Ride Report: Glentress May 09

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Pete at Glentress

Pete at Glentress

With the European Cup Rugby final was being played in Edinburgh this year and with the Irish sides going well around Christmas time, match tickets were acquired around Christmas time. It would be nigh on criminal to visit Edinburgh without taking in some of the famous Scottish trails.

So it was on the Friday morning of the bank holiday weekend that we arrived at “The Hub In The Forest” bike shop at Glentress to collect our hire bikes. Glentress is part of the 7 Stanes network of trails in Scotland and being located just an hours drive from the city, near the town of Peebles makes it the most accessible for weekend trips. I’d opted for a LaPierre Zesty demo bike, while my buddy went for one of the well specced Genesis hard tails that make up the shops standard hire fleet.

After a short bit of faffing we hit the trails. Our plan for the morning was jump straight in at the deep and take on the black route. From the main car park the red and black routes share the same climb up the higher Buzzards Nest car park. This climb as we would find with all the climbs is conducted on a very smooth trails with loads of switchback corners, so you simply spin your way up. It’s a very efficient way to climb and a lot of height can be gained rapidly.

The trail designers have also done their best to break up the monotony of the climbs by adding small optional features such as log rides every few hundred metres, a neat and enjoyable trick.

At this point the red and black take separate paths. The black continues with some long flowing singletrack through the woods with some rock drop-offs and rooty sections.

The next section is a long, long climb to the highest point of the trail. We were now out on open hillside and with the clear day the views were incredible. From here the only way is down, and what great sections follow; bermed corners, table top jumps, log steps, rocky sections, rooty sections, everything is crammed in here in quick succession. It was all technical but all rideable.

At this stage we made a choice to skip the Deliverance loop, basically a ten minute descent to the valley floor following by a 40 minute climb back out. Lightweights? Maybe, but it was nearly two and we were starving. Back to the upper car park where we get chatting to a few bikers from Glasgow, at which point we realised that these are the first riders we’ve seen since leaving this car park 3 hour earlier. Amazing.

Then a blast down the final red/black section to the main car park. We would get to know this section very well because it is used every time to get back to the main car park but it is fun and flows so well. We ended up doing it three times over the weekend and each time we we’re quicker. A quick toasted sandwich in the very nice Cafe and we were ready to head out again. Conscious that we had more riding and drinking ahead of us we opted to head for the skills area and freeride park rather than taking on another loop.

The skills area was interesting, without being spectacular consisting of a range of typical trail obstacles of various difficulty. This didn’t stop yours truly managing to have a nasty impact between head and wood whilst demonstrating for the fourth time how to ride a skinny log. Feeling lucky to have gotten away from my scrape with just a graze on my neck from the helmet strap we headed to freeride park.

The freeride park is a complete blast. We spent an hour or so sessioning various features like jumps and north shore. That’s the thing about Glentress everything here is designed to improve your riding skills whilst having the best fun. Where did the day go it was by now nearly 5 and we had to get the bikes back to the shop.

Despite a heavy night on the town we were back for more bright and early at 9.30am. I picked up a nice Santa Cruz Blur for this day while my buddy stuck with the Genesis. With the match kicking off at 5pm this would be a shorter day so we headed for the Red trail.

Again the early sections are mostly about getting you up to a height. At the top the descending begins with the Legendary Spooky wood section. Pretty much every rider we met over the weekend spoke about Spooky Wood with reverential tones. Were they over hyping it? Hell no, we weren’t disappointed. Spooky wood consists of 13 or 14 huge bermed corners linked with singletrack featuring bomb holes, drops and loads of jumps. Less technical than the black meant that you could turn on the style a bit more here. This is without a doubt some of the most fun you can have on a bike. With our confidence of riding this type of terrain sky high now the last few sections were dispatched with ease and we headed back into Edinburgh still grinning from the buzz of it.

So what are you waiting for, get yourself to Glentress. You’ll get the same feeling you had when you were 8 years old on your first BMX. We did anyway.

And for the record the Irish side Leinster won the cup so the weekend couldn’t have been better really.

