My partner has done the mcmoab one but he has more skill than me,

one day i will pluck up the courage

+1 MTFU

I am frankly embarrassed to be tainted by association of happening to ride an MTB with the people going “ooh it’s steeper than it looks”

First time I tried it I broke my chain on the approach, spent twenty minutes ‘fixing’ it (didn’t realise you shouldn’t rejoin 9 speed chains without a power link or thingy pin), made a number of failed attempts at going over the edge and chickened out. It’s easy to forget how much the details matter as a beginner – that sharp-ish turn and those two rocks you go between are a major mental distraction. Eighteen months of MTBing later I found myself there again, rode up to have a look and went down it just fine, though I was surprised at how quickly the bike accelerated down it. I’d like to try it again now without touching the brakes. Is it ever not windy and rainy there?

Jebus, even Geoff Boycott’s old mother could ride that on a stick of rhubarb!!

at 09:00, you can see how to ride the slab at Stainburn Rob Young style.

[video]http://youtu.be/0wvSvYtA2ko[/video]

nick3216 – Member

+1 MTFU

I am frankly embarrassed to be tainted by association of happening to ride an MTB with the people going “ooh it’s steeper than it looks”

you are obviously an exceptional rider then.

I do ride CYB a considerble amount,hence that is getting my skill level higher than it was,but i have been mountain biking for over 5 years now,at the age of 27 too, i may never reach that high level to achieve riding The Mighty Slab though we will see.

fairhurst – what matters is that you have fun and enjoy riding your bike 🙂
I’ve never managed the slab at Gisburn because (gasp) it’s too scary and steep for me.

Maybe we should ride around there together and try and egg each other on.

+1 MTFU

I am frankly embarrassed to be tainted by association of happening to ride an MTB with the people going “ooh it’s steeper than it looks”

I’m frankly embarrassed to be tainted by association of happening to ride an MTB with the people doing all the macho posturing (except davidtaylforth who always entertains me with his excellent trolling)

It is steeper than it looks, still easy though if you can get your head round it and lay off the brakes.

Apparently this didn’t end well.

Just before it all goes wrong, very wrong by jake474, on Flickr

It is steeper than it looks,

No it isn’t, go on amuse me, how steep do you think it is? you can walk down it, if that helps.

Whoa there! I don’t think it’s that steep, but videos generally seem to flatten things out a bit. Thought this was commonly accepted?

I am frankly embarrassed to be tainted by association of happening to ride an MTB with the people going “ooh it’s steeper than it looks”

Me too – you are 100% spot on there. I mean look at how lame these riders are. You and I would just storm down these first time, no stopping to think about it ay? 😀

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_BcsxpdFNE[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRmPKOKUycA[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfnG-wImKIc&feature=related[/video]

There really are some whinging mincers on STW ay? Not like you or me! 😀

Grum
sorry yes, in that context, it does. 🙂

Just for the record, stumpyjon measured it at 36degrees at it’s steepest angle. In most other circumstances people would ride down that angle of slope without a second thought

I remember seeing a load of people sat at the top of the slab at Dalbeattie umming and arring about it.
Then a wee local ned appeared on a BSO with just a front brake. He pushed past them and rode it out smooth as you like. AWSUM. 🙂

Yep I was well disappointed when I measured with my iPhone.

Still haven’t ridden it yet I’ll do the blck drop at the start of Lee and the black drop at the start of Cragg no worries. It can become a mental block and the turn in between the rocks doesn’t help.

How would one measure the angle on an iphone?

I think those who are saying it is’nt steep aren’t being 100% honest.

The slab isn’t that steep and it does roll nicely, but once you’re at the top looking down it’s intimidating, exposed and committing. I’m a little surprised that people will tell the OP to mtfu. It does require some skill and technique which someone new (or even experienced) to MTB may not possess.

To the OP, I would suggest that if you are unsure about riding it then seek out some similar or smaller non committing obstacles to practice on. You need to start back from the initial drop so you can get a few pedal strokes in and get your positioning right. Adopt an attack position (off the saddle, knees and arms bent, looking ahead) and keep your weight between the wheels, i.e. not right off the back but probably just off the back of your saddle. Importantly drop your saddle right down. As you’re rolling down don’t tense up, stay loose and look ahead.

you are obviously an exceptional rider then.

no I’m not. I would describe myself as merely competent, not even good.

I do think based on what I see on the trails that the standard of riding has fallen dramatically in the 21st Century, see the video evidence on page 1.

As I said, MTFU

I think those who are saying it is‘nt steep aren’t being 100% honest mincer.

Surely the best Gisburn Slab video is this one? Don’t watch if you are trying to pluck up the courage to ride it 😉

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xDjcRIIu8E[/video]

Ouch.

