Junkyard….. You have any idea?

Ralphs – a couple of the new bits are boggy but the rest are dry.

GB

Anything, just pump them up a bit harder.

Hmm… If anything I’d say softer as the surface is really bumpy and can be slippy.

Generally hard park and very fast rolling in the dry. Some fast corners so you’ll need something with some good side knobbles.

Since it rained during the week most of the trial has fared well,
other short sections have just turned to gloopy clay.

I tore the sidewall on my high roller there today 🙁

…doesn’t answer your question, but might help you make an informed decision 🙂

Interesting.

Struggled with front end grip on the “shiny” stones trails with Ralphs on my 29er. Understeer and running wide, particularly on the flat wiggly section in the “middle”. Tried a Nobby and I didn’t like it at all.

Lower pressures might help there, along with some weight through the pedals on the corners.

It’s amazin how many people I follow round these new trails who just sit down on their full sus tank and pedal, no weight shifting or moving about at all – crying out for some skills sessions!

Lower pressures might help there, along with some weight through the pedals on the corners.

It’s amazin how many people I follow round these new trails who just sit down on their full sus tank and pedal, no weight shifting or moving about at all – crying out for some skills sessions!

THIS.

I was wondering whose tyre tracks they were which kept disappearing off the trail @pjm84 😉

Swamp tyres required for Red 4 and a couple of bits of orange fireroad.

I rode there on Tuesday in the pissing rain ( prearranged trip and neither of us was sensible enough to back out) and it was fine on advantages. What I did find in recent trips though is that the little round stones in the hard pack are like glass when wet, and you really need to work hard at cornering as gee said. And – try to ride the insides of the corners on the flat traversey stuff, particularly the new or resurfaced stuff. Where the trail almost has a crown to it, the inside is like a mini berm, the outer is a mini off camber. So if you ride the inside you get the berm the whole way round, if you try to ride it by riding wide – apex – wide, as you might think ‘normal’ on a flat corner, as you go wide on the exit suddenly it gets extra hard to keep the grip with both camber and slippy stones to contend with.

Jeez, it’s Swinley (and yes I’ve ridden it loads) anything will do. It’s hard pack trail centre stuff, get your arse out out the saddle and you’ll be fine on Larsen’s or swampthings and anything inbetween… I’ve read all these threads about lowering pressures by 10psi etc cos its so rough – seriously??? It’s the smoothest trail I’ve ridden for ages. Mtfu!!

/red wine stops doing the talking…

Fine on Renegades around Swinley earlier, a bit splashy on Seagull and the fireroad after it has one muddy bit, but apart from that it is all pretty dry. Any puddles there are can easily be ridden around.

I find anything too nobby feels strange on the new trails, especially on the berms. Given the choice I would go with a high volume tyre with not too much grip, something like a Ralph.

A hybrid with vee brakes could…….. self moderated.
Can anyone explain to me why the blue section is blue and the red is red when they are almost exactly the same? (excluding deer stalker)

Well after a wet half term I can tell you that yesterday some parts of the red and the connecting fireroad were very muddy and soft.

Some of the red has been made with sand/mud without the pebbles and some of the fire road has been patched with sand/mud after forestry. It wasn’t wearing well.

In fact I wonder how long those bits will hold out…….

Mental note note not too ride in those conditions – about half a set of brand new sintered rear pads and 30% of an SLX chain 🙁

Yep this is what I have to do, i.e ride the inside of the corners to use the trail camber to its benefit to maintain corner speed on the stony trails.

Only occurs on some trails at Swinley. Stickler I think is the main one.

Ardent front and crossmark rear.
Swinley needs nothing more!

Seriously, people think swinleys rough. 😯
You can get massive g_outs round some.of those berms, and your suggesting letting down tyres…. First time round the new swinley, I burped the crap out of my tyres.

never been there but I hear 2 tyres is good, one on the front and one on the back. Just get out there

G-Out on the berms in Swinley. How fast are you going to make your vision go funny as your blood rushes from your brain!!

Hero!!

Off there today with some Minions on the front, seriously over-tyred! Couldn’t be bothered changing them from the last gnarrrrrr shredding ride.

The blood stays put.
It’s the sealant that has the problem. 😀

Crossmark out back and ardent up front for me – and been great the last three trips (including the rain this week)

I was actually sliding a bit yesterday on sandy stuff on the fireroads. But I was cycling on a rigid with Bontrager 29-1 pumped to about 35 psi in size 1.9″. Basically to get less grippy you have to move to slicks.

So I would say anything more grippy than bontrager 29-1 1.9″ which is pretty much all other MTB tyres.

Lovely ride there on Saturday, they’ve done a pretty great job with what they have.

It’s amazin how many people I follow round these new trails who just sit down on their full sus tank and pedal, no weight shifting or moving about at all – crying out for some skills sessions!

… though this is very true, especially when behind on a hardtail where you are out the saddle and want to carry momentum.

It was running well over the weekend and was fine with Racing Ralph’s at the pressure they were at when I got the bike out the garage.

Slightly irritating though is the number of people standing around at the end of stickler oblivious to the fact they are completely blocking the dry lines. WAKE UP AND LEARN TO SHOW CONSIDERATION!

Oh people you have been hoodwinked – Simon I never relaised you would actually go this far

As a little gift I’ll start that thread for you.. “What tyres for Swinley?” Perhaps you will have some insight into that kinda stuff…. You know the REALLY important stuff like whether logos should be in line with valves cause you are useless at this coaching malarky.

