November Diary

Mtb Diary - November 2012

12 Nov

It’s always slightly depressing when you finally realise that summer has passed. No more dusty, loamy trails – baked dry by the sun and rolling faster than you can recall.  Not that we actually got any of that this year (unless of course you went abroad – I’m envious of you).

Today, however, I have been lucky. As I sit at the top of Bredon Hill I can see for miles across the Vale and Cotswolds. With the sun shining so warm and the sky so blue, one could almost mistake it for summer.

But as I sit and take in the views I am under no illusions. Following a tortuous climb to reach the summit I can remark that it most certainly is not summer. The sun may be out right now but it has been raining all week and the muddy trails are a stark reminder of this time of year.  They have been turned in to wet sloppy imitations of their previous selves and the climbs, as a result, have become an ordeal.

Still, with views like this it's not hard to see the advantage for getting out. 

It’s been raining all week and may not stop for a long time. You’ll be waiting even longer for the trails themselves to dry up. Try sometime next summer, if we have one.

But do not despair. It is this characteristic that is so familiar to the British, to all those who actually get out during the darker months. There’s no point sitting around and moaning about it – another typically English characteristic. It is these types of trails that are responsible for producing some of the finest professional riders to emerge from the UK.

The likes of Steve Peat & Mark Beaumont have developed their skills on these slippery, rooty trails. Getting out on this will undoubtedly make you a better rider too. By getting out now and pushing your limits you’ll be quicker come summer and better to boot.

For those of you who really do find it hard to get the enthusiasm to get out once it gets cold, think of it this way. It’s only going to get worse. And, you will regret not getting out now once the dark days of deepest winter really set in – not that it’ll stop me. I find that some of the best riding all year only materializes once the ground freezes over. Why not get out now and make the most of the last embers of warmth from the sun? The extra miles you put in now (and over the winter) will pay dividends next spring.

18^th Nov

Again, I have been lucky to get the sun. With the rain being persistent the climbs have become quite a challenge. I think it’s time for a tire change, my summer trail tires can no longer with the thick mud.

25^th Nov

Over the last month I have repeated my ride over Bredon Hill on several occasions. At first my thoughts were centred on the idea that it is sad to see the dusty trails disappear. What I hadn’t bargained for was that they would be literally subsumed beneath the water as they did this week…

…So, it’s floodin’ out there! So bloody what! Why should that stop you? It’s not like it doesn’t happen almost every year anyway, so we should be prepared for it by now. Although I will concede, it’s usually in the summer. In places, my trails have literally disappeared – they are impassable. But, rather than sitting around and moping, I have found alternative routes to link up the remaining sections that are still rideable and, this weekend, I ventured back up Bredon Hill for some slippery fun.

I have been having some issues with brakes this year after trying to ‘restore’ a hope mini M4, however that has been resolved by the fact that I no longer need them. I simply stop pedalling and I come to a halt quicker than if I apply them at all.

Tires have been a huge frustration though. My usually adaptable all-rounders simply cannot cope with the knee-high gloop. I get the feeling that I’m navigating a boat rather than riding my bike. New ones are a must do, despite the ‘gulp’ price.

Still, there’s a certain gratification at having been out. A typical ride is no longer just a ride but a full-scale expedition and it feels good to actually get back in one piece. I’m not even bothered with pace. Timing is out the window. Everything pales in to insignificance, I’m out and that’s all that matters to me.

Trail centres have revolutionized the way we can approach our winter riding. The man-made trails are quite often designed to be ride-able all year round without being any less fun.  So why not take advantage of the additional access you have to trails. Kit up and get out and stop moaning!

Verderers Trail, Forest Of Dean

Rating          4/5

Length         11km

Climbing      Not a lot

Time            40mins - 1.5hrs

Difficulty      Blue with Red options

The Verderer's Trail was penned by reputed designer Rowan Sorrel. It achieves an interesting brief by being simultaneously accessible for beginners and veterans alike. There are no hidden obstacles that will spark horror in the minds of novices. The distinction that allows both to enjoy this route is the speed at which you attack it.

Newbies can pootle around at their leisure without getting in to any difficulty and the more highly skilled riders tend to attack the trail at much faster speeds.

The Cannop Pedal'a'bike away centre has an array of mountain biking on offer. There are blue and red way marked xc trails, an collection of downhill tracks all accessible from the new uplift service (Fly-up Downhill). There's also a green family ride. The car park is quite often very busy but don't be put off as the trail itself is not usually very busy.

The trail itself is almost completely man-made surface with very few 'natural feeling' sections. Sitting within forestry commission managed woodland (there's evidence of this quite recently with a large area of tree felling about half way round - made the section feel a bit weird). However neither the character of trail nor the setting does anything to lessen the quality of the ride. It rolls pretty quickly and consistently even in severe wet weather and the trail is littered with loads of berms and dips/jumps to rail and pump.

