Straw poll, I notice lots of people seem to be into techy trails, slow but challenging, steep drops and steps, slippery surfaces, dodgy turns on drops etc etc, much as I appreciate a challenge I don't really enoy that stuff so much, I prefer fast and flowy if I can find it.

So quick and smooth or steep and slow?

both.

Some days wouldn't be special, if it wasn't for rain
Joy wouldn't feel so good, if it wasn't for pain.

50pence.

etc.

Quick and smooth is my fav, just love the feel of speed on nice singletrack

Both for me too.

Even better if they're both in the same ride.

both in the same ride for sure… if I don't find both then I'm not exploring hard enough

Much prefer fast flowy stuff, but tend to try and do some of the more techy stuff too, as I'm crap at it!

both, in the same descent if possible (think snowdon rangers path, or stuff out at bikevillage)

I don't think either are great alone, you need to hit the technical stuff quickly in order to clear it properly and get to the next flowy bit, but I can spend a day just playing on technical bits, I'd get bored just doing flowy bits alone.

I like both but prefer the techy stuff. The beast, Cavedale, Chapel Gate etc. Find some of ther trail centre black runs don't feel very black after riding stuff like that.

Steep and slow. Speed scares me.

Fast and flowy is great fun. But I get more of a buzz cleaning the slow techy stuff.

speed-tech for me

you lot are all pansies

rrrrRRROOOAAAARRRrrr !

🙄

On my last alpine trip I found picking my way slowly down the tech trails was a pain in the ass. Felt like bike trials and was dead slow, it's satisfying to clean that stuff but doesn't make me whoop like tanking down a nice fast singletrack.

Having said that hanging off the back and getting down something stupid is always good for a laugh too.

Both, but if I had to choose I'd go for fast and flowy.

Fortunately, I am somewhat spoiled on this front! 😀

Don't care so long as there is great scenery.

Fast and flowing with some nice technical stuff to keep me awake!

Both, Variety is the spice of life 🙂

I love climbing (freak I know) but I also like rewards for my climbs 🙂

Fast and flowy with lots of smallish technical features is my preferred option

Fast and flowing with some nice technical stuff to keep me awake!

Ditto. 🙂

Both please. Especially in the same ride – each different type gives you a break from the other.
Right now in Surrey Hills what used to be flowy is often now down to the roots so it's kind of both together which don't work so well – the lines say rag it, the surface says techy.
But all good fun at the end of the day 🙂

both! otherwise it'd be boring just doing the same old same old..

Tech everytime. I can't do fast

Both here too! I like the tricky slower black section on the Innerleithen decent, as it is an interesting change from the fast swoopy bits either side.

speed tech, on a hardtail, with flats.

BWARP!

For me, it's all about dynamics and flow. Smacking into rocks and roots oofing your way down something super steep isn't much fun tbh, but I do like some challenging trail obstacles. But it must be said, better if there is some speed involved.

Pushing yourself on fast trails means going faster – on uber slow tricky stuff it just descends into trials.

I think a lot of the people who slag off trail centres etc on here don't have the minerals (or skill) to take them fast enough, to be honest. Those trails you have to work with to get them to give up their wonderous secrets.. they don't just hand it out on a plate.

It is possible to ride techy challenging trails with steep drops, steps, slippery surfaces, dodgy turns on drops etc etc fast. – that's all DH racing is! ..and as for flow, DH tracks that don't flow just suck!

I reckon both. Also the 'slow and techy' trails today will hopefully be the 'fast and flowing' trails tomorrow as we all get faster and better…

GW – if it's rideable fast then it's not slow and awkward.. by definition 🙂 A bit circular, I know.. but if it doesn't flow it's trials.. imo.

Interesting take on things, I like to think that if your going fast enough it's all technical.

Just looking at some of the vids of people picking their way down flights of steps and stuff I can see the skill but it doesn't interest me as much as the fast stuff.

I like to think that if your going fast enough it's all technical

That's of course absolutely true. But by technical people usually mean steep/rocky/both which isn't strictly correct.

molgrips – Bollox! it depends on your level of skill.. something you may feel is Trials may be ridden flat out pinned by others.

eg.

http://freecaster.tv/1000006/1005144

(the woods sections)

I watched Warner destroy everyone at an incredibly wet DH race at inners back in the 90s and Martyn Hawes the MBUK Trials rider (who I think may have actually won Senior) described it as "speed trials"
you have no idea how precise some lines have to be to be pulled off cleanly at full pelt in a DH race.

GW – nice vid. But what an annoying commentator??..like Jonathan Pearce on crack! 😯

if i had to pick just one I would go for techy requires more skill /concentration IMHO

Agree both are required for a great ride

Both: slow and non-technical

So you're at the top of a big hill two ways down one loses a lot of height fast, steep tech, rooty hanging off the back etc the other is a longer shallower faster bit of single track – what do you choose?

long-shallow-fast.

but i'd love a bit of shallow-tech thrown in along the way…

Bit of a DH (when very technical/rooty and wet) wuss so prefer fast, flowing singletrack – that's when my grin is largest. I do like very technical climbs though – a proper challenge.

Tech for me please.

All my whooping and whosyourdaddying on the trail has come out of pwning slow techy bits I thought would have me off.

A bit of smooth fast trails to warm myself up, then some techy stuff 🙂

Also depends where my head is at, sometimes it's just too hard to have to concentrate on the techy bits!!!!! 😕

doug_basqueMTB.com – Member

I reckon both. Also the 'slow and techy' trails today will hopefully be the 'fast and flowing' trails tomorrow as we all get faster and better…

That sounds about right to me.

For example at Golspie I find the Red fun to ride flat out. The black however I find frustrating as there are so many sections that I just can't do properly. In years to come if I keep within my comfort zone & only ride the red it will become dull; but with a bit of luck and lot of practice I might get to the stage where I feel comfortable enough on the black to actually enjoy it. As it is I can do a bit of both and take my frustration out on the red on the way back down 😈