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Scalextric (Pentlands)

33 posts & 17 voices | Started 1 year ago by epicsteve | Latest reply from suresuresure

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epicsteve - Member

Scalextric Go-Pro chestcam video

I'd heard about the Scalextric trail in the Pentlands a few times but never actually ridden it as it doesn't really suit the routes I normally use. After seeing the coastkid video from the TBC ride on Wednesday I decided to give it a try this morning. Wow - quite a lot of fun for what is just really a quad bike track! Not sure if the speed comes over in the video though. I wimped out and used the brakes a fair bit, but when my Enduro has it's bearings replaced I'll ride the trail on it and see if I can manage it brake free!

Posted 1 year ago #
coastkid - Member

it is alot faster in real life than on the film!, rob says it can be ridden off the brakes!, think next wednesdays ride are all heading to ride it...see you there if going

Posted 1 year ago #
robgarrioch - Member

Nice little vid steve - do you have to consciously keep your chest in one position to keep the view?

I think I've managed it brake-free once on my pitch; probably to do with its' longer wheelbase... Love the last grassy left hander, which you really have to crank into at warp speed.
I usually ride up it, keeping a careful eye out for descenders

Posted 1 year ago #
whippersnapper - Member

nice - looked fast enough to me. I recognised the bottom of it, I used to ride up the way many moons ago.

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

Nice little vid steve - do you have to consciously keep your chest in one position to keep the view?

Nope - you can just ignore the camera once it's running. I think I was keeping my weight well back, which is why you can see a fair bit of the bike, 'cause the Epic was a bit sketchy in places.

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Worth hitting from the very top, this gives you one or two extra steep fast bits, still not managed to completely death grip it, a challenge for the summer i think!

Posted 1 year ago #
martinh - Member

can I suggest a shorter stem and wider bars?

Posted 1 year ago #
mucker - Member

Looked flippin' fast to me.

Posted 1 year ago #
kennyp - Member

If you go over the gate at the bottom there's a lovely, rooty descent through the trees. Turn right as you come out the trees and there's a nice bit of singletrack with a few wee tricky bits that brings you out eventually near the bottom of Puke Hill.

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

can I suggest a shorter stem and wider bars?

On an Epic?

If you go over the gate at the bottom there's a lovely, rooty descent through the trees

There is a steep bit pretty much straight ahead over the fence that looks like it'd be fun. I turned left to head towards Clubbiedean then back to Balerno and there is quite a steep and loose bit before the tarmac is reached.

Posted 1 year ago #
dirtygirlonabike - Member

I'm not long in from the pentlands, and as usual, finished with scalextric - its my all time fav descent and has to be done, no matter where in the pentlands i finish up

The trails are so dry just now, was quite hard to get grip climbing up the farm track from 9 mile burn - seems to be a lot of loose gravel around. Nice to see the puddle has finally dried up on harehill too. I'm glad I've healed in time to make the most of the dry trails, but where were all the other riders - only saw two at green cleugh!

*wants to go out and ride the route again now*

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

I'm not long in from the pentlands, and as usual, finished with scalextric - its my all time fav descent and has to be done, no matter where in the pentlands i finish up

It's got me thinking about routes as it doesn't fit in quite so well with my current ones as they mostly start by climbing Maidens. It's such a good section I'm thinking that instead of dropping straight down to Glencorse I'll possibly head round the quad track then do Scalextric before climbing back to the top of Poet's and descending that to Glencorse.

I didn't see any other riders this morning, but I was out pretty early.

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Yeah, what was that handlebar suggestion all about? I've ridden that descent, fast, with a 110mm stem and 585mm bars for the past few years and my arms still seem to be attached...

Don't believe everything MBR tells you!

Posted 1 year ago #
Liftman - Member

Where does the scalextric trail start, been round the pentlands many times but dont recognise that trail.

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

The trail starts just below the trees on the north side of Bonaly reservoir. There is a quad bike track that runs from one of the gates on Puke Hill past the trees and round the side of harbour Hill to Maidens Cleugh. Coming from the puke hill side you'll come to a gate and instead of going through it towards Maidens Cleugh you turn downhill and joint Scalextric shortly after.

