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Due to embark on my first trip to Cannock Chase, anything in particular i should look out for? Usually ride the reds/blacks at Llandegla/Gisburn, have also done Affan. How do the cannock reds/blacks compare to those? How do-able are the downhill runs for a first timer?
Cheers.
Stile cop is a great laugh, if you can do some reds/blacks you'll have no trouble there. The blacks on the monkey are comparable but I've only ever looked at them and never ridden the blacks but I would say they are no worse than the stuff ypu've done. The DH area (Stile cop) is up the road from the XC stuff (dog/monkey) - you can split off to go up to stile cop just before or just after upper cliff but you'd need a local to point you in the right direction or study the map before you leave, it's not far away, less than a mile I reckon.
Blacks on he monkey are more balls than skill, I tend to not bother with them tbh, but I've ridden them all before at least once, le singe noir is great though, definitely give that one a go.
The red run at stile cop is very do-able, might want to take it easy though, it's easy enough to get yourself into a bit of trouble if you go too fast too soon.
Have to disagree with Prawny. Blacks on Dog and Monkey do require skill and it's the trail features that add difficulty - not the potential for speed. I do ride them 90% of the time I go though and all are rideable on a decent hardtail.
In comparison, blacks harder than Llandegla and reds are more consistent than there too.
Stile Cop has some largish drops and is good fun as said above.
Don't leave anything on show in your car.
Make sure your insurance is paid up.
Make sure you lock your car
Do you have an alarm?
People in the car park dressed as mtbers who ride off on any unattended bicycle
Leave a "trap" bike with a superglue covered saddle and remote controlable front brake?
mrsfry - Member
Don't leave anything on show in your car.
Make sure your insurance is paid up.
Make sure you lock your car
Do you have an alarm?POSTED 17 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
Is this the stile cop car park or the one by go-ape? I was thinking of stopping next weekend on my way back but will have a fair bit in my car. Mind you it will be mostly be dirty kecks so even the thieves might not want them?
Mind you it will be mostly be dirty kecks so even the thieves might not want them?
You'll see them sold on Ebay the same day
Is this the stile cop car park or the one by go-ape? I was thinking of stopping next weekend on my way back but will have a fair bit in my car.
The one by go ape (birches valley) - I've not heard of much ever being lifted from cars, it's just when people leave bikes unattended to nip in the bogs or swinnos. Stile cop carpark is in the middle of no-where so you're probably okay there (or not). I've parked up along marquis drive many many times at night and never had any break ins in my car.
My advice would be to avoid at all costs. First time you go it's ok but you soon realise it's about as dull as you can get on a bike. The off piste stuff is good in places but the main trails are so boring. Also avoid the so called black runs. Some of them ruin the only good bits by adding in a few rocky steps which should not be graded black at all. I go about once a year under duress and that's enough.
Edit: there is some decent stuff at style cop. I have always avoided it though thinking it would be like the cannock trails but it's actually much better.
Get one of these for a bait bike, I would just do this in the carpark all day for a laugh..
Or even this..
White blokes don't nick bikes then !
There are 10ft plus gaps on some of the stile cop back runs, stick to single stigs (look at the map at top) but beware o'pebbles. Stile cop car park is great if you want your arsehole ripped out in public, then the video posted via grinder.
Agree with jamj1974. I think it's fair to say the black sections at Cannock are comparable to many a English or welsh trail centre in difficulty. Have not been to llandegla since the recent changes but I always thought llandegla black was like Cannock red.
[i]My advice would be to avoid at all costs. First time you go it's ok but you soon realise it's about as dull as you can get on a bike. [/i]
He'll be alright then..it's his first time. 😀
Edit: I agre with you though re. dull. Worth a first time visit though to see what it's like.
Stile cop has 10ft plus gaps but its all pretty much rollable if you don't want to jump.
Im not trying to be nasty as everyone is different. I enjoyed it the first time I went but every time after I have found it mind numbing. I struggle to go fast there as my brain switches into limp mode. But I have some friends who love it so each to their own. Once a year at a push is enough for me.
Caution-shiny smooth pebbles and wet weather make it especially slippery over there. Llandegla feels like you're glued to the trail in comparison.
I like it. There are some bits that I find a bit dull but a lot of it I enjoy. I think that it's on a par quality-wise with a lot of the Welsh centres - they often have their share of boring bits too. They do well - especially considering the lack of elevation.
andysredmini - Member
My advice would be to avoid at all costs. First time you go it's ok but you soon realise it's about as dull as you can get on a bike. The off piste stuff is good in places but the main trails are so boring. Also avoid the so called black runs. Some of them ruin the only good bits by adding in a few rocky steps which should not be graded black at all. I go about once a year under duress and that's enough.
Edit: there is some decent stuff at style cop. I have always avoided it though thinking it would be like the cannock trails but it's actually much better.
Wow I'm no fan of Cannock (off piste can be okay on the few days it's dry enough) and rarely bother with the 30 minute drive down there (I have better natural riding similar distance the other way) but that post is misery personified
As dull as you can get on a bike? I'd suggest you buy yourself a turbo trainer, move to Lincolnshire (or try the 'red' XC route at Forest of Dean)
FWIW I think the trails are okay, not a massive fan of the pebbles or the braking bumps but it has more variety than most similar length trail centre loops and has some properly challenging sections, both red and black (as much due to the close nature of the trees as much as the actual terrain) . The main thing I dislike about the place is the people, seems to be all either 'all the gear, no idea full face and massive pads wombles' (Monkey) or head down strava up your arse speed demons (Dog), no in between, in this respect both Cannock and Llandegla sum up pretty much all I dislike about trail centres
OP if you go I'd suggest a weekday or early morning/late afternoon
I thought some of the black at Cannock was very proper tricky. As in I didn't manage it. Contrast to degla which my son did nearly all of age 7
My tips as someone who rides there far too much:
Go ride it and make up your own mind.
