[Closed] Slow technical trails. Who likes em/ Who doesnt?

I like 'em, up and down, a perfectly acceptable part of the mix.

I prefer trails which come alive

Much prefer downhill to be technical.. for me I just don't like doing fast speeds on a flow trail with trees cm's from the bars. I'd much prefer more technical and with the slower associated speeds.

No idea how I found this thread, but did PinDale clean at the weekend and was very chuffed with myself. Perfect example of slow technical gnadgery trail that needs a reasonable amount of skill and technique to do.

Pindales hardly technical though, it's (almost) a road! Cavedale next door is a much better challenge. That, stanage plantation, cut gate, blacka moor (especialy blacka moor) and Bradwell clough are probbaly my favourite trails in the Peak, if not the country!

I like a nice mix.

Love fast open trails with drifty turns, followed by huge bermed corners and easy jumps (not nececeraly small, but I've a fear of failure and would much rather do a step-up than a similar sized drop/gap). Then having to slam the anchors on to get round a tight corner, down a rocky chute or negotiate some steps before letting the brakes off as soon into the feature as I dare and zooming out of it into the next section.

When im fresh i quite enjoy a technical, slow up.

DH, i like the challenge of making stuff that does not obviously flow, flow, well even on smoother stuff, im always looking for different ways of getting more free speed and flow.

Plus if something is too simple/just doesn't have any other options than the obvious, im not into pointlessly going flat out, spending all that hard earned gradient on mind numbing stuff on the way back down, this is a big reason why i'm not the biggest fan of your traditional peak district riding, a lot of work for something no that demanding back down. If it's lift assisted, i dont mind too much if im wasting my height gain.

I love it- it's just better value isn't it, sometimes you spend half an hour climbing and 30 seconds descending at warp speed, give me a nice slow hard trail that'll take 20 times longer to reach the bottom.

Pindales hardly technical though, it's (almost) a road! Cavedale next door is a much better challenge.

Hmph. There is no way whatsoever I could get up Cavedale clean. Chapeau to you sir if you can.

Just to be awkward, I like flowing, technical stuff.

Steep, rocky, switchbacks, keeps on coming at ya' but without becoming a trials-fest either. Since we seem to be talking about la Varda, I like the middle better than the end. Although the end is good too.

Not been to many trail centres but it seems that tight and twisty is their holy grail.
Not for me , I like fast and swoopy.

Just to be awkward, I like flowing, technical stuff.
Steep, rocky, switchbacks, keeps on coming at ya' but
without becoming a trials-fest either. Since we seem to be
talking about la Varda, I like the middle better than the
end. Although the end is good too.

Pretty much that.

The ending to La Varda is where I'm most likely to spanner myself. Fast with the occasional bit of tech I'm going way too quick into.

I love slow techy stuff - both upwards and downwards.... I do like faster stuff as well especially if it is very flowy!

thegeneralist - Member

Pindales hardly technical though, it's (almost) a road! Cavedale next door is a much better challenge.

Hmph. There is no way whatsoever I could get up Cavedale clean. Chapeau to you sir if you can.

Put a decent dent in the cavedale descent recently, still miles away from cleaning it though. It's a slippery customer - can't mince down it, need to carry some speed.

Love e`m! 😉

Burchy1 - Member

The ending to La Varda is where I'm most likely to spanner myself. Fast with the occasional bit of tech I'm going way too quick into.

Might be where I crashed... "Phew, that's the hard stuff done with, so I'll just ride into this rock at a kabillion miles an hour..."

I've been developing a penchant for technical, either up or down. The challenge and fun is to extract the flow from the trail, using your skills and experience.

As Buzz said here 12 months ago, its not everyone's cup of tea though.

This weekend I had the joy of the lake district, descending Nethermost pike down to Wythburn via Comb Crags. Simply brilliant.

I love the challenge of steep rocky climbs which take your skills and lungs to the limit, unfortunately there aren't any really techy ones local to us just fitness slogs up slippery hillsides to keep it interesting (still challenging in certain weathers). I've ridden some great climbs in places like the Peaks and Lake District though. No better way to earn your downhill in my opinion.

Nadge-core. Love it. Except the offs, which are hurty.

Hate wide/open fast trails. Love tight/tech slow steep.

It's where it's at for me.

For "fast", "flowy", "jumpy", "wide" insert..."easy" 😛

Not a fan of technical rocky climbs, don't mind a good climb with switchbacks to break it up though. Much prefer technical downs though, although it has taken me a while to get the confidence back on them this year. Can't beat a good fast flows descent every once in a while too.

The technical riding I do has helped for when I'm riding the flowing stuff too, it's all about balance, utilising the technical lines as a route across rather than a route around.
Can't wait to go back to the Lakes again.

You can keep your flowing swoopy berms and groomed jumps. I'll take stuttering rock steps roots drops and awkward jutting rocks that eat side wall please. Off to Patterdale tomorrow where it isn't flowy.

Yep, La Varda was one of the best descents I've ever done.

I enjoy the technical challenge (descending) when I'm riding well, it then flows like any other trail just in a different technical way where you have to position the bike for every single part and to know where and when it will flow out of a particular situation. Just knowing/feeling where to roll/pump/pause/adjust is a very rewarding feeling. Watching some of the guys in rampage threading the eye of a needle then just dropping in is very impressive to watch.

On the ups if fitness is on my side I'll give anything a go.

whilst i find them fun i'm not too bothered about groomed 'flowy' bmx-track style trails like at most trail centres. they tend to be so formulaic you can predict exactly whats coming up 3 or 4 corners ahead. sometimes when at glentress or hamsterley i have a little co-pilot in my head going 'crest to right hand berm to piddly rock garden to easy table top to (insert another IMBA approved trail feature here) etc....', and tbh when i was riding mainly at trail centres a few years ago i felt like i was stuck in a bit of a MTB Groundhog Day

give me off camber rooty rocky trails with steep switchbacks and with zero space for error/guaranteed death any day 😈

Hmph. There is no way whatsoever I could get up Cavedale clean. Chapeau to you sir if you can.

I assumed we were talking about decending it, chapeau for climbing it!

Can't do slow I just topple over below 5-6 mph

Yes I like steep slow technical trails, the challenge of going slow enough to be in control but fast enough to not get stuck and anyway variety is the name of the game.

I enjoy challenging myself to ride slowly, neatly and in total control. It often results in me walking.