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I think it depends on which Trail Centre in Scotland.
My local ones are Glentress and Innerleithen - biggest difference between Scotland and BPW is there's not many jump lines up here. Glentress has some good stuff - I spent several hours today with friends doing a mix of the trail centre stuff and the off piste trails - but it feels like a place where you do a circular ride and take in various climbs and descents.
The Innerleithen stuff is mixed again, you have the xc trail which is fantastic, a good solid climb up to Minch Moor and then a fun descent that makes all the climbing worth it. Theres also all the DH trails and the other off piste stuff that you can winch and plummet from (or use the uplift). It's also fantastic, only one jump line but plenty of steep, technical trails as well as some faster flow trails. Best thing is most start off the same fire road and end roughly in the same place and the hillside is like a rabbit warren with all the old race links. Then there's also the golfie on the other side of the valley.
For me, I visit BPW once a year if I'm lucky. I like that I can choose a particular feature (like drops) and practice away on them. Same with the smaller jumps but that's not really my thing. My perfered trails at BPW are the more technical, natural lines or the fast flowy stuff.
Basically I think its all good, but the whole Blue, Red and Black grading doesn't really match up at all.
Other trail centres I could comment on are Laggan - so rocky and different to everything else but in a good way. Also worth doing the brown side across the road.
Nevis Range - good mix of trails in the woods, mix of xc and steep natural stuff. Plus there's the gondala which gives access to 3 trails - 1 being the DH world cup track. All are a fun way of spending a day learning all the features.
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The hire bikes are all by Trek and the fs are Remedy’s. Plentifully capable!
To put things into perspective one of my favourite people/bike combos I’ve seen on the uplift and riding the Blues was a mature lady who at a guess was north of 75 (you should never ask a lady her age) and she was riding (which she’d own since new) her 1992 Roberts Dogs Bollox with Amp forks and XT cantilever brakes and it wasn’t her first visit.
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In fact the people I like to see on the uplifts are people that broaden the spectrum of people that ride the park, be that age or the bikes they’re riding, I’m always please to see a entry level hardtail with wheel reflectors
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And a dork disc!
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talking of trail centres
went to the forest of dean cycle centre today, rode up to the top of the downhill section and had a go on one of the medium runs. front suspension only, was pretty bumpy, rooty and got to the end of one section where there was a drop i said no to, got off and carried the bike 10 metres on foot down to a fire road before remounting, but otherwise was a good experience to ride some slightly more challenging trails. was very bumpy though, can see why a double sus might have been a slightly better choice, wrists and knees were shaken up by the end of it. peaslake was much more fun riding downhill on smooth sweeping mud trails with jumps and drops. today there some nice swoopy sections but overall it didn't want to make me ride up for another go. maybe another run the next time which might have different style of trail. loads of people riding the downhill area though and having a good time.
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more technical, natural lines or the fast flowy stuff
The joy of MTB.
Edit to add.. weave a cool vertigo
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My newbie MTBer girlfriend (but experienced roadie) loved the BPW blues on her 100mm hardtail! First uplift till last with just a short break for lunch doing every blue :-)
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Do you use all the travel at 120? Is the sag about right?
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Yeh I think so, sag seems right and I used about 2/3 of the travel this weekend on a course with no drops or jumps so I’d expect to use it all with some bigger features.
For this specific course I could have gone a tiny bit softer I’d guess but I didn’t know the course until lap one! -
You should have done Countdown and Launchpad
Which is possibly one of the best flowing speedy bermy trails in the country. Most of the downhill stuff is allegedly doable on a hardtail but most would choose full sus for the downhill sections. Also if you are at top of the push up track there is also the end three sections of descent of the blue trail which is also fast and fun.
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Ride safe. Looking forward to the report (hopefully including monkeys).
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Monkeys are looking possible- as is quite deep water as it’s been monsoon level rain for a couple of days. Beautiful out there right now but I’m going to head to Katam I think as it’s meant to drain fast (being around the periphery of an old quarry.
All the official trails sound here seem to be XC, the more interesting stuff is off piste on military bases which you have to be shown.
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I feel for the other inhabitants of that office. Some guy arrives and fills it with 29rerz and wet shoes. The inevitable Magura brake bleed will be a crime to rival kippers in the office microwave.
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Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt
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It sounds as if 4 hrs (as part of a stag do) will be enough then! I prefer flow-y stuff and the group is very much beginner mtb (experienced road/commuter) so will start with the long green (Kermit?) then hit some blues.
I've not arranged it but I'm assuming the hire bikes will be decent enough even if not FS.
The BPW website contradicts itself in a few places and I'm guessing it's erring on the side of caution in general but I was a bit worried after reading it that we'd be totally out of our depth.