Gravel bikes at trail centres

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Tango
Posts: 62
Joined: 3 Jul 2012, 6:15am
Location: Preston Lancs

Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by Tango »

I ride an Orange 5RS and a Sonder Camino Ti gravel bike. I have been looking for feedback from anyone who has ridden a gravel bike around the Altura trails at whinlatter, I have ridden some fairly bumpy stuff on the Sonder and wondered if it would be suitable for whinlatter as I won't have my 5 with me
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DevonDamo
Posts: 1035
Joined: 24 May 2011, 1:42am

Re: Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by DevonDamo »

Tango wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 11:00am I ride an Orange 5RS and a Sonder Camino Ti gravel bike. I have been looking for feedback from anyone who has ridden a gravel bike around the Altura trails at whinlatter, I have ridden some fairly bumpy stuff on the Sonder and wondered if it would be suitable for whinlatter as I won't have my 5 with me
I haven't ridden it. but when I'm visiting new trail centres and bike parks whilst travelling with work, I use YouTube videos to decide which bike to take. (Relying on a stranger's opinion can be risky - i.e. Sam Pilgrim can regularly be seen blasting trails on a 1970s ladies' folding shopper which I wouldn't be capable of on any bike.) I'm interested in Forestry Commission trails as they're free and often of a decent length so I've just done your research for you... The following was the most helpful footage I could find on YouTube:



My conclusions are that it's mainly smooth/gravel single-track with plenty of switchbacks (both bermed and flat) with a few easy features such as rock gardens (see 1.40 and 7.40), a 1 foot unavoidable drop (2.40), some avoidable drops (6.12 and 6.40), a techy/rooty steep section (3.15) and some easy table-top jumps which you could roll (8.00.) I'd have no qualms about doing it on a gravel bike, but obviously chunkier tyres, longer rake and a dropper post would make it easier. As with any new trail, I'd slow right down at any blind corners or horizons as you might want to walk down that unavoidable drop and the trail may have been changed or deteriorated in the 2 and a half years since that video was made.
mattsccm
Posts: 5095
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by mattsccm »

I consider the Reds here in the Forest of Dean, as fine for my carbon CX bike.
Tango
Posts: 62
Joined: 3 Jul 2012, 6:15am
Location: Preston Lancs

Re: Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by Tango »

DevonDamo wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 3:51pm
Tango wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 11:00am I ride an Orange 5RS and a Sonder Camino Ti gravel bike. I have been looking for feedback from anyone who has ridden a gravel bike around the Altura trails at whinlatter, I have ridden some fairly bumpy stuff on the Sonder and wondered if it would be suitable for whinlatter as I won't have my 5 with me
I haven't ridden it. but when I'm visiting new trail centres and bike parks whilst travelling with work, I use YouTube videos to decide which bike to take. (Relying on a stranger's opinion can be risky - i.e. Sam Pilgrim can regularly be seen blasting trails on a 1970s ladies' folding shopper which I wouldn't be capable of on any bike.) I'm interested in Forestry Commission trails as they're free and often of a decent length so I've just done your research for you... The following was the most helpful footage I could find on YouTube:



My conclusions are that it's mainly smooth/gravel single-track with plenty of switchbacks (both bermed and flat) with a few easy features such as rock gardens (see 1.40 and 7.40), a 1 foot unavoidable drop (2.40), some avoidable drops (6.12 and 6.40), a techy/rooty steep section (3.15) and some easy table-top jumps which you could roll (8.00.) I'd have no qualms about doing it on a gravel bike, but obviously chunkier tyres, longer rake and a dropper post would make it easier. As with any new trail, I'd slow right down at any blind corners or horizons as you might want to walk down that unavoidable drop and the trail may have been changed or deteriorated in the 2 and a half years since that video was made.
Thanks for taking the time to do that for me, much appreciated

I've looked at the points you have highlighted and there's nothing there that I wouldn't do on the gravel bike. Particularly as I went for flat bars on mine
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DevonDamo
Posts: 1035
Joined: 24 May 2011, 1:42am

Re: Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by DevonDamo »

Tango wrote: 20 Jan 2022, 2:23pm...Particularly as I went for flat bars on mine
Yes - a mate of mine recently bought exactly that bike with flat bars and raves about it. I can see the attraction of that style of bike - I prefer my battered old hardtail XC bike over my mega-expensive full-suss trail bike because it's lighter, faster and it forces you to learn some technique rather than just soaking everything up for you.
Tango
Posts: 62
Joined: 3 Jul 2012, 6:15am
Location: Preston Lancs

Re: Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by Tango »

Both bikes give me a buzz, but the Sonder has a strange attraction fueled by people saying "you can't go down there on that" 😂😂
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PM999
Posts: 102
Joined: 6 Sep 2016, 11:56am

Re: Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by PM999 »

Trailforks website also a good source of videos for many UK centres.

Whinlatter here:

https://www.trailforks.com/region/whinlatter/videos/
Milfred Cubicle
Posts: 360
Joined: 29 Aug 2007, 8:55am
Location: Co. Durham

Re: Gravel bikes at trail centres

Post by Milfred Cubicle »

Absolutely! I've ridden Glentress and Hamsterley on a gravel bike...it's a hoot! I rode Whinlatter on a rigid single speed mountain bike too, and it was fine.
Yep, there are some bits that I avoid, but the guidelines when building any red route say there should always be a route around drops etc.
I would urge a little caution on the smooth stuff...you can carry a lot more speed than on a mountain bike which might catch you out.
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