Ashton Court! Brizzole

I went out there last night to have a look, its very busy but not really what I like riding as anything that requires suspension has been removed (ie: all the roots and rocks), the doubles and drops were fun in a jumping off very small kerbs way, but my ride to Bath on the cycletrack has more technical bits now.

Lots and lots of people riding it though, and a few of them were even in control, I saw 4 crashes in around 5 minutes, as people couldn’t do the turns?!?! and were moaning about it.

Are there any plans to put big rocks/logs on the corners to stop the straight liners? As I noticed that the corners are being cut already and the edges of the track are breaking away, and the track is going to be stripes of grey and brown when things start to get wet again.

Looks like a perfect green family trail TBH, so people need to keep an eye out for kids on the tracks.

but not really what I like riding as anything that requires suspension has been removed

I think that’s a good thing. From what I’m told, riding it quickly now requires skill, rather than just crashing through and letting a full susser do all the work. It also opens up access to those who can’t afford an expensive bike.

I don’t understand why so many people are moaning about this. So what, it’s a new trail, yes you dont need to be riding FS gnarly everything, but you can use it to train and get better skills as has been mentioned. It is a prime city location and is meant to cater for all. Even if people do call it a blue route, I’ve done good blue routes at Newcastleton and Whinlatter, and IMO if it gets people riding, all the better!

Ahhh, but it’s not technical if there are no dinky roots, or blown-out holes to ride round/over. A flat trail like AC is only technical enough for the trail gods here if there are enough surface imperfections for them to plough through on their mid-range, mid travel full sus bikes, while straight-lining any of those pesky corners some cheeky imps have been trying to maintain.

And surface imperfections are the only measure of technicality worth considering.

What arcitrail have done, is to practically tarmacadam a motorway through the woods, and there is no possibility of these eroding and evolving into much more technically demading interesting trail than the 6 foot wide mess that was there before.

None whatsoever.

ADH, with the amount of corner cutting going on the trail isn’t going to last very long anyway as some of the trails are starting to fall away already.

Big rocks and slippy roots slow people down so they actually try and turn, even if the big roots are on the edge of the trail that would help, at the moment its a grey cyclepath, just without the white line indicating which side people should walk on.

I don’t mind it being a green trail, as its great on my rigid SS however the speed some people are going combined with how easy it is, will lead to some nasty accidents with novices/kids.

Yawn.

I tend to find, even if people corner cut, the berm remains for people who want to ride it properly.

The trails are not finished. The lads know what they’re doing. They’re going to go back, see how people have been riding stuff and adjust if necessary. Normal trail building protocol.

Frankly, the sneering ill-informed criticism is becoming boring.

the trail isn’t going to last very long anyway

They’re going to be there for a while yet and they’re making daily adjustments already. I think the fact they’re opening it as they build it is going to make it evolve over the next months to prevent that.

I think they were initially a bit tetchy about people riding it too soon but if anything, Bikefest convinced them that there’s actually a lot to be learned from letting probably one of the most used trails in the country just get on and be used, allowing tweaks to be made insitu.

Rumor has it they’ve even turned back on the decision to run beggar bush lane uphill and it will no be a descent. They’re listening liek they have done right from the start. We may have a rose tinted view of the old trails but this is going to be great balance of what we need and want from Bristol.

I have to cycle past Ashton Court to get home, it’s getting really hard to resist going in and being late home for the little ones bath time!

Fair enough, if it isn’t finished and they will be going back to sections I will STFU, as if they know what they are doing as ADH says I am sure they will fix the issues that seem to be appearing.

TBH I’m sure some issues will remain, but they’ll be like nothing as compared to before.

popped up to AC at the weekend for the 1st time since the new trails have started to be built, having read the threads about it i wasn’t sure what to expect but tried to be open minded. I rode through 50 acre to start and felt battered by the end – blimey it’s rooty on a ht, then rode the quarry trail/s for a bit – i thought they were excellent, pumpy,jumpy, fast, tech (to ride fast) whilst still being doable for families and beginners – top job folks. Just need Still to re-open for Bristol to reach it’s potential!

What’s LW looking like at the moment is it all still blocked by felled trees?

Bits are, I (and others) are clearing bits when out walking.

Anyone know what’s happening with Still?

Things have gone very quiet with Still – last time I spoke to the uni guys it seemed like a plan was coming together to reinvent it as an amazing riding spot that would also benefit the community, but no news yet. There is a possibility we will be able to get part of Ashton Hill set aside as a dh/gnarly xc area, particularly if a few older responsible types want to get involved.

I have a beard, and can pretend to be responsible.

I don’t have a beard but I am gnarly and ride a SS

Send me an email and I’ll let you know when things start to happen.

I don’t have a beard but I am gnarlyed and ride a SS

FTFY Flashy 😀

to the Bristol trails group email?

