[fatdoc]

scabs on knee proving rather irksome, though they've stopped oozing plasma onto my clothes and bed linen. I reckon by not riding tonight i'll be rested enough for llangella on friday..

look what i just got

www.bicycling.com/gear/detail/0,7989,s1-15-65-1462-0,00.html

I got the top for £100. Seems OK, a little heavy for the big rides up hill and down dale.. but would be superb for trail centres (whereby i mean pootle up fireroad to then go down). we'll see, the wicking bit is very very good, the extra bulk is fine [slight]. no way i'd pay full price though...

[Norton Sharley]

 

[tlr]

Might up up for tonight depending on weather and timing, tell me where and when.

Only problem is that I don't really have any suitable lights so shouldn't be out much after 7.3 or 8.

[Norton Sharley]

6.30 Eccy Woods at bus stop between Dore Road and Abbey Lane.  txt me Tim if you want to meet closer to home.

[fatdoc]

I think my luck is about to improve, don't drown out there lads. Btw, where do I get a proper water proof little bag for my mobile?

[Bubba]

 
Try Aquapac, Boxit or Otterbox / Pelican for something more substantial.

[Norton Sharley]

I think my luck is about to improve, don't drown out there lads. Btw, where do I get a proper water proof little bag for my mobile?

Buy a waterproof phone?

Oops, my mistake.  You just forked (no pun intended) out a fortune for a jphone didn't you? 

[Norton Sharley]

So it must be Autumn.  There was only me and big Jerry out, everyone else wimped out.  It was chucking down with rain, we dare not leave solid trails for fear of being swept away in a mini flood.  And most importantly Jerry couldn't light his pipe cos of the wind on the tops.  Apart from the latter a great night out.

[fatkid2000]

Looked more like a monsoon than abit of autumn rain to me!!!! Good effort getting out.

So how long before the doc breaks his iphone ..... we could have a sweep stake.

[fatdoc]

If it breaks u don't get a wedding present!

I can't ride, puss pouring off knee, I'm gutted

[tlr]

Me, Cofe and Mr Barton did 2 laps of Llandegla black yesterday, and didn't get rained on! Trail was in reasonable condition all things considered, plenty of puddles but no deep mud.

The BMXy parts are pretty good fun, worth doing a couple of laps for familiarisation.

Good cafe, shop and facilities too.

[Norton Sharley]

I wento LLandegla yesterday and 

Black is a good trail, far better than Coed-y-Brenin or Marin imho.  Still not really that technical (2/5) and the first climb is pretty boring but overall a solid 4/5 for quality.

Took 1.5 hrs for the black in pouring rain and then I found out there's no showers there, 'till next year.  I couldn't wait that long so had to get the missus to hose me down using the bike jet wash.  Ouch.

[Bubba]

I thought Llandegla was a bit crap - some of the downhills were nice but the rest was nothing special. Probably didn't help much being on a DH bike   The northshore is a waste of wood.

[Norton Sharley]

 

It is crap, it's man made 'mountain' biking    My 4/5 was for man made shizzle.  But it is way better than Coed or the Marin so I suggest you don't go there Lord Bubbs.

To set the record straight then, and for future reference let's take a couple of reference rides and compare everything else to those?  For those in Sheffield the Wednesday night standard ride of Eccy Woods, Lim*, Houndkirk, classic Blacka would get 2/5 technical difficulty, and 3/5 quality.  Add an extra technical point for BS.

In comparison the man mades (imho) would get;

Llandegla - 2/5 technical, 2/5 quality
North Face (Grisedale) - 1/5, 1/5
Coed (Tawr) - 1/5, 2/5
Coed (dragon/black) - 0/5 (ie a trail ride not mtb), 1/5
Marin - 1/5, 1/5

where 0 quality = don't bother going and 5 is stunning
and 0 technical = flat trail riding and 5 = I wish I'd brought my downhill bike and Steve Peat to ride it

Other well known trails as points of reference could be;

Lakes - Loughrigg Terrace - 1/5 technical, 2/5 quality

Langdale circuit incl Loughrigg, Hodge Close, Iron Keld, - 2/5, 4/5

Tour de Mont Blanc (5 days) - 5/5, 5/5

I'm sure the boys at Vert Graphics will have a different opinion but then I don't have sponsors to keep happy 

Any opinions?

