[url= http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/03/20/new-85k-bike-trail-is-on-track-at-beauty-spot/ ]Link...[/url] The reason for post is purely concerns about the area and could this be easy pickings for the junkies etc that hang around the area? Or am I just being paranoid? Only as we know, bikes ain't cheap.
The aim of the project is to construct a 1.5 mile mountain bike trail
bit too long for me, I'm out
£85k for 1.5 miles?
Parkwood springs in Sheffield is a rubbish area but it seems to be doing well
I think you're being paranoid! The area is fine, like most city parks. This is awesome news, I've just moved down the road and can't wait. Actually, wait, no it's terrible news. Please stay away, don't want them getting too popular...
theres some right dodgy twunts that ride round there 😀
It's about the same traveling time away for me as cannock (about 25 mins) so was hoping it was me. Shame it's not a bit longer (like 3 times as) but I guess it's better than nothing.
I have been maintaining the trails at Sandwell and helping with the fundraising for som time, so for me it's great news. The trails are parts of th route completed by 9 feet under as part of th original mountain mayhem events. It will be a nice little loop for locals.
Good news for the area and mountain biking in general ..... haven't rode up there for over a year , may have to venture up there soon to have a look 😀
well done to everyone involved
Shindiggy, so depending on popularity of the trail would there be any chance of them extending it? Might have to go and have a nosey at it soon.
As well as the MTB trail, a pump track is also being built toward the Dartmouth Park end of the country park. There is discussing to create a longer XC loop of around 5km, but a lot of the park are areas of scientific interest plus the park needs to cater for the other park users too.
There is only so much space we can really use.
Bit of a bump, first stage of surfacing the trails commenced this week.
Will officially be open a ready to ride in 5 weeks (weather dependent)
A few pics below
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Looks great, anything that gets people riding bikes is good.
Really weird to see pics of Sandwell again after all these years since Mayhem left... So is that lap still there? I remember the field of doom which had quadruple gravity.
Parts of the mountain mayhem loop are still present, in fact most of the new stuff is on the same grounds as the original mayhem course designed by 9feetunder.
This is located in Jubilee woods, near car park is at the Forge Mill/Swan pool entrance.
haha at the field of doom i know what you mean, and yes for some reason is does seem extraordinarily hard to pedal across.
Thanks for the update shindiggy. Excellent pics, hard to believe that's sandwell valley! looks like it could be a blast.
That's not much hardcore for 850 grand.
It's not too bad an area. Although, I used to ride the single track left after mountain mayhem and one occasion I rode past this couple bonking away like a couple of bunnies. I rode by casually with a cheery "evenin'" . Next time I was there I was going down another track and glimpsed two naked people running away in panicked state.
Wonder if the scenery has changed much....
Oh man - I had forgotten about the Field of Doom.
Far too many years ago!
The Jubilee woods areas does get a few late night visitors, i know i've startled a fair number of them.
Its one of the reason why the track as been built in this area to try and discourage the other visitors of the night.
gears_suck - Member
That's not much hardcore for 850 grand.First layer only when down this weekend, another few weeks of work to commence yet.
Some more work done today
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Looking good 😀
Blimey, looking good. Wasn't expecting much in the way of 'technical' surfacing, but am pleasantly surprised. Though given the cost, I'm glad to see the money going into the trail.
I occasionally (during the summer, when the towpaths aren't too minging) do a loop out from Ladywood up the Wolves canal, nip up into Sandwell Valley and do a vague lap of the old Red Bull (raced there in 2000) before heading back down the Tame Valley canal, under Spaghetti Junction and into Brum.
There's still some pretty good singletrack (the bit in the tight trees after you went alongside the M5 after the bridge) if you can find a route, which I think leads into this new trail being built. Makes for a pretty good lap, with the 'descent' by the golf course, and a great thing to have within (non-road) riding distance of the centre of Birmingham.
Looking forward to checking it out
Not to far from me, look forward to checking it out, might be a couple of laps needed mind. Pumptracks are my thing to so will defiantly go even if just to check that out!
P.S Sandwell council claim to be spending £135k ?
looks like could be a chuckle once my face is fixed!
looks like could be a chuckle once my face is fixed!
