[Closed] Trail centres - what are they good for?

I spent the day at the 'faux' trailcentre, Swinley Forest... TBH, it's bloody brilliant. It's like Llandegla witout the climbing 🙂

Intstant reward, instant fun... Awsome 3 hours spent.

what are they for? riding bikes, anyone who wants to diss them as not proper mountain biking is a snob.

Glad you had fun 🙂

Dogging

Keeping the real trails from being too busy? 😉

managed an (accidental) tail whip

really?

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i love trail centres.

Car parks and cake shops aplenty

what are they for? riding bikes

that was my immediate thought on seeing the thread title.

They're good at giving old farts their mojo back. 🙂 Convenient fun for the masses. Great proving ground and a super training aid. +1 for the coffee and cake too.

managed an (accidental) tail whip

really?

OK, maybe not in the BMX sense, but it was a "whip" in the mountain bike sense that the back wheel ended up being stuck out sideways. Much like Danny Hart in the 2011 World downhill champs*

*not much like that either 😆

Absolutely nuthin! Say it again!

Except riding bikes, but that doesn't fit the song.

I'm fortunate to live within half an hour of Glentress and after four years of going, never once have I been bored. Its fun and everyone seems really happy and chilled out.

Ambulance drivers must really love frequenting them too.
As I always see them either there or just leaving.
And when they on on their way there they must be reet proper excited and can't wait to get there as they come flying up the road on the centre markings a lights a flashing.

They must really love mountain biking.

chipontheshoulder - Member

FTFY!

Trail centres? Fun. Plain and simple. Fun days out riding.

The fast, flowy and not very scary trail...
...climbing well...
...descending with flow...
...popping off some of the rollers...
...accidental tail whip of sorts...
...Catching everyone on the ups and downs...

Sounds like a fairly normal ride around Cannock tbh

glad you enjoyed it 🙂

Good for riding in the middle of winter when you want a ride where you can guarantee most of the trails will be rideable and weather proof rather than explore the more natural stuff and get stuck in most of it....

Trail centres are good for -
Terrible weather
Cake
People with poor navigational skills
Orange owners
Confidence building
Pussywillow trolling
Gravel rash
Finding reflectors

Trail centres are bad for -
Finding disguarded inner tubes.
Finding disguarded water bottles energy gel wrappers.
the spread of ash die back disease

Good for riding in the middle of winter when you want a ride where you can guarantee most of the trails will be rideable and weather proof

*cough*

Meeting the opposite sex

So were the more natural trails in the area any more rideable Rocketman? If so it would be some very unforfortunate localised snow 😀

the man-made stuff at Cannock is very, very good.

i've pottered around 'follow the dog' twice with my wife, it takes us about 90mins, but there's only about 5 mins of 'climbing' - the rest is easy*, flowy fun. lots of it is obviously 'up' - but it's interesting, and a nice gradient, so doesn't count.

bloody great!

(*just enough tech to keep my wife busting out the high-fives 🙂 )

I'm sometimes left a bit puzzled by the difference between man made trails and natural trails. The "natural" trails are still man made, just for a different purpose.

Surely it would be more accurate to say "I love riding my high horse along walkers paths".

This could not have been more apparent on Buachaille Etive Beag at the weekend. I was up for a summit camp on Stob Dubh and remember reading about a couple of STWers attempting to ride the ridge and then back down. First thought was "poor sods", since 50% or more would have been unrideable. Then it occurred to me that many MTBers would class riding a munro such as this is "natural" trails, when actually there isn't a single metre of that route which hasn't been created/manufactured by man.

That said, I know where i'd rather be. As much as I love glentress/laggan etc, it's lacking in soul compared to the mountains. But that's got nothing to do with the quality and heritage of the trails.

*What 29er for the steps down from Buachaille Etvie Beag?*:)

So were the more natural trails in the area any more rideable Rocketman?

it's lacking in soul compared to the mountains

I love the mountains, and there's no doubt I'd rather be riding in the Alps or Sierra Nevada than Cannock Chase, but instead I have to make the most of what is on my (relative) doorstep. Yesterday morning it was all about riding the highest proportion of fun trails in a short space of time and that's what trail centres are great for.

