Rogate Downhill day

And I like this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZJHPeUmgAs

Bumping with Will Greenfield sik edit. Pity we won't be getting to see Rogate like this. Bring summer back quick.

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

Who is still up for Saturday? Long range forecast gives it as getting cold on the weekend. As long as it doesn't piss down with rain we're good.

So far we have @Howard, @LHL & myself attending. Anyone else fancy it?

@IR maybe...?

@twist305?

Downhill day tomorrow! Yay! Weather will be cold but sunny. Really looking forward to this.

Also, it looks like I've been talking to myself for the entire page.

There are people going besides me. Honest. :-8

It's on.

:-)

Have fun today, chaps. Weather looks good!

It was good weather and fucking great riding conditions as regards the trails. I think this was the most fun I have ever had biking in the south-east.
Rate 15/10 would ride again.

Thanks to @Howard for having the patience of a saint hiring the Zipvan, suffering a 5am start to pick us up and get there.

Special mention to @LHL , other wise known as @Gwinning going hardcore and chainless for the last runs.

Sessioning fun was also had enroute with the negotiation of a tricky line at temporary roadworks at Rake. The best line was eventually found and the section conquered. :-D

Van has arrived back unscathed. Well done team UK Hardtail

That junction at rake was gnar tho

That was a fantastic day; really enjoyed it.

Thank you to both Justin and Howard for organising/being there.

I'm surprised we came through unscathed at that junction it was so sketchy.

No probs. I'll organise another one for a couple of months time.

How would a 29er hardtail, with a mere 100mm travel* fare at Rogate?

I haven't ridden anything properly steep for quite a few years.

*plus a thoroughly untrendy 71 degree HTA.

You'd die, on fire, covered in poo*

*there may well be poo, as there's no facilities to speak of

Kidding.

I found it very tough, because the runs are short, and there's a lot of big features crammed in to a small space. You'd find out pretty quickly how well your day is going to go (as I did!).

Eek... time to get the flat pedals out from hibernation :-)

no facilities to speak of

Not even a coffee shop? Is this out in the wilderness or something?!?

They have an angry cycling man (tm) and there's a pub about a mile away.

It depends on your capability and comfort with somewhat challenging features and, as Howard said, they've crammed a lot into their short, sweet runs.
I mean yesterday there were a lot of serious downhill rigs out mixed with a fair few trail bikes and also a surprising number of hardtails of all different wheel sizes. The thing to keep in mind is that you can session every run, breaking down the full runs into sections to tackle individual features. Plus there is a beginner line without any features beyond tight, twisty moderately steep switchbacks to get used to the style of riding needed to tackle the runs.
And you can quite easily avoid just about every feature as they almost all have chicken runs and that way just get into the rhythm without having to worry about jumps & drops.

Not even a coffee shop? Is this out in the wilderness or something?!?

There is limited parking by the side of the road, some picnic benches and a man very pissed off with the CTC taking money for ride day passes.

Cheers. I'll see if my confidence improves, once I've fitted the bouncy forks :-)

Another thing, if anyone reading this decides to go at some point, don't buy your passes to ride from the CTC as I linked early on in the thread. The official ride passes are sold at the venue by the Rogate Downhill Club.
They are very pissed off that the CTC is still selling so-called official tickets as they don't see any of the money which helps to maintain the trails and organise races.

Tbf I was riding a cotic soul with 5" forks. Took a few runs to adjust, but after that was fine.

sorry missed last one, everything just conspired against me to get out....next one i'll try my up-most to make it.

Going to try getting out over the next few weeks and headover to the Steyning downhill tracks (http://steyningmtb.tumblr.com/Info) or if i get a longer pass over to Friston Forest (http://www.sxmtbstmaps.co.uk/) - bit narly in this weather but fun!

Bike needs some abuse now it's all clean again!

Nice bike!