Pete

Review: Trek Fuel EX9

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Nick's Trek Fuel EX9

One of the brightonmtb crew has been nagging me for months to write a review of my Trek Fuel. When that person is obviously incredibly technically-minded, whereas I can only change my pads and mend a puncture but little else, that is quite a daunting task. However, a promise is a promise so I will do my best.

The Trek is my first full suss, after happily riding a Rockhopper for 3 years. I loved the Rockhopper (and still do), as it was my first ‘proper’ mountain bike and introduced me to the joys of off road riding. I explored miles and miles of bridleway on and off the South Downs Way on the Rockhopper every weekend as soon as the sun rose on a Saturday morning. However, it wasn’t till I went to the Brecon Beacons and rode up and down the Gap that I realised that hardtails and slabs of granite are not the best combination!

I started the inevitable months of research for a full suss so I could revisit South Wales, and narrowed my choices down to a Scott Scale, Stumpjumper, Giant Trance or the Fuel. On the way to Whiteways is Southdowns Bikes in Storrington, owned by the very helpful and friendly Martin. At the time they stocked 3 of my options so I was able to test all three easily and cost effectively. While I was drawn to the Stumpie, the Fuel just felt right as soon as I started to ride it and the white and black finish of EX9 08 version looked brilliant.

So how have the first 18 months been? It took a while to get used to the Fuel and I tended to alternate between the two bikes each weekend. However, a trip to Cwn Carn really showed the benefits of the Fuel. While it is not the lightest bike(at 28 plus lbs), it stills climbs well but it was the bike’s descending capabilities that really made the difference giving me far more confidence as it soaked up nearly everything thrown at it. This is where I believe the ABP system, which places the pivot on the rear axle to remove brake influence on suspension movement plus the Full Floater, where the rear shock is placed on the extended chainstays, moving down as the rocker compresses the unit from the top, really come into their own smoothing out the trails.

The bike is well specced with 130mm travel up front (Fox Talas) and 120mm at the rear (Fox Float RP2), Juicy 7 brakes and a Shimano Deore/Sram combi drivetrain. I have made very few changes to the bike, apart from replacing the uncomfortable Bontrager saddle a with a Fizik Gobi (a popular saddle amongst the brightonmtb group). Despite the tubeless ready Bontrager Race Lite wheels I have still not converted to tubeless preferring to replace the Bontrager tyres with Panaracers (Trailrakers, Cinders and Razers depending on the conditions) as I have found these to be the best for puncture resistannce.

So would I recommend the Trek Fuel?

I love it and I would highly recommend that any first time buyer of a full suss who wants to build their confidence, tackle more challenging terrain but still enjoy a mixture of xc plus singletrack riding should really consider this an option.

As What Mountain Bike said in a recent review ‘What really elevates it above some strong competition is its ability to flatter pretty much everyone’s riding style’. It certainly flatters mine.

 

Chris at Set2Rise

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Chris at Set2Rise

Chris at Set2Rise

After a rest following CLIC24 my  next race rolled along…Set2Rise
Luckily the weather was perfect, as I arrived to meet my team met, we had never met before and the nerves started to build, despite being assured I wouldn’t be the slowest there………

The race started at 6pm, the first lap was a fast pace as I made my way through the pack, having not the ridden the course before I wasn’t aware where, and how long the hills were, so each climb I powered up only to discover they were longer than I expected, one in particular was quite a beast.

I made it in to swap over with my team mate, and take on more fluid as it was alot hotter than I thought. On my second lap the riders had thinned out and I could really enjoy the single track, which was brilliant! challenging but super flowing and fast, and plenty off places to over take.

When I came back in to swap over the evening rolled on and it started getting darker and the course started getting faster, or I did, much to the annoyance of my team mate, but we were moving up the positions, up into 8th.

As it passed 3am I was still feeling strong, and keeping my lap times consistent as did my team mate, as we moved up to 7th.