I'll save my soulful rides for less windy days 🙂

the other bonus of going to a trail centre is that all the chip on shoulder brigade being miserable and grumpy are plunging through bogs and pushing up hills telling everyone how much better it is.

^ 😆

Trail Centres are the uk ski resorts in a sense (leaving aside Avimore). It's where the sport's zeitgeist exists. I really enjoy TCs, and without them the sport wouldn't be anywhere near as healthy as it is, but I'd take a good natural trail over them most days.

OK, maybe not in the BMX sense, but it was a "whip" in the mountain bike sense that the back wheel ended up being stuck out sideways.

Whips are so 2011, it's all about the scrubs now.

peterfile - Member

I'm sometimes left a bit puzzled by the difference between man made trails and natural trails. The "natural" trails are still man made, just for a different purpose.

Yeah, it's just shorthand for "not purpose built", not ideal but nobody's got a better suggestion I think. Even when it's a sheep trail like some of my local stuff, it's still not natural, we deforested the hills and then we imported sheep onto them.

they're great at keeping the hoards off all the decent natural/bridleway/cheeky stuff

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Have ridden golspie (trail centre) and arkle loop in the north west this week. Totally different types of riding but both amazing. U always work harder on the natural stuff though!

Having ridden BPW for the first time a week ago I have to say its about as perfect a model of what a (UK) trail center should / could be IMO.

You can pedal up the fire roads, you can take the more challenging "Beast of Burden" climb or you can clamber onto the uplift.

Pretty much all of the trails bringing you back down are great, the Blues are just pumpy, swoopy goodness which you can actually pick up a silly amount of speed on, the reds are a good mix of that plus some more techy and bumpy stuff and the Blacks are more challenging still with less grip, more mud and some bigger features, but there are still chicken lines for the scarier stuff.

There's plenty of options and you can stitch the different lines together meaning there's no need to ride the exact same route twice in a day.

You can take whatever bike you fancy from a Full on DH bike to an XC whippet and find something worth riding on it...

I'd say it's an idealized example and not every location in the UK has the terrain or funding to achieve what they have at Gethin...

Swinley is my local and they've done a lot with what they have, again it ticks a number of boxes if your after a day or a half days straight forwards fun riding on trails set out specifically for that purpose, whats not to like?

Like most people the majority of my mileage is still local, on cheeky woodland trails and bridal ways, I'd not be without this sort of riding, but I don't really see why it has to be an an [I]"either / Or"[/I] type decision I think trail centers and Local* riding both form part of a Balanced MTBing diet...

*I'll not call it [I]"Natural"[/I] as that's not an honest description IMO...

U always work harder on the natural stuff though!

I find on my local "natural" Peak District trails, there are always road sections or easy sections that do not reward by putting more effort in. On trail centres the more effort I put in the more I get out of it, which often means I'm out of breath most of the way round - up, down, along.

I've never really understood what makes a path built for walkers "natural" while a path built for bikes is "man made".

I like the variation and the sense of adventure that comes with a good natural loop. They throw up challenges you won't find at TC's. But sometimes I also like being able to just follow the arrows and ride on a fast consistent surface, this also throws up challenges you won't find on natural trails, like lines and carrying speed.

And given the climate we have I don't think its unreasonable to suggest that trail centres are essential to the popularity of mountain biking in the UK

I like the variation and the sense of adventure that comes with a [b][u]good[/u][/b] natural loop

I've highlighted the key word here. The best rides I've ever done have been "natural", but I've had an awful lot of below par "natural" rides too.

I've never really understood what makes a path built for walkers "natural" while a path built for bikes is "man made".

It's just a useful and well-established term to differentiate trails built for feet/hooves that cyclists happen to use versus trails created specifically for riding bikes on.

I've never really understood what makes a path built for walkers "natural" while a path built for bikes is "man made".

I'm sure you do.

Your lucky if you have the option to choose, here we have limited access to 'legal' trails and the ones that are open are limited in length (despite the good work of the HKMBA).

I would love the option of a local bike park to faff around at on occasion.

Plus one for Swinley. 24.5 miles there last Tuesday left my legs feeling like they would after 40+ miles of local trails in the current dryish conditions. A good trail centre encourages you to cane it for a greater percentage of the ride than most natural trails. Sort of like track days that folks take cars and motorbikes on.

