What a **** ace day!

Would really like to try this at some point but I don't know if me and my Pitch are 'core enough – never been to Innerleithen before.

Bike'll be more than fine.

Admittedly I know the trails well, but when my DH bike was out of order I rode my trance (built light for XC) for the day no bother. Bit less margin for error than normal and slower for sure, but still keeping up with folk.

As for you, I dunno, there's easy and hard stuff. Top tip would be chat to folk on the bus etc. ask someone to point you at something easy to start off with. People are friendly!

Wrightyson – Was that you lot on the Fives/Alpine 160s? All looked to be going well. Cracking day indeed – until my rear mech exploded.

PS

Grum, you'll have no bother at all. Virtually everything is completely rideable on a smaller bike. Plenty of folk on the uplifts who aren't riding DH bikes.

Thanks folks. I've done a bit of DH type stuff in the Alps and some easy DH stuff like the Shredder at Ae here which I quite enjoyed – I'm ok with steep rocky stuff and smaller jumps/drops – it's mainly just really big drops/step downs etc that scare me. Are they mostly avoidable?

Grum – I took my (then) 10 year old, he had no problem, you'll be fine 😉 possibly…

He – ok then. Ta.

My friend who has been to Innerleithen was hyping up how scary the DH runs are, but then he is nowhere near as 'core as me. 😛

Although big drops etc do exist at Inners, the tracks are more about tight and steep techincal single track, so a 5" or so bike isn't really a major problem. The drops are completely avoidable, the only thing maybe to be aware of in advance are some of the doubles on the Matador as they are a bit blind and fast on appraoch and fairly big.

That was us brycey. Like you said to grum, more than rideable on xc bikes, you just gotta be a tad steadier!! Absolutely loved it!! We had ten punctured thro the day though so take plenty of tubes or tyre the **** up before you go!! Such a shame it's so far away for us, but well well worth it!

Haha, there's nothing too hard or scary at inners by DH race track standards. There are some largish jumps and drops that are offputting, but you can see them coming and avoid them.

The tricky stuff is cos it's steep and tight, if you fail to ride it you'll probably just fall on your arse at jogging speed. The bad crashes at inners are always high speed on the easy stuff and clipping a tree.

Although I'm a native, I'm in Manchester now so was having eaxctly the same thought last night, long way for a day's riding! Very good fun though. We were admiring all your bikes but especially the white Alpine 160 with the Cane Creek DB – very bloody nice.

Without wanting to go to off-topic and car geeky; whos was the silver A4 estate, been considering one and wouldn't mind knowing what it's like?

If anyone is up for showing a noob around let me know – I'm in Lancaster and have a car/rack so could potentially share transport with people coming from Manchester way.

The lad on the white alpine works for orange, hence the sweet sweet bike!! Mine was the cheapo spesh in that company ha ha! Think he loves the audi, looks really good from the rear.
I'd absolutely love to have a go on one of those downhillers, i'll have to find you and tap you up for a go next time. 😛

@grum. Well we were all noobs until yesterday, but after 8 runs you're really starting to get into it! You looking for the uplift day or gonna ride up? If it's owt like the downhill then the bloody climbs must be murder!!!

Would like to try the uplift – think I could only manage to ride up once. 🙂

Good call!! Keep your eye on uplift Scotland for the next one, book early tho, was full yesterday and two of our lads missed out!

Welcome to a go anytime we're about, give us a shout (bunch of scotchlanders on green Commencal Supreme white Boxxers, orange Socom white Boxxers, black 951 Totems).

Uplift is on most weekends these days.

uplifts @ Ae by upliftscotland most weekends during summer I believe

We had ten punctured thro the day though so take plenty of tubes or tyre the **** up before you go!

When we went I didn't want to ruin a nearly new pair of Nobby Nic 2.4's, so bought a pair of 'sale' Intense 3-ply tyres in Innerleithen Alpine Bikes – bugger to put on mind, but really grippy and strong.

Nice one brycey, I'll definately hold you to that one. Hopefully back up there soon. Didn't realise it was on so often.

anyone know if they are running on august bank holiday monday?

Look on the website – Uplift Scotland

Need to do an uplift sometime soon if i can work out how to ride the strange bike! Mincetastic!