For everyone in favour of keeping the ONLY rocky trail in the south east of Britain – here’s an online petition.

It’s easy to use, just click the link.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keep-the-olympic-mountain-bike-course/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

In case anybody doubts that the intention is to dismantle the course; here is the email I received from Essex County Council.

This is the definitive answer and the course WILL BE SANITIZED UNLESS THEY CAN BE MADE TO SEE SENSE.

“We are committed to retaining as much of the Olympic course as possible but adaptations will have to be made to allow beginner and novice riders to use the course safely.

There will be various works to make it suitable for public access and these works will not begin until 2013.

ECC are planning to provide opportunities for experienced riders of a suitable standard who are interested in riding the course the chance to join guided rides before the adaptations are completed.

For experienced mountain bikers who have completed “black” grade trails at other UK trail centres or others with appropriate coaching or skills qualifications who are interested they should email london2012@essex.gov.uk providing details of their experience level and weather they are interested as a) a Group or b) an individual.”

I’m sure most people on here will find this ludicrously patronizing and consider that it shows a complete mis-understanding of our sport.

I think the root of the problem is that the general public in this part of the country don’t understand anything about mountain biking or its popularity. This comment in the Essex Echo illustrates my point:

“Give it a couple of months and this ‘track’ will be just another mothballed facility.” As if!

As well as signing the petition you can email ECC

contact@essex.gov.uk

and/or write your comments on

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9872180.Don___t_mess_up_Hadleigh___s_Olympic_bike_track

ps I live in Yorkshire so this doesn’t affect me personally – just want mountain biking to be the winner!

Haven’t they already said that the “adaptations” will be to add some alternative routes around the harder stuff, rather than to remove the harder stuff ?

“Haven’t they already said that the “adaptations” will be to add some alternative routes around the harder stuff, rather than to remove the harder stuff?”

I received the email yesterday from the Essex County Council London 2012 Committee, who are responsible for the trail.

It’s absolutely clear that they intend to remove the technical sections next year. Until then, you can apply to be taken on a guided tour of the circuit – if you can prove that you’ve got enough experience.

My point is that ECC don’t understand that the trail can easily be ridden by many people, as are the popular and challenging trails in other parts of the country.

The petition asks that the technical sections are left intact and that alternative routes are added for the less experienced. It also recommends that the standard grading system is used to warn riders where necessary.

Remember that apart from anything else – the trail is hallowed ground!

Please sign this to keep the hallowed trail!

So I signed the petition…
When do we get ride the course?

Well I reckon it’s gonna need a LOT of signatures to even get ECC to come to the table so email anyone you know who might be interested.

Until then, just click the London 2012 link and convince them you’ve got enough experience to have a go at it under the watchful eye of an instructor.

Please can everybody signing the petition also leave a message on this thread to keep it where people will see it – thanks!

I can see ECCs point to a certain extent. The track will enevitably attract ‘novice’ and beginner riders due to the olympic connection, but has any one put an alternative proposal to them

i.e. rather than just sanitising the course spend the money adding ‘blue graded’ lines arround the harder stuff and clear signage to aid users in making their own risk assessments….

I’ll sign but I don’t know that it’ll sway them… might be worth flagging it up to Sir Seb now he’s landed the job of managing 2012 Legacy… To me thos seems like a legacy issue…

I really want to ride it!

I’ll be heartbroken if I don’t get a chance to ride the trail. I’ve no qualifications, but I did survive the black run at Fort Bill once… does that count for their ‘guided tours’? What are they gonna do “Don’t ride this, it’s tricky..” So’s a 3 inch bunnyhop over a root if you can’t hop right. Gonna stop me doing that too in case I bruise my delicate ego?

I received the email yesterday from the Essex County Council London 2012 Committee, who are responsible for the trail.

It’s absolutely clear that they intend to remove the technical sections next year. Until then, you can apply to be taken on a guided tour of the circuit – if you can prove that you’ve got enough experience.

That is so sad . . . I’m very unlikely to ever get over there to ride it but I’d hate to see it destroyed 😥 . . . legacy? What legacy? As cookeaa suggests, surely chicken runs, disclaimer notices, etc, would be a better option and also provide inspiration to improve (this time chicken run . . . next time black run 😛 )

They need to add a decent grading system with a variety of runs on the technical bits. I have an idea, why not call the really hard bts a black run, then put a red run and blue run in of the less experienced riders. Do you think it will catch on?

