Hopefully the tracks have dried out a bit by then hammered down with rain most of Tuesday night and Wednesday here.
Well it was the 1st day today and it was pretty good. Trails are challenging on a few levels and the uplift is FlyUp's customary efficient self.
There's a nice cafe and the facilities will be amazing when it's all finished.
Really looking forward to spending a bit of time over there doing evening uplifts and pump track sessions this summer.
Congratulations to Simon and the team, I can't imagine how much work all that took and it's quite an accomplishment. Oh and thanks for laying on such great weather. 😀
Is it worth it at present thought? I assume it's work in progress with only 3 tracks, 1 of them thats probably above my skill level. I can't say the indoor jump or pump track hold much interest to me.
Just wondering with fod uplift and bpw fairly close by if it's worth a visit.
I really can't judge that for you. If you're after variety you're better off going to the FOD (I can't comment on BPW as I haven't been). This has a completely different feel to most UK riding spots I've ridden as it's almost always out in the open and it's very reminiscent of stuff in Morzine or Les Arcs.
I'm not particularly fast and don't do big gaps so most of the jumps were beyond me today at least but even so I did all 3 tracks and enjoyed aspects of all.
It's worth a punt certainly, even if it's just because it's new.
I live in Cheltenham it just depends what you get from your riding if you want to do the same trails all day then its fine I like riding all over the place also some people have yet got into the frame of mind where you pay for cyclimg.When you past on the road you can see how much effort has gone into it.Might take the remedy up there one day.
Anyone know if the 4x course is open yet? Was planning a vist next week but
not sure if i should hang fire now... cheers
http://www.flyupdownhill.co.uk/bike-hire-2/
Process 153 DL –
The dragon slayer of the Process range. No expense spared. Fitted with top-drawer components such as Rockshox Pike RCT3 forks, Sram XO1 drivetrain, Shimano XT brakes, Maxxis tyres, WTB wheels, all make the Process 153 DL the ultimate trail – Enduro and all mountain ripper.
Ooof an excuse to try out a new bike - im in! 😀
Don't think the 4x tracks are open yet as the area is taking some time to dry out after the somewhat damp winter.
You'll also need to book before you go as they're not yet ready for people to just turn up and ride. They're pretty full up for the next few weeks which is encouraging and frustrating at the same time.
Went down there for a bit of a look-see yesterday. Read all about it [url= http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/an-early-look-at-the-fyup417-project/ ]here[/url]
Good write up davesmate.
Thanks! 🙂
So did my visit yesterday, i think its fair to say if your expecting BPW you'll be disappointed. If you go there knowing its just 3 tracks then you'll be impressed, as i was.
In terms of the operation it was slick and professional. Everyone was really friendly. As for the tracks, i am a below average biker so slowly built up to the red and black. IMO the red is scarier than the black! The red has lots of big rock drops and the first rock garden almost threw me. The black has got some big features, you can miss them as the tyre tracks on the grass of the gaps proved. For the local riders, its best likened to the runs at Leckhampton.
For reference im a wheels on the ground sort of a rider on a rose uncle jimbo 160mm travel which seemed ideal. <bragging mode> Strava has me as 11th out of 35 on the black <bragging mode> 8)
PS great cafe and bacon sarnies 😀
Has anyone been just to check the tracks out?looking at the web-site seems you cant get in there just to have a look I am local just wanted to see what they were like.
There was security on site, we got name checked at the bottom of the access road to be allowed on but that was 9-45. The cafe is open so id have thought you'd have been fine to just drop in.
You can only really see the ends of the blue and the red DH and 4x and slalom from the way up as they run down the 'cranham' side of the hill if you get my meaning. Its the features further up the hill which are more fun. If you go along the underside of shab car park and out into the wood towards the george to the very end (looks over witcombe and the reservoirs) then you'll get the best view as thats where the starts all are.
2 lads were doing the push up and said it wasnt so bad as they just sessioned the top of the hill
This vid gives a good idea (not mine) def not me at 1.15 WTF 😯
Cheers was looking at the start from the field on from the view point Sunday but you cant see what the track looks like same with going up the A417 just wanted to walk the track and see if its worth paying the tenner and pushing up its private land so they can do as they want might pop up over there and see what they say if I arrive on a cross bike they will know I wont go for a cheeky run 😆
I've only got a fat bike at the mo which won't fit in the uplift trailer - and have an uplift booked for Sunday...
looks like I could be riding up or I may have to hire a bike however that would mean leaving a passport and credit card with them neither of which I have at the moment (Passport has been sent away for renewal and I don't have a credit, only debit, card)..
I'd give them a ring and a sob story tbh. I've blagged hire/loan bikes with all sorts of random ID (left my own bike as a deposit, got mates to sign in for me (the fools!), stuff like that, often there's ways.
