For people who have ridden both Blacka woods in Sheffield and a trail centre or two, how would you grade the various descents? They are rocky and steep in places and riding up most of them is a b1tch but having no point of reference I don’t know how they compare to the stuff you find in trail centres, Blue, Red or Black?

Here if you don’t know where I’m talking about.
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=53.321337529126254~-1.569901630282402&lvl=15&sty=s&eo=0&where1=Sheffield%2C%20Sheffield

Blackamoor descents aren’t like trail centre descents so its impossible to compare fairly.

Having said that: Personal opinion – I wouldn’t grade them about Red but thats only because they’re narrow and rutted in places otherwise I’d say they were Blue.

This shows how usefull gradings are 🙂
Compared to a trail center they would be black as there are no defined lines and pretty rocky in some sections.
Wouldnt call it a blue and take my Mrs down there on her Hardtail really,
So best bet is call them a Red.

Apart from odd 20 yard sections they are piss easy

I don’t think there’s a grade hard enough to represent the enormous difficulty Colin and Ralph must have getting their huge willies into their trousers in the morning…

Feeling like I should maybe add something useful now…

Compared to a trail centre, the trail across the field, down to the bench would perhaps be ‘hard’ blue – it’s fairly rocky. From there down, maybe blue again, whichever way you head.

The other, more interesting, two (Devil’s Elbow etc), compared to a trail centre – black. They might not be that hard in the grand scheme of things, but they are compared to trail centres.

But then again, I think grading trails is a load of old pants, so who knows.

Wouldnt call it a blue and take my Mrs down there on her Hardtail really

I got a lot of grief for taking the Mrs up one of the easier ones (and she refused to go back down)! She was on her cheapo hardtail though.

I got a lot of grief for taking the Mrs up one of the easier ones

bet you did – lol 😉

Brown – Member

I don’t think there’s a grade hard enough to represent the enormous difficulty Colin and Ralph must have getting their huge willies into their trousers in the morning…

why?

why?

Apart from odd 20 yard sections they are piss easy

so you are going to grade 20 yard sections then?

Depends on conditions,

In the wet they are nightmare to get down quickly, even the upper sections are hard work (am I the only person who repeatedly ends up on the drainage ditch/bar on the inside of the right hander where the path opens up halfway down?).

Some bits are rocky. Including corners, trail centers usualy have nice simple corners and a handfull of rocks on the straights making it all a bit easy.

Some bits are very steep (depending on line/track choice).

I’d say Black on a technical scale especialy in winter, but blue/red because you’re so close to the roads you don’t have the danger of being miles from rescue should the worst happen.

so you are going to grade 20 yard sections then?

Apart from odd 20 yard sections they are piss easy

Yeah, I reckon so when there are several of them back to back… 😉

They do in places like Dalby. With those little two spot, orange/white signposts.

For what it’s worth, the lack of consistency in Blacka moor means it’s impossible to grade the trails overall.

Some is effectively black, some red, some blue.

I’ve just scribbled some colours on a map, and in my mind it seems to come up generally red

That one parrallel to the A625.. the concesionary bridleway is more green/blue Pook.
And I’d agree with Ralph and put 20-40 yards of black on the two from A625.

you’re not going fast enough 😛

I’ve put red as it’s about 6 inches wide and trail centre green/blues are always 6 ft.

come ride with us then pook and we will see who is not fast enough

would all be black at some trail centres, harder / easier at others.

HTH