It does.... But you better buy a full facer cus I ain't gonna be the one phoning your other half saying that bits have fallen if you! 🙂 Or maybe I go first, then you will have a softer landing lol
The above image is a short uphill climb but there are downhill sections too.
I know the decent via the golf course your talking about, i have crafted a few drops/jumps over in the priory woods by the ice pool too.
Sandwell is pretty much the only place i can ride from my door step so happy to help building the trails there.
The course officially opens in 5 weeks and consist of blue/red and black lines, though take this with a pinch of salt as they can all be ridden by anyone at a slow pace.
So you will need to complete a few runs loops to tackle all the possible lines.
I will post pictures as an when work is completed, i'm going back over tomorrow and working there on Sunday.
This picture shows an example of how the Red (right) and Blue (left) join back up. Hopefully allow mixed ability riders to ride together and choose different lines and meet back up as well as allow for different loops to be strung together. We are also currently at 3km in length.
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That looks waaay better than I'd expected to see - nice work!
Looks like fun 🙂
I'll post the definite official opening date once the track has finished and bedded in, if the weather stays nice shouldn't be too long away now.
Perhaps a group ride is in order?
I can't wait to get over there it looks nice and fast. The pump track is the most appealing for me, that looks great. Any idea if the pump track is going to be free or only open at certain times?
Double post
I've got some pics of the pump track, will get them up in a few moments. I haven't been involved with the pump track at all, done through different contacts. However i think it is associated with 'closer to the edge' and may be a paid for facility.
I hope i'm wrong though as i too want to ride it but can't justify paying each time.
Defo up for a group ride shindiggy , looking really good 🙂
This looks great for all levels. Still relatively new to the area and will make a change to stopping off at Cannock on way back from work. Will have to work out a route from harbourne.
Sandwell Valley is the only real place to ride within easy distance from my front door. I often nip down the cut and have a spin over there.
Good to see some surfacing on the trails as it tends to get crazily muddy and waterlogged.
Checked out the first little loop a couple of times, look forward to giving the new stuff a go when it's completed. 🙂
I rode the bits that weren't taped off last night quickly and it does look like it will be good fun once it's been compacted and finished.
This is good news - the last time I rode the first phase of the newly built trails in early February the gay cottaging was still going on - this was on Saturday afternoon in daylight, they quickly dispersed when I rode the trails must of thought I was an uncover patrol...
Had a walk of the track again last night, its coming along nicely, lots of table tops, lots of berms, nice rock drop off into a tight berm and even better the track is getting longer by the day.
I was sceptical at first, but I'm actually really looking forward to completion. Keep up the good work shindiggy and again thanks for the updates. 🙂
I'm fairly local so will be up for a group ride.
Pics look promising.
I'm fairly local so will be up for a group ride.
Pics look promising.
I've never been up but don't live far - is there anything up there at the moment to ride or is it all in progress?
Would be cool to be able to go for a ride without the car! Looking good btw.
@shindiggy - also be up for a group ride to help christen the trail
@scamper - i'd suggest taking the old railway line to the reservoir and onto the canal to follow NCR #5, signposted all the way to Sandwell Valley. like this [url= http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/harborne-to-sandwell-valley-off-road ]harborne-to-sandwell-valley-off-road[/url]
This is the loop I do from Brum city centre [url= http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/ladywood-sandwell-valley-canal-loop ]ladywood-sandwell-valley-canal-loop[/url].. with an optional stop at Birmingham BMX club just off the canal in Perry Park 🙂
Could make for quite an interesting ride with the Sandwell pump track too!
I popped into Birmingham Bike Foundry last night to pick up a chainring for my commuter and picked up a flyer about a possible pump track in Stirchley as well which would be ideal as it would be right on my doorstep
I'd be up for a ride out to Sandwell when the trails are completed
Sign me up for a group ride too. Pending getting a pass from Mrs_Ache of course.
I will be up there this weekend, shall make some inquiries with regards to the pump track facility, the route maps are also being printed so will get a PDF of it up on here shortly too.
The pump track is on the kids playground by the looks over by the crazy golf and should be fenced off at the moment but the kids have took the fence down by the looks. Not sure about its state of completion.
There seem to be a lot of locals very keen on a group ride when it's finished - perhaps if you're really local you could find a way of getting involved in getting it finished first? Think how much more pleasurable it'd be riding something you helped build.