Weekdays/evenings or late afternoon weekends it is a much quieter.
Tyre pressure, experiment. If it is dry and dusty drop losing some psi will improve grip no end.
As expected some of the usual trail centre bashing - "trail centres are boring, there's no gazillion foot gap jumps over crocodile infested rivers"! I think anybody with half a brain will realise that someone who enjoys trail centres is not about to submit their application for entry into next year's Red Bull Rampage. The OP asks about one trail centre based upon their experience of others - it doesn't take a genius to realise that they are probably not looking for 10 foot gap jumps or rock gardens that you would probably choose to abseil down rather than walk.
Cannock is a really good trail centre. It's not a huge trail centre - about 15 miles, and fairly flat, but they split it up into alot of short climbs and descents rather that big huge climbs and descents. It has it's 'boring' bits, as all trail centres do, but they are doing a good job at minimising fire road climbs and links and it also has some really nice flowy sections and some features that are pretty technical and challenging to all but maybe the top 15% of non-professional riders out there. I personally think the Blacks are as tricky if not more than most of the other trail centres i've ridden (not done any in Scotland having said that), but ultimately trail centres are not designed for intended to produce fear-ridden white knuckle rides.
Regarding pebbles - well this is Mountain Biking which sort of implies you're riding on surfaces other than smooth road surfaces and depending upon where you ride in the country you will experience a variety of difference surfaces. At Cannock some sections happen to be pebbley - not the whole trail, but some sections. I'm sure someone with a passing interest in Geology will be able to explain this. The pebbles are not a problem, let some air out of your tyres if it's wet or damp. I personally enjoy the pebbles, I quite like it when the bike is a bit loose under you. But riding on difference surfaces tends to requires a different set of skills, and to me that is part of the appeal of mountain biking over road riding.
Regarding braking bumps - well Cannock is a very highly used trail centre. It see's alot of traffic week in week out and as a result the trails get a bit of a pounding. So naturally braking bumps are bound to appear around the trail. There is pretty much a constant level of activity by the heroic volunteer trail builders and maintainers but as always they can't jump on every braking bump and every rut or divot that appears on the trail - and personally I like the way the trails start off nice and smooth then deteriorate over time - it keeps things from being samey. But I refer people to my previous comment on the fact this is mountain biking, so you should expect a few bumps and lumps.
It's all good fun - I ride trail centres and natural stuff, difficult and technical stuff that stretches my skills and courage, and sometimes I like a nice blast on a fast and flowy trail. It's all good.
So to the OP, if you enjoyed Llandegla and Gisburn then there is every chance you'll enjoy Cannock. You'll have a blast. There is nothing in particular to look out for. The only thing I'd say is that on the Lower Cliff section there are a couple of small kickers on some fast sections that seem to have caught a few people out if you're not expecting them. The good thing about Lower Cliff (and Upper Cliff) is that you can easily loop them in about 12 minutes or so, so you could do a sighting run first to familiarise yourself, then loop it again for a fast blast.
Anyway, Hans Rey had a blast round Cannock the other week apparently, so it's not so boring and unchallenging to have deterred a guy of his stature.
As to the theft issue - i've not picked up on any thieving problem there. Of course if you leave your bike unattended anywhere then there is a high likelihood it won't be there when you return - that's just the same whether you're at a trail centre car park or in a city centre. It's similarly the case if you leave valuables on show and visible in your car. This is just basic precautions that you'd take anywhere isn't it? or am I just over cautious?
Some people keep banging on about the braking bumps. Ok, 2 or three years ago it was getting worse, as the new trail bedded in, but now with ongoing improvements and repairs, is there any real 'problem' areas?
As someone who has ridden at Cannock for over 25 years, and well before the built trails, I think it's pretty damn good given the terrain they have to work with.
And if you think it's boring, then you're just not riding fast enough. Cannock is an evolved XC-based centre really.
Le Singe Noir is one of the best trail centre blacks I've ever ridden. I get scared just thinking about it!
As a local, I would agree with some of the above - it's a fun, enjoyable and very good trail centre for the terrain they have to work with. If you've never been before, it's well worth a visit, but make sure you do the whole Monkey (including the blacks) as there's been times when I just feel the climbs aren't worth it without them. Some of the sections are very fast and flowy, but it depends if you're into that sort of thing. Everyone raves about the last decent of the monkey for example, but for me that's been ruined by making it too open and I find it a tad boring - but I prefer more technical stuff personally.
There's far better steep, techy stuff elsewhere on the Chase, but you really need to know the area. I'll occasionally venture onto the main routes for a change but last time I rode it with the braking bumps, loose stones and being too busy, I didn't think the effort of riding over there outweighed the benefits. Each to their own, definitely give it a go though.
Well Wobbliscot, given the OP asked for things to look out for I don't see any need for sarcasm aimed at my comment given that plenty of people come a cropper because of the slippery surfaces. I was only at 'Degla Friday and even at 2 degrees with snow still around I felt it was much grippier than a wet FTD/monkey.