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I went about 5 years ago when it was new. I remember a couple of flowy trails, a red graded one with some rocks and a black that was fairly unrideable in the mud (top section anyway).
The website says it is mostly surfaced, and has inevitably become jumpy.
Is there enough there for a day for a rider who prefers a more natural feeling trail and wheels mostly in the ground?!
I'm lucky enough to have a new Trek Slash that I haven't really ridden yet, so was interested in the uplift option. Plan B would be usual routes at FoD or Dursley, Cranham etc.
Cheers
Assuming you mean Flyup417?
Went recently, ran well, couple of flowy blues with some big tables at the bottom, a few reds, which were fun and steeper than YT makes them look.
Overall had a good day but wouldn't be in a rush to go back.
Depending on what kind of riding you want id be looking at either Black Mountain, which is where we wanted to go but was shut for the weekend we were looking at, or FoD.
It's a small park, but has stuff to keep you busy for the day, two blues, cheese roller is nice, fast and flowing, blue racoon is a bit easier and still fun. The reds are decent as well, the one you're on about igneous is a nice red that has some flowy bits and rocky bits, then ends with tabletops, dubby skipper has bigger jumps and is a great place to session stuff if you like. The other 'reds' tend to be part of the above, they're optional or other sections.
The blacks are rugged in areas, some big features as well, so if you're wanting flowy and wheels on ground, you might get bored of the same 4 trails over the day, it's not BPW, this time of year though Dursley is wet, same with Cranham, i tend to avoid 417 and just go to FoD, as i know i can nip to Lydney Woods or Parkend and there'll be a few trails running ok no matter the weather, and without the cost of the bikepark.
It depends what you want and like. If you want natural loamy fun, schralping the mud and jumping off roots and cut down stumps, then 417 is not for you at all.
If you want a bike-park-esque type bit of fun then sure it's ace for what it is...It's not a 2 dayer though IMO... it's 1 day of fun for sure.
It’s not a 2 dayer though IMO… it’s 1 day of fun for sure
Completely agree with this, we did 1 day and it was more than enough, we then did a 2nd day at BPW.
The two of us prefer the more nadgery, techier side of riding, so 417 is never going to be my perfect day on a bike, but the uplift factor did appeal for a change. Obviously plenty of Euro bike parks can offer this type of riding, especially if you go a bit off piste, but I guess 417 isnt Chamonix...
There's 5 or 6 days of dry weather forecast, so hopefully the more natural areas will have dried up a bit by next week.
Thanks for the Black Mountains tip, that's a new one to me.
As said above never been there see it enough only live 5 miles away would always take the Forest of Dean got nothing against 417 just dont like staying in the same place for to long.
417 is ok - the uplift is cheaper than pretty much anywhere else. It’s pretty much all flow / berms / jumps though.
FOD has plenty of what you want - might be a bit boggy and the uplift there only really services the official downhill runs. There are loads of unofficial trails everywhere to explore.
Cwmcarn is my current favourite place - mostly the off piste on the Risca side. Plenty of non jumpy steep technical trails there. But in 15k the other day I did 1150m of climbing. You probably could use the Cwmcarn uplift for the official main DH run and the off piste - but it would be a 10-15 road ride back round to the uplift from the bottom of the off piste.
Black Mountain Cycle Centre is epic but it’s not a wheels on the floor kind of place m. Even the tables on the blue have steep take off ramps. Not much steep rocky / rooty tech - the difficulty in the blacks are gaps and drops. Watch the video for Bomper to get an idea of the vibe.
https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/trail_news/black-mountains-cycle-centre-323504
Thanks all. FoD this Sunday and a mash up of Slad / Cranham area next week hopefully, after all this dry weather we're promised.... I'll save my uplifts for the big ones in the mountains this summer.
I really like it, they've added quite a lot even in the last few years though arguably it's also got a bit samier. It's nice just to have that "trail centre with an uplift" feel rather than "gnarly uplift venue", sometimes.
But I'd pretty much always rather go to FOD or BMCC, because 417 is good but they're absolutely fantastic.
I went to 417 for the first time a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. It is a bit samey, but the chance to easily session trails with nice features was great, as was the weather which probably helped.
Also, really good burgers, enhanced by chickens trying to steal your rolls.
Cranham could still be on the muddy side takes ages to dry in their.
Yeah, and Cranham is a different kind of mud, i tend to only go near that place in summer when it's dusty!