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Swinley forest
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jaminbFree Member
Swinley is great – let’s have a Xmas STW ride for the lovers to show the haters how to enjoy it
thisisnotaspoonFree MemberI do think a lot of UK trail centres have the gradings a bit wrong, most reds are really blues, but from what I understand it’s not the volunteers/trail builders that set the grade, it’s the FC.
It’s not an FC center, it’s CE, but yes the grading is comparable.
The big differentiator between Swinley and as an extreme example built buy the same team; Cwm Rhaeadr. Is Swinley is mostly flat, so you haven’t got the opportunity to earn your descents. Cwm Rhaeadr you can ride uphill for 30min if you’re unfit, then nail the descent in 5 and hit all the berms at the same speed as the XC whippet who rode the climb in 10min.
Swinley you can’t do that, if you want to nail a berm on Stickler it’s as an immediate reward for pedaling hard for the last 20m. Same with the drops on seagull, the run up is 400m, it’s just uphill, they obviously don’t flow if stop for a natter then try and coast into them.
Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition
Latest Singletrack VideosFresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...deadkennyFree MemberAre you still allowed to ride the off piste stuff. Thought one of the reasons for proper trails was for the nesting of rare birds
No, and yes. CE have sent warnings to more prominent offenders about riding “wild trails” as they call it and state Green, Blue, Red and fireroads only. Though that’s extending to the work around Labyrinth Inc Babymaker and Camel that is getting officially adopted.
Have to understand their position which is the estate while public access is private land not open common land etc and they got sued for big money before the official trails were built due to accidents and liability. Plus it’s a SSSI area with Natural England on their backs. Official line has to be official trails and that’s it.
natrixFree MemberSwinley and as an extreme example built buy the same team Cwm Rhaeadr
nail a berm on Stickler…… Same with the drops on seagull………….
Both Stickler and Seagull trails were built by volunteers from BOB and Gorrick, a long time before ‘Back on track’ came along………….
molgripsFree MemberCE have sent warnings to more prominent offenders about riding “wild trails”
How do they know who people are?
ayjaydoubleyouFull MemberI do think a lot of UK trail centres have the gradings a bit wrong, most reds are really blues, but from what I understand it’s not the volunteers/trail builders that set the grade, it’s the FC.
If a lot (implying majority) have it wrong, then what is correct?
BC define red as
A wide range of climbs and descents of a challenging nature will be present. Expect boardwalks, berms, large rocks, medium steps, drop-offs, cambers, water crossings.
Whereas blue only has
specially constructed single track. Trail surface may include small obstables of roots and rock.
ta11pau1Full MemberA lot of reds are:
specially constructed single track. Trail surface may include small obstables of roots and rock.
Does one 6 inch drop in miles of smooth singletrack warrant a route being a red rather than a blue?
There’s just no consistency either, top chief at nevis range was a red before it was renamed and regraded, which is the same grade as bedgebury…
trumptonFree Memberthought so about off piste. Thanks, I will be sticking to the offical trails.
thisisnotaspoonFree MemberBoth Stickler and Seagull trails were built by volunteers from BOB and Gorrick, a long time before ‘Back on track’ came along………….
Details schmetails.
The point was about the topography which has been arround since the last ice age, even older than the average BOB rider. 😀
thisisnotaspoonFree MemberHow do they know who people are?
Because the SFMB page is mostly a fappathon of wanabee MTB vloggers who will post any old shite and shakey go-pro videos along with their contact details in the “credits” just in case red bull media are really desperate.
The rest were people like Bird shooting promo videos so pretty easy to work out where to send a strongly worded letter to.
thepuristFull MemberRe off piste – remember the Crowthorne side is FC land so the trails there are not subject to the same restrictions. Oh and the army land to the South is sensitive.
deadkennyFree MemberHow do they know who people are?
As above, all over the place on FB and Instagram with videos shredding the “loam”. Plus I believe some groups were contacted who actively were promoting rides off-piste. Possibly some magazine types too (they don’t help in Surrey Hills either with some of the stuff they post while many of us try to reduce conflict with some landowners).
