Toying with popping to Flyup 417 on Friday this week but ride up (as I need the fitness for an upcoming biking weekend – but where we’re also doing an uplift so want some practice on multiple  DH runs).

Has anyone done the ride up there recently? If so is it ok? Pots from 2 years ago suggest it was a muddy slog fest by given its been baking hot for weeks I’m hoping maybe it’s ok now?

6 weeks ago it was perfectly dry and fine – I imagine now it’s a dust fest! You’ll be fine! We had a top day there – did that climb 6 times that day, and enjoyed it as much as the downs! Chasing ebikes is fun – only beaten by 30 secs

I haven’t been for at least 6 months but in the dry (or even when damp) it’s been do-able on my G160S (no Eagle only 11-speed).

Blowing out my arse when I got to the top each time but was able to alternate 1 ride-up with an uplift for a morning.

Sounds great – I’ll be either on a Bird Aeris 145 lt with 11 speed /10-42 – 30t chainring) or a Kona Caldera hardtail with 34t chainring 11/42 cassette.

Depends if I can sort out new valve cores for the Aeris before Friday as they’re all gunned up with sealant.

Officially there isn’t a ride-up but push-up….

Saturday it was dry and dusty …

They opened the new red which is really nice but still bedding in.(the weather can’t be helping).. I’d lean towards the Aeris for the new red at the moment.  A couple of places you can land in loose 6″ rocks (literally covering the side of the trail) and just have to tough it out (or go over a berm like I did) If you send the biggest end of the drop off though you land clean…

I usually take my HT down the older red but I’d probably not take it down the new one until it beds in… (its got tubes anyway and they’d last less than a single run)

Much as I love 417 .. if you want some ride-ups why not go to Cannop?  There is no shade on the 417  push-up… TBH we usually ride up at lunch but the sun was just vicious … and it felt that by the time we did get up we would be so drenched …

Was equally dry Sunday but at least the ride-up is under the trees… and you also have a few variations and then can just do PAYG on uplift???

I went to the FOD a week before the holiday I’ve just been on – the drive to cheltenham is easier and I’ve not been to Flyup for a couple of years. I don’t enjoybhe DH runs at FOD that much if I’m honest – I prefer wider / open / fast trails like the blues and reds at BPW more than the rooty natural kind of trails I’ve mostly ridden at FOD. Although there are literally loads of thingngs I haven’t done at FOD – I definitely need to do more exploring there!

I’ve got some spare presets tubeless valves that came with the my road bike that I’m not using – I should be able to pinch those and pop them on the Aeris for Friday.

The ground is bone dry around Cheltenham and at the 417 project some of the FOD D/H runs are wrecked now what you need to do is get over to the Dowies/Ellwood some really great trails over there with jumps and lovely berms but not hammered with loads of braking bumps.

Dowies , shutcastle or mallards pike – plenty of trails all running fast with just as much climbing for your fitness training .

If I knew where I was going I’d consider it at FOD but I don’t and I’ll have limited time to explore. Marked trails will do the job for about 3 hours for riding. 417 should have rocks / drop offs / doubles etc all in an easy to navigate area

It’s easy riding up, the uplift van still leaves you with the biggest hill anyway. We stopped off on the way to a FOD  & Mallards Pike weekend a while back. Did 10 pedal ups in a few hours, nice way to break the journey.

Yeah that little climb is a stinger after the van drops you off – my mate was moaning bitterly about that last time we went!

^ I rode up more times than some people could manage the bus. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Good work picton!

I think I’ll have 2 or 3 hours there to go up and down  – how long approximately does the climb take? Assuming 2 or max 3 minutes for a run down. 20 – 25 mins up?

It’s about 13 mins taking it nice and easy in the heat.

I’d allow myself a couple more minutes than pictonroad.  It isn’t a massive hill to get up and when I was there last year the push (ride you lazy bastards 🙂  ) up was pretty sound.  I think you’ll have a fun few hours

If its busy (i.e. weekend) then the speed you can get up is limited by the people pushing… don’t use the road!!!

I usually take two bikes (well 4 when you include Jnr) because I pay for the uplift and that also gives me DJ and such as well… (Its £33 and gives you everything) … So I then mix n match a bit and use the DJ (isn) HT on the trails as well… (usually until its gets a puncture) then swap bikes over .. if the puncture is before lunch then fix it at lunch time …

If you don’t pay for uplift then adding these up gets less attractive ££…

If my wrist is OK (currently looking good) I’ll probably be at 417 either Sat or Sunday.. (or both)

If I allow 20 mins ish for getting uonthen thatbshould hopefully be alright. It’s a Friday so should be less busy than sat / sun I guess.

Got my Aeris Presta valves sorted so will probably take hat bike as that’s what I’m taking on my trip at the start of August.

After Flyup the Yaris are coming off the Aeris to have a go at installing a charger 2 damper and a 2019 airshaft, as well as a lowers refresh of oil / grease / seals.

I haven’t checked how long he pushbup is, but we did 6 runs in about 3 hours ish so not too bad. Proper knackered by the end of that though!

The push up is steep to try and cycle up – I got about halfway up 3 times but then mostly pushed the rest of it. Just chatted on the push up.

Need to go back for a full uplift day – it’s a great place to practice jumping on all the little doubles and bigger tabletops.