From Maidens Cleugh you follow the quad track round the north side of Harbour Hill (it joins the main track shortly after the highest point of the pass) until you come to the fence and gate after maybe a mile or so. Go through the gate and then turn downhill until you reach the trail.

Posted 1 year ago #
stanfree - Member

Despite having ridden the Pentlands for a while now last wednesday was the first time Ive done Scalextrix and was very Impressed. Also worringly Its taken me a couple of days to work out why Its called scalextrix.

Good video Steve.

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Racing your mates down it is brilliant fun, especially if its a night right and the sheep suddenly erupt from the heather, blocking your mate and allowing you a sneaky pass

Posted 1 year ago #
druidh - Member

Nice to see so many enjoying this wee track. Can I ask one favour though? In March/April the farmer likes to have the pregnant ewes in that field. It would be appreciated he they could be left undisturbed at this time. thanks.

Posted 1 year ago #
spangelsaregreat - Member

Missed out Scalextrix today and went straight down Puke hill. Was the first ride on my new anthem and it was sketchy on all the loose stones to the gate!!!

Rode the rooty bit over to the bottom of Scalextrix and then down that steep towards Clubiedean. Thanks for clearing Poets, it was a clear fast run for me!!

Only saw four folk on bikes.

Regards

Posted 1 year ago #
Phatman - Member

@Liftman and @Epicsteve - IMO Scalextrix starts from the top of harbour hill. But havn't ridden it in a while, is there now a fence running down the hill from Bonaly Reservoir?

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

There is a fence now so it's easiest to just follow the quad track that runs parallel to the trees until the gate.

The quad track round harbour hill is decent enought anyway.

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

I'm with you Phatman, its worth the pain on the track up!

Posted 1 year ago #
Phatman - Member

Aye Ian and one of my favourite views in the range. Still trying to clean the climb from Maidens... I'm thinking a pair Ice Spikes might be the answer, could climb walls with those things!

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

I've seen the climb from Maidens to the top of Harbour Hill cleaned, but not by me!

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Don't bother Steve, once you've painfully limped up it once it just means your obliged to do it again, and again...

Thankfully I'm singlespud now so i can excuse myself

Posted 1 year ago #
IA - Member

I hear tell* that climb up from Maidens is a middle ring effort for the keen.

*actually, I've seen it done. You need to be a bit of a beast basically.

Posted 1 year ago #
Phatman - Member

...so it's true! 'tis the stuff of legends!!!!

Posted 1 year ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Well for comedy value I've tried it on the singlespeed. Not happening.

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

A couple of pics from this mornings visit to show where the trail is:

This is on the track that contours round Harbour Hill from Maidens Cleugh. The gate where Scalextric starts is just beside the trees in the top right hand corner of the shot.

This one is at the gate - there isn't really a defined path from here to Scalextric so you just ride downhill until its intersected.

This one is looking back over Maidens Cleugh from the same spot as the first picture was taken from:

This was the first outing for the Zion since I put 100mm forks back on it yesterday. Unfortunately I put way too much air in them so was only getting about 30mm of travel. As I didn't take the shock pump with me that made Scalextric interesting as it was like riding a rigid bike down it.

I did work out that the best way for me to work the trail into my normal routes was to include it on my commute...!

Posted 1 year ago #
MrK mkII - Member

that looks like right good fun! might come along on wednesday if i can get some forks on my kona

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

Some video of the track from Maidens to Scalextric

Posted 1 year ago #
coastkid - Member

i like that chest mount view epicsteve showing the bars etc...

kennyp - Member

If you go over the gate at the bottom there's a lovely, rooty descent through the trees. Turn right as you come out the trees and there's a nice bit of singletrack with a few wee tricky bits that brings you out eventually near the bottom of Puke Hill.

is that the part we rode at the end of the film from wednesday?
TBC Wednesday Night Ride Pt2
good point about lambing season by druidh, should take care everywhere on any hillground at that time of year,

Posted 1 year ago #
suresuresure - Member

Rode Scalextric for the first time yesterday having always only spent my time up the Pentlands doing the 4 reserviour loop - wow, what a brilliant wee stretch of track.

Posted 1 year ago #