I'm not local any more but if I was I'd be volunteering my services if it was possible.
Thanks for the condescension. I believe the trails are being built by [url= http://www.biketrack.org/ ]BikeTrack[/url] so there is only so much volunteers can do at this point. There is a local cycling group called [url= http://www.cyclinginsandwell.co.uk/ ]Cycling in Sandwell[/url] but their [url= https://www.facebook.com/CyclinginSandwell ]Facebook page[/url] is more active. If anyone wants to get involved - that's where to start. I'm also sure that if there were anything that could be done by people not directly involved in the construction/organisation, then I imagine Shindiggy would have said, maybe at the same point he suggested the group ride?
Personally, I've given time to a number of altruistic endeavours over the years (Chase Trails, Birmingham BMX club/track), but you can't do everything.
Now, I'm off to ride my bike on some slightly more natural trails, and do my bit by continuing to clear debris and unblock drainage channels as I go.
Count me in for a group ride.
@ l_ache fancy meeting in brum and riding over, we can get some urban mtb* in first to warm up?!?
* catching a lift to the top of multi storey carpark and razzing down.
Nickhead is correct, all the work is currently now contracted to Biketrack, i was working with the original Cycling in Sandwell group to help lay the foundations before the contractors come in.
Cycling in sandwell will still need volunteers through, normally once a month as we will be completing the track repairs/maintenance.
Cheers
I'm in for a group ride too as long as it's not on a sunday. I'm only in coesely. 🙂
Its gonna be a big group ride this is 😀 ... maybe try and sort something before the big opening or maybe a evening ride up there ???
mattk - Member
Count me in for a group ride.@ l_ache fancy meeting in brum and riding over, we can get some urban mtb* in first to warm up?!?
* catching a lift to the top of multi storey carpark and razzing down.
Love to mate but I broke my ribs again last weekend so will need a little time off before doing anything silly. I was looking at those vids the other night, we will have to sort out another ride soon.
As for the group ride, an evening one would be best for me.
I rode from Wolverhampton yesterday and had a good ride round,
We played around jubilee woods, the track is looking great, will be better when bedded in, some of the table tops are in the wrong place, i.e when you cant get speed before it, or just after a slight incline, however I cant wait to go back when finished.
Theres quite a few natural bits around there that are good.
Also found what i believe to be the 'hilltop decent' very fast singletrack mahem haha.
The pump track looks good, but is fenced off. Looks complete though so imagine will be riding in no time.
Went round it last night and was really impressed. Guys were still working. There's quite a big rocky drop(for lack of better word, it's rollable but sort of drops away near the ground) which was quite hairy for a pansy like me and there's some really nice fast flowing areas.
It's not really clear how it's all going to tie together as bits are closed and there's no signs for direction.
I'll take some photos next time I'm up there, should be this weekend.
Sorry for the lack of updates, been too busy and without my pc for a few weeks and tablets/phones just dont cut the mustard.
Will update with a few pics in a mo, but the track is looking good. Far too many people riding it early as most of the taped off sections have been unofficially removed by riders.
The rocky drop sections are nice and sure to be a challenge for some riders, apart from all the riding gods on here 😆
Matty, track runs up to the Right from the Car park, and finises in the same spot after the large table tops (approx 8 footer followed by the 10 footer)
No official opening date yet, if hear anything from the Cycling in Sandwell group i'll post up here, if anyone is free on opening day be good for a little group ride.
Looks like the official opening and 'Fun Day' is next Sunday. I can't make it unfortunately, but hope to check it out soon
Here's a few videos from CiS and others
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[url] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpg_8T8oNNk [/url]
Ive rode it last weekend and while its not amazing , its great for what they have and all involved,shindiggy etc should be patted on the back for a job well done 😀
all black bits are ridable even on a rigid singlespeed .... cus ive rode them ..
theres some pics on another thread .... its there too enjoy 🙂
I'll try and ride it tonight or tomorrow, saw some kids on it on Saturday when I was out for a pootle with the mrs. Better than what the woods used to be used for! :s
Just managed to get around there and it's really good. Some tight turns, nice berms, couple of little jumps and a bit of variation in height.
They've done a good job with limited space.
All the tracks are on Strava as well so should be fun trying to beat times around there!