I would love to ride it as it is, but having seen it and witnessed the pro’s crashing on it first hand, I can see why they want to sanitise it. If it were left as it was I can see a steady procession of ambulances and air ambulances going too and fro, and it wouldn’t be too long before someone tried to sue.
The track itsef is easily rideable but get it slightly wrong and there are some big hard rocks only just off line that would do serious damage.

[In answer to your points, Kevin [how the hell do you use the quotes button on here?]

Yes, the pros crashed on it but:

1) they were going all out in an Olympic race and

2) there are multiple pile-ups in road racing and serious injuries but that doesn’t mean the roads are closed to cyclists.

There are plenty of popular, purpose built trails in other parts of the country that are considerably more technical and potentially dangerous than Hadleigh Farm and the Forestry Commission etc aren’t liable for injuries sustained on them.

A quick word about the possibility of extra strain being put on the emergency services: I think if there’s a debate to be had about this, then it’s far wider than just our sport.

The position at the moment is that we’re lucky to live in a country where we pay for and get an emergency medical service no matter how we injure ourselves. And placing restrictions on peoples’ healthy (if not risk-free) pastimes would be a dangerous road to go down.

I can see why they want to sanitise it.

Indeed. Sadly, some drunken soul with a BSO will roll out of a nearby pub and say, “I can race that there ‘limpic mountain bike track, you just watch me right…” and then end up hospitalised. Weekly.

CYB, Mach, NYA, The Stanes, etc – These are all locations that draw thousands, but they’re mainly in the arse end of nowhere and only known to those who know. The Olympic course will be a honey trap to all manner of people who don’t know, and who can’t ride.

My instant fix? Sanitise it. Then, over the bigger stuff, put some big old fences and coded gates (Like those at Go Ape, if you’ve been) and only allow those who have signed the disclaimer and paid an entry fee to ride the bigger stuff. That way, you make a lovely place for families to ride, and also provide teh gnarage for those that need it.

Yes, the pros crashed on it but:

1) they were going all out in an Olympic race

And the point is, what is there at the moment is an Olympic race course. Not a trail centre. It’s an exhibition ground for the best XC MTBers in the world.

Try and ride that course like a trails centre and you’ll find two things:
1) parts of it are deadly dull (the few flat/undulating bits of gravel/grass tracks) and/or too hard (steep climbs)
2) parts of it are stupidly technical

Trust me, it’s a crap course to “just ride”. It’s a brilliant course to “race” but again, trust me on this, there aren’t many people who are good enough to race that full course. Bottom line is, the whole place needs taking to bits and rebuilding as a trail centre with the necessary facilities like cafe, bike hire, toilets, parking etc.

They’re doing the same with the BMX track next to the velodrome, knocking the whole thing down and rebuilding it into something that is a genuine legacy, that everyone can ride and can learn on.

Hi Crazy Legs, [please somebody tell me how to use these darn quotes]

please forgive me if this sounds like I’m dismissing your experience, I’m not.

What I’m saying is that the course is not ‘stupidly technical’, it’s well within the capabilities of many mountain bikers. Trail centres such as Dalbeattie, Kirroughtree, Stainburn Moor and Gisburn Forest – not to mention popular areas that are not official trail centres like Wharncliffe Woods and Lee Quarry have far more challenging sections.

And what all those areas have in common is that they are in northern Britain.

Pleasant to ride though the woods and hills of southern England might be – and challenging though some of the purpose built trails can be – Hadleigh Farm provides the ONLY taste of rocky terrain for hundreds of miles and is close to millions of people. And for anyone not lucky enough to have experienced the trails of the north and west, I’m sure they’ll find it anything but dull.

Have a look at the petition – you’ll see that it recommends the addition of easier routes but keeping the technical stuff too.

Peace

please somebody tell me how to use these darn quotes

How are you managing to do it wrong?!

People will want to blast around, and see how fast they can do it, as mostly it’s pretty tame so not really like the mtb trail centres which have a lot more going on. Hard to see people coming from far away if that’s all that’s on offer santized or not.

Trust me, it’s a crap course to “just ride”. It’s a brilliant course to “race” but again, trust me on this, there aren’t many people who are good enough to race that full course. Bottom line is, the whole place needs taking to bits and rebuilding as a trail centre with the necessary facilities like cafe, bike hire, toilets, parking etc.

