Taking some mates new to biking, looking for a good xc loop and hopefully some more challenging stuff too?

ta

If they’re new to biking, not Stainburn.
Full red at Dalby is long, but you can cut it short.
If it’s trail centre stuff you’re after Gisburn would be better.

For a ‘proper’ XC loop – Dalby red.

Stainburn is great, very short, but full on (ie none of the fire road linkage stuff). There’s stuff on the other side of the road, Norwood, but I would be wanting to do a few loops before I felt like I’d had a good ride. Stainburn ticks all the boxes for challenging though! I prefer it to dalby but wouldn’t recommend it for complete noobs.

thanks, they’re not complete novices, stainburn sounds good plus its an hour closer to me!

Hadn’t thought of Gisburn, will look into that

If it Sunday your talking about then it Dig day up at Stainburn so plenty of regulars to point you in the right direction.

Theres enough riding for 1/2 a day. Just don’t expect to be able to ride everything first time. It’s all loops, so ride each a few times, each time hopefully riding things you missed/ bottled the first time..

http://www.singletraction.co.uk/projects.php?page=Stainburn

Dalby for sure out of the two. I took some noobs there and they loved it. Not sure they would have liked Stainburn it is too short and some bits quite tough.

If Gisburn is not too far that is perfect for noobs with some great blacks.

Let us know what happens!

I’ve got some vids knocking about somewhere…..

here you go

Stainburn:

Black

[video]http://www.vimeo.com/10976671[/video]

Red + Norwood Edge

[video]http://www.vimeo.com/10282487[/video]

Dalby:

[video]http://www.vimeo.com/6923183[/video]

While Stainburn is brilliant I’d recommend Dalby for flexibility with beginners. Either are good though.

I would say Dalby out of the two. Stainburns quite short and repetitive if you hit it multiple times. Dalby will always keep throwing different stuff at you.

Gisburn would be even better though.

Gisburn or Dalby, problem with Stainburn is you have to be of a certain frame of mind, there’s going to be a few in your group who just want to go for a ride and aren’t into scaring themselves, bruising themselves and bashing their darling bike on rocks.

+1 the previous post, as good as Stainburn is when I’ve been feeling a bit off it’s just hard work and I end up getting annoyed with myself for riding like a muppet.

Dalby has a much wider appeal and there’s kind of something for everyone, don’t know Gisburn

I’ve only been to Stainburn twice, and Dalby and Gisburn once but still feel qualified to give my opinion 🙂 – I think that at most trail centres relative beginners can get round the reds, and most of the blacks with a bit of skill, but mainly a blend of fitness, bravado and momentum will see them right.
At Stainburn, they’ll need to have slow speed technical skills, else they”ll end up walking more than riding, and getting a bit frustrated. I think Stainburn’s more about satisfaction and achievment than thrills.
That sounds a bit wooly, doesn’t it. 😕

Better to go to one of the other two for a decent length ride.

In this weather get yourself to the Dales, wealth of routes although not loads of tech stuff. Out of Dalby or Gisburn I’d go for Gisburn.

You’re in Sheffield aren’t you ST? DAlby might be marginally easier to get to as its just about all dual carrageway apart from a couple of small bits on the A64 and the Malton>Pickering road.

I’d say theres little to choose out of the two. From what I’ve seen of Gisburn whilst on a skills course, middle of winter, grim weather, it looked good. But I know Dalby like the back of my hand so I’d plump for that. LOADS of options for cutting the ride short, doing less ‘well known’ bits and stuff. Drop me a mail if you want mate and I’ll point you in the direction of some of the old stuff – much smoother and nicer (IMHO) than the ‘new’ stuff is…)

Dave

Dalby’s good xc but dull. Stainburn’s slightly trickier and more fun, but short.

Sack it and hit the Lakes – big xc with fun and challenging stuff thrown in.

Oh yeh, forgot to add, don’t take newbies to Stainburn. Its mint for a play if you know what you’re doing but otherwise there’ll be a lot of walking/sulking plus theres nowhere to get cake and tea.

You’re in Sheffield aren’t you ST?

…and you’re looking to drive all that way to ride when the Peaks are dry as a bone?

Just wondering, far from me to discourage folk form sampling a varied trail diet.

well we went to Dalby and i’m glad we did, we did the red route which skill wise was good and plenty long enough, maybe too long in hindsight for a couple of the lads esp as it was roasting.

The two lads who’d only had there mountain bikes a fortnight loved it and can’t wait to go out again so i’d call it a success so time to introduce them to some proper peaks riding!