Personally, braking bumps, pebbles, roots, small / no berms, 'horrible' entry to black sections are what makes mountainbiking worthwhile...
If you want to ride 'places that flatter you' invent mtb tobogganing as that is what it sounds like!
Long live mountainbiking and not hardcore pruned berms and rollers!
Its not dis-repair, its a bloody trail and we ride bikes with grippy tyres..
I'm slightly glad it doesn't seem to be only me that likes to go out an find the hardest a roughest things to ride. An then get to the end smiling thinking "Jesus that was hard work"
Sunnrider, I have trail envy. Somewhere in Spain?
mtb tobogganing
Now that sounds like great fun. The speeds would be truely terrifying!
If you want to ride 'places that flatter you' invent mtb tobogganing as that is what it sounds like!
And that's what makes it so fun. I don't mind techy rocky stuff every now and then but tracks that are fast, bermy and full of jumps (proper ones, not like at Llandegla) are the best.
Each to their own, prefer natural trails myself but in some areas of the country there aren't any big rocks to fill trails up with and the ground is solid rock. Are trail-builders supposed to transport rocks from the north to the midlands?
Doesn't mean anyone needs a 140mm bike to ride them mind.
Rode there mid October and had a good time - didn't notice any real issue with the pebbles, but then I run a big grippy front tyre and am happy with the rear being quite drifty. As for the narrow gaps through trees etc, that's what it's all about - I love that "on edge" feeling when you are gunning through stuff like that. It's how you become a faster rider. Much prefer that than an excessively groomed trail with berms everywhere and "nu skool flow" (read "wheelchair trails with a bit of elevation and a couple of rollers) as it seems to be called all of a sudden!
Well a 29er would be the best type of bike to tackle the Cannock marked trails with, them being XC and all. They are not exactly rad narr, so what's the problem with 29ers being prevalent there?
andyrm, I'm right there with you. One of the best off piste trails I ride on the Chase has a particular pinchpoint that requires a wiggle to get any width of bars through, narrower than the narrow bits on the Monkey but ace fun. I've never properly washed out on the trails and I'd like to think I don't hang about. The smooth pumpy trails with their easy jumps and progressive berms have their place but only a place.
That pic was taken on the descent of Mt Larrun. Last of the Pyrenees, it starts off rocky as hell and later gives way to twisty mountain sheep singletrack.
It really is a full on descent, I was thinking a few easy berms and some pebbles would be a sweet change of pace.
Did any of you lads or lasses leave an EA90 Front wheel next to a silver merc estate a couple of weeks ago at Cannock chase???
Thanks Sunrider. Just added to my MTB bucket list which I need a whole other lifetime to fulfil!
@walleater I paid parking and at the cafe. You dont need to trailbuild in the Peaks and its frowned on upon in other areas. So its not really a valid question as I visit trail centres <once a year.
So you provide nothing to the community and yet bitch and moan about the people who do? Unless anything has changed since I did any trail building at Cannock, Chase Trails don't see any of the revenue from parking or the cafe.
Re. the Peak District.... I'm sure you'd be welcome to take a fold-up spade / trail tool in your pack and sort out some of the God awful drainage on some of the trails.
I provide nothing to the community? I don't understand I paid parking. From a few people I talked to there they said 'no need to pay, theres a free carpark just before the last section of Cup of tea?). I paid parking (and always will at a trail centre, put money into the cafe etc). Its FC land isn't it? They need to see a benefit to them and I'm sure they provide some materials OR funding at some level to the trails. So I'm not a local letch who has local knowledge and gets a free ride.
Maybe if you think I'm a freeloader you should charge me to ride the trail?
Now the title of the thread, I admit makes me look like a bit of a cock but on Sunday afternoon I was abit pissed off, passionate I'd say as the cliff has great potential as does Deer Skull etc. I didn't like the pebbles one bit. I found them sketchy. Now I understand about the politics/topography etc but crushed stone is now being brought in for an alternative surface.
I doff my cap to the volunteer work and the next time I'm in Brum I WILL co-ordinate and help you guys too/put some work in.
😕
Holy moly - the chap doesn't like a few pebbles on the surface of a man made trail but prefers natural trails ?
Eh ?
What's he going to do when faced with, mud, leaves, snow, ice, moss, random rocks and so on ?
Probably ride them just as badly and blame the trail conditions for not pinning it.
What's he going to do when faced with, mud, leaves, snow, ice, moss, random rocks and so on ?
In the same post you mentioned this below natural trails. This IS natural trails.
Yesterday I had to climb/make my way over felled trees/branches for 300m's. Can't het more natural obstacles than that.
..but you missed the point of my first post completely.
This topic/thread has become cyclic/boring.
Yesterday I had to climb/make my way over felled trees/branches for 300m's
Need a 29er/fatty for that
I'd love that 29'er Chromag that I mentioned earlier. Noice.
