My spin today...

Yeah, I was thinking it might be something to do with that, it certainly doesn't help in some places.

Euroskeptic closed today. Signage saying due to forestry activity. Didn't check it out - I followed the diversion which is back to just before aerials. Waste of time climbing Tom's until this is re-open. Also seems to be a foot race happening soon - signs going up around the place so might be some closure etc over the weekend.

jvan wrote: »

Is it back open again, thinking of heading that way over the weekend?

Officially no but I rode it twice during the week without issue or obstruction. This was after 6pm, well after the forestry workers had finished.

steamsey wrote: »

Officially still closed yesterday.

Yeah, was up there yesterday, looks like some of the enduro stages took a bit of a hit.

gnarbarian wrote: »

Sorry for posting here but didn't really want to start a new thread...
Thinking of heading to the Gap over Easter but I was wondering if anyone can help me on a couple questions...
When renting out bikes do you need to call in advance first and how long in advance? 24hrs?
Also I would be happy to pedal up instead of using the uplift service but I was wondering how much of a climb is it to the top? I need to know because I will be accompanied by 2 newbies..
Thanks.

I'd book online at least 24hrs in advance, more if you can.

It's about 12 mins cycle to the top. You don't have to go all the way down either side, as in you can go half way down and pedal back up.

gnarbarian wrote: »

Great thanks!
I will pass this info on to my newb mates...
Hopefully they have their weetabix in the morning because they repeatedly remind me that they are not fit...

The other option which I've found handy before, is to buy the €5 pedal up and also get the 5 uplifts for €10. Gives you a bit of both worlds, bit of pedalling and also the bus for when you're starting to get a bit tired.

gnarbarian wrote: »

I wasn't aware you could do that... that would be very handy because I know I'll want to get some time in on the reds and blacks...
cheers for the info!

Bets trails up there IMO are Easy Rider (Blue), then left into Witches Cauldron (Red), then left slightly up fireroad to Sacred Stones finishing at the uplift pickup

Wanderer78 wrote: »

I'd be including many uplifts for the newbies, they ll be shot pretty quickly without them, and you might put them off it

Thats a good point, you also need a strong mind not to get disheartened as you're pedalling up while the buses speed past.
Still though its a great spot for newbies to dip their toe in mountain biking.

The GAP is a great place to introduce newbs to mountain biking; doesn't hurt that the Nukeproof mega rental bikes offers a great ride. I (re)introduced my other half to moutain biking courtesy of the GAP not long after it first opened; so sometime in August 2017. She loved it and we've been back since with her now with her own bike and more than happy to hit the reds (she's still building up to the blacks). Even though there are "only" two blue trails, they're more than enough to keep newbs entertained for a day with perhaps the more capable & adventurous progressing onto reds. Roll on the summer!

Video link is private.

gnarbarian wrote: »

Yeah the Gap is a great place for people who never mtb'ed before and can give it a go without hurting them selves.. The blue's were great fun but I have a feeling that if I was with the newbs for a full day I would most likely get bored of the blues...
Next time I'm there with more capable people I will be defo be hitting the reds and blacks..
I think I have fixed that link :pac:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwzg1bDID2I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Nice Redbull induced editing there :pac:

Hit Slade Valley for a spin today. Some absolutely awesome trails up there. Very rooty though, wouldn't imagine it's half as enjoyable in the wet.

Peter T wrote: »

Headed for the nagles yesterday with the intention of trying the stages used in the enduro earlier in the year. Got lost twice, pedaled through a puddle that submerged my top tube and rattled down some rocky drains to put myself on the right path again. Ran down stage 2 and found it mostly ok except I cant handle drop offs at all. Ran out of time so I had to call it a day after that. Looking at the strava times for stage two I've plenty of work to do... So more skills based training needed before I think of throwing the name down for an enduro :pac:

Stage 3 was the one to do, the other two weren't half as much fun, and a bit tame if I do say so myself.

Nostalgia spin this evening,not been on the bike in a few weeks so had planned on a few laps around the tech loops in Ballyhouras to knock off the cobwebs, but finished work near a place I used to live and had built trails over the years (not saying where!).
Not been there in over a year and place has seen a massive increase in MX use.Lots of exposed and polished roots since last spin but has held up pretty well considering,but best of all,the best and fastest trail still hasn't been found by the MX riders so still running great!

