Chatel- people who have ridden there

At 21 seconds how would you know to avoid this?!

I can’t see any little red flags or warning signs?

I’d die if I accidently hit that 🙁

The answer is if you don’t know its there you may not avoid it. This year for the first time they have a small doubles jump sign but no indication of the size. It is also on a blue run marked as easy. While I was there last week the emergency services were lifting someone out of the stream.

Its fairly obvious on the run in that there is a gap jump as the run in is higher up than the jump, you would have plenty time to pull up before the jump.

Eh? You can see it from miles off. And if you were to be coming down at that speed there’s a good chance you’ve ridden the track before

Alternatively, just take the line to the right of course

It may be pretty obvious to an experienced rider but its meant to be an easy run suitable for people without much experience.

It’s pretty bloody obvious it’s there, thats how you know to avoid it!

If you’re not going fast enough to hit it, you have plenty of time to brake on the run in. Hell, even at more than enough speed to hit it I had time to enough time to stop on a couple of sighting runs in.

If you don’t know the trail, it’s simple, don’t ride it flat out, blind. Have a couple of cruiser runs. Then go back & get some balls, and hit the gap 😉

I’ve ridden that plenty of times and not accidently ridden the gap, you can also see it from the chairlift as you go up the hill…

Why would you need warning signs?

f you don’t know the trail, it’s simple, don’t ride it flat out, blind. Have a couple of cruiser runs.

This. I’m also pretty sure (I think I’ve ridden the trail in question) that it actually naturally flows down to the right, on the chicken run – you have to “opt in” to the gap.

Also, if you’re in Chatel, make sure you do the green Panoramic run from the Avoriaz side. It’s ace.

It may be pretty obvious to an experienced rider but its meant to be an easy run suitable for people without much experience.

True, an inexperienced rider would never notice a big hole in the ground 😉

Yep, saw a guy being taken out of the stream gap last week too – chairlift stopped right over it, not really required.

Goes to show that trails out there aren’t graded up like over here and you need to take it easy down your first runs in places like Chatel so you know the lay of the land. Same with the northshore trails coming off the blues too.

Well I guess I could always wear a cape and that way before I get carted off the hill people will remark ‘did you see that Superhero fella as he parted from his bike in the air’?

Oooft. Nicely done tho.
Looks like it requires balls tho!

The video doesn’t show how obvious that is, I’m a blind cumbersome moron and I spotted it first time..

It’s funny how video always makes things look much smaller than they actually are. I thought ‘no problem, i’d clear that’ when in reality I’d have brown shorts the first time I tried it.

It’s funny how video always makes things look much smaller than they actually are. I thought ‘no problem, i’d clear that’

Nope sat here and thought 😯

its 1000x easier than anyone thinks it just looks impressive – pump in, dont jump anything do 4 pedal strokes and you’ll be on tother side with no more than an inch or 2 used on your forks / backend.

Also done it in the wet with a spike on the front that was fully clogged no worries.

back to your original question hora… if your riding blind – ride within your ability.

I noticed it because there were a load of people stood around sizing it up or watching others hit it
it’s a big ol’ gap with a large dose of pain dished out for failure

back to your original question hora… if your riding blind – ride within your ability.

So thats me walking down it 8)

If its any consolation I washed out on the bridge on the right hand side chicken run in the wet in July…

you’d have a large dose of pain dished out if you fell of a breaking bump at speed down the side of the hill.. everything is relative – you guys should look on the positive side of life, it’ll make riding easier

I need bigger forks. **** hard finding any.

You don’t really. I watched a guy hit it on a hardtail. It was at that point I decided to stop being a pussy and hit it too.

As alexxx said, it’s so much easier than it looks, it purely about hitting it fast enough. The lander is massive too, so you can go in hot to compensate. One of those jumps where you don’t appear to do anything on the bike, it just happens.

The ones at the bottom of the slopestyle track are bit of a different story however.

There’s a wee sign for that particular jump, I rode it last year. (The chicken run I mean, I rode the chicken run)

you mean the steep wooden booters mr hobnob? thats 24″ territory not big bike surely! I’m never hitting those gits!

what bike you on hora? 36s would be fine or some 2nd hand boxxer races if your bike wont snap around them 😀

Best way i’ve found with doubles is to follow someone in to find out how fast to go. The go a tad faster and stay loose 😀

/I didn’t think about Boxxers. The bike would ‘love them. Where do I find a decent cheap resellable set?

I’m guessing its very similar to set them up- unless you need an integretated stem?

(09/10 Specialized SX trail)

yeah get a set with or without a stem depends on steerer tube length – you want 2010 ones ideally with a heavy spring if your over 14 stone

When you coming out I might sell mine for £320 (which you’d get back for in england easy)

I’ve got my eyes on some brand spanking fit 40s! 😀

If not get some in the UK 2009 32mm boxxer teams are also good and cheap (ride just as well but bend fairly easy with weight behind them on a crash)

perfect for the sx out here mate!

oh and on here on southerndownhill or pinkbike- you want them to have clean stantions, a none rounded axle and regularly serviced.

My mate hit that by accident – he was trying to overtake another mate and wasn’t paying enough attention. Landed it but nearly soiled himself.

that run is a bit of a one hit wonder compared to some of it’s neighbours, I don’t think we hit it once.