Uplift trailer apartheid though! At BPW they send the 26ers to the back of the bus, Rosa Bikeparks. (*) And no fatties. But I think that's something that'll change since b+ won't fit in most uplift trailers either.
(*yes I have used this joke before. Yes I will use it again, I'm pretty pleased with it tbh)
I'm going to head up on the weekend if you fancy selling your uplift ticket Monkeyboy?
monkeyboyjc
if you cant get an alternative i have a FS you can borrow. Im 6' and 13stone which may help the decision.
Let me know, you can pick it up on the way through
Its not that bad a pushup and with your fattie you could quite happily ride it up there not as steep as the Forest of Dean pushups that's if you have gears on your fattie 🙂
Thanks for the offers but a quick trip to tge lbs (slam69) this morning and I'm hiring a mondraker foxy 650b+ - always wanted to try one, and if it doesn't fit the trailer then i'll swear at them alot as they should really be catering for + size wheels.
I can always just ride up (I've heard that it's sub 5mins to the top when riding up)
Slam69 is just around the corner from 417 - and cheaper to hire too!
PLus size bikes will fit fine - most of the slots are set up for 27.5, it's us little wheelers that have to be careful not to get into the wrong slots as a bent rotor could result.*
* The uplift guys know the score but if you do it yourself just be careful.
Anyone done a push-up day yet.
How did it go?
Can you ride up easy enough?
Rosa Bikeparks yes I have used this joke before. Yes I will use it again, I'm pretty pleased with it tbh
TBF I'd be using all the time. Should fat bikes go tubeless? Rosa bikeparks. Best dropper post? Rosa Bikeparks.
Anyone done a push-up day yet.
How did it go?
Can you ride up easy enough?
I went on Wed for a push up. I earned my Duke of Edinburgh bronze award in the process! You won't be riding up. It's a muddy push up through a field, spot the gap in the hedge, jump the muddy stream. Continue through the next steep muddy field and push through a few small sections of woodland. There isn't much signing and your not allowed to use the surfaced track for the uplift landrover. I was arriving at the top with about 50lbs of mud clogging up my wheels and on my shoes. Moan Moan Moan.
I shouldn't moan though, it's work in progress. I just didn't want to pay for the uplift for the 4 housi was going to be there. I enjoyed the trails, well the blue and the red. Your going to have to be pretty handy to hit the black as intended, especially with all this mud. The pump track and indoor jumps look superb!
If anyone is interested in selling an uplift pass for this Friday (8th) as a mate can't make it now. £33 or he might be one to offers.
I headed over yesterday and really enjoyed it.
I managed to fit in 14 runs- mixing blue, red & black.
Initial impressions are that it's worth a visit. I travelled an hour and was really happy. Trails are short and the Blue (longest) takes nearly 3 minutes. Blue and red are well armoured so were running dusty and lose whilst the black is natural and a bit muddy.
Blue: Nice and flowy, easy to carry speed and clear the doubles, but also suitable for novices if they roll it all
Red: My favourite- pretty fast with rock gardens and small drops. The doubles at the end are easy if you have speed. I saw lots of riders caught out on various parts of the trail.
Black: Easier than the red in my opinion, there's chicken lines (unofficial) but the drops and gaps aren't actually that big and providing you carry the speed they are easy enough to clear.
The only bit that was a tad frustrating was the uplift speed. There was sometimes a long wait for the landy to arrive and then the uplift drivers would check, check and double check every bike taking a long time. I assume this will become more lax once they have settled in (like their other uplifts at FOD and Gawton).
Other bits: Firendly Staff, good cafe, good parking and nice range of Kona's to rent.
All in I really enjoyed it. I'll be heading back again soon. It can only get better once they develop the rest of the land and the trails bed in.
In two minds what bike to take for the uplift, all looks pretty tame and that to make the most of it you want a bike that rolls fast and pumps well, ie a big fat enduro or DH bike would kill the fun there, correct?
Stevied, Do you still have a ticket for sale April 8th, one of my mates was due a visit with us but missed out on tickets.
Email in profile.
Just got back from my 1st uplift day. I'd hired a mondraker crafty + from Slam69 and would highly recommend it if you need to hire - slam is only 5 or 10min away and the hire bikes Are nicer and cheaper..... The trailers took the + size tyres ok just with a little help from the staff.
Any way, im not the best rider (nor the slowest that was there) but here are my thoughts:
The blue trail - bit of a bmx (no natural stuff) but fun filled and still a challenge no matter what level you are - it's rideable at fast speed you just need to be spot on with your lines. There was one bum that caught me out every time.
The red - Personaly I'd say it's on the higher end of the red classification. If you can't ride the first 300 yrds, your best sticking to the blue. Some really good more technical sections towards the top, rock gardens in the middle and bigger jumps at the bottom. All of it is rollable.
