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Yawn.
I tend to find, even if people corner cut, the berm remains for people who want to ride it properly.
The trails are not finished. The lads know what they're doing. They're going to go back, see how people have been riding stuff and adjust if necessary. Normal trail building protocol.
Frankly, the sneering ill-informed criticism is becoming boring.
the trail isn't going to last very long anyway
They're going to be there for a while yet and they're making daily adjustments already. I think the fact they're opening it as they build it is going to make it evolve over the next months to prevent that.
I think they were initially a bit tetchy about people riding it too soon but if anything, Bikefest convinced them that there's actually a lot to be learned from letting probably one of the most used trails in the country just get on and be used, allowing tweaks to be made insitu.
Rumor has it they've even turned back on the decision to run beggar bush lane uphill and it will no be a descent. They're listening liek they have done right from the start. We may have a rose tinted view of the old trails but this is going to be great balance of what we need and want from Bristol.
I have to cycle past Ashton Court to get home, it's getting really hard to resist going in and being late home for the little ones bath time!
Fair enough, if it isn't finished and they will be going back to sections I will STFU, as if they know what they are doing as ADH says I am sure they will fix the issues that seem to be appearing.
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TBH I'm sure some issues will remain, but they'll be like nothing as compared to before.
popped up to AC at the weekend for the 1st time since the new trails have started to be built, having read the threads about it i wasn't sure what to expect but tried to be open minded. I rode through 50 acre to start and felt battered by the end - blimey it's rooty on a ht, then rode the quarry trail/s for a bit - i thought they were excellent, pumpy,jumpy, fast, tech (to ride fast) whilst still being doable for families and beginners - top job folks. Just need Still to re-open for Bristol to reach it's potential!
What's LW looking like at the moment is it all still blocked by felled trees?
Bits are, I (and others) are clearing bits when out walking.
Anyone know what's happening with Still?
Things have gone very quiet with Still - last time I spoke to the uni guys it seemed like a plan was coming together to reinvent it as an amazing riding spot that would also benefit the community, but no news yet. There is a possibility we will be able to get part of Ashton Hill set aside as a dh/gnarly xc area, particularly if a few older responsible types want to get involved.
I have a beard, and can pretend to be responsible.
I don't have a beard but I am gnarly and ride a SS
Send me an email and I'll let you know when things start to happen.
I don't have a beard but I am gnarl[s]y[/s]ed and ride a SS
FTFY Flashy 😀
to the Bristol trails group email?
I take my defence of architrail back - they're about to put a patio in 😐
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Just got back, it's "interesting" dry on the Pugsley........
i think the flow of it is great and soooo much fun.
You'd think we'd lost some sort of MTB mecca when you read some of the criticism regarding the new trails!!! AC and LW are, to me at least, flat but fun trails to get my commuting fix on. The weekends are for going further afield to ride more challenging stuff.
Some people seem to forget that this is public money to be spent getting more people into MTB not soley to appeal to a bunch of narrow minded, stuck in their ways, £"$%s!
The negative comments are soooooo predictable. One things for sure, come winter you'll be bloody thankful.
Will the haters give up riding AC and LW surfaced trails?.......of course not. They'll ride them, enjoy them, maybe even smile abit but still slag them off.
My take:
Summer - I miss the old rooty, rocky, Bristol-ness. Bring back the old trails.
Winter - interesting, challenging, bmx-y, not remotely my type of trail, dry, gloop-free trails. Superb.
I've had 20 years enjoying the old stuff, I could easily descend into grumpy old man "it was better in my day" nonsense, but overall - it's new, it's different, it requires the acquisition of new riding skills, it demonstrates a commitment to mountain biking for Bristol - bring it on.
Ant, am i gnarly and old enough?
The direction change has been formerly announced, finally!
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The direction change has been formerly announced, finally!
There is only one direction, my direction.
You mean I've been riding it the wrong way all these years......
A sensible call. It is really looking good. Just think small block 8's all year round......
You mean I've been riding it the wrong way all these years......
No pretty much as Archtrail have it, I still prefer the lower quarry trail in reverse, that said I haven't ridden any of it since the Bikefest.
Did it for the first time since the new build on wednesday. Wasn't too sure what to expect having read the comments on here, but I really enjoyed it. Yes it's on the simple side, but it's nice and fast and flowy and perfect for a post work blast. I think it'll be appreciated a lot more come winter!
Agree with the people above though, what happens in Still is the bit I'm most interested in.
I was out this morning and it is riding pretty damn well. I even managed the quad set of pump bumps in New Barn wood without almost endoing 🙂
I had a look at the downhill that will be in place to lead from NBW to the bottom and they've put in all those rocks from the pic above - it's certainly not smooth! Would be nice if they could do some of that elsewhere too.
I tried a few runs of all the new stuff and having tried it with fork locked out and not, I reckon I rode it better and faster with the lockout on. I definitly reckon the new trails are better on a hardtail now.
I tried a few runs of all the new stuff and having tried it with fork locked out and not, I reckon I rode it better and faster with the lockout on. I definitly reckon the new trails are better on a hardtail now.
My money (if I had any) would be on a 29er SS rigid now, in fact I may get some carbon rigids for the scandal.