Where does he go wrong? There looks like there is a massive stone at the bottom that he is trying to avoid? Or can that be ridden over.

He ahhhhhhhh just makes you know it’s going to end badly.

He looks really tense, his weight is right over the front wheel and he’s looking about 1ft in front of his wheel. Hopefully he wasn’t too badly hurt.

Edit: He starts off looking ahead then his attention draws closer. I imagine he was focussing in on that little drop half way down.

Anyone telling you to MTFU isn’t worth listening to…

If you can picture yourself riding it from the top, then you probably can. If you can’t then it’ll just be a case of luck if you get down in one piece. If you stop at the top, put a foot down, start again, set off on the saddle rather than on the pedals balanced evenly over the bottom bracket, sitting tall because you’re scared of smashing your face up, arms straight to hold yourself away from danger, stiff, wobbly, put a foot down, wobble more, front wheel catches, wobble more, big off and it’s not going to be a nice landing.

Reading and practising the content of Mastering Mountain Bike Skills 2 or going for a skills day will turn it from fear and avoidance or MTFU stupidity and a potential trip to hospital into a controlled and fun experience.

That video is textbook how not to do it! Just thinking ‘heavy feet light hands’ (thanks to Lee McCormack @ leelikesbikes) and ‘chin up’ (thanks to Ed Oxley @ greatrock) would have probably saved him.

going for a skills day

seconded. not enough riders do this.

+1 to going on a skills course. I found Ed’s stop crashing course excellent a couple of years back. I’m amazed that people will spend stupid money on kit but seem to flatly refuse to spend the cost of a derailleur on a skills course.

+1 also to the challenge/skill illustration.

@cammer – that’s brought a smile to my face, not the over the bars moment as we’ve all done that but the sound track, it was as if he was letting out a painful yelp in anticipation.

How would one measure the angle on an iphone?

There’s an app for it using the iPhones ability to know which way up it is.

if youre not good enough then these sort of things look massive, i can appreciate that (we were all there at some point), but you dont need to be a riding god to be able to do it pretty easily. dont feel you have to do it, but doing it will make you a better rider.

a small thought i had the other day about this forum and all the threads asking which orange 5 should i buy: A better bike makes you go faster, but it doesnt make you a better rider. stuff like this, that takes actual riding experience, will still freak you out like they did before no matter how much travel you have.

pardon the ramblings 🙂

What about those bikes with the massive front tyres we’ve been seeing? Could they get you down it in one piece? Maybe one of those with 29 inch wheels?

Simon.
It’s a lot more to do with the rider and how confident they are than what bike they’re on.

All the crashing videos on this thread seem to be due to lack of comitment/ trying to go to slow.

Float speaks the truth – the slab isn’t objectively difficult, but it is subjectively scary (depending on your level of experience).

To be fair, 36° (if that’s what it is) is actually quite steep.

A typical black ski run is 30-35°. La Face (Olympic black-grade downhill run in Val d’Isere, considered by many to be a test of steep piste skiing) is supposedly never steeper than 34°.

Most people would consider “extreme” skiing/snowboarding to start at around 40° if very sustained.

Still looks like a piece of p*ss though… 😉

It may be steep but it’s short with nice roll in and out. There are steeper , but even shorter, switchback trails at Woburn Sands if you know where to look. And no-one accuses Woburn of being extreme.

nick3216 – Member

going for a skills day

seconded. not enough riders do this.

explain?

My brother went on a skills day with Ed Oxley and Nigel Page, hes still as slow as ever.

chiefgrooveguru – Member

If you can picture yourself riding it, then you probably can.
Amen.

Well i’ll be damned,one of my colleagues ventured to try The Slab today and broke his arm 😯 pure fellow.

Suffice to say it has put me off!

Any of you trying this kind of terrain think before you do it!And wear the right protection as he only had his helmet on

If you can’t ride down that you can’t call yourself a MTB’er, you are a bloody pansy.

Just confirmed apex of Woburn switchbacks are 40 degrees so anyone claiming scaredyness at 36 might as well give up riding now and leap into the arms of Shaggy a la Scooby Doo.

explain?

at least one video on this thread shows a rider with all the gear and no idea. instead of spending money in skill compensating long travel bikes, wide bars, big forks and sticky tyres some of these riders would be better off spending their money on a skills course.

Unfortunately Patches O’Houlihan and his bag of wrenches came to an unfortunate end in a tragic accident in a Vegas casino. He’s the only coach I can think of with enough MTFU to spare.

I make no apologies if that sounds harsh.

Slightly harsh young Skywalker have some respect for your fellow comrades in this fine sport!
You are obviously a far better rider than oneself.