The Slab-Gisburn

😯 i think that is it’s nickname?

Me and my colleagues could’nt quite get our courage up to try it.
Hence any help-tips much needed

thank you

moderate speed, make sure your wieght is centred over the bike as you go down (that doesn’t mean hanging your arse so far back your bum is acting as a brake on the tyre!) and stay off the front brake

MTFU and just do it, dont think about it too much and it is very rideable. I have never seen an off there tbh and i have been 3 times !!!

Roll in steady, keep off the front break, weight centre/back a little, chin up.

You’ll look back and think WTF was all the fuss about.

Relax and look up. you don’t need to do much apart from try and get as much speed for those berms after.

MTFU what is that?

I think if i go back i will wear suitable protection for it,and maybe then i will be able to give it a real go.

i would have thought leaning right back was the way it was done.

Suitable protection? Take it you mean a helmet (oh no what have I done there)

Just ride up to it, look down it, pick a line – down the middle – and roll with it, pretty easy to be fair with an easy incident free run out

Just follow someone’s wheel after they ride down it, shift your weight back, go easy on the front back and don’t lock up the rear.

Remember that it’s designed to be rideable, there are no surprises if you follow the tips above.

And + 1 MTFU

man the f word up= basically just ride it.
It is not technical in any real sense and it was made to be ridden so it is just a test of nerve

As above , the slab is more a mental thing. I’ve done it on both my 6″ travel bike and my 4″ hardtail , easy once you’ve done it though 😆

It does look intimidating from the top but if you roll straight down the middle with your weight over the back it’s easy enough. In fact I’d say it’s easier than the rocky section in Home Baked.

I did it in the dark and it was all over in a couple of seconds…

your partner is very lucky 😉

I am just looking at it on youtube. Of course with the angles shown it looks like nothing, just as Dalbeattie’s slab can. Are there any photos showing it from the top?

I did it in the dark and it was all over in a couple of seconds…

I did when it was wet and it was slippery and fun.

You could go down it wearing a zorb – if you come off, you’re going to damage yourself no matter what you’re wearing. Best take a quick look and then roll into it. Whatever you do, don’t stop after you’ve passed the rock at the top. Look for the run-out at the bottom and straightline it with the back brake covered and your weight back. To be honest, the ride up there is more difficult than the slab itself.

Compared to the Dalbeattie slab, its much quicker – one line and its pretty smooth. Dalbeatties is kinda multi line with holes and stuff. Both offer excellent opportunity to hurt yourself but both are dead straightforward once you’ve done it… The qualifier at DB is MUCh harder than the slab IMHO.

the slab? are you joking? its easy, just lean back and relax 😀

I’m the first bloke in this vid.

and in this (better) vid, the slab is at 0:39 seconds

Nice one Pook.

Me too chicken to ride the slab, didn’t want to break my nails.

Is it like the one at Lagan?

This is embarassing, I thought you were supposed to be mountain bikers?

No wonder mountain biking isnt cool anymore.

First time I went there I rode that section then stopped to wait for a friend, we then turned and both said “oh, that must have been the slab??”.

It’s really nothing technical. My advice is actually DONT have all your weight back, you should rarely have your arms straight (locked out) as you will have zero control over your direction. Aldo stay loose as if you keep off the brakes it’s quite rough.

mountain biking was cool?

as above gisburn slab isnt that difficult technically/physically/etc. Its just a mental thing to get your head around
Granted there is a bit of overall height to it, it has some slabby lumpiness and some changes in steepness, but it a straight line once you’ve rolled in, theres plenty of run out and the openness means you can see/assess it as you like, plus its not really that steep

I reckon the first black option at Lee Quarry (very early on) thats quite similar on visual appearance is probably slightly steeper/lumpier, it just doesn’t look it being in a hole. Even that will go with your saddle up

Thank you for all your advice
You all sound like experienced mountain bikers compared to one self!
I for one shall be wearing body armour and knee shin pads if I tackle this in the near future.
I have taken onboard these tips and shall practice them in due course

you’ll be fine.

WOW its amazing how much lift you can get from the rotors going so slowly!! 😆

Only tried the Gisburn slab once, it was so windy I just couldn’t get a nice run in. Gave up in the end 🙄

Won’t be trying it again mind as I thought the rest of it was pretty dull and decided not to go back! 🙂

glenh – Member

I did when it was wet and it was slippery and fun.

You mean they also have dry weather in Gisburn?

I don’t care if mtbing is cool or not, I love it.

After being off the bike for months at the time over the last 5 years, I now treasure every ride and take every opportunity to ride 🙂

I was thrilled when I did it – until I watched the video afterwards! I can’t believe how lame it looks!

MTFU and just do it, dont think about it too much and it is very rideable.

man the f word up= basically just ride it.
It is not technical in any real sense and it was made to be ridden so it is just a test of nerve

Interesting JY. I’m trying to remember what happened when we went to Gisburn, did you follow this sterling advice?

oops. for some reason I’ve read stainburn. eejit.

What’s the fuss about? 😯

Dunno. It is definitely quite a bit steeper than those videos make it look, but it’s certainly not hard to ride, if you can manage riding a bike in straight line.

Werewolf drop at Cannock chase is more challenging than that!

Werewolf drop at Cannock chase is more challenging than that!

Maybe, but it also looks incredibly tame in videos. There isn’t anything hard about the slab at Gisburn (unless you’re Junkyard), but it does look more intimidating right at the top of it. Like most of these things once you roll over the top you realise it’s fine. Or you do this 😀

I think that was a sterling effort from that rider in the video,

we all pushed round it in the end.

Check out the mcmoab ‘slab’ feature at the end of the trail, now that made my bum go like a bit like a rabbit’s nose for a second.