Is Cannock a horror show?

Thinking Sunday, takes me twice as long in the car as on the bike, so if it’s really bad, I won’t bother.

FtD and the monkey are very rarely muddy. It’s been wet so it’ll be slippy with puddles but fine. If you’re going off piste it’ll be mingin.

Cannock is pretty freely draining with sandy till for the most part so I can’t see it being awful regardless of the weather and I’ve not been there for 8 years 🙂

You might see some horrors in Rugeley on the way through.

Its not really muddy on the main trails but the standing water can be pretty bad – particularly on the last few descents of the monkey. Be prepared to get wet!

The standing water will be the biggest issue up there after the rain we’ve had over the last few days. It doesn’t get that muddy up there, but you do get some big puddles (normally in a berm, take off or landing for a jump / drop).

It’ll still be fun though. I was hoping to ride there tomorrow but a dead front brake had stopped that.

Okay, thanks

Was running fine last Friday. A few big puddles on the upper and lower cliff downhills. The few off piste runs I know we’re soft going and a bit squidgy, but not proper muddy.

Haven’t been since Saturday but it was ok for the most part. Lower cliff in particular was brilliant. I’m going tomorrow so I’m happy to report back.

Cheeky bits are soft but not too bad at the moment, fire roads were like riding up and down stream on Sunday 😉
Can’t comment on official trails as I rarely ride them nowadays.

Was there Christmas eve. Fine but lots of puddles. One of which on upper cliff I reckon has been dug out by someone. Dam near went up to my shoulders in it. Only momentum stopped me launching otb.

Be prepared to use most of your brake pads as it’s an abrasive mix that sand & water but it’ll be fine en piste

It’s crap on a good day let alone in the wet trails never drain well braking bumps on all the good bits witch ain’t many lol an its the only place it could of been dry for months yet it still has puddles

I suspect ruffride has never actually been to Cannock.

Or prefers the road. No braking bumps and they really work on the drainage

Cannock rides very well whatever the weather and always come away from it with a massive grin…ignore ruffride

Lol I used to go all the time its just boring now but its close so that’s the only reason I go there’s no real chalanges there even the dh side is run down now all the old stuff was better an the other side you k ow it if you’ve been, each to there own I guess

Cannocks great for most that can afford a 4 k bike but font really know how to use it but when you put it in to of your audi its dirty an you can show your mates the rest just go because its close an we live in a fairly flat area

I think you’re doing it a bit of a disservice there Ruff. There are a volunteer group who work hard to make the most out of the local geography. Do you ever get involved to try and make it better?

It rides fine in the wet, there’s just big puddles. They’ve done a pretty good job given the lack of hills although I prefer the Monkey to the Dog these days. It’s not the be all and end all, but it’s the best of what is close.

And no I don’t drive an Audi.

Lol I’m not saying its total crap but if you know where to go an them bits are much better than the fc bits, I used to help with the dh but don’t ride as much as I used as I have 2 kids now less time to get out its close to me so go if I can’t be arsed to go to far an pines is way to tame only really fun at night. But if you have time after the sun goes down the chase is awesome lots of fun at night dog an monkey you have to try then.

Was Monkey and Dog created entirely from volunteers for free with no grants or outside money? Sorry its pebbletastic. If I lived there I’d take up road riding

I’ve even let my son when he was 3 ride down some sections

Hora you know it’s riding off ride and you may come across things like stones don’t you? I don’t get the bitching they’ve pebbles. I ride there a fair but because it’s 20 mins away and is better than canal paths and have never had an issue with pebbles. I don’t even notice them.

It’s not the best trail centre ever, but there’s not much else round here and Chase Trails do work hard with what they’ve got. And of course there are grants. It’s still takes man power to build the trails and you just seem to dismiss that without thought.

Ruff. Agree about riding at night there. Feels very different to day time.

So ruff ride doesn’t like it cause it’s got a few bumps? We’re talking mountain biking here aren’t we?