The sun came up and the race came to an end with my last lap in the freezing mist. We came 7th out of 21 pairs which was reasonable and hopefully I can only get faster in the future. Really great race though and one of the best courses I have ridden.

In other news I’m splashing out on getting my forks serviced at TF tuned, they are local to my parents so I can save on postage. I’ll be at the regular Thursday evening ride using my old Fox rl’s.

Chris

Cycleactive mtb Skills Course

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Cycle Active Trail Centre Day Courses Review – Single Track Skills and Jumps and Drops

http://www.cycleactive.co.uk/courses/personalskills/oneday.html

I finally got round to doing a skills course in March this year. All my riding buddies seemed to be too “good” or too skint so I decided to do it on my own. I shopped around for a while to find one with the right location, dates, price, syllabus etc. and finally decided to go for the Cycle Active Trail Centre Day course at Forest of Dean. They aren’t the cheapest company but they seemed very professional and emphasise the small groups and quality of instruction. The Single Track Skills was exactly what I wanted and I thought I’d do the Jumps and Drops while I was there and try to expand my riding horizons.

There were 6 of us on the 1st day and it was a complete mix of abilities, which worried me a bit at the start. Actually the instructor, Rich, handled the mixed group amazingly well and I didn’t feel held back at any point by the less experienced (i.e. no experience) riders, or like I was holding anyone else back. We all introduced ourselves and did basic bike safety checks in the car park before heading out. Braking, cornering, wheelies, manuals and bunny hops were all covered. These are all “basic” skills but ones I’ve never put that much specific effort into practising. Having someone watch, correct and offer advice and tips, and I suppose actually spending a decent amount of time practising, really helped.

The two courses can be booked separately. Three of us stayed for Jumps and Drops and one guy arrived on the Sunday, so it was a group of 4. There was some repetition from the 1st day, the bike checks and some of the basic skills although the emphasis was quite different. The morning was spent learning how to tackle drops and then after lunch we hit the jumps. This was where the mixed group was a bit of a problem, especially with jumping being such a confidence reliant thing.

Cycle Active were really good, if slightly more expensive than other companies, very prompt with information and very professional. Rich the instructor was very good, helpful, professional and it was obvious he spent A LOT of time riding bikes. He confessed to us on the first day that he had only ever ridden in FoD once before, on the Friday before the course, having driven down from Carlisle at short notice to replace the usual instructor who had broken his wrist. Fortunately it didn’t show at all and he’d found suitable bits of trail for all the lessons.

Overall I think Single Track Skills was well worth the money and defiantly improved my riding. I need to spend more time practising, obviously. I think it could have been even better with a group of friends of similar ability, but would recommend it to anyone even on their own. Jumps and Drops was a bit repetitive for those of us who did both days and jumping isn’t necessarily something that can be taught. Certainly not to me! I probably wouldn’t recommend doing it as a second day to ST Skills, maybe on it’s own if you already like jumping.

Forest of Dean trail centre is a bit limited. The man made trail can easily be ridden in half an hour, it’s fun but not that technical. There’s a lot of unmarked trails, loads of jumps and a mini downhill course which is VERY popular with locals. You’d need patience to explore or a local guide to make a weekend of it.  The cafe is OK.

Sam

Chris at CLIC24

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Chris at CLIC24

Chris at CLIC24

As a few of the regulars know I have been training for CLIC24 which is in Cheddar, Somerset. The weekend started as a blustery evening as I struggled to erect my gazebo by myself, which I later took it down as it nearly blew away!

The other two members of my team arrived Saturday morning, as the storm clouds gathered. The first lap was a memorial lap as the event was in aid of Cancer and Leukemia in Children and also the organiser had recently lost his wife to cancer. The course started with a nice tarmac climb then a nice descent along the valley, then a super rocky descent, then the long climb back up valley, with a short super steep climb at the end which lead onto a section of marshy land, then another fast rocky descent back onto the road for the last mile.

The team got a good start and I went back out for my second lap, which went well until the last mile, when the heavens opened at I got a good soaking from the sleet and rain.

