[Closed] Cannock Chase Follow the Dog Werewolf Drop

Weight back, un weight the front end and speed is your friend, slower you go the trickier it is.

Go and see Jedi 😉

Wait at the top and see how better riders aproach it (watch the line they take and their body position and the speed they are going) and then copy them. I'll be back in the UK at the end of May and plan a visit to Cannock so I can show if you like. 😉

Definitely watch others. Its not really too tricky with a little confidence. Try approaching it square on (run wide to the left), left foot forward for me (you may prefer right). I think I push down over the lip with then weight a little back as the bike drops. To turn: Look sharp right down the track, turning shoulders right. Plant left foot down. Smile and relax.

First trick is to get the line up right, its at an odd angle, well for me it is, once ive got the bike lined up, weight to the back and then glide through it. Its not as steep as it looks. Might be worth going on a quiet day and riding it a few times, after that will be second nature.

Saying that i used to ride it before they modified it, no issues i do tend to stall a bit now.

Yep it's all in the approach and getting the bike squared up correctly. It's steep but not as bad as it looks.

For added entertainment you can always have a wee picnic just opposite the drop and watch everyone else mincing over the top. 😉

Look where you are going not down at your front tyre, hang off the back like a gorilla until you get the hang of it. Like others have said though, it really is nothing once you've done it a few times.

bushwacked, is it actaully a drop? i remmeber a corner after riding between 2 trees

If it was a bumpy grass bank you wouldn't think twice about riding down it? So pretend it's just a bumpy grass bank 🙂

Last time I went to Cannock it didn't seem as steep as previous times I'd ridden it, sure if it's been tamed down a touch, but it's not that daunting or hard especially compared to the similar feature (worry Gill) in dalby.

Nah, not really a drop more a steep roller with a tight corner straight afterwards. From memory I'm not sure you (royal you, not you actually 😉 ) could easily drop it with the tight corner straight after.

yeah didnt rememeber a drop. come down soon bushwacked. 🙂

I hate this feature - i think it's an awfully awkward bit, for me there are 3 stages

1 on approach check your bars will clear the trees
2 soon as thats done, before your through the trees just spot the line and start leaning back
3 ease the front wheel down, keep leaning back, and have the rear brake covered ready to swing the back round for the sharp turn - then get on the power for the whoopy bit

I can't imagine anyone can get clean, two wheels air AND make the corner.

[img] [/img]
Gnarr 😉

cheers for that picture Rorschach!

The 3 times I've been to Cannock, I've got to the top of that and then jumped of the bike mince style to get down it, doesn't lok quite as bad from that angle as it does in my head on the approach - I will get down it next time!

The pic makes it look a lot easier than it is IMO, its not desperate by any means but just a little 'out of context' for what precedes it. Took me by surprise on my first visit!

Jedi - its one of the things on the radar to do when I'm well enough. Hopefully soon. 🙂

IMO - that whole section should just be carved into one long nice berm to set you up for the next bit, I can understand natural stuff to be techy and awkward but this man made feature just feels like a hassle to me. Not knocking the guys who built it though, its great trail, that whole new section is sweet.

It's not half as bad as it looks, I kind of squat with my bum over the saddle and roll down. My 68 year old dad went down it first time, putting my mates to shame. It's more of a roller than a drop, so don't worry about speed the quicker you go the easier it Is, just let gravity do it's thing and have fun.

Viv +1 - could be a whole heap better with a bit more flow in that section.

Not that I'm putting it down as Cannock is AWESOME now with all the effort put in.

I have to put my saddle down to get over it, last time I did it with it up it hit me in the arse and I went otb 😆 I think it's just the run in that's awkward because the trees are quite tight.

It changes quite a lot - after being built it was quite steep but Ok, then the bottom got hollowed out making it worse, then someone put some rocks in to give you a bit of a lead out but now I understand it's getting eroded again and exposing more roots. Same thing applies tho, ride it with confidence, approach slowly, weight well back and don't brake till you're through.
Also, ignore and ride through the mincer bottleneck and ambulance chasers with cameras.

just relax and don't brake and you'll get down it
hardest thing is the turn at the bottom

Is the picture / video above the drop? 😐 Blimey.

Hey!!!!!! it looks steeper from above OK..... lol

That video almost makes me feel embarrassed for asking about it.

Anyone know that little incline with a kinda kerb to get over at the top? I asked about it in the original post...Sorry for vague descroption

kilf - yeah, on approach up to marquis drive, its a bitch, you just have to pedal all through a bomb hole to maintain momentum - effort though, I really fancy doing that section backwards

Don't want to sound a c*ck but it was much better before they made it easy

To the locals the other bit used to be known as "Evil Root number 2" .... named by the ever famous Mrs Toast (my hero).

The root got worn through so it is usually now called the evil slab (again Mrs Toast is to blame). ....

Just pedal quickly and you will pop over it.

I can see why the werewolf slope causes problems - 3 tight corners, and then not a lot of time to shape yourself up to drop between the two trees, confidence not helped if your bike wobbles over a loose stone or two just before the entrance. Before you know you are down it.

