Slieve Bloom trail centre

I think you are spot on about insurance. I've a lot of time for Niall and what he has done for mountain biking in ireland but saying this is a blue xc trail doesn't hold water.. you could do it easily on a road bike.
I'm fine with building trails for people to ramble around the countryside but saying g its mtb is insulting. Why not just call it adventure trails or something.
I'm in an mtb club ( MAD ) and on the introductory spins people who have often never done mountain biking before take on proper, mild to medium trails..

I suppose its easier to make money from novices through rentals, guiding, transition year groups, stag dos etc etc, all having a great time and loving their first experiences of mountain biking.
Seasoned riders rock up, use the trails for free, possibly buy a coffee at a push a spare tube, give out that the trails are too easy with no variation and head home claiming never to come back because it isn't rad enough

I think I'll wait to see the entire trail before I run for the pitchfork.

I think some people are jumping to conclusions based on one picture. If you took a picture of some of the fire roads on the trails in the Ballyhoura's and said that's all the trails you would think I'm daft

Another one released looks a little more promising

It is very diffcult to judge a trail based on a few photos, for instance, this is the Half Nelson Trail in Squamish



Looks a bit sh1t eh?



Of course we won't be getting to the level of that trail, but I would have great faith in Niall and the BPI lads to build something pretty good.

Biopace wrote: »

It is very diffcult to judge a trail based on a few photos, for instance, this is the Half Nelson Trail in Squamish
Looks a bit sh1t eh?
Of course we won't be getting to the level of that trail, but I would have great faith in Niall and the BPI lads to build something pretty good.

Hey, the steps onto a Ryanair flight are just like the steps onto an Emirates 1st class cabin, though one is vastly superior to the other, chalk n cheese!

booooonzo wrote: »

you Can have accessible blues/reds to the masses that also are a whole lot of fun to ride at speed for experienced riders.

QFT; one of the most fun trails I have ridden (and continue to ride) is graded as a blue trail ("Blue Steel", Sheffield, UK), but built in such a way that whilst very accessible for beginners, the faster you try to ride it the harder it gets, with plenty of opportunity to get airborne whilst trying. Not every trail needs to be rocks, roots, mahoosive drops and punji stake-pits to appeal to more advanced riders, they just need to be fun. Sometimes simple, unadulterated fast flowy trails are as appealing as something out of a Yoann Barrelli "Into the Gnarr" video from Squamish (although, mere mortals may ascribe those trails as akin to sheer terror followed by elation at having survived more than anything else)

Also you have to remember this money is given mainly on the back of increasing tourism in rural areas.

That means making it appealing to over seas visitors.
The standards expected from overseas visitors is not basic gravel paths.

These are the people who will spend the most money whether its a family that want fun easy blues along with challenging reds or an experienced group that just want challenging trails BUT the trails have to be right.

The lads on a stag or whatever may rent a few bikes but they prob wont be getting local accommodation or eating locally or having coffees or doing a second or third day

building a brand and a good name is whats needed for repeat visits etc..

The bigger picture is often overlooked and the excuse of "mountainbikers just want gnarly trails for themselves and are never happy with whats built, these trails are for the masses" just isn't true.

xxyyzz wrote: »

Having said that Coillte's idea of a blue trail is very different to a bikepark's

I think you've put the core of the issue in one line of print, which chimes with what boonzo has said below;

booooonzo wrote: »

That means making it appealing to over seas visitors.
The standards expected from overseas visitors is not basic gravel paths.

.. namely that Coilte don't understand their target audience/market and continue to refuse to listen or engage unless and until dragged by the nose after the fact.

prunudo wrote: »

But maybe their idea of target audience/market is families with kids who can potter along handy trails like a gravel version of the Westport greenway but built in the mountains. Therefore they must be mountain bike trails in their mind.
Its certainly not taking people away from visiting lift accessed alpine resorts.
I'd love to know what their actual plan is, at present it seems very vague.

The thing is, as I have heard Coillte say many times. they are a timber company first and foremost.
They are custodians of the land these public trails are being built on and the even though their recreation department are making efforts to catch up to wales/Scotland etc... they have a ways to come and need to realise their shortcomings..

The 13 million that as been awarded is a significant investment and should be handled and delivered using a clear strategy that is progressive, just like scotlands.
I've yet to see Coilltes new one. should be interesting.

Failte Ireland are involved and they should have some clear deliverables in what they require and with some small research they will soon realise it is not only families with kids who spend money.

From my own research it's young males who have already significant investment in biking who are looking for challenging trails who will stay over a few nights that spend the most. will need to dig out the breakdown again.

^^^^^^
I think part of the problem is that the trails have to be sustainable.
If they didn't put down a good base, there would be a lot of erosion.
Having said that, there're ways around the problem.

Eamonnator wrote: »

^^^^^^
I think part of the problem is that the trails have to be sustainable.
If they didn't put down a good base, there would be a lot of erosion.
Having said that, there're ways around the problem.

I am not a fan of gravel and think its used far too readily as a crutch for being lazy with planning & building, doubly so when I see pictures of -or end up riding - MTB trails containing gravel, more gravel, and nothing but gravel. Yes dirt requires periodic maintenance, but not as much as you might think when you have built your trail well. It is also possible to build all-weather trails without using much in the way of gravel at all; another trail quite near me falls under that category: Parkwood springs in Sheffield - yet another public trail maintained by volunteers in cooperation with the local council.

So decided to take a trip up to these trails during the week.

To start on a positive the pictures I've seen don't really do the "trail" justice

• Fun fast and flowy
• some decent berms
• a couple of dubles and whoops
• climb up is grand not to taxing
• setting is great
• plenty of parking

Now on to the negatives

• Where the hell have they spent the money
• Only one trail officially open
• trails under construction could be opened ground is compacted well and riders clearly riding it
• No over all map
• Did I mention where's the money being spent??
• A drawn out meandering trail to the start of the climb which is already being short cut
• featureless trails
• no drops
• no rock gardens
• decent banked berms in some places and then crap flat berms in places you'd rather see the banked berms
• trail surface is liken to concrete in places
• Trail is overgrown with thorns & nettles in places already
• I'm sure there are others such as where is the money being spent!!!!

Now in saying all of that the location is excellent and it could genuinely be a mini squamish if it were done right but for some reason they've ignored almost every single natural feature. I do honestly hope they make some decent tech trails.

The one trail they have open isn't terrible but it's only a blue trail, fair enough when it opens it's full length it will probably be a red/blue trail but it certainly will not draw visitors.

I found a few of the unofficial trail and they were good craic, I could see myself going back with someone local as there seems to be a good few unofficial trails that are good and I'd say you'd get a good days riding in.

From an insurance point of view what they've opened is poorly finished in sections and you can pick up some speed on the flowy bit at the end with trees either side. Also a lot of trail sides stumps which are overgrown.

Would I go for a spin there tomorrow probably not but genuinely hope work is expedited and trails improved because at the minute it seems like a waste of money. Also not one person working on it during the week.

To finish on a positive the pictures released do the trails no justice from what I've seen. I took a few but they're no better looking it's hard to give a decent perspective on camera.

Could you stick up some of those pics anyway?