Wow he really did this 😯

not sure it is really worth reading the thread tbh
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/career-change-2

Basically Simon likes the positivity of life coaching for careers advice
I suggested that positivity alone and encouragement to be positive may not always be the best advice whilst pointing out that the careers change organisation he used were not qualified to give careers advice.

he got upset and did lots of ad homs and got upset by me to the extent he actually started this thread as i was a “Hater” and should be ignored. I think he expected a reaction from me but I never saw the thread nor checked as i did not think anyone was that daft- still he is on the course today being positive so It will be late today he checks this I assume
*waves*
OP my reaction is somewhere between chuckle, face palm and oh FFS get a life…that is quite sad

He pays £75 per session for this positive message and I suspect they want them not to listen to “haters” lest they cannot continue taking money from the gullible
OP remember you could ride without tyres as long as you are positive you can achieve anything 😉
I fear, like the OP , you have been duped.
WOW even for STW that is quite bizarre

Check in after tea time for the reply folk it can be like a soap opera for us all

[edited as it wasn’t a serious question]

Lovely ride there on Saturday, they’ve done a pretty great job with what they have.

It’s amazin how many people I follow round these new trails who just sit down on their full sus tank and pedal, no weight shifting or moving about at all – crying out for some skills sessions!

… though this is very true, especially when behind on a hardtail where you are out the saddle and want to carry momentum.

Actually I’ve noticed the complete opposite with people on full suss there. Riders moving around on the bike when there is no need and tiring themselves out, most noticeable on Stickler surely the suspension allows the rider to stay seated, pedal more efficiently and make better progress. I had just assumed they all had piles.
When I broke my hardtail Stickler was actually faster on my downhill bike as I could stay seated for the whole trail and pedal through it all, very little fun though.

…on Stickler surely the suspension allows the rider to stay seated, pedal more efficiently and make better progress. I had just assumed they all had piles.
When I broke my hardtail Stickler was actually faster on my downhill bike as I could stay seated for the whole trail and pedal through it all, very little fun though.

+1 and Seagull too

You’re definately doing it wrong then. How can you pump out of the corners if you’re sat down?

Or is that another troll?

You’re definately doing it wrong then. How can you pump out of the corners if you’re sat down?

Or is that another troll?

By not slowing for the corners and pedaling through the berms if you mean Stickler?

Slicks, hopefully those that currently feel the need to skid everywhere will do less damage.

OR

Get some draggy tyres with no cornering grip, you’ll get fitter and improve your skills.

😛

Or is that another troll?

Difficult to say on here!

Though he does sort of have a bit of a point if you have a lazy FS style. My mates on FS were pulling away on some bits where they could just sit and pedal…. but that was mostly because I was stuck behind them and couldn’t carry speed from pumping. Also on a HT I tend to put in bursts of big gear pedal stokes then carry speed, where as the FS boys tend to just sit and spin at a more even pace.

actually faster on my downhill bike as I could stay seated for the whole trail and pedal through it all, very little fun though.

And unless you’re racing it’s definitely more about how much fun you’re having surely! I’d probably be faster on my FS but it’d be a lot less involving and fun than my HT.

By not slowing for the corners and pedaling through the berms if you mean Stickler?

The whole things rideable without braking!

Though he does sort of have a bit of a point if you have a lazy FS style………… HT I tend to put in bursts of big gear pedal stokes then carry speed, where as the FS boys tend to just sit and spin at a more even pace.

Exactly, it might be possible to get round at a respectably average pace sat down beign lazy on a FS but I’m sticking with my thought that it’s far quicker to be a bit more pro active on my rigid bike, and probably quicker again on a short travel FS bike like an Anthem or Epic!

And unless you’re racing it’s definitely more about how much fun you’re having surely! I’d probably be faster on my FS but it’d be a lot less involving and fun than my HT.

Speeking from experience I think there’s a fitness level below which this is true. If I’m not on form then riding the FS is drugery. It’s not slow, but there’s no fun in it as it’s physicaly not possible to pedal enough to get it going fast enough to become involving. I guess this is where the “I can ride sticker sat down” comes from. Where as at the end of a nice summer with plenty of fitness even flatish trails like Stickler are fun on the Pitch as there’s enough fitness to build speed between turns sufficiently to make them a challenge even on a ‘AM’ bike. At this time of year it’s only fun in the Peaks/Lakes/uplifts!

I was thinking maybe faster on my 100mm Blur XC. Still not as much fun as the HT. Can’t really imagine riding Swinley on my 160 Mega, that would be a drag in comparison regardless of my level of fitness.

I can’t really comment on specific Swinley segments as I have the memory of a goldfish when it comes to trails I’ve ridden!

Or is that another troll?

Difficult to say on here!

Though he does sort of have a bit of a point if you have a lazy FS style. My mates on FS were pulling away on some bits where they could just sit and pedal…. but that was mostly because I was stuck behind them and couldn’t carry speed from pumping. Also on a HT I tend to put in bursts of big gear pedal stokes then carry speed, where as the FS boys tend to just sit and spin at a more even pace.

actually faster on my downhill bike as I could stay seated for the whole trail and pedal through it all, very little fun though.

And unless you’re racing it’s definitely more about how much fun you’re having surely!

Agree with all that, the downhill bike largely only goes there when my xc bike is broken as walking round is even less fun. Not saying I never stand up, quite the opposite just it’s faster if you can keep pedaling and less effort if you can stay seated on the few rough bits

As for tyres anything round pumped up 10 psi more so you they don’t fold over on the berms.