Went up there today for the first time in about 1 1/2 years.
I know they have had loads of rain up there recently and it's the back end of winter, but it just felt as though the place had been hammered, only the last 'new' section was in good nick.
Is it getting overused, or is it because I don't ride trail centres very often and this is how they are now as bikes have got more travel etc?
We were there a couple of weeks ago and it's a yes from us. Perhaps the answer is to help out with trail maintenance 🙂
It did have the PMBA Enduro at the weekend in horendous conditions so some of the trails will not have dried out yet
It did have the PMBA Enduro at the weekend in horendous conditions so some of the trails will not have dried out yet
This. Both the conditions and the heavy use during the conditions because of the event. Looking at the video, it was pretty much all on the official trails rather than having some stages cut specifically on it. I've been a couple of times shortly after the enduro and the condition of the trail sections used is always noticeably different.
It is a victim of its own success - there's only one route and it is very busy year round. Some of the sections hold up OK, but a couple aren't particularly weather/traffic proof either.
Did a winter ride there a couple years back. I've never been as wet and cold in my life! It didn't rain all that much that day but the trails hold water so well! Most of the berms were ponds just like the recent PMBA, some sections were completely flooded out and you had to go around.
By the end I felt like I'd been bog snorkelling.
By the end [b]of the first Km[/b] I felt like I'd been bog snorkelling.
Ftfy. Still like it there though, just prefer it in summer...
The puddles didn't bother me, it was just some sections of slab were completely eroded so it was literally a big slab with foot drops either side, some bits were just stream gullys, and some bits looked like braking bumps where braking bumps shouldn't be.
Just made me think probably 60/70% of the trail needs some serious maintenance.
I'm not moaning about the state, just surprised how bad it looked.
Just for info 2 sections are also closed at the minute, the start, and the climb up through the quarry.
Last weekend the was an epic amount of rain so that could have contributed
The volunteers are planning to swap from building new trail to repairs fir awhile once the current section is completed. Let's just say our experience of building sustainable trails has moved on from Home baked. That said it has been very wet this Spring and the whole forest is on loam which is like a sponge. Given how terrible the soil is for trails it's surprising any of it is rideable.
On a side note the FC do carry out a lot of work as well spend on external contractors each yearea, Clixbys are back in now to repair snake and Park Wood was redone last year.
I could be way off the mark and if so I'm happy to be corrected.
I believe Gisburn went wrong from the very start. A lot of the material was locally sourced and not fit for purpose, and the weather was horrible that first winter. Because of the bad winter we all flooded into the new local trail centre to avoid the mud and it just fell apart.
So the machine built sections have been struggling from the start.
On the plus side they have an amazing local trailbuilding group with good FC backing who build interesting well built trails.
Had over 300 riders hammer it on Sunday in wet conditions, some twice, given we've just come through winter as well, it probably isn't looking it's best atm, I think they are building a new section as well...?, so hopefully they will keep the existing trails and certain sections maintained.
It did have the PMBA Enduro at the weekend in horendous conditions so some of the trails will not have dried out yet
It was pretty well ****ed before that, to be fair. I was surprised how trashed it had got in places when I was up there in January. Most of the actual stages were run on good solid trails that hold up pretty well, and where the water was causing problems they shortened the course accordingly. I don't think PMBA did a bad job considering the conditions.
And people are working to repair stuff. Presumably they'll move on to the other knackered bits in due course. The new surface on the last section is very high-quality, it's like a BMX track on there now. I'm sure there'll be someone along to complain about how it's boring before too long... 😉
some sections of slab were completely eroded so it was literally a big slab with foot drops either side
Is that the bit up to Whelpstone, the very top of the loop? If so it's been like that for yonks. I quite like it, it's all rideable, you just have to pick your line carefully.
Now, I'm not scared of digging at all. I dig a fair bit of the stuff around my area and enjoy it however Gisburn really needs some drainage work. I've only been 3 times (twice to race) and its always been horrific for surface water.
Being 2 hours + away I don't particularly fancy the drive over to rectify it mind.