Going to Gisburn Tuesday with the missus and she has only been riding about a week. She has managed with some techy downhills but is still learning, and lacking confidence on very steep stuff and rocky descents. I’m wondering if it’s worth trying her on the bottom red loop or the blue trail. She’s managed about 5 miles and then was knackered. Any advice?

took the mrs to hamsterley road most of the red had a spill dont push her go steady and if same works for you as did for us she will build confidence and enjoy herself

Blue route is ideal for beginners I would say. Stuff like home baked on the red might be slightly intimidating as its quite tight and rooty.

Is the snake blue? I can’t remember even though I went last Sunday! I think she would manage home baked minus the stair case.

There’s a chicken run round the staircase – just keep right

The rest of home baked is more than rideable for a beginner and should definitely lift her confidence. No point doing the top half though if she’s knacked after 5 miles. The snake, the circle, home baked and swoopy plus the blue should all be rideable

Get her to ride lots of whatever she likes riding best (whether it’s berms or rocks or singletrack) before easing into the stuff she finds more intimidating. Also to build up a bit of stamina – it all seems easier once you’re not struggling for breath all the time.

I say this because nearly three years after starting riding I am still struggling to clean a few things that put the fear into me when I first started – even though I do way harder stuff on sight now.

Oh, also, Ed Oxley does great skills courses – I went on one day course and it moved my riding on massively.

She gets scared if the going gets really steep and over rocks when descending. I must admit the schwalbe rocket rob on her bike aren’t confidence inspiring. She has a good go, her main areas are confidence on rocky/steep descents and gearing on tech climbs. But apart from Hully gully and a few rocky chutes on the deploy, I don’t think gisburn has any massive steep sections on the bortom loop.

I lost my mrs at Gisburn, bit of a result.

Sadly, we found her near the café.

She’s a beginner and was okay on the blue run.

Haha I don’t see my missus enough to not want to see her. She works nights 5 days a week and me early or late shifts at hospital. Hopefully the mountain biking isn’t a fad. Although her bikes better than mine a Cannondale sl5 and I have a Carrera Vulcan.

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