Well seeing as we have been discussing slabs a lot…..

I am not about The Slab obviously, but it was the one on the skills loop which I have never previously attempted 🙂

As you can see it looks steep from this angle!

IMG_3862 by simon ralli, on Flickr

I didn’t bottle it, I actually did it

IMG_3857 by simon ralli, on Flickr

Someone seems to have been out doing some DiY signage

IMG_3864 by simon ralli, on Flickr

But I decided to carry on as I like this woody section

IMG_3867 by simon ralli, on Flickr

IMG_3876 by simon ralli, on Flickr

I did the big steep descent which I don’t normally do, and I also cleared that big granite S Bend which I have never even attempted before let alone cleared, the one where Trekster broke his wrist so all in all a good day, with just one tumble down the side of the forest after losing my balance and putting my foot down into just an abyss as there was no ground there, just a steep slope. 😀

Good work sir.

The other slabs are no trickier really, all use the same technique. They’re just bigger & more intimidating.

Heh – and then some.

It is just so annoying as there are still a few step downs and rooty bits I don’t yet ride but feel I could. Maybe some other time. But I still feel a sense of achievement today.

Good stuff 🙂 Rock rolls/slabs are fun once you get off the brakes and just go for it. The ones at Whistler are quite intimidating when you first go down them!

Congrats – it’s all in the mind as they say 🙂

I really want to go up there and have a look at The Slab. Is it actually as hard/steep as everybody makes out?

I know people keep saying it more a case of mind over matter, but at the top I was chatting to two lads. They said that their friend went down a little too fast, his wheel snapped and he ended up going into the trees at the bottom. They said psychologically he lost a huge amount of confidence. Also, it is not smooth, there are lots of ruts. Have a look at the many videos on Youtube and see if you would ride it. There is “The qualifier” just before, which is a very short but very steep rocky descent, built to test if you should try the slab, but some people say that is more scary!

Dalbeattie has a few mini slabs, and also the Terrible Twins, plus a few larger ones as well along the course, some with very thin planks to test you. It’s a great track whatever your level of confidence and ability, and I sometimes wonder if people do not realise just how many features Dalbeattie now has. It also looks like they are building some new black steep northshore too.

Maybe someone has a photo from the top looking down to show how steep it is. I actually do not think it is that steep, it is more a case of the fact that it is also quite high, so you can start skidding, and also the ruts of course.

My biggest issue when I first rode there was the natural ruts/drainage channels all looked like they were going to swallow my front wheel whole, especially the slab qualifier.

However when I actually rode them it was fine.

that’s not a slab. This is a slab @2.05 onwards: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z1fSpZNXhU

I_Ache – Member

I really want to go up there and have a look at The Slab. Is it actually as hard/steep as everybody makes outThere’s not a lot to it skills wise, but it’s a big test of bottle for most I’d say. Seems precipitous when you’re stood at the top, and the riding onto it is bumpy which doesn’t help. But basically a test of nerve to get rolling on it – once you’ve done that it’s plain sailing.

Not my video but this looks really steep when you’re riding into it!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxySW-MC-NM[/video]

How does The Slab compare to Airs Rock at Laggan in terms of height and steepness?

slainte ❓ rob

Colournoise: I can answer this; Airs Rock is a test of nerve but you can drag your brakes a bit and the transition to flat at the bottom is perfect.
Dalbeattie is not quite as steep, but it’s twice as long, rutted, changes angle half way down, the transition to flat is very abrupt and you’ve only got 10 yards before you hit the trees.
I assumed it would be a test of nerve only, but found myself sliding down on my a*se when I tried to brake where the angle changes..

Well done , I rode round it and watched from the bottom 😳

_tom_, that’s on Freight Train isn’t it? My bro-in-law did it, I took the chicken run. Doesn’t look steep, it *is* steep!

Yeah it’s an option near the middle of Freight Train. I can’t remember whether I actually rode it, I do remember doing Lower Whistler Downhill a few times and narrowly avoided going over the bars on the same wheelcatchers!

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXp8nWiilY_o&v=Xp8nWiilY_o&gl=GB

Dalbeattie’s skills area is fantastic isn’t it…

Thing about the Slab is that it’d not be much to write home about, if it had a nice approach and a long exit (like Air’s Rock has). But instead it has a fiddly approach and not much runoff at the bottom.

Obviously I rode it like a boss, because I’m pretty awesome, but it deserves a bit of respect- no shame in avoiding it.

I’ve ridden the slab at Dalbeattie, but find the singeltrack option more fun to be honest. The qualifier was worse than the slab too

]Well done mate i have done the slab about 8 times now and still brick myself coming up to it. This is what happened to me last time i done the terrible twins
terrible twins

Well done you….

andyl – Member
that’s not a slab. This is a slab @2.05 onwards

I remember seeing the Martins doing that in an MBUK vid about 15 years ago.

What P20 said.
The slab you did Simon, really isn’t any easier.
The twins are steeper, as is the one at K’Tree.
I’ve stopped doing Dalbeattie’s slab as I prefer the alternatives.
‘Log on – log off’ is my favourite bit at Dalbeattie.
This vid shows the qualifier, The Slab and then LO-LO at the end:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=254tsLhvljo[/video]

The qualifier was worse than the slab too

Agreed. I also think the first Twin is harder. The Slab itself is pretty daunting when you’re stood at the top of it for the first time, but it’s really not so bad once you get going.

The Slab itself is pretty daunting when you’re stood at the top

easiest to do without stopping after the qualifier – but that would be a good effort the first time.

I really don’t see what all the fuss is about TBH, riding down steep stuff isn’t exactly difficult.

riding down steep stuff isn’t exactly difficult.

We don’t all have the force, clearly

tumbling down steep stuff isn’t exactly difficult.