I use them as a skill builder, as it's more like the things you find in a race which is what you can't find on a bridleway. Pick the right time of day, and you can often squeeze in a few quick laps without really meeting anyone else.

Sort of like track days

Yes. This

different type of fun altogether...

[chorus] different type of fun[chorus/]

Things I love: my GF can enjoy them, knowing she can probably get a short cut or go round at her own pace, work on her skills on stuff that's there specifically for bikes, there's generally a cafe, I can switch off my navigation brain off, I don't generally have to worry about walkers, horses, all that crap. They are pretty much always in good condition regardless of the weather or time of year, if I make a weekend of it, then I'm genuinely putting money in a local community that wouldn't have it otherwise ( last weekend went to CYB, and must have spent > £100 in local shops pubs and cafes.

Sort of like track days

The only other place I ride apart from Cannock is natural mid-Wales. Even though I know the area quite well, everytime I go it takes me a few rides to adjust and realise I can't cane it everywhere all the time.

By the same token when I get back to Cannock people are passing me in droves 😆

They are predictably fun. This is most important when the condition of non-purpose-built trails is poor

I especially like built corners.

Yep, they definitely have a place. The old bloke geting his confidence back, (that's me that is) to the young dudes making a fun day out, to families, to all sorts of people who wouldn't otherwise be out riding.

I love them to bits if I'm in the right mood, as much as I love plotting something on Garmin and going out and exploring. But, I can't remember the last time I spent more than a few minutes carrying or pushing at a trail centre, whereas I can remember a couple of rides earlier this year where I carried the bloody thing all round Calderdale for half a day in order to [s]ride [/s] falter and stutter my way down about ten minutes of terrifying uebertechy nonsense.

In terms of manmade versus natural, well, I use the term Organic.... still manmade, but with less input for those who buy on looks alone.....

Trail centres - what are they good for?

Getting away from the people who are 'keeping it real' ploughing through bogs whilst wearing neon lycra and stopping to have to odd tommy tank over the idea of a cross bike.

I just like riding bikes tbh. Even the stuff behind Nationwide puts a smile on my face 🙂

Variety

It's all riding bikes innit?

Skate parks, urban, mountains, canal towpaths, beaches, Coed Y Brenin and sheep tracks.

It's all good.

Your lucky if you have the option to choose, here we have limited access to 'legal' trails and the ones that are open are limited in length (despite the good work of the HKMBA).

Had a lovely chat to a couple of lads taking a Santa Cruz Bullit and another bike I can't remember up the mid-levels escalators the other day!

They were bemoaning the lack of trails, but really not sure what action they were going to get up by Conduit Road! 🙂

First ride at a trail centre in 2 years on Saturday and was good fun. Even if not on the usual choice of bike 😉
I like the social riding thing at them, then the solo stuff with your own thoughts on local trails and in the hills 🙂

Some waffle here i tried to explain

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good places to go night-riding when the weather is crap, and you can also ride the 'wrong' way round 🙂

Ambulance drivers must really love frequenting them too.
As I always see them either there or just leaving.

I've never seen an Ambulance driver. 😡

Was turning my back on them until I've started riding Phillips Park with my little boy, they're fun and watching his skills develop on the blue trials has been great. An Indian summer and we may hit 'degla.

I like trail centres. They keep all the dull, unimaginative people off my bridleways.

They're a good way to introduce new riders to cycling on smooth trails. Basically a step up from road riding. They also keep the less experienced riders away from the proper "mountain biking" (yes there is such a thing!) trails.

I was thinking the other day, a few of the more popular trail centres around the country could offer to "sign off" riders who they deem capable enough. something like, completing the balck run with no dabs in under a set time, then fixing a puncture and servicing a set of forks afterwards. After this, they'd be free to go and ride proper mountain bike trails in the knowledge they'd be good enough to handle it if they got into a sticky situation.

they are mainly for audi drivers to drive an hour to get there, take bike off back of said audi, do a killer 4 mile loop, then stop off for a slice of cake, then drive home, only to stop at a country pub to have a quick pint while their bike gets nicked from the bike rack on back of car

Ambulance drivers must really love frequenting them too.
As I always see them either there or just leaving.
I've never seen an Ambulance driver.