They’re doing the same with the BMX track next to the velodrome, knocking the whole thing down and rebuilding it into something that is a genuine legacy, that everyone can ride and can learn on.

I see what your saying, fair enough we need to have facilities that welcome and encourage new entrants to sports we don’t want to put them off..

But Surely part of this whole “Olympic Legacy should also be that having just payed as a nation to build some Olympic/World class sporting facilities, our current and future athletes benefit by having these still available to compete and practice on as preparation for greater Olympic and international competitive performances…

And of course those of us who you might call “enthusiasts” or existing keen Grass roots participants get to try out such top class facilities for ourselves, and see what all the fuss is about, and build some appreciation of top XC riders fitness and skill…
We might not ride it at proper race pace but I bet you a fair few people want to have a crack and see just where they figure overall on relative pace over that course, dare I say it I can see the Stravaratti going nuts over an Olympic course KOM, well for a couple of weeks anyway…

Following this logic if the MTB and BMX courses are to be sanitised then maybe the Velodrome should be remodeled those bends look a bit daunting and steep to me, perhaps best to just flatten them out a shade?

I’d much rather the money spent tearing down and re-building half the 2012 venues considered too challenging for mere mortals, was spent building fresh new courses/facilities for beginners around the UK…

To my mind part of the 2012legacy needs to be a change to UK culture and investment in sport that leads to better performances in Rio and beyond…

I think.it,s going to be the case to for them to lay the law down and sanatise cycle centres if you don,t like it, build your own or ride cheekily like so many of us do already.
Also take a chillpill and let what,ll be, BE!

Perhaps it’s worth putting together an STW group application to ECC for permission to ride the Olympic course then, before its gone…

Only thing is will they accept “Self certification” of my ability to ride a “Black” graded line? As generally they don’t actually hand out certificates IME…

Indeed. Sadly, some drunken soul with a BSO will roll out of a nearby pub and say, “I can race that there ‘limpic mountain bike track, you just watch me right…” and then end up hospitalised. Weekly.

This can only be a good thing 🙂

The course is 4.7km long with 172m of elevation change each lap. Each race will begin with one start loop of 441m.

Is that enough of a ride to remain an attraction after people have ridden it once just to say that they did? I don’t think so.

My guess is that even if the course is left completely intact, that it won’t get used much after the first year or two. As Crazylegs says, its a race course that was built for a single event (at the highest level of competition) with TV and spectator viewing as a prime consideration. “Fun to ride” was not a factor in its design, and it probably will not appeal to most recreational riders in the long term.

I’d love to ride it once just to say that I did. I think that a lot of people feel the same way. But that curiosity will die down quickly once people either check the box with a ride or their focus moves on to something else.

Take some cues from other places that have had this sort of track.
What is in place at the WC track at Ft William? I rode them a while back and it was a good trail to have a go at.
Mt Stromlo Canberra Oz Has kept the trails but added round them.

Use it as a centrepiece of the trail network. Build things that compliment it as a trail and allow others to progress to that level.
Add pump tracks, skills parks, DJ sets and you might just make it a good all round facility for Mountain Bikers – sounds like the sort of legacy we need in the SE.
There is nothing that says you need to have fixed loops, trails that you can mix and match and repeat can be great fun and a good challenge.

FWIW there is also a big difference between racing a track and riding a track. (stopping, looking, dropping seat, trying again etc.)

The UK has a great depth of talented technical riders it would be a shame to take away to top level facility because someone might not be able to handle it.

Wouldn’t it be worth pointing out to ECC the XC course in Dalby and how that’s worked out?

Take some cues from other places that have had this sort of track.
What is in place at the WC track at Ft William? I rode them a while back and it was a good trail to have a go at.
Mt Stromlo Canberra Oz Has kept the trails but added round them.

And if you have ever ridden at Stromlo you would know that no one rides the World Champs XC course because its stupidly hard and there are better, more fun trails elsewhere on the mountain.

The Olympic XC course needs to be changed in order for the public to ride it. The gap jump needs to be removed to start with. Deane’s drop probably needs be become a little less dangerous should anyone crash – e.g. removing the surrounding rocks, rather than the actual trail.

I really hope it can stay and remain at least fairly technical, but at the moment if you crash the consequences are pretty big – take Liam Killeen, GB’s top racer breaking his ankle!

I don’t see why the gap jump needs to be removed given there’s already an alternative line on the right.

