Glentress – FS or HT?

Off to Glentress for a few days next week 😀 It’s my first visit, so I’m trying to make my mind up whether to take the trusty steel HT (P7), or new(ish)Pace FS.

For info., i’m going up there with the wife (who is a newbie) and I’m just getting over a chest infection, so I’ll mainly be ‘tootling’ on green/blue – with the odd detour onto the red on my own for a bit of ‘mentalism’ 😉 Been using the HT over winter, so am more familiar with its handling. Used the FS the other day and, tho it’s v.good, it just felt a bit ‘squidgy’ in comparison – although more comfortable! I gather some parts of the red route are a bit rough, so I’m wondering if I’d benefit from the FS for riding consecutive days(?) – If there are any Glentress regulars on here, what would you recommend?

For what you describe I’d take the P7. Some parts of the red are rough but most of it is relatively smooth. Easily manageable on a HT.

which ever one jumps better ;o)

seriously! the way everything has been built at GT it favours a short jumpy bike more than a stretched XC bike

I gather some parts of the red route are a bit rough

I don’t know what you are used to but it’s pretty smooth all over IMO. I ride both HT and FS there – both are fine, if I had to take one for a week I’d take the FS though as it lets you play more.

Try Innerleithen if you can also.

the only noticably rough parts at GT are parts of the Black climb from where it splits from the Red up to the shelter and deliverance.

How does the FS let you play more? 😕

i always use the HT. even on red/black there nothing you cant do on a ht. especially if your just cruising then the p7 should be fine.

Take both so she can have a spin as well and save the hire cost. Happy days!

GW is right – for the red/balck you just want something flickable, ht/full sus – it doesnt matter.

but anyway, the OP is on about taking it steady, so IMO the P7 would be a good choice.

can you take both?

How does the FS let you play more?

OP sounds like a bit of a novice (no offence to him) (and you are clearly not a novice) – FS has comfort/safety zone for techie stuff or jumps that he might want to play on. I know my FS has helped me try stuff I wouldn’t have on the HT, and thus brought my riding skills on.

To me, the red is so smooth and fast, that it’s ideal for an XC hardtail. I use either my h/t or f/s depending on which one’s at the front of the bike shed that day…..

I know my FS has helped me try stuff I wouldn’t have on the HT, and thus brought my riding skills on.

Aye, I can see that but I’m surprised it helps on any parts of Glentress? what parts did you have trouble with? (not having a go BTW, actually itrerested)

Just re-read the OP, sound’s like you should take the P7 as A> you’re more familiar with it and B> the green/blue are reletively smooth. and C> you’ll be less likely to lead your missus out of her depth on some of the less biginner bits on the blue.
Ps. she’ll love the Green, it’s really short and none of the climbs are difficult or last any amount of time, it’s very scenic and the swoopy bits are real fun for a beginner – I take my daughter round it quite often. she managed it fine with a wee bit of encouragement from 5yr old.
after the green, if you cut up to the skills loop you can practice a few things there, then head up again taking a short cut to the Blue/Essentials (easy)freeride.
My usual loop with her now is: (starting from the Buzzards car park) Green – skills loop – Blue velvet – Essentials – Electric blue – red/black climb back to the Buzzards.

3/10 as some of you have swallowed the bait ?
otherwise – OP : HT… nowt complex at all at GT, just distance if linking up routes, which you’re not 🙂

Aye, I can see that but I’m surprised it helps on any parts of Glentress? what parts did you have trouble with? (not having a go BTW, actually itrerested)

I wasn’t thinking of GT specifically – jumpy and secret areas perhaps, some black bits.

ooops double post :lukeb:

Take the P7. I use my clockwork round there – its way more fun than the full suss I used to use. There’s nowt challenging on the main routes – a P7 is the perfect kind of bike for GT 🙂

You wanna take the full sus, and make sure you wear plenty of body armour and a Met Parachute helmet, oh and if you haven’t got one then you should go buy yourself an Audi A4 (pref. estate) before rolling up. If you don’t do any of the above you’ll stick out like a sore thumb.

😉 😀

I am interested in this topic. I think what we really need is a thread on which is best, full sus or hardtail.

I got bored riding GT on the full suss, just makes it very uninteresting and dull. So I guess that leaves the P7… IMO.

Both will be fun, It looks like it’ll be nice and dry. Take the full suss and play on the jumps and the skills/freeride bits.

lol @ poppa 😀

Thanks for the replys guys. Given the responses, I think I’ll take the HT. Sadly, I can’t take both ht & fs, as the bike rack will only take 2 bikes and my wife is taking her bike (I bought her a nearly new ‘proper’ womens bike and she much prefers it to hire bikes). Glad it sounds like HT will be fine, ‘cos last weekend I ended up with endless faffing trying to sort out the correct sag on the FS bikes forks (grrrr!) – Seems to be an intermitent sticking problem with them, OK most of the time, but don’t want to risk ’em packing up whilst on hols. (they’re going back to LBS when i get back!)

I can understand the comments re:’safety margin’ on jumpy stuff, but TBH, after a mega stack a couple of years back, and now self employed, I have to stay well within my limits – I can’t afford another injury induced period off work, as I don’t get sick pay 😥 (tho now I’ve got used to riding easier stuff fast, I’m quite enjoying it!)

You don’t go there often/ever so take the full sus.
I’ve been round on a rigid ss and while it was ace and generally able to keep up with most people downhill the rigidness is not something I’d want to do again. Hardtail yes but as I don’t go often and it’s totally different surface to home the full sus goes

Kit, I must correct you on one point.

One must arrive in ones brand new BMW 5 series estate ( or x5) in silver of course.

One must also have a BMW single arm roof mounted bike rack.

These are very easy to identify. If the bike is upright, not wobbling about in a most distressing manner and the front wheel is not at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, its not a genuine BMW approved accessory.

Off to cut up some serfs.

Toodle pipski !

Did a weekend up there, most of GT and the black at Inners on my Chameleon. Fun Fun and more fun.

If the wifes bike is not FS then take the HT – otherwise you will get the “thats because your bike is better than mine” argument…

HT more than capable of doing the Red at GT.
There are some bumpy sections on the red depending on what you are used to – there is a section strewn with 1/2 brick sized rocks and a rooty section – but these are quite short. If you can justify owning two MTBs then you are presumably more skilled/experienced than me and will not even notice these bits like everyone else here.