Trip to Wales on Sunday, cancelled last night due to the incompetence of the organiser, led me to believe it was llandegla and it turns out to be coedy brenin which is possibly as far apart in Wales as possible!!! Anyhow Cannock only 40 mins from here so thought we'd give it another bash! Any closures or new bits since our last visit at the start of the year?? It was like riding with grinding paste fixed to every moving part last time!!
Went round last night it was a bit splashy & greasy in places but otherwise OK. S11 is finished but still closed.
There's a new entrance which is just around the side from the old one (to avoid closing the section when the summer concerts are on) - there's a rock and timber feature, but it's easy enough (and there's a chicken run around it for anyone who wants to avoid it).
Not a lot then!!
When was the original black monkey option open ? Shirley that was after the new year ?
They've done plenty of other bits and bobs but if you dont really notice then it was done properly.
There is some new black sections on the Monkey in the bit after the longish, steadyish fire road climb.
Quite tasty with the seat up really, but too short to bother dropping it, good fun.
Stay away. Stay away y' hear.
How do the trails hold up over winter? Is the surface armoured hardpack (a la welsh trail centres) or does it turn into a mudfest? Visiting friends up that way in Nov & was going to take the bikes along.
lol noIs the surface armoured hardpack
The Chase is part of a dried up prehistoric riverbed, so it's a thin coating of dirt over a bed of pebbles and sand. Last winter it turned into a freaky brown jelly when the top layer thawed but the lower layers were still frozen.
Enjoy 🙂
That really depends on how bad the winter is,if it just rains then it's not too bad,but if it's snows a fair bit & then thaws it can be pretty sh1t tbh.....
The pebbles make it mighty greasy in places!! And when I last rode there a fine grit/goo attached itself to every moving part! If you went any distance without much braking you could hear it grinding on the rotors/pads!
Cannock's good when it's a bit damp as otherwise it can get a bit dusty and sandy. It's even quite fun singlespeeding in the snow/ice as I found out last year.
Bumpy at the mo from a lot of braking for the berms :roll:But still good fun..
Remember there is way more to ride at Cannock and all reachable from the trail centre car park.
Plus the other sections do not suffer from erosion and water logging.
Curvature, Ive read several times of the "other stuff", is it easy to find, any pointers?
It depends what you want.
I start quite often at Seven Springs car park and head into the chase from there. A lot of the trails are not marked but quite often it is just about looking for a trail into the woods etc.
You won't find berms or big drops but you do a good long ride with climbs and descents to have some fun with.
There is also the old quarry that has a few drops into it. Nothing big but still something to play around in.
If you start from the trail centre you ride the Dog to the point where you cross the road and instead of going throughout the caravan site head off to the left and this gives you a big area to explore. On your way back you can return to the dog and finish with the Werewolf drop and the Rollers before going the cafe.
Have a look on google maps. You can't see the trails but it will give you an idea of the space.
Hope that helps
You won't find berms or big drops
you're not looking in the right places for the cheeky off piste stuff then. 😉
I take folks out for off piste rides if they fanc joining some SS minsercore action and xckeefy/ringo and sticky from here with west mids mtb chaps also ride lots of sneaky trails and always welcome new riders 😀
led me to believe it was llandegla and it turns out to be coedy brenin which is possibly as far apart in Wales as possible!!!
I take it you didnt ever pay atention in Geography lessons?
"led me to believe it was llandegla and it turns out to be coedy brenin which is possibly as far apart in Wales as possible!!!"
No they're not? They are fairly near one another in terms of waymarked route trail centres?
Brechfa and Marin might* be the most far apart (in driving time) but Llandegla and Coed y Brenin ought to be something like 1hour between them?
*I'm guessing
Yes apologies, for some reason I'd got brenin down near Cardiff??? Anyhow it's still over an hour further west, so just too far for a day trip! Cannock it is!!