Pebbles? Well not the whole way round and they do present a challenge, and no matter how much you ride it they still give you a scare every now and again. But again this is mountain biking isn’t it?

Those who want a billiard smooth surface with F1 levels of grip won’t enjoy it, but then that isn’t mountain biking. I ride a variety of terrain but do ride Cannock more in the winter. It’s good fun, not the most challenging terrain I ride, but still good and convenient fun for a couple of hour blast.

This is similar to skiing. In the chalet you always get a person or group that talk a great game over dinner and boast about only ever skiing the steepest, iciest black runs and slag off the reds and blues and anyone who skis anything else are lacking in the man-department. 9 times out of 10 when you see them on the slope they’re not all that and tip toe down the runs -not what I would recognise or define as skiing. Then at the end of the holiday they’re slagging off the resort for being crap and not as good as some other resort they say they’ve been to and tamed.

Go on, for me it’s all about getting out and having a bit of fun and Cannock is great for that. I also love the more challenging and natural stuff I ride too. It’s nice to mix it up a bit.

Just back from Cannock totally rideable a bit sketchy in places and muddy puddles so you will get wet! Loved it.

I like bumps big ones with lips an a gap chase doesn’t have that type it has Them on burns that don’t drain or sections where you use that bit to get speed for the next bit, its not the worst place but it could be so much better if they built things that test you an step you up abit id help again, they care more for putting bits on the up hills an leave the downs boring now that’s way to Lycra for me you could use a road bike there.

Jesus, is that really your best attempt at writing in English?

I wuv ruffrider, he’s my rootin’ tootin’ hero!

I like bumps big ones

I agree with this.

Hora, our trails have received one significant lump of funding (circa £200k for the Monkey) and a couple of smaller injections but that’s it. The rest is volunteer time with money used by the FC when they have it available.

The real cash used on the trails is a drop in the ocean compared to any of the long term established trail centres who I understand have received seven figure funding streams over the years. We’ve just ended up being victims of our own ‘success’ to end up being considered by many as a UK trail centre.

Ruffride seems cool.

ruffride – Member
it could be so much better if instead of being a tool and putting down the hard work of others, I got off my arse and helped out they built things that test you an step you up a bit

This is why I somtimes don’t put anything on here my typing on a phone is shit oh no please don’t accept this as my cv, I’m not worried sorry for having an opinion just take the audi an the nice bike an keep your big grin when peddling up lol, well the ones who have tried other places to ride are

But you have a dedicated built cafe, bikeshop, parking and facilities. Is the FC having you on? Someones making money somewhere. Are you telling me there were no EU or other development grants? Locals toiling on homebrew trails but with trail centre full facilities?

Sorry…still not getting it.

Indeed Kayak ;o)

Oh well see ya on the chase next time

You should go to Cannock because of the massive chip on some internet idiots shoulder. They really drag the place down and give other locals a bad image. Go along and piss off the knobbers.

Just what the **** is wrong with owning an Audi and a nice bike by the way?

As for the stones, get over it hora. You can’t ride stones it’s as simple as that.

Of anybody finds any trail too easy, as some are saying about Cannock, then you are simply not riding fast enough. I can pootle down a trail with my wife and find it so easy I would be bored. Or I could hammer it down the same trail as fast as my lungs and balls can cope with and find it amazing.

The opposite is also true, if a trail is hard you are obviously pushing your limits. So hora, and others, you should be praising the chase for challenging you rather than moaning about it being hard.

I thought the gov had released 170 (ish) million over the next 2 years for trail building/maintenance?
I seem to remember a figure of 28 million of that earmarked for national parks/forrests, but it was middle of the summer so I’ve been to bed since then 🙂
Don’t matter what, where, how you ride or get there, what’s important is that you ride and enjoy it and are courteous to your fellow riders. Include don’t exclude.
Going to the monkey in 3 hours time is why I’m checking conditions.

Conditions are = chuffin windy!