Slieve Bloom trail centre

Claude Burgundy

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I'm sure in this context it means "not worth the trip" for the trail center they're building...

Yes that's it

xxyyzz

I went back to the slieve Blooms today and for some unknown reason they have resurfaced the long fireroad climb up to the start of the trail. God knows why this needs resurfacing given how far behind the project is. They have also closed off the lower section of the descent they had open with a Fairymount farm - under maintenance sign up. It's great to see some competent trail builders involved but Christ on a bike how long more is it gonna be before they open the thing up? The local bike hire businesses must be doing their nut.

iwillhtfu

xxyyzz wrote: »

I went back to the slieve Blooms today and for some unknown reason they have resurfaced the long fireroad climb up to the start of the trail. God knows why this needs resurfacing given how far behind the project is. They have also closed off the lower section of the descent they had open with a Fairymount farm - under maintenance sign up. It's great to see some competent trail builders involved but Christ on a bike how long more is it gonna be before they open the thing up? The local bike hire businesses must be doing their nut.

The last I was the the bottom was a mess or at least that section where there's a switch back turned into a straight. Have they opened any of the top sections yet or is it still just the bit after you pedal up the fire road across that open section.

I'd say the ebike place is getting some business by people looking to head up the fire roads and have a right ramble about the forests.

As you say though what is taking them so long. I'd say the budget is completely blown. They should have gotten the guy based at BPW that hepled design The Gap.

prunudo

Doesn't sound like a great time to be a bike rental business, between delays to opening and insurance worries must be a nightmare.

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/waterford-greenway-businesses-face-closure-due-to-cycling-insurance/

xxyyzz

iwillhtfu wrote: »

The last I was the the bottom was a mess or at least that section where there's a switch back turned into a straight. Have they opened any of the top sections yet or is it still just the bit after you pedal up the fire road across that open section.

I'd say the ebike place is getting some business by people looking to head up the fire roads and have a right ramble about the forests.

As you say though what is taking them so long. I'd say the budget is completely blown. They should have gotten the guy based at BPW that hepled design The Gap.

I actually didn't even look at the upper section because I had a tired and emotional 6 year old who wasn't on for any more climbing. You're right about the lower section, they had a few switchbacks where you come in at speed and there was no berm to catch you, just a flat corner with a drop on the other side. Hopefully Graham and Scott sort it all out. Great to see them still involved in the MTB scene.

iwillhtfu

They must've been listening/reading

Not long now according to Bloomeriders

https://www.facebook.com/Bloomeriders-2061549667230231/

mad turnip

xxyyzz wrote: »

There's plenty of good natural stuff there if you're strava-savvy, I wouldn't say it's not worth the trip.

I had a soop around there, what are the difficulty of the trails like, a fair few don't seem particularlly steep would they fall into a more xc type? Our riding group has quite the varied skill level.

SWD the only trail on trailforks has a black rating yet the overall gradient is 8%
Maybe there is some bigger features on them?

Lemming

mad turnip wrote: »

SWD the only trail on trailforks has a black rating yet the overall gradient is 8%
Maybe there is some bigger features on them?

It's not gradient that makes the rating; it's trail features, although granted you'll frequently find gradient with trail features on more demanding trails anyway just to add confusion. There is another rating system that does incorporate gradients but it's not very user-friendly to understand (and I'm not sure I do either so I'll not even try save to mention it exists).

From memory - and I stand to be corrected -

• Blue: rollers, table tops, and berms for the most part are what you'll encounter
• Red: Above + rock gardens and maybe some [smaller] drops. Alternate chicken lines are most likely available.
• Black: above on steroids. Alternate chicken lines are probably available.
• Orange: Above + ensure you are oh-so-comfortable going airborne because you are very unlikely to find chicken-lines as you will be expected to hit that 10ft jump with punji stake pit.

Good jib!

Those punji stake pits take feckin' ages to install, which I guess would account for the delay in opening up the trails!

Lemming

Good jib! wrote: »

Those punji stake pits take feckin' ages to install, which I guess would account for the delay in opening up the trails!

I should have said I was referring to the general application of the colour-coded ranking system, not the Slieve Bloom trails.

I left myself open to that one ... cheeky bugger

covey123

Good jib! wrote: »

Those punji stake pits take feckin' ages to install, which I guess would account for the delay in opening up the trails!

:D:D:D

booooonzo

The blooms had original contractors leave and they have gotten smaller contract teams on board who know trails and mtb.
might be frustrating but its a better outcome imo. they are only blues as far as i know but the quality has ramped up i believe
I would gladly wait months more for Coolaney knowing it was being done right...

iwillhtfu

booooonzo wrote: »

The blooms had original contractors leave and they have gotten smaller contract teams on board who know trails and mtb.
might be frustrating but its a better outcome imo. they are only blues as far as i know but the quality has ramped up i believe
I would gladly wait months more for Coolaney knowing it was being done right...

