I’m planning my few “epic bike trips” in the second part of July (the wife and daughter away for a week! #livin’adream) and I really want to visit Quantocks. I’ve already found plenty of routes online, but some nice long ones include “very technical descents”. How technical are they?

I’ve never ridden there. 100mm XC hard tail with pretty average DH skills and a bit too much of imagination… Should I avoid them? Thanks!

depends, but I’d say not very.

There are plenty of other cracking descents to do if you want to stay away from the DH runs, Only ridden Quantocks around 5-6 times but I love it. possibly my favourite place to ride, but I do have to suffer the Mendip mud on a weekly basis so not too hard to beat that

DH runs on the south side of cockercombe (other wise called triscombe DH area) tend to be the most technical, but are slower. The more developed north side is faster and swoopier, but easier generally. Nothing on the wider network is unrideable.

Been years since I rode there but I was out of my comfort zone on a lot of them, a couple were very steep with step-downs and lots of trees about. Fine if you’re confident and keep rolling but you’ll be arse-over-tit if bottle it and over-brake

It’s all relative I guess but having mountain biked in lots of places and now mainly riding in the Quantocks I don’t think there is anything particularly extreme there. The great thing about the Quantocks is that most of it holds up really well in all weathers. If you want some seriously steep technical stuff then head to Triscombe (park at the car park at Triscombe Stone) and have fun on the huge number of short but variably and some of them ridiculously steep downhill trails, with loads of really nice jumps which you can opt in or out of as you please. You can join Triscombe into a longer Quantocks trail if you wish. I would not be scared by any of the downhill sections in the rest of the Quantocks though.

We did one called something like Brent dog and I struggled even on the enduro bike as it was very steep and slippery, but you can always stop and try another descent, there are lines everywhere

Brendog? Built by Brendon fairclough?

Probably the steepest, hardest track on the quantocks by a long shot.

From my first trip there earlier this year I would say make sure your fork rebound is not set too slow. Some very fast and constantly bumpy downward runs made my forks pack down. Sadly I lost the rebound knob for the first time ever 🙁

jam bo – Member

Brendog? Built by Brendon fairclough?

Probably the steepest, hardest track on the quantocks by a long shot.

Ah, that explains it. Feel quite proud for riding all but one tiny bit of it.

OP, I wouldn’t do that one on a 100mm hardtail, but it was quite hard to find anyway 😉

Thanks guys! I’ve got that super skill, which let’s me assess the trail before I start riding it (read: “oh, no way… I’m walking…”) and I wanted to find out how many times am I probably gonna be using it 😉

OP, I wouldn’t do that one on a 100mm hardtail, but it was quite hard to find anyway

There is a steeper track that’s even harder to find 😉

Sounds fun. Which trail in Brendog?

I need to know where this Brendog is! Chances are I’ve probably ridden it without knowing, I’ve certainly found some ridiculously steep technical bits in Great Wood. Still I’d like to be sure…!

The one we did was this one

Oh, I wasn’t aware that one was a celebrities track. Best one over there, though other similar ones are in the same area.

Pretty certain I’ve done that – I think I have found every route down that side! I will put it into Viewranger and do it on Sunday just to be sure!

Well I found the Brendawg route today – I have done it once before and yes it is quite mental! Tree roots were quite wet and I have to admit I got off at one point! If there’s one route at Triscombe that makes me want a downhill bike it’s that one!

Bugger me, that appears to have a 200ft drop to flat in it, I’d definitely not be riding that on a 100mm hardtail 😉

I didn’t notice before I did it but when you have an average grade of 60% you kind of know it’s going to be interesting…

I’ve already found plenty of routes online, but some nice long ones include “very technical descents”. How technical are they?

None of the long routes from obvious sources I’ve seen online contain any of the triscombe trails.. they normally regurgitate things like weacombe, frog combe and ladys edge.

I don’t know how to gauge the technical side of it, because until recently the Quantocks is all I’ve ever known. Some are scarier to less experienced riders.

I rode Haldon Forest Park trails for the first time recently, and their ‘Red’ is nowhere near an average Quantock descent. I liked the place and will be back regularly. It’s a tamer but consistent. The Quantocks has more ‘ups’ and in return more ‘downs’ (followed by more ups!)

If you can highlight where these supposed technical routes are it’d be easier for someone to help. As stated above, the man made stuff in the Triscombe area is much more technical. The rest (say north of the road that runs between dead womans ditch and crowcombe park gate) is as technical as you make it.

Why, oh why did I post this thing here???

I went to Holford last Saturday. Rode a fair chunk of Quantocks, navigating with OS map. Immediately, just after I left the car park I absolutely felt in love with this place! I felt like I was in heaven! Couldn’t stop smiling, even on some very steep climbs (and some downs, where I thought I was going to die…)

Came back there on Monday, taking a day off work…

I’m thinking about another day off sick now…

It is a fabulous place

the Quantocks are great aren’t they, had my first trip down there last year, one of my usual riding pals grew up in Taunton so he guided us for 3 days. Currently in the process of arranging another long weekend down there in September once his broken shoulder is healed.

glad you enjoyed it medoramas 🙂

you didn’t mention how far away it was for you.

any idea what route you took, and what you liked best?

sometimes there are ways to lessen the impacts of the ups at the start from holford car park. like going up holford combe instead of the more obvious hodders/ladys edge.

Ah, the Quantocks… Knottie doesn’t post up here anymore does he? Took me on a lovely tour years back when I fancied a trip.

not often. rides road bikes more than mtb these days.

He what?! 😯