Great new video showing the latest additions to the trail
Dave
When's the layer of tarmac going on?
Nice riding based on what they had to work with and well shoot vid but it just looked like two riders coming down a nicely laid gravel path with the odd bump and berm to me...certainly didn't fire me up to want to go and ride it 😐
(and the music was annoying but volume button sorted that)
I've not been to Penmachno for a few years, but I've got very fond memories of it. This looks like something else entirely though- is that all new bits or some 'upgraded' old bits as well in the video?
hmm. Not sure that is much of an "improvement" to penmachno which I've always enjoyed because of its natural feel
Jesus... Did Derbyshire county council do that?
It'll soften no doubt but I agree with bregante. Penmachno had a nice natural feel about it.
My lad will enjoy going down that. Ive been looking for a long and smooth trail for him to have fun on.
It still does. the new sections are just linking the old ones replacing fire road sections
Meh, looks like dcc have been at it
There are no words.
Is this what passes for a 'trail' centre these days?
No wonder people need 160mm of full suspension, I mean how would you cope otherwise?!
Lol, I'll strike Penmachno off my list of places to ride then, I'd get the same experience riding the pavements closer to home.
aerialvue - MemberIt still does. the new sections are just linking the old ones replacing fire road sections
Cool.
My favourite trail centre - should be down in a few weeks, looking forward to it.
That dirty cheating b*stard with his Strava line at 0.28.
The appeal of penmachno for a lot of folks seemed to be that it didn't feel to much like a man made trail.
Some would say it feels a bit more remote than other man made trails, personally i think its a real shame that its had some bmx track in the woods stuff put in.
Not everyone is me though.
Good to see Penmachno's ubiquitous puddles are still there! 😀
I can see your point, but if the rest of the stuff is still there I'll take the new bits as a bonus.
I love the feel of the place, the last descent and the exposed anti clockwise little loop up to the right, just off the fireroad on loop 1 are brill.
Oh, and the really fast little section after you cross the trail after that bit, and the first bit in the video and, oh well, all of it really.
🙂
Is there an up to date map on line somewhere showing the new bits?
Its still all the same Penmachno! fire road or fun? Ill take the fun route every time.
well yes i wouldn't miss out the new bits and ride round em 😀
After the bone jarring bedrock of loop 2 some smooth sections where welcome when I rode it this afternoon.
Lots of new bomb holes after the enduro yesterday
I always wonder why these type of new sections to "trail centre" trails have to be this same formula of smooth shale bmx inspired stuff. Don't get me wrong, when I'm there again I'll ride it, but why do they insist on laying a pavement for us to ride along. Jumps and big berms can be set in a more natural trail with out having to have it billiard table smooth.
I must be getting old, it's not my cup of tea.
All the same it's nice to see that some work is being done, good, bad or indifferent.
I'm knocking all trail centres but maybe they can take ideas from the likes of the Cafall trail at Cwncarn.
If they had taken note of how the caffall trail is built the new sections would be ace, they didnt it's very poor. The second section is mainly uphill and the rollers don't work on both sections they are to steep and oddly spaced so you can't really make them into doubles or so much with them.
Apparently a £5k budget for that video?! Music choice is shocking, just like the new section of trail. The first new bit means you miss out the good flat run switch backs at the end of 1.8 as you go straight on rather than into the turns.
If only a proper trail building company was used rather than a company who make access paths and roads. Conservfor.
Ah well guess you can't please everybody.. for those of you that aint 'Well Ard' go have fun because thats what biking in all is guises is about. Penmachno is as good as ever but now there is an extra grin to be had by the majority of mountain bikers out there.
Dave
corner cutting and skidding in a promo video - does that mean it's OK if we all do it?
Ride don't ride suit yourself. I forgot why I stopped contributing years ago to forums. Now I remember why.
What ever you do on your bike have fun. What ever anyone ever says there aint any trail thats natural!
Just go have fun what ever you ride.
From 'A really old fart' that should know better than post on forums.