Has it not been years since either were proposed? Also not everyones opinion of being done right is the same that's why both sites aren't even remotely ready for opening. If we get one decent trail out of either I'll be surprised. They're not building bike parks they're building a couple of generic trails that don't appear to be much more than hiking or deer trails.

I for one was happy to wait to see the final product but at this point it's an absolute farce and only a matter of time before funding is dried up and we're left with what is typically Irish and unfinished project. Also let's not forget the first hint of a claim of any description on these trails and they'll be changed to walking only trails.

Tenzor07

At this stage with the winter almost upon us and the long nights, I predict it will be early Summer 2020 before anything opens...

booooonzo

Yes years, so much has gone wrong you would not even believe.. a perfect storm!
Yes everyone has different opinions of what's a good trail but even non debatable things like surface are being done wrong.
It's very hard to specify a trail but it's all the more reason to employ mtb based builders who have a level of passion understanding and general cop on. Not civil firms.

Funding is not drying up, I can guarentee you that but that's all the more reason to start getting things right!

booooonzo

My best guess is coolaney will be March/April opening.

xxyyzz

The BPI lads have done a good job on revamping the trail that was open. It's like a slightly tamer version of the old blue trail at BPI. It's not technical but as with all well designed trails, the faster you go the more fun you can get out of it. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with the rest of it.

prunudo

https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/arts-culture-entertainment/498096/christmas-bikes-at-the-ready-for-slieve-bloom-bike-trails.html

Good news for all you midlands riders. 21km should keep you entertained while everything else is slop at the moment.

Claude Burgundy

prunudo wrote: »

https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/arts-culture-entertainment/498096/christmas-bikes-at-the-ready-for-slieve-bloom-bike-trails.html

Good news for all you midlands riders. 21km should keep you entertained while everything else is slop at the moment.

Great to hear

Tenzor07

prunudo wrote: »

Good news for all you midlands riders. 21km should keep you entertained while everything else is slop at the moment.

21k doesn't seem bad, the lap at Ballinastoe in Wicklow is only 14k..

And i'm sure this new trail will be a lot more interesting than B'stoe...(which wouldn't be difficult!)

covey123

xxyyzz wrote: »

The BPI lads have done a good job on revamping the trail that was open. It's like a slightly tamer version of the old blue trail at BPI.

Have you any more updates on this?Is it worth a spin over the Christmas holidays?

booooonzo

xxyyzz wrote: »

The BPI lads have done a good job on revamping the trail that was open. It's like a slightly tamer version of the old blue trail at BPI. It's not technical but as with all well designed trails, the faster you go the more fun you can get out of it. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with the rest of it.

When you have Mountain Bikers involved , things work out a hell of a lot better!!

Been telling that powers that be this for a long time and the tide is slowly changing for the better!

Good jib!

The linked article was a bit vague, talking about the trail opening at the end of December. I'd imagine with the 25th being a Wednesday, the trail would have to be open on the week from the 16th to the 20th, as after that everyone's going to be on holidays.

I'd love to go for a spin over the holidays, but even if the trail is open, I doubt the bike rental place will be.

xxyyzz

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10162684890310511&id=811625510&preview_rid=10162684909415511

Good jib!

Hard to know what to think from that timelapse video. My initial reaction was that it looks too wide and too flat, almost like a walking route. But then again maybe that's just because it's still "fresh" and needs time to bed in.

Comparing it to Ballyhoura, it seems like they've just covered over any natural rocks, bumps etc:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0gikQx9CLM

I'll reserve judgement until I've been up there though, the camera doesn't always do justice.

iwillhtfu

Good jib! wrote: »

I'll reserve judgement until I've been up there though, the camera doesn't always do justice.

I'd be similar to this myself but the absolute lack of features is a bit concerning when they're saying themselves they're making lovely shapes. I have yet to see one drop/ledge/rock garden or anything even resembling a blue trail I won't even think about red for the minute.

prunudo

Its catch 22 about the width, they need to create a solid base, yet to do so they need to be able to drive their machinery back and forward to get materiald in. Once the natural edges start encroaching back in the trail will get narrower but still have the benefit of the wide base for structural support so the edges don't break away.

xxyyzz

There won't be any drops in a trail centre trail. From what little of it I have ridden there are plenty of rollers with potential for doubles and berms and it's a fast flowy trail. There were also a number of rock gardens thrown in similar to the tech loops near the carpark in ballyhoura. Plenty of off piste stuff also.

Good jib!

xxyyzz wrote: »

There won't be any drops in a trail centre trail. From what little of it I have ridden there are plenty of rollers with potential for doubles and berms and it's a fast flowy trail. There were also a number of rock gardens thrown in similar to the tech loops near the carpark in ballyhoura. Plenty of off piste stuff also.

Do you mean there are rock gardens in the Slieve Bloom, either planned or already done?

iwillhtfu

Good jib! wrote: »

Do you mean there are rock gardens in the Slieve Bloom, either planned or already done?

I didn't see any up there but it's been a while. As for there being no drops or similar features that would be the main problem in my opinion and the reason most think it's a waste of money. They're basically building access routes to trails that will be built by clubs outside of the centre.