Taking my girlfriend on her first proper trail centre run. She has done the green at GT, but that's her limit. I am trying to work out the best route to take her and need some help. I have never done the blue at GT (well a few sections after a day on the other trails). I was looking at the site and was thinking the following and want to know what the climbs are like.

Start at Buzzards nest and head round the upper route (Betty Blue, Heading for home, Blue Velvet Electric Blue. After that was going to head to the Hub using Falla Brae/Good game and the Admiral. I'll leave her at the cafe and head back up to buzzards nest to get the car and drive back to get her.

I have been told that she does not do up hills so just want to make sure I'm not going to kill her. The 7stanes website says the climbs are tough at bits, but I know these things have a habit of exaggerating things.

If there are any other trail centre that might be better, would also appreciate some feedback.

Cheers all.

Toughest climb is from the hub to the Buzzards nest IIRC. do remind her on the descent to use her brakes properly , I have seen a few women fall on the road back down and can only assume they find themselves going faster than they would like to be and grab a big handfull of brake.

Make sure her saddle is in the correct position, it'll help her enormously on the ups.
Most women feel the need to put both their feet down, even with a sloping top tube, this isn't possible, so they make the mistake of riding with the saddle really low, this as you know makes it hard to put in any effort when riding an ascent.

Enjoy.

Sounds fine. My missus who is not a very good MTBer loves the blue at GT. You might be best sessioning blue velvet and electric blue a few times Even if yo do the whole blue the climbs are not too bad – a couple of bits but take your time and walk with her if she wants.

Start at buzzards, do blue velvet once then give her the option of riding across for betty blue and back or doing blue velvet / electric blue a few times.

GT blue is brilliant for all levels 5 – 50.
I did Whinlatter blue a couple of weeks ago and was really impressed as well.
There should be more quality blues at all centres.

Thanks all. I have gave her the link to this. Her exact words to me were

And I’ve got the brakes down – not worried about them at all. I’ll be clinging on to them for dear life the whole way I’m sure

lol.

I'll maybe try blue velvet as a starter and see how it goes from there. If you are there tomorrow and see a couple fighting you know what has happened ha.

The descent to the hub is ace and fine for everyone. Nothing steep, roll along its nice and smooth – pedal hard and its got good jumps and berms.

Even rolling down the blue freeride is good.

I've done the blue decent a few times and like it. I'll make sure I keep her to the side of the small jumps so she can roll them.

I did the Blue from Buzzards down to the Hub last weekend and there were two fallers within a couple of hundred meters of each other. I've seen other riders lose it there too. It really does encourage folk to go too fast. The fly-over bridge in particular seems to result in some panic braking. While there's decent grip on the wood of the bridge itself, the transition to trail can catch out the unwary/inexperienced.

I'd go for the Pentlands, I'd have thought that would be way more rewarding for a noob (that's where I learnt!).

Blue will be a great introduction.

Top tip – don't offer her any advice on how to ride her bike unless specifically asked.

Xan, if my better half can do the blue I'm sure Nik will be fine! Remember and dont bore her to tears with your usual moaning about dodgy brakes, bent frame, rusty chain, etc…

GT blue is brilliant for all levels 5 – 50

and beyond 🙂

The skills loop to the left of the Buzzards Nest would provide a good progression from the Green and gives a chance to sort out gears and brakes on a quiet loop. You can then head straight onto the blue.

The climbs and zig zags on the blue will probably be quite challenging for a newbie but if she realises its OK to walk bits and as long you are patient(!) she should have fun.

Blue is good but can be a bit busy at the weekends so either avoid weekends or go early as it's such fun people can go a bit fast 🙂

IA – speaks a lot of sense there.

I however, would take them there at the busiest time of day on the busiest day of the week and go round the red. Reasons for this are that there will be plenty of people that you will both be overtaking and it's more interesting for yourself.

The hardest bit of the blue is the climb on the return loop after the Betty Blue descent and before Blue Velvet- "Heading for Home". There are a couple of steep sections with two tightish switchbacks. Otherwise the gradients are not too bad.

I'd go for the Pentlands, I'd have thought that would be way more rewarding for a noob (that's where I learnt!).

I've never rode teh Pentlands so didnt want to take her there for a few reasons

1. I'll get us both lost.
2. I'd probably end up on the biggest climb in the place.

Ivan, you and Laura should join us. Give Nicki a bit of female motivation. All failing they could talk about shoes or something lol

Here's the latest email from her lol. I can see my ending up being single again very shortly haha

Very funny but it should read, “if you are there tomorrow and see a girl throwing her bike down the side of a mountain (I'll not correct her that it's a hill) and then trying to push her boyfriend off his bike while yelling “I told you so”, you will know what happened”

my gf has just started riding with me, we did a few local rides, bridleways, cannock chase green etc, made adjustments so she was comfy (if she wasnt i would soon hear about it , lol) and then on her birthday we did the follow the dog, she enjoyed it (half way round though i thought she was going to give up at one point!!) but that was down to the tyres on her bike, i can confirm this as there the standrad ones on a decathlon rock rider totally shocking! once these were changed along with some comfy handlebar grips, padded shorts comfy gloves she was away and enjoying it a lot more, its all in the setup of the bike and feeling comfy, she now has the bug 🙂

She has rode the bike a few times so knows the basics. She also has a not bad Edinburgh Co-Op Revolution HT that should handle the trail OK Tyres ect look capable but not sure I would take her down the black on it. I have got her a pair of gloves and a pair of glasses if she needs them as well. As for padded shorts I get abuse every time she see's me in them I get abuse so in some ways I hope her arse is killing her so the abuse might stop haha.

Take a mini bar of chocolate. It was what calmed me down when I was a noobie in the Peaks. Mind you I did have a habit of falling off loads.

xan , my gf was the same when she saw my padded shorts , it looks like a nappy etc etc but she soon changed her mind after a few hours on the saddle lol

druidh – Member
I did the Blue from Buzzards down to the Hub last weekend and there were two fallers within a couple of hundred meters of each other. I've seen other riders lose it there too. It really does encourage folk to go too fast. The fly-over bridge in particular seems to result in some panic braking. While there's decent grip on the wood of the bridge itself, the transition to trail can catch out the unwary/inexperienced.

No it doesn't.. it's far too pedally to ever go too fast unless you're Chris Hoy!

xan you are doing the right thing ive been "helping" my GF learn to ride and the blue at GT is the route which she likes best

they will tell you to "go on" or "dont wait for me" but dont just be stay with her and help. dont try to teach you will end up sounding like an arse in her ears, just give short tips and lots of postive encouragement

"WE" as in the STW massive are very much all about powering round but you have to remember that they are just starting out, patientce is the key take it slowly and in no time she will be racing you to the bottom with loser buying cake (i lost last week)

Thanks all. Appreciate your avice. I will take it slow, and I have promised her I wont get bored waiting for her and moan (time to try and break my wheelie record on an uphill climb I think lol)

As for advice I think I might have to give a few tips re the use of gear to make the climbing easier, but apart from that I'll leave it to her.

"WE" as in the STW massive are very much all about powering round but you have to remember that they are just starting out,

I liked this onle you obviously have never seen any of my time from any of the races I have done lol.

GW – Member

No it doesn't.. it's far too pedally to ever go too fast unless you're Chris Hoy!

Aye – woteva mate. 🙄