I like the look of that. I'm up that way in April so might pay Penmachno a visit while I'm there. That new stuff is guaranteed to have cut up a bit by then.
Looks like fun...on a road bike.
I was there yesterday, those new bits are great fun - they're sandwiched between 'classic' Penmachno sections and its quite an eye opener to come hooning out of the woods at warp speed from smooth new trail straight into a slick, rocky gully.
But haters gonna hate, I s'pose.
Very sadly the sound of a nail being hit squarely on the head by Plecostomus/Nonk 🙁
At least (judging by the drainage) it won't last too long 😐
Ho hum
looks awesome cant wait to get down there.
I was at the enduro on saturday and then rode the full double loop this morning. The new stuff is a tiny proportion of the overall trail and from what I can tell it's only replacing fireroad.
It's still a very wild feeling trail although I will admit that the new stuff feels a bit out of place, but it's worth bearing in min dit is VERY new and hasn't had chance to scrub in and get messed up a bit yet. From the pointy bits peeking through one or two of the more heavily used lines I get the feeling that the rocks are only a very short distance below the top of the Sustrans gravel. So maybe in the spring time the trails will be more like rock sections with some of the gaps filled in.
Not ridden Penmach for around 4 yrs, that does not inspire me to go back! I,m sorry but that looks terrible 🙁
not a helpful vid with riders doing what ****ty riders do change gear ffs 🙂
Why is everyone being so negative?
It's a brand new section of fun looking trail that replaced a fire road. Any trail is more fun than a fire road and it has cost you absolutely nothing. Lighten up, will you?
I rode that new bit and despised every second of it. Loved the natural feel to the rest of it but that 4ft wide pathway (it isn't a trail) represents all that's wrong with Uk trail building at present. It isn't even mountain biking.
I forgot why I stopped contributing years ago to forums. Now I remember why.
The whining here really is quite something. You could say, I'll ride before I pass judgement, but no, you have to say something NOW. Anyway, give it a winter and it'll roughen up, and line will appear through it.
What I find annoying is these poxy mountain bike lifestyle videos we are treated to every time you watch someone just riding a bike.
Haven't visited it but before I watched I was expecting some rough more natural stuff. Those new sections remind me of the 'improvements' to son of chain slapper at the chase and the hope line at Gisburn.
Any trail is more fun than a fire road.
It has cost you absolutely nothing.
You are absolutely right.....it was the absolute best way to spend £50k.I'm very glad they did'nt try and replicate any more of the outstanding singletrack already there because I'm so bored of that.
That was soul destroying - RIP Penmachno.
Loved the natural feel to the rest of it but that 4ft wide pathway (it isn't a trail) represents all that's wrong with Uk trail building at present. It isn't even mountain biking.
+1
The culinary equivalent of drive-through fast food.
🙄
bullandbladder,
Drop the emoticons and 'haters gonna hate' sillyness and understand that other people have a point of view, which may be at variance with yours.
Did it last weekend, the new bits don't spoil any of it's charm. One of the most scenic man made trails around with a wicked sting in the tail for anyone who treats it like the new breed of trails around these days.
How dare they link sections with new trails (not to everyone's liking even though they haven't ridden them and it's probably 0.5% of the whole trail network) when we all love riding fire roads.
Bastards.
You lot that are moaning, are you stupid?
The new bits replace fireroads and flatish sections where the lovely fast flowing singletrack rock stuff you want can't be done
If the whole thing had been surfaced like this then I could understand the "it's ruined" histrionics. But it's like being told that the local bike shop are giving people free coffee while they browse and then saying "wah, I HATE coffee, this shop is dead to me now!". If all they sell is coffee, or they've got rid of half the stock to fit a Costa in then fair enough, but it's one small section where there was nothing previously. If you preferred it the old way then you can choose to ride the fire road instead. So it might not be perfect but you can still have it the old way. At *worst* it's the same as it always was!
File me in the hater camp...
throw some leaves on the trail that will sort it for the natural look!
Here's another bloody awful 4 foot wide trail.
Bloody awful. Nobody rides it.