I take my defence of architrail back – they’re about to put a patio in 😐

Just got back, it’s “interesting” dry on the Pugsley……..

i think the flow of it is great and soooo much fun.

You’d think we’d lost some sort of MTB mecca when you read some of the criticism regarding the new trails!!! AC and LW are, to me at least, flat but fun trails to get my commuting fix on. The weekends are for going further afield to ride more challenging stuff.

Some people seem to forget that this is public money to be spent getting more people into MTB not soley to appeal to a bunch of narrow minded, stuck in their ways, £”$%s!

The negative comments are soooooo predictable. One things for sure, come winter you’ll be bloody thankful.

Will the haters give up riding AC and LW surfaced trails?…….of course not. They’ll ride them, enjoy them, maybe even smile abit but still slag them off.

My take:

Summer – I miss the old rooty, rocky, Bristol-ness. Bring back the old trails.

Winter – interesting, challenging, bmx-y, not remotely my type of trail, dry, gloop-free trails. Superb.

I’ve had 20 years enjoying the old stuff, I could easily descend into grumpy old man “it was better in my day” nonsense, but overall – it’s new, it’s different, it requires the acquisition of new riding skills, it demonstrates a commitment to mountain biking for Bristol – bring it on.

Ant, am i gnarly and old enough?

The direction change has been formerly announced, finally!

The direction change has been formerly announced, finally!

There is only one direction, my direction.

You mean I’ve been riding it the wrong way all these years……

A sensible call. It is really looking good. Just think small block 8’s all year round……

You mean I’ve been riding it the wrong way all these years……

No pretty much as Archtrail have it, I still prefer the lower quarry trail in reverse, that said I haven’t ridden any of it since the Bikefest.

Did it for the first time since the new build on wednesday. Wasn’t too sure what to expect having read the comments on here, but I really enjoyed it. Yes it’s on the simple side, but it’s nice and fast and flowy and perfect for a post work blast. I think it’ll be appreciated a lot more come winter!

Agree with the people above though, what happens in Still is the bit I’m most interested in.

I was out this morning and it is riding pretty damn well. I even managed the quad set of pump bumps in New Barn wood without almost endoing 🙂

I had a look at the downhill that will be in place to lead from NBW to the bottom and they’ve put in all those rocks from the pic above – it’s certainly not smooth! Would be nice if they could do some of that elsewhere too.

I tried a few runs of all the new stuff and having tried it with fork locked out and not, I reckon I rode it better and faster with the lockout on. I definitly reckon the new trails are better on a hardtail now.

I tried a few runs of all the new stuff and having tried it with fork locked out and not, I reckon I rode it better and faster with the lockout on. I definitly reckon the new trails are better on a hardtail now.

My money (if I had any) would be on a 29er SS rigid now, in fact I may get some carbon rigids for the scandal.

Mike – you know that 29ers can’t go round corners – why would you even try to ride the new trails? 🙄

Mike – you know that 29ers can’t go round corners – why would you even try to ride the new trails?

Eh?

You know – the accepted wisdom that 29ers have wheels bigger than the moon and are impossible to get around corners and don’t work in twisty turny places.

I see, I’m still open minded as I’ve yet to ride one, though I can imagine they will roll well over the new trails.

I was on my 29er this morning 🙂

I still think the 26″ bikes are more fun on most of the new stuff (partly no doubt because it feels like riding a BMX on a BMX track) though the 29er absolutely flies on the more open, flowing stuff towards the end of upper quarry.

I must get up there and give it a blast when I get bored of the road bike, oh hang on I probably won’t notice the difference. 😉

Good call to reverse the direction of the trail. The start won’t be as obvious but it makes much more sense than finishing with a gravel track descent.

Rich, the trails group address is fine. That’s why I have it there.

Ollie, you’re welcome to get involved if your busy roller racing schedule permits.

I’ve ridden it 29er SS rigid (forks locked out) and 140mm FS 26er and although as Clubber mentions the 29er is fast in the more open sections at the end of the quarry it does get tied up a bit in the first section and on New Barn Wood.
I know TooTall has is tongue firmly in his cheek but for a taller rider IMO its not the size of a wheel that makes 29ers more cumbersome in the twisty stuff it’s the longs chainstays and on older bikes (like mine) the front end geometry.
The FS is massive overkill but the geometry suits the new trails better.
I suspect at 26er hardtail will be the fastest or one of the more nimble 29ers like the Yelli Screamy or Paradox that I have my eye on now.
Ultimately though as long as your having fun it doesn’t matter if you are the fastest or best suited bike.

I make my bikes more cumbersome – any bike – doesn’t have to be 29er. Slinging this much pink squidgy stuff around the gaps between trees is hard work in itself – even tho I’m down to a svelte 240lbs these days.