Mike - you know that 29ers can't go round corners - why would you even try to ride the new trails? 🙄
Mike - you know that 29ers can't go round corners - why would you even try to ride the new trails?
Eh?
You know - the accepted wisdom that 29ers have wheels bigger than the moon and are impossible to get around corners and don't work in twisty turny places.
I see, I'm still open minded as I've yet to ride one, though I can imagine they will roll well over the new trails.
I was on my 29er this morning 🙂
I still think the 26" bikes are more fun on most of the new stuff (partly no doubt because it feels like riding a BMX on a BMX track) though the 29er absolutely flies on the more open, flowing stuff towards the end of upper quarry.
I must get up there and give it a blast when I get bored of the road bike, oh hang on I probably won't notice the difference. 😉
Good call to reverse the direction of the trail. The start won't be as obvious but it makes much more sense than finishing with a gravel track descent.
Rich, the trails group address is fine. That's why I have it there.
Ollie, you're welcome to get involved if your busy roller racing schedule permits.
I've ridden it 29er SS rigid (forks locked out) and 140mm FS 26er and although as Clubber mentions the 29er is fast in the more open sections at the end of the quarry it does get tied up a bit in the first section and on New Barn Wood.
I know TooTall has is tongue firmly in his cheek but for a taller rider IMO its not the size of a wheel that makes 29ers more cumbersome in the twisty stuff it's the longs chainstays and on older bikes (like mine) the front end geometry.
The FS is massive overkill but the geometry suits the new trails better.
I suspect at 26er hardtail will be the fastest or one of the more nimble 29ers like the Yelli Screamy or Paradox that I have my eye on now.
Ultimately though as long as your having fun it doesn't matter if you are the fastest or best suited bike.
I make my bikes more cumbersome - any bike - doesn't have to be 29er. Slinging this much pink squidgy stuff around the gaps between trees is hard work in itself - even tho I'm down to a svelte 240lbs these days.
My cross bike did a nice job on the quarry trail the other week, but that was before NBW opened. I don't think it would be much good there!
Agree with clubber though, my 26er SS was better with the forks locked out. Even the new rock descent looks like it will be fine on rigids. Looks rocky, but controlled, so think it will be fine. Time will tell.
Rode it today on my FS (Giant Anthem X, 26"), and rode really nicely. I've got a shorty stem on it to speed up the handling, and the suspension allows me to hammer over the stutter-y-roll-y bits nice and quickly, but overall, it's definitely overkill for those trails.
Tyre choice is a funny one too - these trails need low pro fast rolling tyres, larsons, small block 8's, etc, but the trouble is, the rest of Bristol doesn't (well, not in the winter). I want tyres with retractable knobbles....
Looks like a perfect green family trail TBH,
exactly what it is- perfect for getting the younger ones into the idea , all perfectly rollable, nothing stupid. I think they've done a splendid job if that was the remit. What it isn't is a C-y-b or Cwmcarn with lots of techy stuff. Reckon a nice 4x bike would be just about perfect to thrash it.
Went on Sunday, tried out the new red route through the wood, hoping it becomes a lot redder but liking it very much! Found this on YouTube:
Still not enough signs, 3 groups asked me which way to go and had to tell someone they were going the wrong way. A few no entry signs would be good, and a watch out sign by the roundabout, saw a few bikers n walkers nearly coming together. Also noticed there aren't as many signs this week as last, a few no entry signs missing.
When will the bit by the mini railway be open!?
Any movement forward with the new trails over the last week or so? Can't wait to ride them. When will they be starting on Leigh Woods, or have they already started?
rode a/c on monday had the place almost to myself and worked on a few sections that i was unsure on now fully confident beggerbush was still closed and second section of red still closed
had a awsome time tho.
Quite a bit has been done in LW now. Havn't been up to AC for a few days but it was wearing in nicely. It's getting a bit busy out there though ;-P
Yeah i had a look up LW this morning walking the hound, looks like they're making the same sort of trail as AC near the main car park.
In other news, i ran over a baby rabbit up Ashton Court yesterday!!! 😥
ETA for the Ashton Court trails is end of July. Apparently lots of people are poaching the new Beggar Bush section already, which is a bit premature as it turns into a pile of gravel half way down! And before anyone asks, there are signs and barriers galore. The Leigh Woods trails are going to be finished by late October.
Head to [url= https://twitter.com/?lang=en&logged_out=1#!/architrail ]@architrail on Twitter[/url] for the latest - you can just bookmark the page, you don't have to join and start sucking up to Stephen Fry
yeah when i was there all the restriction posters and barriers were riped down y cant anyone see that its not just being a pain in the ass its there for a reason
So, following my recovery from an injury sustained in March, I had my first blat around the new Ashton Court trails today ... and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Whilst I liked the ‘rutted rootyness’ of the original it had deteriorated into something attritional to get round (despite the fantastic work & commitment of the Bristol Trails Group) and clearly was no longer a sustainable route.
The new resilient surface, small berms, twist, turns and all that make for a decent streamy ride. I reckon that it will increase the average rider’s skill level – to ride quickly and efficiently. It adds something to the scene and compliments the more natural stuff at 50 Acre and LW’s. I noticed a number of blokes pootling along with their young off spring – which was good to see.
All the best.