As the laps drew on the night set in and the mud started to ease, I’d recently purchased a head torch which was really handy and helped me keep up the quick laps.

As my team became increasingly tired the swift change over became a longer affair as I dragged them from their cars and got them riding, but as the sun came up we were in a good position and just kept going. I rode the final lap which felt really good and I was clearing hills in the middle ring where’d I’d been using the granny before, I squeezed the last lap in with 10minutes to spare, before the heavens opened again, soaking any spectators.

In the end we came 9th out of 71 teams which I think is good for a team of 3

Chris

Ride Report: Firle Beacon Sunday 10th May 09

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Mark takes off

Mark takes off

The sun came out and the wind died down on cue for the 10.30 start from Firle Beacon car park – my second ride with Brighton MTB. A small group of four today, but each born in a different decade – that age gap most apparent during the inevitable end of day climb from Alfriston when child of the 80’s Chris running single speed burned into the distance, only to come back down again to check with the stragglers for directions (or was it just to have another go). Chris was in training for the Clic24 next week – good luck Chris!

From Firle Beacon we dropped down and headed south across the Cuckmere
River then on into Friston forest for a bit of single track action – all trails perfectly dry and compacted. Couple of close calls on the stump-ridden lower section. James enjoying his new Fox forks. After a much needed coffee in the visitor centre we took part of the Friston red trail and followed it up to the top of the forest then peeled off to take a look at the unofficial downhill sections – tiptoed down a short run then loitered around a dirt jump before throwing caution to the wind. James then followed – like me a relative novice who hasn’t seen enough broken bits to know when to step back.

We mucked around in a bomb hole for while the aim to make it around a tree located half way up one side. After this a slog up to join the South Downs Way above the Long Man for the most spectacular views of the day, then a long fast descent into Alfriston, (pies from the Local Village Stores to be recommended).  Lovely place though Alfriston is, the only way is up – and we eventually made it back to the car by about 4.30, sore (Body Geometry  –  my a**e!), slightly sunburned, but with the feeling that you only get after a great ride. I’ll be back for more of the same.

Mark

Ride Report: Saturday 2nd May

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James riding 'ill-in-the-head'

Face Plant Trilogy +1 (names remain hidden for ego sake).

Tea tasted good and apparently the cake tasted good. The soil and grass however, certainly did not it tasted horrible. The route included some familier singletrack and 3 new runs;  ‘tank trap’ a devilish off camber descent with the usual fallen trees and built up bits, ‘hole in the wall’ and  ‘ill-in-the-head’ a brand new trail with two huge ramps. The result, six riders and 4  face plants.

The first off came at the drop through the hole-in-the-wall before a fast descent over a line of jumps, no damage done. After a climb we ended up beside a patch of nettles, the guys turned right through the nettles, down a steep descent and onto ill-in-the-head (how do they find or decide to make these trails!). The trail was a ribbon of singletrack through the trees and we were told it was only finished two days earlier. The singletrack ended with a narrow descent onto two very big ramps over fallen trees the scene of 3 face plants.

The first plant was amusingly achieved by the architect, engineer and trail builder, followed by my good self and then a fellow rider. Those of us at the top didn’t see the first face plant, we just heard a shout and some laughter followed by the instruction to “keep right, keep right”.  I took the first ramp with some confidence and relative success (more guts and stupidity than skill) and had the words keep right keep right fresh in my thoughts; I peddled hard to gain the necessary speed and momentum. However, not until I was eating some grass did I realise that the words keep right were obviously off my radar. I hit the first gap between the down side logs, then the second and then the final third. The result was pretty obvious a very poor superman over the  handle bars. I cannot claim it felt like slow motion, because, well, there wasn’t any motion. Fortunately, the only damage was loss of breath and damaged ego. This fortune continued when a third rider achieved exactly the same result. Hilarious, it looked a whole lot better than the actual experience. Boy, I laughed. Tip for others,  keep right keep right.

Another highlight for me was a steep decscent with a large tree that needed avoiding, especially at speed. I was not aware that my bike could travel at such speed with the brakes full on.

