Fair point well made, for the future expect the highest quality diversionary details at Drumlanrig. That's the whole point of this thread….. not ranting (much), just looking for feedback so we can get it right next time. Cheers!

Hey Hobo, all this trail work is just for you my friend; so that you can come here and ride without complaining quite so much about the roots and muddy bits 😉 .

Justified rants only from this quarter, I'm just sick of doing twice what I've already finished. If the entry fee's too much, it's a no brainer, go use a cheaper trail and we'll all be happy.

It's a problem here at Drum where the entrance fee is £5 per rider. Yep I know it's steep , but that's what funds the trails completely….No EEC grant money or anything from the councilor tax funded FC! The trail has to be totally self sustaining or it gets pulled up, full stop. Also, the estate factor lives just up the hill from where the cheapskates park too so it all get noted. It makes it VERY hard for me when trying to justify new trail.

£5 each !!!! Yep it's a lot but as said above it's cheaper than a ticket to see 3d Hamsters at Vue and if you're gonna use the trails a lot, join the Drumlanrig/Riks Bike Shed club for £20 adult £10 kids £40 family and get involved in making the trail a sustainable community thing. There's a gert big house, gardens, walks, showers and free bike wash, parks, disc golf, adventure playground etc all included too; oh and very very good very reasonable cake in the cafe.

The Halo Trust who de-mine most of the world are in the next village, I wonder if I could ask some of their experts to knock me up some rim (but not ankle) destroying devices 😈 ! That would work and I might sell a few more wheels 😀

All good suggestions, keep them coming and I'll pass them all on to the rangers.

Aye, a paragraph – it's no' exactly rocket surgery!!

Diversion ->
For trail maintenance

ie you shouldn't ride it

What could be more simple than following an arrow

I did put a longer term closure on the maps I put out ( as they get printed in the shop it's easy) but that didn't make much difference. Anybody coming into the the shop gets told straight up not to ride the closed bits (and why) so I'd be suprised if it's them..

I do think that it's an endimic problem of attitude tho within the mtb community, I know Paul Masson oop north gets just as hacked off as me and Andy and Tally at the Stanes get it too.

Peer pressure ?? If you see it happening give a shout??

It really does put us even further down the priority list with land owners and managers; it all gets noticed, just like the freeloaders parking outside the estate and ridding in. Then when I go looking to justify new trail all I get back from the estate is WHY SHOULD WE when it just brings us hassle/expense/no income/extra work etc….

The estate has to be completely polite and reasonable in all it's signage as you can imagine, so strongly worded is about as far as it'll ever get unfortunately.

Yep I likey…………………I'll pass both of those suggestions to the Rangers 😈

We do have wild life cameras for spotting badgers and the like, I could put one on the closed trail then post the film for a name and shame session 🙄

put a bolt thru the splined tool and seized cup, then you can be sure it won't slip out under force. Then tool in the vice and use the frame but make sure you're going the right way. Hope that helps.

I've spoken to the ranger service about rewording their diversion sign. It currently reads

a great big 'DIVERSION' with a red directional arrow, under which is written

' This section of trail is currently under going re-construction work. Please follow the diversion until further notice"

There is also red and white barrier tape across the trail.

I don't know how anybody could mistake this for 'we really don't want riders on this trail today or until we remove the sign'.

Perhaps you could suggest a wording that would keep those of a selfish persuasion off the obviously closed trail.

Yep. Haven't had time to watch it all but what I've seen looks top. Looks like you had a good day!

we'll be busy finishing off the closed sections next Tuesday if there are any willing volunteers out there. We'll be barrowing in hardcore to cap some nasty clay sections. Yep, even at Drumlanrig!!!!

'Ridden in trail' ……………………my @rse ;o)

either a buy family season ticket or join the Drumlanrig/Rik's Bike Shed club and your membership card will get you in to the park and grounds. In return for this the club organises trail maintenance evenings on the first Tuesday of every month – meet at Rik's Bike Shed at 5:30 or look at the club notice board for a map of where we'll be that evening, non – members very welcome – call the shop first.

Generally just taking a wonder on the singletrack with spades; keeping the edges right, or barrowing in material etc. Last year we built a sweet piece of hand cut trail for the SXC which is riding very nicely, and I intend to do the same for this years race.

Club memebrship is £20 adult £10 junior £40 family, you get into ride all year, an email of what's going on, a monthly "sunday Muddy Sunday' gathering, grass roots racing, informal rides away and access to the Thursday evening kids coaching and adult rides. Oh aye and 10% off in the shop. If your gonna play an active club role we'll fund a TCL ticket and first aid etc.

As I don't know your riding style it's just a guess but you can hugely improve your riding by braking less but more effectively. Work on your technique before spending money!

Don't forget the south!!!

Alot of people just head north from the central belt..Drumlanrig Castle and alot of the 7 Stanes are within a couple of picturesque hours drive of the central belt. I drive to South Queensferry regularly in 1.5 hours from Drum without going near 60mph, (big truck sooks up the deisel if I do), I just use the wee roads away from the numptie drivers who can't overtake a tractor on and A road.

Drumlanrig Castle's all open now for the season if culture AND trails are your bag. Some nice hotels in the area and campsites too.

Nice vid!!

