I'm going to the QECP cyclefest demo day tomorrow, what are the conditions like there at the moment? I've ridden at Swinley and I know it's more 'natural' than Swinley i.e not so much yellow brick road, more mud.
Has it dried out since the monsoon season a week or 2 ago?
Going to take my own bike and do a lap or 3 of the red route too, don't think it's massively long?
Don't know for certain, but I think it'll be fine. Was up there a couple of weekends ago when it had rained a lot more than it has lately and it was ok, bit puddly, but plenty grippy enough.
[i]3 of the red route too, don’t think it’s massively long?[/i]
Go for it! I can just about manage 2 of the red route lately! 😆
From pictures posted today of the taped sections for the Day and Night Enduro conditions look good. I wouldn't be worrying too much about mud so long as it (and I don't want to curse myself by even saying this) doesn't rain
Cheers, there's meant to be some rain overnight but hopefully it's not too bad. I know some of my local areas are dry in places but in the sheltered dense wooded areas it was still slippery and muddy as hell last weekend.
The red is only 4.6 miles so should get a couple of laps of this done depending on how much time I get on the demo bikes! 🙂
Apologies for the hijack but how is the event for a (novice in terms of off-road) 8yo? I see there are kids' races, but he'll just be an obstacle on the actual routes so is there other amusement to be had? (Other than the ice cream cabinet in the cafe, obvs.)
The red is only 4.6 miles
4.6 QE miles > 4.6 Swinley miles 😉
Bez, I don't think they hold the kid's races on the same course - just around the grassy flat areas. I could be wrong!
Entertainment is limited to riding bikes really.
I’ve just returned from running it.
I can confirm it is hard, dry, fast and fun.
Enjoy !!!
👍🤪
I don’t think they hold the kid’s races on the same course – just around the grassy flat areas.
Oh, yeah, I know. Sorry, I meant it's not worth him pedalling over a hill to get there if there's limited stuff to do: the trails will be out of bounds and I suspect he won't be keen to do the race.
I think we might just stick to the plan of a slightly different bit of the Downs 🙂
I’ve just returned from running it.
I can confirm it is hard, dry, fast and fun.
Enjoy !!!
Excellent! Ta 🙂
4.6 QE miles > 4.6 Swinley miles
Yeah I've heard it's more up and down than Swinley - I did nearly 19 miles last weekend (with plenty of stops mind you...) up some 20-25% climbs so should be good for a couple of laps 🙂
Bez, I think the kids is 16-18 unless I missed something, nothing for 8yr olds.
If you are interested I gotta work out where I'm going with my 8yr old this weekend.
Whilst the race often uses parts of the waymarked trails they don’t get shut off until practice starts in the evening so plenty of time to ride.
Its absolutely bone dry atm, a bit of rain won’t hurt even if it does.
Riding the Blue & Red is around 1500ft of elevation, for 9 miles.
Was dry enough to be dusty last weekend!
QECP's not that hilly and if it's dry it's a lovely surface to ride on - enjoy! Do as many laps as you can as it's short enough you can remember all of it and quickly pick up the good lines. A great place to ride 🙂
It was bone dry and gloriously quick earlier today (over lunchtime).
It was as quick as my rusty and our of practice wits and skills could deal with anyway.
We are a few miles south but rain hasn't been too bad so far this evening.
Thanks all, it was indeed dusty, dry and fast.
I slightly under-estimated the red route (or more likely over estimated my fitness...) and after the first climb and second section when it gets to the most northerly point of the trail before turning south, I found myself completely done in! I went and found the blue route and did that a few times as I ended up doing 3 runs - 2 test bikes and my own.
The new blue section at the end is a bloody cracker!! could do with a few more roots but you can get some good speed on it, fun, fun, fun!! 🙂
I'll save the full red route for another day when my fitness can match it! 🙂
The bit of Red that follows the A3 is a bit of a leg burner.
The last descent on the Blue is a testament to how awesome a volunteer built trail funded by the Southern Enduro events and driven by a passionate group of locals can be. The Park puts such tight constraints on what and where trail building takes place they have worked wonders, as anyone who remembers the old trails wil attest to.
Glad you enjoyed it 👍
The event is still on if anyone’s thinking about what to do today.
Hope the OP didn’t ruin the blue run for us trail runners 😤🤡😇
I slightly under-estimated the red route ..
You’re clearly not the hill-flattening legend that is ferrals!
I demoed a Transition Throttle yesterday - the red trail was so empty deer were wandering around on it. Conditions were fantastic. Finished just as it started to rain.
The Throttle is an amazing bike! Damn expensive for a hardtail though.
