Morning,

I am looking to ride on the Mendips this year but don’t know much about them, I usually ride the Quantocks and know the trails there pretty well but as I am from Weston-super-Mare, it makes sense to try out the Mendips.

I took a walk up there last weekend, around Rowberrow and found a load of DH stuff but I am into XC (too much of a wimp to go flat out down some of those DH runs!). Is there any singletrack around that area suitable for XC? Has anyone got any routes they do which could be a good start?! Blackdown looks good too.

Thanks

Just thought – has anyone mentioned the single track from Triscombe Stone that runs parallel to the road? That is sweet and is always a favourite of mine. Although I don’t find the flow of it as good as it used to be.

I need to get up more. I’ve lost my mojo for it a bit this year with the weather, forestry etc. But talking about it on here makes me want to get back in the saddle!

I’d say Weacombe is the most popular from speaking to various riders, purely because it is so rapid. Had some mates have close encounters with the stream but no one has spilled into it!

It’s worth giving the Hare Knapps a mention. The left one is amazing as starts on grass fairly steep (careful of the sheep), there are little bumps on the way down so you can get some good air down them at speed. Then you climb for a little, and the rest of the way is majestic single track, twisty fun, with a nice little jump towards the end, carry on to the left at the junction and you end in Hodders beaming from ear to ear!

The DH’s frighten me! I’m more into XC but I’ve been meaning to check them out for years! I rode Snaggletooth once but it was totally overgrown so ended up having to walk most of it. There are a few cheeky trails around Great Wood. I’m gonna have to go up and see if I can do some clearing.

Good work Dibbs. I’m not sure if its just the tops of the trails. I really need to go and take a good look around, maybe walk up from the bottom. Limits the options over that side somewhat with those two trails out of the picture.

Had a cracking ride on the Q’s on Sunday, 11 of us. Went down towards the Cockercombe area (not downhilling) and couldn’t believe how churned up it was from all the forestry work going on!

Lots of riders seem to have delicate stomachs! Me – I can eat at any time! Thanks for all the input chaps. I think I’ll give the bars a miss from now on and stick to sweets and flapjacks! Mmmm.

Anyone really traditional and go for Kendal Mint Cake?

If you’re a mid 30’s STW lurking Audi driving IT professional out for a bike ride of a weekend, then a Snickers is probably fine for that mid-ride snack stop.

IHN – the only thing you got wrong there was the IT Pro bit, I do work heavily with computers though so well done! Can’t wait to hit the Quantocks at the weekend.

I’ll have to have a go at making my own flapjacks I think.

Are flapjacks easy to make?

Don’t Jelly Babies contain laxatives?! I swear I heard that somewhere?!

Thorncombe Woods aand Customs Common are up for sale next. In my opinion I don’t think the sale of land to the FC will matter, it will probably even benefit us in the long term in terms of riding. Although, I’n not convinced that I want a trail centre. Maybe if it’s just in the Great Wood area it would be okay as that gets busy in the summer anyway.

I’ve heard about a few of these incidents. My guess is they follow cars with racks and just see where they go. Other that that, perhaps they follow some people by bike as you’d probably never notice if they were a fair way behind you. I always check if I’m being followed now after what I have heard.

Chippy – heard back from the Somerset County Council and they basically said that there is no money in the pot for this type of thing. A similar story from the FC and the guy in charge of the 1SW project. He really liked the idea but said they had allocated all the money for the project. He reckoned we should approach the landowners up there and get permission to build our own trails.

Cheers Rusty and Scott. Without the want of sounding totally useless, what does the T stand for in RLT? There are RL’s and RLT’s. Is it worth spending the extra 50 dollar for the RLT? My guess would be not.

Thanks for all your points.

No specific budget really. Around £400 but am willing to go higher if it’s worth it. I’ve heard Marzocchi are producing some decent forks. Anyone know the main advantage of Reba over Recon Gold?

Agreed, Kippers are immense. Got to be had in the morning and as previously stated, eaten with a brown bread butty to swallow the bones.

Smoked Mackerel also a favourite of mine but not for breakfast. However, tinned Mackerel in Spicy Tomato Sauce and Mackerel with Curry Sauce is also epic on toast in the morning!

Genesis Core 50. It has Core 20 parts but got a new frame through warranty. Current travel is 120mm.

I was up there on foot last Friday and it was pretty firm under foot so unless it chucks it down it should be good to go.

Good work Sharki. May take a look there. Are the trails marked in any way or reasonably easy to find?

Will keep an eye out. I live in Weston. Was it stolen from your home or was it locked up somewhere?

Cheers Agent. May head up on foot to suss it out a little. We’re only passing through there so could always detour.

Has to be combined with a trip to the Quantocks, then it is defo worth a visit. I’ve been riding AC and LW in the winter but will return to the Quantock’s next month, oh how I have missed them!

Mendips are meant to be decent though. FoD is probably a bit too far but if you want to go on that way then Cwncarn is worth thinking about too as it’s about the same distance from Bristol.

TBH the trail isn’t open yet so people are entitled to walk up them. People don’t seem to have any patience to wait for them to open though. I has been frustrating with the date being put back a couple times though. If people are on the trails whe they are open then they’ll soon learn.