The berms themselves are generally pretty good. Their construction, size and camber are all pretty much spot on for full attack. The trail gradually gains elevation through relatively slight climbs followed by flat pump sections. There are only 2 actual descents throughout the ride. The elevation gained is generally saved for the latter of the two, the final descent.  This is super fast and has great flow, in parts that is.

The final descent actually comprises of 3 smaller, manageable, sections. Each is split from the last by a small fireroad link. The first section is in the woods and it flows like a silk ribbon through the trees at a good speed. There are some off camber sections, but nothing to worry about. This part retains the close singletrack feel of the preceding climbs with the towering pines all still in attendance.

This character continues through section 2, although the trail gets slightly quicker and more technical. The introduction of some large berms towards the end prepares you for the moonscape that is the final section.

Emerging on to the fireroad you are presented with a wallride to set yourself up square for the start of the final descent. This section is made up of a heavily surfaced, rocky rollercoaster of huge rollers jumps (depends how fast you go) and berms that simply beg for you to go faster.

The route overall has an engaging character and as a result riders tend to attack it most of the way round. At 11km this is a perfect length for that kind of approach. My only gripe is the climb stuck in the middle of the final section of the final descent. In my opinion it has no place here, it ruins the flow of the, saps any energy you had left and almost spoils the flat out final final bit.

The link is needed to traverse some ground until you reach the amphitheater that is the very end and is probable exacerbated by the limited altitude available but come on! Sticking an up bit right in the middle of the down bit is bad form if you ask me. And, the rollers introduced right at the beginning of this climb prevent you from being able to power through with the momentum you've gained which makes it even worse.

I'm sure the relatively small altitude available to the designers hasn't helped but I'm sure there's a better solution to this section. Or, is this the bit that separates the men from the boys. Perhaps I should do some more training?

With the above in mind, I would (and have) still go round again! Although If I do I generally complete a loop of an off piste red trail (which links to the top of the final descent of Verderer's) to mix it up a bit.

GoogleMaps - Forest Of Dean

Coed Llandegla, Wrexham

Length:              21km

Difficulty            Red/Black
Climb                 Lots
Duration:           1.5 – 3hrs
Grade:               3/5

If this trail were rated merely for the black graded sections, it would get 5/5 in my book.

The approximately 8-10km of actual black graded trail offers a great mix of terrain, typology, speed and fun. There are jumps on every straight and berms at every corner. The only downside to this palate of delights is that you are unwittingly coaxed in to pushing as hard as you can without ever really planning to. Don’t get me wrong; this is how it needs to be done – Hard. Fast. Smooth!

It is, however, quite hard to find the same level of enthusiasm for the rest of the trail, especially after sampling the black bits.

The trail is essentially the red loop with the added spice of the more technically challenging ‘black’ sections. Combined, this offers 21km of trail. Not all, however, is singletrack. The ride shares the initial climb from the car park with the blue trail. As such this makes for an initially comfortable and start, allowing one to warm up gently and facilitating chat amongst riding buddies. The lack of a technical challenge very soon becomes tiresome, unfortunately the climb continues for what begins to feel like a never-ending length of time.

The fact that this area has been clear felled only adds to the tiresome nature of this first section. One advantage, I think that were the start as engaging as the black sections the trail would inevitably be very tiring, however this is a very minor benefit for a complete lack of interest.

As it is, I could only just manufacture the will to pedal up the final climb, only to be disappointed yet again. There is, to my despair, no final descent to the car park, which makes for quite an anti-climax to the end of the ride. A final descent usually provides a definite and perfect end.

There is definitely a feeling that the Red sections (i.e. more than half of the actual trail) were merely a link between the trailhead (visitors centre & car park) and the black sections.

As bad as this may sound, these sections are actually worth the pain. With great north-shore trail followed by one after another of really well crafted table top jumps and drops and super big berms you cannot help it to find a massive grin spread across your face after each and every section. They are quick, they flow superbly well together and there are no dodgy switch back corners in silly locations to spoil your momentum (warp speed btw).

While riding through the initial blue section, a friend of mine commented on the regimented nature of the trees – set out to aid felling for timber supplies. This is a clear indication that the woodland is by no means a ‘natural’ landscape. The trail itself is a reflection of this. Like an A-road passing through the English countryside, the trail carves a similarly drastic line through the wood with very little connection to its surroundings.

The designers appear to have favoured substance over style. The trail is hard packed stone and appears well managed. There was very little evidence of erosion or damage from use. There are a number of well placed drainage culverts, mainly on the steeper climbs/descents to ensure that rainwater cannot damage the trail and where ever the trail traverses boggy ground you are treated to sections of boardwalk to stave the mud-fest. The loop has definitely been designed to last.

The trail, as a complete entity, felt much longer than it actually was. In fact there was a certain level of disappointment between my riding colleagues when they were reminded it is only 21km. The level of engagement and effort used on the black sections (i.e. having fun) distorted the normal flow of time somewhat – time flies… as they say!