Wanderer78 wrote: »

MX riders are driving me insane at this stage, we ve had to shut down a trail again because of them, the place is wrecked

Been there. Unfortunately on shared trails all that can be done is accept that MX bikes will eat into the trails at certain points.Gave up a long time ago on carefully sculpted berms and other features that would lead to getting p***ed off that all your hard work gets ripped apart after a couple of runs with a MX bike...and horses...now that opens up another can of worms!
Usually ended up just following MX trails.

Few tips I have learned to help build more sustainable trails(ride with some lads that are into MX so got pointers from them too);
Found that mostly MX bikes go in the opposite direction to MTBs,so what I was going down they were coming up,so at all costs avoid straight lines down anything steep as they will eventually create a rut that also becomes a channel for water further damaging the trail.Turns on hills that they use can then be built up into berms once they have established a trail.

Where they need to "attack" a hill (usually at beginning) or at a hard turn will call for hard acceleration so again this will create ruts(large flat rocks are your friend here)

May at first seem like a bad idea,but build alongside MX trails.MX riders love straight line speed and will spot an obvious line easily,if you have an idea for a good line, create one beside it first for MX(extra work I know but diverts attention away from what you really want to build)leave it become established,then once it is ,build yours off of it(90° entrance onto it helps, if they are going fast enough they won't want to slow down or maybe miss it completely!)

Choke points or hard acceleration points around tree roots will have them dug up in no time,if you see errosion starting, again get in some flat rocks and dirt underneath,earlier the better before it gets too bad.

Always try to think of their speed,can a fallen tree be built up on one side for a jump that is too high for them to ride over in opposite direction so have to ride around? can you enter/exit a trail underneath a half fallen tree? that kind of stuff.

Yep,its a balls that trails will get torn up,but best thing to do is just accept it and work as best as possible with the natural features available to you.

Oh,did I mention rocks?

covey123 wrote:

Been there. Unfortunately on shared trails all that can be done is accept that MX bikes will eat into the trails at certain points.Gave up a long time ago on carefully sculpted berms and other features that would lead to getting p***ed off that all your hard work gets ripped apart after a couple of runs with a MX bike...and horses...now that opens up another can of worms! Usually ended up just following MX trails.

Thanks very much, some great advice there, we re slowly figuring out what you already have, I'd also add, MX riders please build your own trails and stop wrecking other people's hard work

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Thanks very much, some great advice there, we re slowly figuring out what you already have, I'd also add, MX riders please build your own trails and stop wrecking other people's hard work

You could start another thread on this subject....:pac:....

Back in the (MTB) saddle after spending some time on the sealed surfaces. Did 28km at a grand relaxed 2hours with some mates.

I'm pondering on heading to Ballyhoura's Monday. I heard something about a 12km loop being created. Is that ready/worth it or will I stick to the Brown?

ianobrien wrote: »

I'm pondering on heading to Ballyhoura's Monday. I heard something about a 12km loop being created. Is that ready/worth it or will I stick to the Brown?

Think the 12k is still only in the planning stage,not sure if started yet.
If you have time on your hands take in tech loops 1 & 2 on the brown & white.

Another thing to add that's more sessioning than clocking up the miles are to do the tech sections near the car park, also one I like to do is loop the last bit of trail that leads to trail head.
If you head back towards the entrance barrier you will see steps heading up on your right, head up these,then turn right.Follow trail until you reach the steel bridge and turn left onto bike trail.
Handy little loop thats a nice and fast and very little climbing involved

Paid a visit to slade yesterday, compact hill and was easy enough to figure out my around. Everything seems to radiate out from the aerials at the top. Mellow trails but quite rooty in places, other sections were nice and flowy. Trails seemed generally short so will be interesting to see how they link it all together for the enduro there in a couple of weeks times.
Bit of a trek for me to get too compared to what is closer to home so unlikely it would become a regular visit but still good to see something new.

iwillhtfu wrote: »

There are better trails with a few jump lines off the back of the hill I think it was. I don't now my way around there that well but the few trails off of the mast weren't exactly flowy and had what felt like a kerb either side of the trail and the few jumps down the front side were wrecked they obviously get used a lot. In saying that it's a nice compact hill and not to pedally. I would have thoguht there are far better spots for the gravity enduro.

True, suppose depends which side you park on what you call back but yeah one side was definitely more enjoyable than the other. Noticed that 'kerb' on some trails alright but sure thats all part of it.