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Death dust
 

[Closed] Death dust

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What a difference a couple of days can make. Was out on Saturday having a lot of fun in the local woods. Hard pack trails with a bit of dust at the top and softer more loamy at the bottom. Went back today and the dusty hard bit was so slippy it was really unpleasant.

Thinking my choice of rear tyre might be an issue but from what I can tell purgatory is supposed to be ok in those sorts of conditions.

Might buy some Maxxis and see if that helps. Thoughts?


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 2:49 pm
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Learn to drift, enjoy it 🙂

I find this stuff is fun if your bike is well balanced front and rear.


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 2:58 pm
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Riding yesterday just north of Cardiff, it was so dry and dusty it was full on Brown Pow!

Image for reference only...


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 3:03 pm
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Yeah the thought of learning to drift crossed my mind. I did end up locking it up and trying to control the skid for a while, actually found it really hard as the bike just wanted to go in a straight line at that point. Everytime it went when cornering I bricked it, seemed really snatchy and uncontrolled.

Our dust is nothing like that, it's proper dry fine dust. The ground underneath is rock hard smooth clay.


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 3:13 pm
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Yeah, fines on top of hard stuff is so slippy, basically it's like riding on millions of tiny ballbearings.

Had a definite "I have never ridden this trail this fast before" moment yesterday followed by "I wonder how far it'll take to stop..."


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 3:19 pm
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Riding yesterday just north of Cardiff, it was so dry and dusty it was full on Brown Pow!

Where?


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 3:22 pm
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Riding yesterday just north of Cardiff, it was so dry and dusty it was full on Brown Pow!

Where?

I was in Forest Fawr Saturday and it was slick-ish, but drying really quickly, I'd bet anywhere exposed would be bone dry by now.


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 3:48 pm
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Where?

The newly clear felled area below the Garth above Gwaelod.

Bottom of "Shredder" (on Trailforks, Strava looks out of date now), up the fireroad, over the bridge, keep going until you see a hillock of clear fell on the right (with a steep AF track coming off the side) and the new trails from the top of that, have a nosey, some of the bits are a bit spicy mind.


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 4:29 pm
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The newly clear felled area below the Garth above Gwaelod.

I rarely go up there. I did it last year I think on my rigid bike sans dropper and I walked a couple of bits!


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 4:39 pm
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Yup, definitely gets to a stage when it’s too dry. That’s what claimed my collarbone on a seemingly easy, albeit off camber corner. Cleared the crux of the trail and stopped paying attention.


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 6:30 pm
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I can't believe people are complaining it's to dry! It's wet for the other 11 months of the year, put up with it! 😂


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 6:43 pm
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I'm not complaining just using it as an excuse to spend money 🙂


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 10:19 pm
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learn to ride.

or buy yourself some new tyres and do a little rain dance

😉


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 10:23 pm
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OP don’t you dare buy new tyres - it’ll rain all summer as soon as you put them on!


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 10:31 pm
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Purgatorys, shite at everything.

Fit minions, dont look back.


 
Posted : 14/06/2021 11:26 pm
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I was riding in North Star, California a couple of years ago and the dust was 3-4” deep and so fine it kind of billowed. You couldn’t follow anyone. Every rock on the steeps had a fine layer so that you had zero control. Utterly lethal.


 
Posted : 15/06/2021 1:26 am
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We get a fair bit of this in Queensland. It's an odd feeling to clean your bike after a ride with an air hose.


 
Posted : 15/06/2021 1:51 am