Re off piste – remember the Crowthorne side is FC land so the trails there are not subject to the same restrictions.
Not any more. CE own that land now. New signs are up in places and I’ve seen CE vans patrolling round Corkscrew etc. Though there hasn’t been any official word on the rules there aside from new signs say “cyclists welcome but please keep to designated routes”.
benpinnickFull MemberThe rest were people like Bird shooting promo videos so pretty easy to work out where to send a strongly worded letter to.
Ha yeah. Like when they wrote to us saying that I (specifically me) had been seen making off piste trails in Swinley… Only I live 300 miles away. Oh how I laughed.
concrete24Free MemberWanted to report that I returned to Swinley today and rode those pesky little drops that freaked me out last time! The smallest of pumps and even my teeny 26” wheels popped over the top. Next time I might even get both wheels off the ground at the same time! Might.
Anyway, lovely day for it!
weeksyFull MemberOnce again this weekend showed me my riding preference in full-effect.
Sat was a gentle road based ride, bit of a headwind, but lovely being out for 2.5 hours, cruising round, enjoying the ride and relaxing. (While putting in some effort at times too).
Sun was the fun though at Swinley. I had to collect my lad from near Hemel, so thought i’d shoot to Swinley first for an hour. Mrs weeksy was busy doing housework and shopping, so i left an hour earlier, ending up having 2.5 hours spare for Swinley fun. Set off at a reasonable pace, but DAMN the blue was busy ! people everywhere, so took it easy at times and picked my way through some slower riders. Onto ‘Stickler’ which is flat and insanely twisty, loved it and flew round that. But the best section was Labrinyth / Deer Stalker, tricky descent to start and then as i got to the uphill section a bloke came down another route and jumped on my wheel. He was fully lycra clad and right on the pace, so fun was to be had. It’s insanely rooty and techy as far as climbs go, left right, up down, roots, jumps, drops, climbs, descents. He was on my wheel for the duration, sometimes gaining a bit, sometimes dropping 15m or so….But had an absolute blast on it !
Every time i go there, which isn’t often there are little ‘improvements’ which are always welcome, just made a little bit better each and every time, although does sometimes catch you out a bit when you hit a section you know and it suddenly changes from where you expect, but it always seems to be for the right reasons that they’ve changed thing
Set a total of 91 achievements on Strava, so clearly i was pushing on over the ride, finished it off and died in the car lol. However it was just excellent fun, really love that place. Some of the times of others though really astound me, i think i’m flying along and end up in the top 15 or so for the day, the others up to the top 3 are grouped usually within a couple/few seconds of me, but then someone blows us all away and is 20s quicker on a section that i just can’t fathom how they’ve managed it LOL.
The KTM however, stayed in the garage….It will get out this week, but only briefly. 🙂
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2euon7K]2019-05-13_07-09-55[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr
98th for the full loop, looking at a few of the times some are either world champions or on Ebikes lol. But that’s a decent effort out of 1500 riders.
deadkennyFree MemberHave we done the Bike Hub doing a members only skills area in the location of the ill fated freeride area?
Members only as in only available to those who pay for a course. Not open to the public.
CE tying their hands is the excuse. If it’s private it may not be a wise location with such a busy place and virtually next to the car park. Chains cut and people riding it out of hours I bet.
weeksyFull MemberIt was discussed in another thread a few days ago, “things afoot at Swinley” or similar name.
I saw the fencing off yesterday…. It’s quite substantial.
I think in that context they’re simply covering themselves to suing etc. If they fence it off and state “no admittance” etc then no-one can sue them if they use it out of hours and hurt themselves. If people do hurt themselves when on training, they’ll have signed a disclaimer anyway… So it’s more about that i think.
kimbersFull MemberAt least the area is being used for something now , there will be a new feeride area off the red (where it shouldve been built), so everyone wins
deadkennyFree MemberOn visiting Glentress I thought the skills area they have there is exactly what Swinley needs. Same with a couple other places with good skills areas. It needs to be available to all to encourage beginners to use it (who might not be able to afford or want to pay for a course).
