[Closed] Is Cannock a horror show?

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 [s]instead of being a tool and putting down the hard work of others, I got off my arse and helped out[/s] 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!

Curry last night Rd?

Yes indeed very windy, but on the chase you are pretty sheltered from the worst, even most, of the wind on the way round. Strongly suggest you avoid Brocton coppice if you are going off piste due to the danger from wind damage there especially. Otherwise it was riding well. Enjoy and have a safe journey.

More to the Chase than Birches Valley & Marquis Drive.
There are other car parks you can strut around you know. 😀

But you have a dedicated built cafe, bikeshop, parking and facilities

The cafes & facilities were all there before FTD or MT trails...

There are other car parks you can strut around you know

First layby on Bednall Belt is current cottaging favorite. Just walk into the trees for 'Big Hairy Bear' fun. Hora- no pebbles on those bits, plenty of 'Newtons Cradles' though.

WATS UR FAVE CARP ARK M8??

Shoal Hill, back in the day.

I like Cannock and think they've done well with the elevation they have. H8rz are always gonna h8

Going today.
My favourite weather, nice grippy frozen mud.

Should be good today. I love it when it's frozen, it's nice and fast.

I went on Friday and it wasn't too bad...although because my Rune was out of action, I attempted it on my XS BFe jump bike which was bloody hard work.

Fantastic ride today, perfect conditions, not frozen but very grippy, much more so than when bone dry.
Hardly any puddles, or standing water, not even much mud.
Finished up clean enough to drive home without changing first.
The only problem was the low sun, made it either really bright or very shadowy.
Can't really blame the FC for that.

Erm.... I think Cannock is quite good fun. I seem to be out of step.

Iache and wobbliscott +1. FTD and the Monkey are great. Chase Trails have done excellent work with the funding, manpower and terrain available. I love natural more but Cannock is convenient and enjoyable. The black XC sections are particularly good and more 'black' than the majority of English or Welsh black XC options. If you want more DH challenge, Stile Cop is easy to locate and great fun.

I can't believe you are complaining about stones Hora - it is off-road! Next you will say the South Downs are crap because the chalk is slippy in the wet!

Paperjohn+1 too!

How dare you Sir, Chalk is not sloppy in the wet, it's teflon death! 😀

I meant - slippy! Ninja edit on way!

Cannock was windy and wet, but great fun even so, hope the guy who face planted in front of me is OK and the girl who binned it on the rock garden descent is OK?

Always happy to step into a Cannock thread and defend it to the hilt. It's great. Would I travel 3 hours to get there if somewhere like the Lake District was also 3 hours away? Probably not, but I'm than happy to put in a 2 hour round trip in the car for a quick blast of the Monkey Trail. Deffo more fun if ridden fast.

I still don't get what the problem is with these mythical pebbles. We are talking about the same Cannock, right? 😕

When bone dry in the summer, the loose pebbles are a pain, but yesterday it was perfect.

I rode yesterday and the day before.

The only trail sections I did were the first section of the Dog and the descent to the railway crossing.

The man made trails are good fun but there is so much more to Cannock but I'm not saying where it is, you just need to go off the beaten track and explore!

I think the FC has done an amazing job on the chase, my only gripe is some of the people who ride there.
I often take groups of 4 or 5 new riders there who are trying proper riding for the first time. Quite often large groups of riders will rudely overtake on the ups without so much as a good morning, we then inevitably catch them as they stop right in the middle of the trail before any slightest bit of downhill and fettle with their 4k bikes, adjust sispension settings, switch on their go pros and have a chat about how gnar they are.
I tend to pull in behind them and wait for them to zoom of so we can avoid the repetition of this for the whole day. They can see we are waiting on them, they wave you through only for the same thing to happen again 5 mins later. Just ride the bike FFS

I can empathise with that Rab.

I travel about a 1.5 hour round trip to get to Cannock and that is fine. Is it my absolute favourite place to ride - no it isn't, but it is a great place to ride in all weathers and offers a good solid ride. The off-piste stuff can be brilliant - I ride that as often as I ride the manmade stuff there in the dry.

I still don't get why people have a problem with the stones in any weather. If you can't ride a pebbly trail - you may as well give up IMHO. Cannock is largely sandy soil with pebbles - live with it or ride somewhere else.

Rab - I agree, there do appear to be so e grumpy so and so's up there. Is you hi to some people they look at you like you've just sworn at them! Most people seem ok though.

The groups can be frustrating both ways; those that will not get out of the way for faster riders and those fast groups who seem to like catching people up. I do my best to be courteous both ways.

As I've said before, I genuinely don't really notice the pebbles. The off piste stuff that I know about is great but can get a bit grim in the winter.

I'm staying with family in Sheffield and was planning to ride up here in the morning but the weather is rank and am actually thinking that I may leave earlier tomorrow so I can ride the chase instead. The horror!

I love riding at cannock. I'm fairly new to the whole trail centre thing, I've only ridden cannock and kirroughtree, and I didnt think kirroughtree had much over cannock in anything other than length. I think the black at cannock is harder (other than mcmoab) and more intimidating than Kirri as well.

They've done a great job with the terrain they've got. Luckily I can ride cannock from my door, so I don't get my audi dirty in the car park.

Cannock is great and I always enjoy it. Yes there are braking bumps and too much stones, but if you want an all weather trail, thats the price you pay.

i dont ride the off piste stuff in the winter as it just trashes the trails.

fallsoffalot - Member
i dont ride the off piste stuff in the winter as it just trashes the trails.

Same here - happy to ride if frosty or on top of snow as well though...