Also chaps, how busy do the trails get at this time of year at the weeekends?

trailmonkey – yeah its a bit of a drive but it’ll be nice to go somewhere different. I’m from Weston-s-Mare and we have a couple from Bridgwater but most are from Taunton.

sraprider – Cheers, I may give you a shout. If not this time then probably next time when I bring the more hardcore ones down.

Knottie – nice photo’s, I’m looking forward to it now. Should be good fun.

By the way – how do the trails hold up in the wet?

trailmonkey – Dartmoor will be for another time!

scraprider – December 3rd looks most likely at the mo. Should be bringing about 10 down if none of them wuss out! TBH though I think we’ll stick to the main trails as we have quite a mix of riders, some of which are novices. I may head down again with a more experienced bunch if there is good riding? I was hoping to spot some off piste stuff whilst on the main trails. Kind of a reccy mission.

Cheers Gents. I hear there is some off piste stuff down there too. Is it just a case of exploring and seeing what I find or is it fairly simple to find?

I’ve walked around the trail and think it looks great. There is plenty of other stuff in LW so the mix of the new and old will be perfect.

I sent 1SW a message on facebook and was told that the trails have been delayed and will now be open in early December. The official launch won’t be until spring but we’ll be able to ride in a month or so. Apparently, they have added a new bit of trail which is part of the reason it has been delayed.

Cool, Thanks Mr A. I saw the new name on Better by Bike a couple days ago.

PS – Congrats also for having a part of the trail named after your good self. I am assuming you are Anthony?! Which part is your part?

Anyone got any insider info on what the red section in Leigh Woods will involve? Is it where the Rice Bowl is?

Anyone know the new names of the trails after the competition results?

I walked around the trails in Leigh Woods yesterday and must have seen about 20 riders riding in both directions!! There were even a couple families tootling around.

People say they think the trails are open but it’s pretty obvious they are not! Some people have no patience and are pretty disrespectful. Surely they can wait a couple more weeks?!

Couldn’t see the ‘skills’ section or the red section but maybe I did and just didn’t realise. It does look rather fast though. I can’t wait.

As Sharki and Jambo suggested, there is a shorter ride out there but I only suggested the main road as it would be easier for a non-local to follow. Lydeard Hill is a good place to start though and that way you can pick up the trails earlier. Up to you really. There’s plenty to do at both ends but the combes such as Weacombe, Smiths and Somerton are all beyond Crowcombe Park Gate.

Its more like 12 miles really, to get to Crowcombe Park Gate which is fairly central. It’s a bit of a slog though to ride out there, then up onto the top is a beast of a hill. That’s 24 miles on the road before you have done any offroad! My mate did it last year and he suffered a little.

A guide is advisable if you haven’t been before to make the most of your trip. Unfortuantely I’m not about this weekend. If you get lucky you may find someone from Taunton on here who will give you a lift out.
There are a few guys on here who regularly ride there. Other than that, just head up and join a group when you see them. I’m sure they won’t mind.

MR A. Spot on. The area I highlighted is the eastern end which includes Staple Hill and Neroche. The herepath there is not challenging or fulfilling enough for mountain bikes, alright for a jaunt around but nothing exciting. I suggested that new trails could be linked to the herepath around that area.

It’s fairly flat along the top but there is plenty of gradient down the sides to make trails challenging/interesting. At present, as torsoinalake says, it is a mudfest and doesn’t drain well, and the horse churn it up but I think there is real potential in there.

Torsoinalake – the Orchard Portman guy replied to a previous thread of mine. That’s not a bad shout. I’ll try and contact him. Thanks.

By the way, heard from Somerset County Council and whilst they are keen to be involved in such a project they do not wish to initiate it due to costs and budget cuts etc. They were very supportive though as the guy who replied used to be in charge of the Quantocks AONB.

Thanks for the advice Mr A and Mugboo. I think the area would really benefit from something like this as it would be different to the other riding in the vacinity. The more I think about it, the more feasible it sounds but as you say, it will be a long hard slog.

Do people know the area? What are your thoughts?!

The DH stuff at Orchard Portman is pretty impressive for that neck of the woods.

I sent off an e-mail today to Somerset County Council, The Forestry Commission, Architrail, The local Councils and Devon County Council asking for them to do a feasibility study into producing some trails, similar to those of Ashton Court, in the Blackdowns.

The Blackdowns are notoriously boggy and hold the water but I think there is scope there to put down an all weather surface and create something really nice, and a first for Somerset. I suggested the Neroche/Staple Hill area but would be happy with any decent trails up there.

There are some decent woods, and gradients which would be perfect for an all weather trail and we need something like that in Somerset. I’ll keep you posted if I hear anything, not that it is very likely!!

I’m a local too and I must say I don’t ride the Q’s much in the winter when its wet as it’s about twice the effort and I can’t be bothered to clean my bike after!! I’m just lazy though!! It does get a little sticky which makes climbing hard work at times, not in all areas though. You’ll be alright if you plan your route well.

Thanks for the update Wordnumb. Really looking forward to the new stuff! Rode around Leigh Woods a couple weeks ago and there was a lot of work going on. Stuck to the paths though and wasn’t tempted to hit the trails but I noticed some people had!

The photo’s on facebook look good. L like the look of the rice bowl! Are there any other ‘different’ features which will be included?