But understandable the liability concerns from CE. Doesn’t seem to be a problem for the FC though (and Scottish equivalent).
Hob-NobFree MemberOn visiting Glentress I thought the skills area they have there is exactly what Swinley needs. Same with a couple other places with good skills areas. It needs to be available to all to encourage beginners to use it (who might not be able to afford or want to pay for a course).
But understandable the liability concerns from CE. Doesn’t seem to be a problem for the FC though (and Scottish equivalent).
The problem is, the elevation in the skills area alone is probably akin to the entire red & blue loop of Swinley. It’s as flat as a pancake.
Not even sure I can be bothered to go back & defend my Swinduro crown 😆
kelronFree MemberBut understandable the liability concerns from CE. Doesn’t seem to be a problem for the FC though (and Scottish equivalent).
Bedgebury is FC and the freeride and skills area appears to have been closed a few years ago. Not sure of the reasons but a good proportion of the traffic at these places is families on the bikes they take out the garage a few times a year.
trumptonFree MemberI don’t go to swinley anymore. Recently in just used to go for the babymaker ( and the jump gulley when it was there )downhill trail which i love. The rest of the riding is fair but it’s not really my kind of riding. I much prefer the old swinley. If there was a freeride area open to all i’d probably go again.
cokieFull Memberthere will be a new feeride area off the red (where it shouldve been built), so everyone wins
Like the jump gulley 😀 ? Coming full circle..
thisisnotaspoonFree MemberAre we talking the glentress freeride area or the glentress skills loop?
I think the Llandegla one is probably the best I’ve ridden, it’s big enough to be fun sessioning it, and progressive enough to actually feel like Green/Blue/Red/Black options. The GT one felt like the whole thing was <Blue, the biggest drop is about a foot and rollable. Whereas the actual trails at GT were quite rough/fast/jumpy for their grades.
It’s also in a good place, being right by the car park it gives anyone new the chance to see what’s likely to be ahead on the trails.
Swinley could benefit if they widened Blue 1 and linked it to the green so everyone starts on the same loop. Then have a skills area either in what used to be blue 2 or in the new second section to weed out the families etc, then signpost proper green route options on the fire roads (with 5, 10, 20 mile options) so those families have a viable choice between 20miles of Blue/Red and a similar length of Green. I’m sure that would resolve a lot of the conflict as I suspect a lot arises from people coming to ride a “cycling trail” and finding the green is only a few hundred meters long, then need something to ocupy the rest of the day.
benpinnickFull Member98th for the full loop, looking at a few of the times some are either world champions or on Ebikes lol. But that’s a decent effort out of 1500 riders.
Luke Peyton falls more into the World Champs category I would say…. ok not quite world champ but 6 wins in 2019 racing Xc is not bad 😉
weeksyFull MemberLuke Peyton falls more into the World Champs category I would say…. ok not quite world champ but 6 wins in 2019 racing Xc is not bad
I don’t mind being behind him too much then 😉
Magnetodog on here impressed me with his times !
deadkennyFree MemberAre we talking the glentress freeride area or the glentress skills loop?
Both really. I considered them to be progression starting with the skills loop and onto the freeride which was more of a progressive skills thing to me anyway.
Though that was couple years back and I understood it was getting ripped down and replaced or relocated.