[fatdoc]

well interesting.

firstly, bubs on the big hit when not fit is no way to appreciate langdella.

it's the only man made trail i've ever been to, and from the post above looks like the only in north wales i'll ever bother with!

with my new partially separated shoulder I'll be trying to get there asap (smooth, but still fun! shoulder doesnt like jarring rocks  )


i have to say pedalling in like  a loon on a 140mm travel bike to clear the tabletop at the and of the top jumpy bit was not too dis similar an experience in trying to do the same on an 8 inch travel DH rid at hamsterly... i.e: damn fine riding... never did clear the hamsterly one though

as for ride grades....

I'm agreeing with norton 

yes, i know it's a rare event!

I'd add a tech grade for new new burbage.....

i'd say just about any of the 3 hills combos in derwent honeypot are 3/5, 3/5

not done enough in the Lakes...

but i'd say torver, dunnderdale... seathwaite then up and over walna scar is 4/5 and 3/5


best solo ride i've done in the UK... simply awesome... (it's not in the  v graphics book, they mix it up, and go the wrong way round a bit too 


BTW if i can get enough dressings under my knee pads weds looks ON for me... nothing too harsh (shoulder excuse again, and i've not ridden for 10 days...)

[Oli]

How far are you guys riding on Wednesday nights?
 I could be tempted to come this Wednesday, if downhillers with a slight aversion to uphills are accepted.
Saying that, I did ride the Veterbrate Cheedale loop this weekend which I actually quite enjoyed (even the uphill bits!). I'm rediscovering the joys of the hardtail as well... 

[fatdoc]

fast boys leave eccy woods 6:30, me a bit after, you'll need lights now. Pub by 21:30. Very welcome!

[cofe]

llandegla was ok. not great. the bits either side of the black bits are unremarkable. the cli-machx nr machynlleth and nant yr arian are better. the latter feeling a bit more like natural riding having a few farm tracks and gates to open. i've not ridden loads of places though. trail centres tick a box and are fun but they're not really a patch on real riding.

I'm sure the boys at Vert Graphics will have a different opinion but then I don't have sponsors to keep happy  Wink

 

we have no sponsors to keep happy in our next book - it's a pretty straight up account. we're not a magazine. i imagine we'll get beef for something though. 

[Oli]

Where abouts at Eccy Woods? Any chance of a link to a map? I think I'll decide whether to try and be fast or not on the day. Need to dig some lights out from somewhere around the house.

[Bubba]

llandegla was ok. not great. the bits either side of the black bits are unremarkable.

That sums it up well imho. I thought Penmachno was much better despite the majority of climbs being on fireroad. But again, i've not been to that many trail centres either. I fancy the Glentress red though as everyone seems to love it...shame it's not nearer.

What's the Cwmcarn XC trail like?

[fatdoc]

I'll try to sort a link out, coz I'm a bit shit at computa stuff....

penamachmo is also quite easy to get to?? i'm well up for fireroad only climbing!! as cofe says, it's not real mtb, so why make it hard for yourself... i thought i'd been told panmachno was a bit flat!!!


the cwm carn XC is meant to be ace, esp if you use the uplift 

bizarrely i'm more tempted by that than the DH there at the mo. .. i'm too out of practice and already too darn injured....


i'm considering the penmachno day out as soon as the monsoon relents, it's got to dry out sometime surely??

[cofe]

llandegla was ok. not great. the bits either side of the black bits are unremarkable.

That sums it up well imho. I thought Penmachno was much better despite the majority of climbs being on fireroad.

i'm keen to ride penmachno. not supposed to have jumps and stuff, just good old singletrack. i don't mind climbs on fire road - if you're building climbs otherwise then they need to be pretty interesting.

cwmcarn supposed to be v. good. - it's also got the downhill stuff, obviously.

[Bubba]

penamachmo is also quite easy to get to?? i'm well up for fireroad only climbing!! as cofe says, it's not real mtb, so why make it hard for yourself... i thought i'd been told panmachno was a bit flat!!!

Yeah, it's near Betws-y-coed. Some of it's a bit flat but there's some nice descents too.

[Oli]

On the off chance of anyone reading this, whereabouts in/at Eccy Woods is everyone meeting?

[fatdoc]

sorry Oli,

no one rode...

illness, work and injury devastated the field...

if i'm out next week i'll sort it out earlier on in the day..