As said, just get some speed up for the Evil Slab off the banking before it, and as your bike is naturally leaning back anyway, it takes less effort than you think to pop the front wheel over, then start to lean forward.

Just go, with wieght over the back end. Im 13 and can do it easy.

I remember someone on Bikeradar insisting that there's nothing as technical as the Werewolf Drop in Scotland 😆

😆

Are you seriously asking how to ride that?

as a stand-alone obstacle there's nothing to it, but as a feature of a trail which is moderately fast and flowy, it is not that easy and it is natural to tense up and then become phased by it - especially as it is not in keeping with other parts of the trail

As a friend of mine would say:
[i]"Just get your sister's dress off and fahckin launch it!"[/i]

😉

What's the best tyre for the weirwolf ? 🙂

We did that run a couple of times on winter night rides, its easier in the dark, although a rigid SS isn't the best bike for it.

My mate Old John zips down it and makes spectators cheer. He is 76 though. And he's just invested in a carbon Anthem.

Can't believe some people are requesting it be removed/changed to something else on account of that fact [i]they[/i] find it a bit tricky. Perhaps the trail builders should flatten out the rest of the track too for you? 😯 I thought part of mountain biking was the challenge of learning to ride things you previously could not do, learn new skills etc.., for those of us that [i]have[/i] taken the time to learn to ride it smoothtly, the trail part it;s on flows nice and easy thankyou very much. 😉

It's just a slope and quite small, the hardest part is lining up after the switchbacks due to the trees being close together on entry, then the fact there is a piece of pointy rock that hangs over the edge slighty, and lastly, the sharp(ish) turn at the bottom, but with practice, it's easy to roll through it pretty quick without stopping at all.

This reminds me of the time some idiot complained the trees at Cannock trail centre were too close together which spoils their enjoyment, I think he is a member of STW too and people like this should perhaps stick to touring or something IMHO. 😉

Wow I wish I was as radical as some of you Gnarly Dudes your totally Bodatious!!!

To all the sensible replies and all the tongue in cheek jokey replies thanks for the replies. To all the pretentious Im so radical its so piss easy ...Did you really bother to just post that you can do It easily? How sad. I also dont recall asking it to be removed I recall asking how to ride as Im new to technical riding. I dont want it removed I want to ride it and not fall off.

Drop your saddle a bit, off the trail so you dont get in the way. Go wide as you can on turn in so you are straight on approach, go slowly but quick enough not to wobble, as you go over lip push the bike down and forward 'underneath' you rather than just leaning back. be very easy on the brakes, once you hit the dirt look right (where you want to head) lean the bike right, pushing your right hand down & staying easy on the brakes to get you bike going round the bend. Its very loose there and braking hard will just lose traction and you'll struggle to steer.
Its a very minor trail feature which a huge fuss is made about as its a bit out of context to the majority of the (red graded) Follow Your Dad trail. Learn it, then repeat so you can ride it confidently and improve Da Skillz so you can then have a go at the rocky bits of the Donkey Trail.

As for the benign uppy rock slab, go at it as fast as possible, keep peggulling & hop frontwheel up like a curb, lean forward & unweight back and hop that up same as a kerb.

Are you feeling all right, Scruff? Giving a sensible answer with no hidden traps? You didn't get accidentally Christened as well yesterday, did you?

what scruff said*

it's not that bit that got me last week, the berms on the next section are getting comically loose in this dry weather, tried using my face a s a brake which worked to the extent in that it stopped me quite quickly but the loss of flesh to speed loss ratio makes it a one off manouver

*there's a first time for everything

lol at big john, it'd be raining fire if someone tried that

Yesterday was worse than going to church, I was at Alton Towers.

Have a look up at it from the bottom. From that viewpoint it really does look an easy obstacle.
You could also try doing it as a straight run first rather than worry about lining up for it correctly. There is enough room to do this.
Together with the technique that others have pointed out you'll wonder what all the fuss is about soon enough.
Part of the problem with it is that there are usually a few onlookers there which can initially make you think that it must be harder than it actually is.

They put spectator stands up at weekends.

Just so long as you keep off the brakes on the way down, lean back in the way Scruff suggests, you really are down it before you can blink, wondering what the fuss is about.

I think the best thing to do is not stop at the top, easier to say than do but if you just ride the full section using the techniques above you'll be fine. If you stop and think about it and sit mulling it over it'll become much bigger.
Seen a mate psyche himself out of a tiny little drop at Swinley, sitting for about ten minutes before we left as he just couldn't ride it. It was a bout three inches with easy run in and out but he stopped to look at it and then developed a huge mental block.

Werewolf drop has definitely had it's fangs and claws blunted since it was first constructed. I'm not sure whether it was a conscious effort to make it friendlier, or the indirect result of running repairs.

However, given normal drop technique and a bit of judicous speed control, it's ridable on any sort of bike.