[Will somebody pleeese explain how the quote button works!]

The gap doesn’t need to be removed – there’s already an alternative route. I wouldn’t have a problem with them removing surrounding rocks on Deane’s drop though. That’s the sort of reasonable adaptation the petition’s aiming for.

And if you have ever ridden at Stromlo you would know that no one rides the World Champs XC course because its stupidly hard and there are better, more fun trails elsewhere on the mountain.

I threw it into some loops. yeah it’s tough but was a good experience – used a couple of b lines up there but glad I did.

The Olympic XC course needs to be changed in order for the public to ride it. The gap jump needs to be removed to start with.

Or just sign up the b-line

I really hope it can stay and remain at least fairly technical, but at the moment if you crash the consequences are pretty big – take Liam Killeen, GB’s top racer breaking his ankle!

I think we accept that mountain biking has risk and consequence. Properly explained then people can make their own minds up.

mikewsmith – Member

What is in place at the WC track at Ft William? I rode them a while back and it was a good trail to have a go at.

I don’t think it’s comparable tbh… The worldcup dh has the barrier to entry of location and the gondola, and the world champs xc route is a totally different animal to the olympics course (it’s a fairly easy red route, apart from Nessie, and feels much like any other trailcentre to ride. But would be a hopeless olympic course)

I don’t see why the gap jump needs to be removed given there’s already an alternative line on the right.

Because the consequences of getting it wrong are big and there is nothing to work up to it or any way of practicing it.
No reason why it can’t stay as a jump, just without a massive hole filled with rocks in the middle.

While most mountain bikers are capable of making rational decisions on what they are comfortable and confident to ride, others are not. Any big injury on the course would be bad news and probably result in a total closure.

Hello all

I’m from Essex County Council Comms Team (Thanks for the heads up chipps)

There seems to be some miss-communication here. I would like to state that ECC plans to created deviations AROUND technical features that some riders may not wish to tackle – we are not planning on ripping out the technical Olympic features as we have aspirations for the venue to be used for elite competition.

We were offering riders the opportunity to come and ride the course before we start works on it, as the venue could be closed for some time for construction. This is NOT a ‘last chance’ to ride the course scheme as some of you have interpreted. We simply would like you to come have a go whilst you are all raring to go, otherwise you may have to wait a while before it is open to the public.

If you do have any question, please feel free to drop a response on here and I’ll get back to you.

Hope this is a little clearer

Jen

Thread Closed then!

It wonderful to hear you are all so passionate especially allterrainbiker but your petition is for stuff we are already doing. We are keeping the features and the trails will be marked according to level of experience i.e black red blue etc. Also as Chipps mentioned Phil Saxena is designing the course, it’s not a bunch of people in suits – we have commissioned highly experienced course designers. Just to go a bit PR on you all for the moment – this is leaving a legacy not only for Essex but for the UK. We know what people want and we are trying our upmost to deliver it. We want people to come to our beautiful county and this is a great way for us to do so!
Jen

Absolutely fantastic it was to watch! Just watching the pros ride over such an extreme course and on hardtails!!! I could not believe my eyes! Far to extreme a course to keep open to the public! However one thing I did notice is why don’t they wear body protection? Surely this is the correct message to send out to our young hopefuls???

Thanks for the info Jen.

My e-mail about getting onto the course before the adjustments are made was sent this morning and replied to by Jasmine from ECC straight away.

Looking forward to getting my chance for a lap. 🙂

Jen, this place needs you on the front page!

Thanks for this!

Sounds Bob on to me in that case, and a deserved Well done to ECC then…

Well, I hate to say I told you so, but ……… 😉

That’s great news but it’s a message you guys need to get out there… If there’s a comment or press release that clarifies it that’d be great, if you like I can pass it on to Bikeradar staff and get it up there somewhere visible…

Comments like “”We are committed to retaining as much of the Olympic course as possible”, in the original email from ECC, are definately going to leave people believing that parts will not be retained after all.

This is a huge win and I’m well impressed, so get the word out! Bask in it 😉

I’m loving this thread because there seems to be an almost universally held belief that Southern MTBers are soft and will all hurt themselves on the course but this is less likely to happen on the more technical trails up North because of their location. 🙂

Personally I’d love to ride the course because it does look fun but there’s about 600 miles of better riding between me and it so it’s probably never going to happen. Glad it’s going to stay roughly in it current state of technicality.