Any opinions on Dalby folks?

Looking for somewhere new for a 2 day stop over and never been there before.

Dalby is a long slog for not much reward

If you’re on a hardtail and reasonably fit and its not too wet then it could be fun

We did it at the weekend – it was wet, snowy and cold and some of the red was closed near the end, so we had a 3 mile slog around firetrack. Up til then it was ok…

One chain went, as did about 5 sets of pads…the sand will eat your pads and I’ve never been there when someone’s chain didn’t snap.

But if you’re in the area and have time to spare (its 3hrs minimum if you’re fast – we took 5 including mechanicals) then do it. Better to regret doing it than regret not doing it, as they say

Dalby Forest or somewhere else?

Somewhere else, why?

Dalby is a long slog for not much reward

It’s the dullest trail, i’ve ever ridden.

Dull drudgery in some of the most destructive gloop I’ve ever had the misfortune to slog through. You can hear the gritty sludge eating your components at every turn of the pedals.

This was about five years ago so not sure if it’s been improved. I’m unlikely to return.

Did it a couple of weeks ago, bland slightly uphill gradient seemingly for the whole trail, a few short descents but nowhere near enough to justify the endless slogging along needed. The cobblestone like surface everywhere saps your speed and motivation even on the flat and slightly downhill bits, and only serves to wear your soul down to breaking point.

And as said, gritty sandy gloop then dries rock hard on your bike if not shifted straight away, mine had set like cement and took me half an hour of chipping bits off that my pressure washer wouldn’t shift as a penalty for not washing my bike quick enough.

Long and dull i wont bother going back

Great fun trail and a decent length. Attack it, keep your speed up on the rolling uppy downy bits and it’s brilliant. Spin round in an easy gear and it’s not so much fun.

I think some of the most fun sections aren’t necessarily downhill.

I hate it personally – I normally say that any time out on a bike is time well spent, but for Dalby I’m willing to make an exception.

Plenty of people seem to like it though, so don’t take my word for it.

dalby, in summer when you are feeling fit, is awesome.

It’s a good workout. If you like free speed, it won’t appeal but if you like your trails to be more XC and like to get your legs burning then you will have a good time.

If you have the time, get an OS map and venture out on the Moors and back 🙂
There are quite a few good loops you can put together.

As above, its good. Its obviously not got the descents of Glentress and CyB etc but look – where are the hills you’d need for that?

3hrs minimum if you’re fast? No, 2 reasonably comfortably.

Trails don’t make chains snap. Inadequate maintenance/fitting do.

Snowy, cold and wet – did that cloud your judgement at all? Plus the fact that where is good when its like that? Apart from home in front of the fire?

As Wayne (is that you?) says, its best attacked. Batter the hell out of your bike and the trail and it’ll reward you. Its certainly not a Glentress type place where each climb is a winch up followed by a sweet downhill – it is more an entirely contouring trail. I do admit, if you’re just trudging around wanting it to end then you’re going to have no fun at all. Going at it all flat out, even the climbs and having a rest on the fire-roads is the way to go IMHO.

Plus then theres the cheeky/secret/old bits if you know where to look 😉

i’ve ridden both dalby and gisburn for the first time recently in approx the same conditions. Gisburn is much more fun, i didn’t like Dalby that much, but it depends on how you like to ride. I prefer to bimble around chatting to my mate(s) about how fun that last bit was rather than try to fly round as fast as possible.

where are the hills you’d need for that?

They’re there, they’re just pointing in the wrong direction.

If you like slogging the miles out and your kicks come from lap times, then Dalby may be for you. Otherwise….