See one yesterday at swinley.
One the last time I was there, and three there the time before, when there was also a fire engine in attendance, so there was defiantly a fire engine driver there too.

Mostly Balanced - Member
Plus one for Swinley. 24.5 miles there last Tuesday left my legs feeling like they would after 40+ miles of local trails in the current dryish conditions.

The place certainly makes you pedal a lot while having very little elevation. Especially the classic 'Stickler', flat with berms you have to pedal hard to get the speed to rail round. Not exactly what berms were designed for but anyway 😉 . Just a shame the descents are minimal and the hard pack is so damn bumpy. Riding it on a hard tail is hard work and bone shaking. Hard tail in the Surrey Hills is soft by comparison. A full sus is odd at Swinley as the average full sus seen there is a big All Mountain rig but not set up at all for the small fine cobble like surface. Great for bounding over rocks and roots, but not Swinley 😉 . Still I prefer to take the hard tail to Swinley just to build up my skills, get me out of the seat, and get an arm workout. Pays off on the full sus.

The real purpose of Swinley though is to fund Bracknell Council in parking fees and fines, and keep Frimley hospital staff occupied.

Trail centres are good fun.
Natural trails are good fun.
Playing out on my bike is good fun.

I wish I was street enough to slag off one or the other but I'm not. I'm also not 'hardcore' enough to only have a hardtail, and have never had a Cotic. 😳 😥

Ahhhh I love what trail centres are now and how they have evolved

Llandegla been the ultimate favourite you can't beat it

Cafes and bike shops which make it appealing for me too

My theory is that those who knock trail centres can't actually ride a bike very well. Instead they potter around on muddy bridleways taking in the views and enriching their soul 😉

I am lucky enough to have many woods local too me but mostly flat and squeaky bum moments are few and far between. But I really enjoy riding them and generally will make a day of it spending five or so hours pootleing around them.

Where as swinley is more of a thrill and although is hardly redbull rampage is as safe or scary as you want to make it simply by how much you stay of the brakes.
I don't see this army of mythical Audi drivers.
I see old, young, fat, thin, entire families.
Fives, enduros, hecklers, Carreras and appollos.

In the car park there is every kind of car from audis with roof mounted bling bikes, to battered Renault clios from which three yoots spring and then pull out three bikes in the some of there parts.

I see people padded up stormtrooper style In full face helmets and googles to Lycra clad chaps some as fit as a fleas others as fat as a butcher to yoots in baseball caps t shirts and baggy jeans with the waist band half way between there butt and there knees.

Basically I see people who have woken up and thought they would ride there bike.

bikeind - Member

Llandegla been the ultimate favourite you can't beat it

it's great, apart from the massive, boring climb at the start. Climbing doesn't have to be dull, or even hard work. There's no excuse really when it's both of those things at a purpose-built trail...

ahwiles - Member

it's great, apart from the massive, boring climb at the start...

climbing doesn't have to be dull, or even hard work.

Yeah, but... If you've only got so much budget, it does make sense to spunk it on the descents rather than the climbs. If they'd invested X amount of time and money on the climb there'd be less good stuff going back down.

CFH

They were bemoaning the lack of trails, but really not sure what action they were going to get up by Conduit Road

Maybe going for a little spin up to the Peak, that's what a lot on my HK Island based buddies do to keep fit!
Mind you, I don't mind the odd climb up to the Ngong Ping Buddha either, its all riding and tackling these long steep climbs (though tarmaced) all helps to improve your riding.

I can ride the Peak any day I choose and absolutely love all it has to offer, yet I love trail centres too - Llandegla included.

I don't enjoy riding through flat muddy fields and on road - so I don't!

DanW - Member
Good for riding in the middle of winter when you want a ride where you can guarantee most of the trails will be rideable and weather proof rather than explore the more natural stuff and get stuck in most of it....

You're not trying hard enough....

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Climbing doesn't have to be dull, or even hard work. There's no excuse really when it's both of those things at a purpose-built trail

Lladeglas is neither. It's quite nice views and one of the easiest uphill climbs of all TC's i've visited.