It's all easier the faster you go…….honest ;o)

Don't worry Plum the signs weren't up when you came thru, just after, and you'll understand why having ridden the fresh trail…..not nice.

However, even after the signs and tape went up, at least 20 riders have been down that trail over the weekend :o(

I wonder why mountain bikers think that they can just ignore diversions. Even ones that clearly explain that the trail is shut for maintenance and that damage will happen to the fresh trail. What is the point..! I had to spend a couple of hours on sunday evening, re shaping and re-whacking (?!? yeh, yeh) the trail back into shape as it is drying fast and it needs to dry in the right shape do allow good drainage; or every time it rains it'll collect water, get sodden, sink deeper, next year ad infinitum I'm back fixing the trail again.

Please, please, please don't ignore diversion notices, it just makes more work for the trail builders. I know Andy and Tally at the 7 Stanes and Paul oop north all have the same issues. It just makes our lives harder!

Rant over :o) phew!!!

By the way, bring it on, the trails can handle just as much use as any of the stanes, it's all to do with cunning design – keeping speed down and reducing skidding (don't get me started). The place seems quiet out on the trail cos of all the big trees hiding everyone else, it's kinda weird that way, weird and kinda eerie (especially at dusk when out with the shovel, think scooby do eyes out of trees).

Just making the red route a wee bit more accessable to the masses. Some of the sections were beyond yer average red rider and I would prefer to send away good memories of fine tight twisty trail and not bad ones of the bits that they just couldn't do and hated. Don't worry tho I've put an more obvious line thru a few sections but where possible left the original lines in tact as they're the bits I tend to ride.

cheers for all good comments, if you've enjoyed the trails email your support to the estate. Satisfied customers with 'constructive' comments go along way to justifying new trail and entertaining trails etc.

Square Wheels Steve and I did much the same route but starting at Bonar a few years ago, while I was up doing the trails at Bonar. Top[ big day out. Stop in at the Bistro at Bonar for some good midway scran.

I ran a set for nearly two years, thru the winter at Drumalnrig and all over the Sanitized 7 and further north, did a Puffer on them first time out. Only just swapped them for some mountain kings as thats what i had lying about the shop. I liked them and thought they worked well in the mud, ie they didn't pick up and turn into slicks and they were really predictable, sure they slipped a bit but you new when they'd go and that they'd grip again somewhere soon. 2.3 on the front 2.1 on the back, just the regular folders not the chille compound. Loved them, I ran mine at 25 – 30psi for Drum and a bit higher for rockier trails and I'm about 75kg.

i hate **** taking short cuts on my trails…… If you came to ride the trail, ride the trail….don't miss out the corners or the tricky bits, that's not riding the trail you ****…. I also hate people who plaster themselves in body armour so that they can ride faster than they're skill level should allow, either slow down or learn to ride fast. What they're doing just skids up the place and trashes the trails…. Just learn to ride WITHOUT skidding down the hills and round corners you numpties!

Dusty dry At Drumlanrig. Fast and fun fun fun!!!

Drumlanrig dusty dry and fastest and funnest I can remember… Spent a couple of hours hooting like a loon this evening.

Our sponsored rider's been racing (and riding HARD) on them for a couple of years and has just got a new set after running over his old ones with a car. Awesome rim!

I have a pair of 29er studded tyres in stock at Drumlanrig if that's any use. Trails up here are very rutted and icy for the first half, but the second half of the red is good as most seem to have cut the route short along the race route finish. Rik

Trails could be a bit deeper under snow than when I posted this, there was about 6 inches there yesterday althought the road in will be clear by now. Maureen from Foodmakr is running the cafe thru the winter so there's a huge improvement in quality; good coffee, all homemade produce, own cured bacon etc. We'll be open from 11 – 3 from Sunday thru to Thursday if any ones heading out for a pedal pop in for a blether.

Better go I think I'd better go and put a Bruichladdich out for Santa, merry Christmas everyone.

With a second hand wheel and shot nipples it'll take the mechanic f'in ages to pull off all the old shot stuff before even starting with the new; he then still doesn't know wether the supplied rim is kinked/flat spotted and will take fuffing ages to true, nothing worse than a wheel with old alloy nipples IMO, £40 quote will be to cover all optiions. Do it yourself if you wanna save money and have the time, it's a good skill to pick up; but I think by the end you'll figure out that £40 ain't a rip off.

Hi John, hope you have a good one too….

Roads ok up to Drum today, about an inch overnight, nice and crispy.

Any decent bike shop will carry a wee stainless insert for this very problem, if you don't find one locasl give me a shout I have them hanging in the workshop.

rik

Drumlanrig trails will be open on boxing day but Rik's Bike Shed and the Snack Bar / Cafe won't; although we will be open the day after and for limited hours through the week 11 – 3, I think.

The trails at Drumlanrig are a whole lot more natural feeling and rooty than the Stanes but if you do actually ride there then you'll find that the singletrack is well drained and solid. Some of the forest tracks/fire roads between the singletrack are very old and can get muddy but the singletrack is generally solid.

However don't expect a meter wide gravel path with jumps and berms, the trail is dug from the natural earth by hand or mini digger so the roots are still there and can get slippy and the leaves on the top of the trail can hide them so expect to spend some of your ride going sideways! If that sounds scary book a skills session at Rik's Bike Shed 😉