Sandwell valley mtb trail centre……. Good or bad news?

Had a walk of the track again last night, its coming along nicely, lots of table tops, lots of berms, nice rock drop off into a tight berm and even better the track is getting longer by the day.

I was sceptical at first, but I’m actually really looking forward to completion. Keep up the good work shindiggy and again thanks for the updates. 🙂

I’m fairly local so will be up for a group ride.

Pics look promising.

I’m fairly local so will be up for a group ride.

Pics look promising.

I’ve never been up but don’t live far – is there anything up there at the moment to ride or is it all in progress?

Would be cool to be able to go for a ride without the car! Looking good btw.

@shindiggy – also be up for a group ride to help christen the trail

@scamper – i’d suggest taking the old railway line to the reservoir and onto the canal to follow NCR #5, signposted all the way to Sandwell Valley. like this harborne-to-sandwell-valley-off-road

This is the loop I do from Brum city centre ladywood-sandwell-valley-canal-loop.. with an optional stop at Birmingham BMX club just off the canal in Perry Park 🙂

Could make for quite an interesting ride with the Sandwell pump track too!

I popped into Birmingham Bike Foundry last night to pick up a chainring for my commuter and picked up a flyer about a possible pump track in Stirchley as well which would be ideal as it would be right on my doorstep

I’d be up for a ride out to Sandwell when the trails are completed

Sign me up for a group ride too. Pending getting a pass from Mrs_Ache of course.

I will be up there this weekend, shall make some inquiries with regards to the pump track facility, the route maps are also being printed so will get a PDF of it up on here shortly too.

The pump track is on the kids playground by the looks over by the crazy golf and should be fenced off at the moment but the kids have took the fence down by the looks. Not sure about its state of completion.

@shindiggy – I’m in, just a couple of junctions up the M5 from me.

Dave

There seem to be a lot of locals very keen on a group ride when it’s finished – perhaps if you’re really local you could find a way of getting involved in getting it finished first? Think how much more pleasurable it’d be riding something you helped build.

I’m not local any more but if I was I’d be volunteering my services if it was possible.

@Pinkster

Thanks for the condescension. I believe the trails are being built by BikeTrack[/url] so there is only so much volunteers can do at this point. There is a local cycling group called Cycling in Sandwell[/url] but their Facebook page is more active. If anyone wants to get involved – that’s where to start. I’m also sure that if there were anything that could be done by people not directly involved in the construction/organisation, then I imagine Shindiggy would have said, maybe at the same point he suggested the group ride?

Personally, I’ve given time to a number of altruistic endeavours over the years (Chase Trails, Birmingham BMX club/track), but you can’t do everything.

Now, I’m off to ride my bike on some slightly more natural trails, and do my bit by continuing to clear debris and unblock drainage channels as I go.

Count me in for a group ride.

@ l_ache fancy meeting in brum and riding over, we can get some urban mtb* in first to warm up?!?

* catching a lift to the top of multi storey carpark and razzing down.

Nickhead is correct, all the work is currently now contracted to Biketrack, i was working with the original Cycling in Sandwell group to help lay the foundations before the contractors come in.

Cycling in sandwell will still need volunteers through, normally once a month as we will be completing the track repairs/maintenance.

Cheers

I’m in for a group ride too as long as it’s not on a sunday. I’m only in coesely. 🙂

Its gonna be a big group ride this is 😀 … maybe try and sort something before the big opening or maybe a evening ride up there ???

mattk – Member
Count me in for a group ride.

@ l_ache fancy meeting in brum and riding over, we can get some urban mtb* in first to warm up?!?

* catching a lift to the top of multi storey carpark and razzing down.

Love to mate but I broke my ribs again last weekend so will need a little time off before doing anything silly. I was looking at those vids the other night, we will have to sort out another ride soon.

As for the group ride, an evening one would be best for me.

I rode from Wolverhampton yesterday and had a good ride round,

We played around jubilee woods, the track is looking great, will be better when bedded in, some of the table tops are in the wrong place, i.e when you cant get speed before it, or just after a slight incline, however I cant wait to go back when finished.

Theres quite a few natural bits around there that are good.
Also found what i believe to be the ‘hilltop decent’ very fast singletrack mahem haha.
The pump track looks good, but is fenced off. Looks complete though so imagine will be riding in no time.

Went round it last night and was really impressed. Guys were still working. There’s quite a big rocky drop(for lack of better word, it’s rollable but sort of drops away near the ground) which was quite hairy for a pansy like me and there’s some really nice fast flowing areas.

It’s not really clear how it’s all going to tie together as bits are closed and there’s no signs for direction.

I’ll take some photos next time I’m up there, should be this weekend.

Sorry for the lack of updates, been too busy and without my pc for a few weeks and tablets/phones just dont cut the mustard.

Will update with a few pics in a mo, but the track is looking good. Far too many people riding it early as most of the taped off sections have been unofficially removed by riders.

The rocky drop sections are nice and sure to be a challenge for some riders, apart from all the riding gods on here 😆

Matty, track runs up to the Right from the Car park, and finises in the same spot after the large table tops (approx 8 footer followed by the 10 footer)

No official opening date yet, if hear anything from the Cycling in Sandwell group i’ll post up here, if anyone is free on opening day be good for a little group ride.

Looks like the official opening and ‘Fun Day’ is next Sunday. I can’t make it unfortunately, but hope to check it out soon

Here’s a few videos from CiS and others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBvnjyGlbpk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpg_8T8oNNk

Ive rode it last weekend and while its not amazing , its great for what they have and all involved,shindiggy etc should be patted on the back for a job well done 😀
all black bits are ridable even on a rigid singlespeed …. cus ive rode them ..
theres some pics on another thread …. its there too enjoy 🙂

I’ll try and ride it tonight or tomorrow, saw some kids on it on Saturday when I was out for a pootle with the mrs. Better than what the woods used to be used for! :s

Just managed to get around there and it’s really good. Some tight turns, nice berms, couple of little jumps and a bit of variation in height.

They’ve done a good job with limited space.

All the tracks are on Strava as well so should be fun trying to beat times around there!