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Is there a ski forum somewhere where people bitch about ski resorts and graded runs being 'unnatural'?
Yes.
There are always people on ski forums looking down their noses at people for skiing on piste.
Nobody ever listens though 🙂
As someone said above trail centres are just part of mountain biking, when I started mountain biking on a DIY job after reading bicycle action over 25 years ago never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would have a choice of over 6 trail centres and bike parks/ uplift venues within an hour and a half.
I still enjoy trail centres but it's nice to mix it all up underground downhill tracks, old school forestry rides such as beddgelert, Xc loops, epic rides hike a bike etc, as well as rides around some back roads looking for new singletrack.
So where do the N Downs fit in then...?
I've stopped bothering going to trail centres since the riding locally is so great (and free!). Can do a massive ride from my front door for free on ace trails with a nice cafe, or spend £100 on petrol, £60 on a hotel etc etc and ride more excellent trails. Or I can ride Swinley/Tunnel/Frith/Minley etc, from my front door, for free.
Got to love the choice these days :). Mountain biking has never been in better shape as a sport. So much choice over where to ride our bikes and that can only be a good thing. Those trail centres have brought tourism and an income to otherwise quite deprived areas. Again, this can only be a good thing.
I can't bear all this car park snobbery business - one day I will be fat and slow. I'll ride my bike once a week. I'll want to have a nice bike to do my one ride on. Can't really see the problem. Everyone's enjoying themselves so who cares?!
GB
.nealglover
There are always people on [s]ski[/s] forums looking down their noses at people
Those trail centres have brought tourism and an income to otherwise quite deprived areas. Again, this can only be a good thing.
+ 1
I'd just like to give my opinion, a view from an outsider. I'm a British expat and I've been living in northwest Spain for very many years. It isn't the sunny dry part of Spain, it's very mountainous, green, rural and wild. I've recently started MTB and the only option here in northwest Spain is the wild countryside. When I say wild, it's really wild, no routes of any sort whatsoever. You just follow paths that the farmers use, that animals use, stuff like that. You never know what sort of places you'll have to cross: a thick forest, rocky paths, overgrown paths, many leading into fields. The maps here aren't very much up to date and the only "biking routes" are made up by fellow cyclists who upload them on the internet to use with one of those expensive gps.
I visit my family in the UK regularly and two weeks ago we hired bikes in Afan forest and Thetford forest and tried MTB in a new way! I must say even though we generally have better weather and more area to do mtb here in Spain, the options in the UK are amazing.
You are very lucky to have both options, and you should make use of them! I thought it was great to have the possibility of riding a trail which has been specifically designed for cyclists, singletrack, one way, where you don't need to worry about walkers and horse riders. You also know how far you're going, how long it may take and you make the most of your time as there are technical parts, descents, uphill, etc.
Also, for someone who is starting or wants to improve their skills it's a great opportunity. I only tried the red trails so I can't really give my opinion on the others and I imagine the trails must get busy when the weather is better, but still, it's a great thing you have!
It's always better to have more options rather than fewer, right?
The best natural rides are better than any trail centre.
The worst natural rides are worse than any trail centre.