To sign off with a housekeeping note; if you're going to watch other people attempt it (a sensible precaution and surely preferable to simply dismounting and giving up altogether) FFS get yourself and your bike [i]right[/i] off the trail and out of the way first and give other riders a chance of seeing what their about to ride.

any one got any before and after pics? it does feel easier now, but is that because we're all getting better?

Not exactly a drop is it, more of a slope. In fact its so insignificant I'm surprised its even got a name.

My nan says she could ride up that on a singlespeed rigid with someone on the back.

Every idiot gathers round it as if it's a 50ft drop off.

I highly recommend not hitting your handle bars on one of the trees on the way in. I did and i think i scored 5.4 for the swan dive and roll. I made an impressive dust cloud too.

Took me a while to ride it cleanly again, once bitten etc

Jeesus!!!!! - I face a bigger drop than that just getting the bike out of the shed!

Oh FFS, it may be easy for experience riders, but for someone who is new to that kind of stuff it probably looks a little intimidating. Have a bit of empathy!! You were learning once.

+1 mikey74

As others have said the WD is intimidating, mainly because of the approach. But if you take a good wide line in and get your weight back over the saddle it is surprisingly comfortable. As the landing area is breaking up, the turn can be a bit tricky, but you can avoid the most broken areas.

I find the best line over the slab/tricky root is actually over the root, just to the left of the slab. Get enough speed, and move your weight forward as you get the front wheel over. I went to Cannock for the first time in over a year and hadn't seen the slab before - took me a bit by surprise and I only just made it over the first time. Second lap I took the root route and it was a breeze.

Well, i passed on it when there was about a foot of ice over it in December.

If i recall according to the trail builders, the gradient once rock armoured has not changed from when it was built, but it def got steeper when it was becoming pretty eroded.

Is that video in slomo?

Heheh. I did this for the first time yesterday, and I actually managed to stall on the top by getting my stupid wide bars jammed between the trees.

To the locals the other bit used to be known as "Evil Root number 2" .... named by the ever famous Mrs Toast (my hero).

The root got worn through so it is usually now called the evil slab (again Mrs Toast is to blame). ....

\o/

Werewolf drop has definitely had it's fangs and claws blunted since it was first constructed. I'm not sure whether it was a conscious effort to make it friendlier, or the indirect result of running repairs.

Before it was armoured with rocks, it eroded quite quickly until it was fast approaching what the Forestry Commission regards as a black grade feature. So it was armoured to improve its sustainability, and to keep it red graded.

Logically I know it's not too bad, not really any worse than the exit to section 8 (the log slope). I think the combination of the tight turn into it, the trees at either side and the turn at the bottom throws a lot of people off though (mentally, not physically...), including myself. Still not managed to ride it after a year and a half, even though I've ridden worse up in Scotland and probably on the Monkey too. MINCERS OF THE CHASE, UNITE! \o/

^^^I find a lot of bits at Cannock are like that - worse mentally than physically.

I can do the weirwolf drop OK, but it's always a bit of a clencher on the approach due to the approach line & the trees.

I struggle on the rocky chute bits of the Monkey Trail if I don't just get on with them. The first one is OK, but the 2nd and 3rd are at funny angles as you approach and I never seem to get on the right line for them. Bloody annoying!

If I remember correctly, isn't there a sign at the top giving the location to tell the emergency services in case of an accident? I'm sure people see this and are already expecting something terrifying.

We were there on Boxing Day, everywhere was under snow and I was riding a new bike on unscribbed Nevegals that offered no grip at all. So I shouldered the bike and walked round the drop. I fell off on flat straights that day - the wheels would just slide out from under the bike. I really must go in Summer.

I struggle on the rocky chute bits of the Monkey Trail if I don't just get on with them. The first one is OK, but the 2nd and 3rd are at funny angles as you approach and I never seem to get on the right line for them. Bloody annoying!

See, I've ridden the second one, but not the first or the third one. :/

Mrs Toast - Member
I struggle on the rocky chute bits of the Monkey Trail if I don't just get on with them. The first one is OK, but the 2nd and 3rd are at funny angles as you approach and I never seem to get on the right line for them. Bloody annoying!
See, I've ridden the second one, but not the first or the third one. :/

First time I rode it and didn't know they were there I rode all three no bother at all.
Second time, I knew they were coming up & was a bit more hesitant.
Last time I was there I went over the first chute no problem, but there were people hovering/hesitating at the second & third chutes which threw me a bit & I ended up stopping at the top of them, rather than just getting stuck in.....should have just got on with it.

Must admit I struggled a bit (read: fell off then gave up) on some of the rocky chutes on a black option part way round the Monkey. I blame tiredness (35 miles in the Dark Peak on Saturday!) but I just couldn't line up properly round the corner to get into the steps properly, which resulted in me hitting the big hole at the bottom at a funny angle, half going over the bars and hugging a tree.

I find a lot of bits at Cannock are like that - worse mentally than physically

Are you talking about the town, the locals, or the Chase ? 😀