ago #
craig1975 - Member

just watch out for the death trap near the top, it caught me out and i saw it caught a few others out whilst i was waiting to be rescued, Im now of work with a separated shoulder, it was my second run down, gutted. since i had my accident there, i now know it has taken a few people out, a classic case of not knowing the trail.

www.vimeo.com/28311263

Posted 8 months ago #
WackoAK - Member

I've ridden it in the wind and rain - rain not really a problem but the winds are, quite easy to be pushed off on a few of the corners on the boardwalk. The boardwalk was not really a problem in the wet (unless you slam the brakes on).

Posted 8 months ago #
Monster101 - Member

Good stuff, I'll do a test of waterproof gear, gore bike wear versus endura mt500 jacket!

Thanks

Posted 8 months ago #
Diane - Member

I must be a wuss then - didn't fancy it wet through. Let us know how you get on. Craig that could have been where I faceplanted - wheel went into a hole

Posted 8 months ago #
5lab - Member

if its too windy itll be shut

Posted 8 months ago #
Innes - Member

I had a crash here at that point Craig, it was windy and I was pushed off line, it does get badly affected by the wind until you get further down to the steep rocky section. It took my till April from crashing in September to stop waking up in the middle of the night with the pain. I made sure I got the line right each time I went down this year.

One of my friends had a crash on the boardwalk on Saturday, teeth through the lip and a fracture to his right hand. Good job he had my full face helmet, who knows what would of happened if not.

Posted 8 months ago #
kaesae - Member

I did the red run 5 times and the black run once on sunday there!

I found the red a lot of fun, saying that I fell of a few times, but I'm an expert crasher, also did the black once, didn't bother to walk it just went down it!

Tricky course the black one, flying towards some of the dips was a bit sketchy, as I had no idea what came next! also you will need to take a rest more likely than not, unless your fit!

Well worth a trip to fort william, take your armour if you have any and beware the midgies at the end of the day, I was trying to fix my goggles and got chased about 20 metres back up the path, fixed my goggles ran back got on my bike and **** of down the red one last time.

Last uplift was at 3:45pm and it cost £29 for the whole day! good luck

Posted 8 months ago #
guitarhero - Member

kaesae, what bike were you on?

Posted 8 months ago #
Northwind - Member

The red still goes fine in the wet... If you don't like wet boardwalk it's probably not going to be a lot of fun though. A lot of people seem to fall foul of getting scared of the lack of grip, and so banging on the brakes, then crashing. I think if it rained badly on me there I'd just bin the red for the day and move onto the worldcup course as it just changes character in the wet whereas the red loses a fair amount of its fun factor IMO.

And yeah, I'd recommend it, they're both fab. If you're on the red, it's not a bad idea to skip over onto the worldcup course where they meet up- red is fairly boring from there on down whereas the DH is good fun through the woods.

Posted 8 months ago #
Monster101 - Member

Looking forward to it now! I know how injury feels dislocated both shoulders, broke three ribs and chipped a bone in my hand when I went air swimming at Dalbeatties qualifier 8O. Shoulder still gives me pain.

Full pads will be order of the day!

Posted 8 months ago #
Stu661 - Member

If I was you I would check the mountain forecast, they are talking about gales for Friday.

Posted 8 months ago #
kaesae - Member

guitarhero - Member
kaesae, what bike were you on?

Iron horse sunday! so probably why it wasn't too bad

Posted 8 months ago #
The Southern Yeti - Member

I did it on a Ti456... both black and red runs. Shook me to bits but was great fun

Posted 8 months ago #
mr plow - Member

I let off the brakes big time on the last left hand corkscrew of the boardwalk in the dry and got a big 2 wheel slide on that sent me 20ft down the hill side. That was with super tackys front and bad so obviously terrible technique lol Was quite a soft landing though

Posted 8 months ago #

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