Very nice ride, with a nice cuppa to finish the morning off.

Cheers guys, enjoyed your company. After some discussions I’m going to join one of the longer Sunday rides soon.

James

Ride Report: Night Ride Thursday 30th April

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img_0664-lowThis was my 4th maybe 5th time out with the welcoming BrightonMTB crowd on their regular Thursday night ride from the University so I’m finally getting to put names to faces, to bikes especially now its gotten lighter. The guy who gets punctures is Graham. Mr Rohloff and Specialized Man, have become Pete and Rich. We were down on numbers tonight so I could name them all which was a first. The sky is totally clear, it’s not too hot, and there is that orange low light streaming through the trees.

After the usual few minutes of banter and tech talk in the car park we make our way across the grass and up hill toward the woods, as ever my legs are unhappy about such a rude awakening from the slumber of the day job. But its only a few minutes before we settle into a steady cadence and start threading our way up the first of the singletrack and things become more comfortable.  The trails have dried up nicely and are proving super grippy so we make progress fairly swiftly snaking through the trees. From previous experience, I am expecting to spend the next 2 hours avoiding cracking my knuckles on passing saplings, chatting, negotiating roots, grinning into corners, being handed Tangfastics, and wondering how it is possible that this lot manage to weave so many quality sections of trail together and not ride the same bit twice. I am not disappointed.

Mark is out front, he leads us past a group who seem to have set up camp in the middle of the forest for the night. We joke about them being city types working wirelessly from the woods. We cross the A23 over toward Brighton onto a new trail to me that tracks parallel to road, fast in sections and noodley in others. Graham is out back, on “Official Sweeper” duty making sure no one gets left behind. Next it’s back across the main road up to the upper lodges and down to a section called Tea & Cake (for reasons unknown to me) but by the time we are done with it thats just what I fancy, that or a pint.

Its over an hour into the ride so the next long haul of double track up out the back toward the Downs is harder than usual. Chris is on a single speed. That single speed is considerably faster than the rest of us and he is soon a speck in the distance. But hang on what’s this, I’m being over taken, quite quickly too. It’s like the Tour De bloody France all of a sudden! Someone’s broken ranks and is off after Chris, Its Graham the “Official Sweeper”. Shouldn’t he be staying at the back ….If anyone punctures now they could be stuck here for weeks!

Regrouping at the top we string together a whole bunch of shorter trails wheel to wheel before attempting a newer steep, loose and off- camber section. Its technical and vegetation rather than soil in places, more like adventure riding than XC. Graham gets attacked by an unruly young tree… Ronnie can’t stop smiling. The light is now fading and it’s time to head back, on go the helmet and handle bar lights. We speed back carving down a fast trail, my eyes are watering, this is seriously fun stuff. We pass the camp again this time downhill, now there is a fire raging, singing and laughter. They don’t seem to be getting much work done. One final steep bit of tree lined switchbacks and its all over and we are back onto the grass not far from the University.

All rides are good but this one was a cracker.

Steve – The bloke with the loud freehub.

Something for the weekend?

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There are several bike tool sets available now and most of them are quite expensive This one form Lidl is cheap  and may contain some tools that are not commonly used but could be ideal for a weekend away in Wales where something will break.

The quality of the tools is much better than I expected with the chain tool straight and strong and coped easily with chain duties. Cassette tool has been used for a few off and on’s with no slips or major wear. This comes with a spanner/lever which is much better than a large spanner and using the quick release or even a ratchet set when I drop the cassette tool onto the floor under the toolbox every time.

Some bits, e.g. puncture outfit, screwdriver, small spanner, are a bit cheap and cheerful and not workshop quality but for emergency use seem fine.

Chain whip does not flex and the cone spanners have an accurate mouth but 17mm is missing so XT rear hub needs another size.

There a couple of other items that will appeal to the old roadie within you but some items have a modern application with one being used last night on a Chris King hub instead of the bespoke tool.

Overall worth buying if they have any left in a store near you and marks out of ten – nine. Now if they had been orange….