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Yeaaa outlaw riders flashing action 🙂
Hardtails race the six hour Enduro there so far Jesse wigman has placed 4th overall (and top 20 the other 2 times 🙂 ) the dirty great gap jump from last years world cup, along with a part of the woods is world cup only so don't worry to much. Few spots on the top section (rockgarden) need carefull line choice, if you know where to roll over then fine, don't assume you "will" roll, some will faceplant you, if in doubt, get off track and look first.
The motorway jumps are all rollable (unless they have changed over this winter)go slow first run. The motorway is easy to pick up lots of speed, be carefull for the first few runs.
Expect to be beat up the next day. I loves passing people in the enduro having a "ache & shake break" at the deer fence crossing on big travel bikes 🙂
It's a lot of fun, but while not overly technical, it's a very lumpy rough track that does break bikes and smash wheels....and riders, armour is good.
Lots of people suffer after around 5 runs, some can get up to 22 runs in a day ? (mental)
Also drop in to Glencoe ski resort on the way, shorter steeper fun track there as well, with chairlift and i highly reccomend the fry up they do.
Be sensible, and early season is much nicer than late season, i walked the track the week before it opened last year....it was almost smooth in places, not the rutted holes of wheel smashing doom that i chuck a hardtail down in the DH Enduro 🙂
Just to add,
Jesse races on a beat up 04'ish Spesh P2 with knackered manitou shermans, last year we had me on a Atomlab Pimp2, a dialled Alpine and a on-one456 steel frame, and a Evil sov, all with a mix of 140-160 forks, also raced it on a Superfly styler (twice cos it was nice) deluxe 853, and a Charge Blender (not so nice, didnt like the motorway) some one raced on a stumpjumper FSR last year and didn't die.
So a well built and looked after 6" AM bike should be quite nice 🙂
Hang on your worried about taking 6" travel all mountain bikes on the Ft Will DH track?
SO are they not "all mountain" bikes then? Or just some mountain? A few years ago 6" travel was all that that most DH bikes had, and plently of folk seemed to manage just fine.
Get up and ride it, break it down into sections, take it at your own pace and have a look at any sections that are unsighted before going down them.
Its all rideable on a full sus bike. Had a great day there between the DH track and the red/ black trail on a days lift pass on a 5" bike with 32mm fox forks and an air shock. There were kids 10 years old wizzing down on little 20" wheel bikes.
Its not mega steep but it does feel quite long, just go at your own pace and enjoy it.
The DH
i would enjoy it more on a downhill bike with amour thank you very much.
it looks extremely difficult,
acehtn - MemberYeaaa outlaw riders flashing action
\o hey ace. Was wondering if anyone'd notice the backdrop 😆 I didn't mention the hardtail folks because you are [i]not normal[/i].
Fairhurst, that's fair enough- I've never ridden it on a dh bike but I suspect I'll enjoy it more when I do. But you were talking about "capable" and "need" which is pretty far off the mark. Modern bikes are teh AWESUMS.
It is not that bad it all depends on the speed you go down it.
But if you are going on the 26th that is when 10 under the ben is this year the place will be packed.
Don't think it should disrupt the dh much though any more, with the puggy line overpass?
🙂 waves at Northwind from way down south on exmoor.
Undecided on this years Enduro, getting old, should have joined Kem and Alistair last year in vets, quite excited about trying a susser out, but being tempted by a bagger288, not sure if my ankles and neck muscles can cope, and i belive the outlaw drinking support team will be showing us how many midge bites they get on there boobies again this year.
Might try a rigid 29er just for giggle 🙂
To the OP, if you can get down the Alps ok you will be fine, riding down a world cup track is quite different to trying to race down it, the top section is sweet and smooth, when you exit the last boardwalk you are into rock gardens, it gets a touch smoother after the deer fence crossing where it is a custom to pull off track and have a little rest, you are heading into the woods and down to the wallride, bit choppy through here with nice rocks here and there, then table top exit the woods onto the motorway and speed, i mostly am holding on by here in the Enduro and just aero tuck and enjoy the speed, taking care not to hit the "wall" too fast and lift off 🙂 when racing i keep to the right, by the fence for the final 2 jumps, these can be rolled, due to amount of high speed traffic in the race i keep out of the way so i don't get landed on by Guy Martin or another Orange pilot doing 40'ish 🙂
We are actually travelling down on the 26th and won't be getting to our digs in Fort William until late afternoon, plan to go to Lagaan Wolftrax on the Sunday then Nevis on the Monday so should hopefully avoid the crowds.