I didn't ride the black - from what I saw of it I could have but the jumps put me off... its a fair bit steeper and more of a natural dh run. Where as the red and blue wouldn't be out of place in a manufactured trail centre route.
The uplift service is great. Today was fully booked and I think the longest I waited was 4 mins for a trailer.
The cafe was a bonus as it was reasonably priced and did a good full English for £4!
I live about a 10min drive away but as mentioned earlier in this thread my (only) bike us a fat bike which currently doesn't fit on the uplift trailer - speaking to the staff there are plans for 1 or two fat bike slots buy that wont be for a while at a guess.
You can pay £7 and walk up which as a local who has a bike that doesn't fit the trailer is appealing but..... The push up looked a bit of a mare. Id heard it's rideable, but you'd have to be pretty fit and I wouldn't want to do that 10 times in a day. Most people who pushed seemed to session sections of yhe blue rather than go to the top.
I'll be going back in the summer, definitely if they sort out fat bikes on the trailer.....
deanfbm - MemberIn two minds what bike to take for the uplift, all looks pretty tame and that to make the most of it you want a bike that rolls fast and pumps well, ie a big fat enduro or DH bike would kill the fun there, correct?
Depends - most people were on trail or 'enduro' bikes today, but there were quite a few dh rigs as well. If you have a dh bike I'd take that - it's not like you'll be riding up...
deanfbm - Member
In two minds what bike to take for the uplift, all looks pretty tame and that to make the most of it you want a bike that rolls fast and pumps well, ie a big fat enduro or DH bike would kill the fun there, correct?
Yeah pretty much.
Had a good mix in our group. 2 DH bikes 2 hardtails, me on my Rigid.
In between 160/120 enduro/trail bikes NS Snabb, Alpine 160, Orbea Rallon, SC 5010 etc.
Quickest down was tha A160, guys on the DH's basically ride them to make things easier rather than to go bigger.
Trails are quite tight and generally a bit awkward on big long DH type bikes.
Me on my Rigid and the lad on the Snabb were last off the hill for the day.
So overall IMO a trail bike is all you need.
I did about 5 each of the blue and red black was v muddy and not worth riding.
Makes for interesting reading on this latest page of thread.
I too am a local and looking to try it out rather than waste diesel going down forest even if I do like down there.
Having never paid to ride before, I'm a bit of a cynic but appreciate that a lot of time and money have gone into this and will take time to establish.
I'd like to show some form of support to ride/help out there perhaps even.
Is it a case of you can just turn up unannounced and pay to ride?
I'm not going to get too hung up on what bike to take but probably a 130mm/140mm full suss to try out then bring the 26+ steely sometime in the future for s#its and giggles.
So who's local, and doesn't mind a work in progress type rider who aspires to be a rider like you?
thanks in advanced. 🙂
I was there yesterday on an old Orange 5. For me fine, I'm not going to be doing the gaps just yet but otherwise more than enough bike.
A lad was having fun on an NS HT and there were DH rigs and Enduro bikes too.
Blue was fast and fun. Red more technical and my favourite and black was a tad slippy up the top. I suspect it'll take quite a few runs for me to gel with the black.
I think once it gets more runs it'll be a superb place to go; to that end I'm keen to support it whilst it only has the three for now. Can't wait until summer
I am local but you cant just turn up all has to be booked and if you only want to do the push-up still has to be booked can not go and look either in less you are with someone paying all bit to regimented for me do look down on the tracks when riding over to Birdlip wood etc look good still cheaper to do 50miles round trip to the forest and more on offer everybody to there own.
Dobiejessmo have you even been to flyup417
You can just turn up pay entry fee then buy 1 or 5 uplifts or push up for free.
There's also the option of 4pm_8pm late rides now for the locals bit i cant remember what days/nights thsee are on.
When I went a few weeks back they were talking about a discount for locals based on proof of postcode but I don't think they have sorted this yet.
I look down from the hills at it a lot when I asked ages ago they said it was booking only then I rode there to have a look not long after it was opened to see what the tracks were like and the guy on the gate was a bit off so maybe things have changed and I talked to the wrong person I only live near by in Cheltenham.
Some riders there the other day just turned up and paid. No booking.
The booking only period was when they had a load of prebooked days form there crowd funding page. If they have spare places they'll let you in now and also push up. But your better off booking or at least give the website a look if your going on a weekend (it'd be a disappointing drive other wise).
The late pm / evening mid week rides are of interest to me also being local. But I'd wait untill the uplift has a fat bike hitch 1st as it's a bit if a hike up the hill for 3hrs.
3HRS for what!? To climb to top!??
I see cheers will try again.
3HRS for what!? To climb to top!??
For an after work session.
Oh now I see! 🙂