The basic skills loop definitely at Swinley as a starter and should be open to all to encourage practice before hitting the trails. Okay there’s only one tiny drop (on Seagull) on the official route (two if you count the “rock garden” on Stickler 😄). Maybe it would allow for more though, except for the issue of no materials from outside the forest, though there are a few other rocks just sitting around unused.
razorrazooFull MemberThey’d be just as well building a couple of tabletop jumps with a big litter bin right next to them near the car park. Would solve 90% of the rubbish problems in the forest.
natrixFree MemberSwinley could benefit if they widened Blue 1 and linked it to the green so everyone starts on the same loop
This would ruin the Green for younger children who can currently use it to build up their confidence. Adult riders would also get frustrated at being stuck behind young children.
then signpost proper green route options on the fire roads (with 5, 10, 20 mile options)
This is a good idea and I’ve never understood why there aren’t signposted routes on the fire roads for family recreational riders.
to weed out the families etc
What is so wrong with letting families ride the blue? My son could ride the red when he was still 8, the trails weren’t built just for the riding gods…………
weeksyFull MemberMy 10 year old would beat half of this forum up the blue climbs 😉
brennanpeytonFree MemberLuke isn’t that good ..its the bike and he wanted to get his KOM back. Good news is he has gone to America for 3 months riding so now is your chance once the much awaited fixing of holes takes place you should all be able to crack the 55min barrier.
stewartcFree MemberThread highjack, there at the end of the month as staying nearby and have a day or so to kill. Hiring a bike, having some coaching in the morning (need to lose some bad jumping habits) and then planning a couple of hours of potting around. Is there enough there to keep me amused for 2-3 hours, Im used to 25-45km rides on Hong Kongs fairly rocky steep trails plus the odd Chiang Mai/Rotorua trip every year or would I be better to head off to the Surrey downs straight after the coaching?
jimdubleyouFull MemberMy 10 year old would beat half of this forum up the blue climbs 😉
Obviously, he’s probably a third of the weight! 😛
Is there enough there to keep me amused for 2-3 hours,
You can do a blue/red and spend some time repeating the jump lines at clubhouse if you’ve got that sort of time to kill.
You won’t find anything rocky and steep…
razorrazooFull MemberAs above that time allows a lap of the blue/red (which is very much XC focused) and some play time on the clubhouse hill trails (there’s 5 off the hill open at the moment, plus the ones near Camel Trail, however if you’re looking for fireroad climb then descend you’re better off over in the Surrey Hills, or head down to Rogate which is a similar distance drive to Peaslake to practice your jumping.
Hob-NobFree Memberwould I be better to head off to the Surrey downs straight after the coaching?
Yes, in sort – if you want to ride stuff remotely technical and challenging, Swinley is not the place to do it.
There are a handful of runs which are ~20 seconds around the water tower which are fun for 5 minutes, but pop over to Peaslake & ride some stuff with actual elevation & requires more than a CX bike. 🙂
trumptonFree Memberthere’s a decently large tabletop on the babymaker trail dh run for jump and bermed cornering skills testing. Everyone sessions it too.
razorrazooFull MemberThere are a handful of runs which are ~20 seconds around the water tower
Water tower? There’s no water tower at Swinley.
Realistically even for heros most of the DH runs are 40 – 60 seconds long to the bottom (off clubhouse hill) Babymaker, Deerstalker, Old Deerstalker, Babystalker, Bikini Carwash, most are flowy singletrack, some have some tech, but there are no really big features unless you can launch the Wilkins leap.
thisisnotaspoonFree MemberWhat is so wrong with letting families ride the blue? My son could ride the red when he was still 8, the trails weren’t built just for the riding gods…………
I’m referring to the actually can barely ride a bike families who see it advertised as the only cycling trail in the forrest. Obviously I’m not referring to families who want to go mountain biking.
I witnessed a kid in tears there a couple of weeks ago because mum and (mostly) dad had decided to teach her to ride on the blue. She couldn’t ride in the car park let alone on a trail and would probably have struggled on the green. I got back from a loop and they were up at the top end of the overflow car park by the green, where she rode into the wardens pickup!
Everyone starts somewhere, but £5 says that experience ruins cycling for her for life and in ~9 years time she’ll get a Fiat 500 and never ride a bike again.
theotherjonvFull MemberI used to be faster than Luke (about 15 years ago when he was barely out of nappies)
Go me!
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