[Closed] 417 Flyup, uplift day, Sunday 12th Dec

I’ve not been to flyup for ages - miss the place. Currently full of lurgy as I have been for almost all of October / November - just can’t shake it off so not done much bike riding at all.

Also looking to sell my Bird Aether 7 frameset to get a 29er of some description - would like an Aether 9 but they’re out of stock on my size sadly - so may end up with no full susser if someone suddenly say they want to buy it.

That said, if I’m better / can get the appropriate permissions from the wife I might see if I can grab 3 hours of push-up at Flyup that weekend - quite happy riding my hardtail at the place. My pbs on the blues are on a hardtail anyway - just the rockier reds where the fs is faster

My lad will be doing the Reds more than me... i'll mostly be on the blue for practice... I will venture onto the reds though in the afternoon i guess.

Would be ace to meet up.

I’ll see if I can wangle it. Would probably be getting there bang on opening and riding for a few hours. I find the push up doesn’t take that long - not much slower than the uplift if you have to wait at the bottom for one to arrive.

The more I think about it the more likely I am to ride the hardtail as I haven’t ridden it much recently.

i agree on the speed, time....just want to try and grab a fair few trails in without killing myself or the lad.... But if you make it and wanna hook up for coffee or a run, let me know matey.

Will do. Need to get better first - I keep thinking my body must fix itself soon!

Wish i could, if i do manage it'll probably be ebiking without uplift, i don't mind 417 that much this time of year, the likes of cheese roller, igneous and others hold up quite well and you tend to be up and down quickish, so keeping warm enough.

It's great fun that place, not a huge amount there but they've done the smart thing and packed it in, not much empty trail. And also fantastic burgers. Haven't been for a couple of years now just because we always get drawn over to the FOD instead but I miss it now

Come on over then! See you there

Have to say I'm tempted.... Its been in a few months since I last went, and it would be a day off from the Xmas build up.

@northwind - no burgers last time I went.

@monkeyboyjc i promise not to wear an Xmas jersey 🙂

@weeksy booked 👍 I'll be the loner on a ti hardtail....

Awesome mate... If you don't know by the other threads, i'll be on a dark blue G170 and the lad on the black and green Sworks. We can sort out meet type stuff/numbers closer to the time 🙂

👍

Can you self uplift on an eeb there?
I often ride near there at Cranham etc but never actually been to the bikepark.

Can you ride up on an eeb there?

a lot quicker than uplift actually

There's a specific rideup trail.... It's a bit more interesting than your usual fire road climb.

Just been reminded I have a ‘Santa lunch’ to go to that day with my little girl - guess no bike riding!

kayak23
Full Member
Can you self uplift on an eeb there?
I often ride near there at Cranham etc but never actually been to the bikepark.

Yeah, it's an easy one on the ebike, a nightmare on a normal bike after a while as it gets slippy and steep!

It's also a nicer place to play about than the Cranham stuff, as it's not got that horrific claggy mud, with the wet coming i start avoiding Cranham/Painswick/etc as that mud just doesn't come off the bike, 417 is well tamped down.

Have to say I love Cranham in the mud - 3.8 fat tyres are Ideal.

Last year or two i've lost the love for Cranham, the walkers vs bikes thing and the rise in people walking around the area, especially around painswick trails, bit calmer closer to birdlip, but still a bit too busy for me compared to just sticking with Dursley, Wotton, etc.

I only ride Cranham now and again they are good trails of the Racetrack but couple of months ago was riding down along Cotswold way and there was a guy saying he owned the wood and was going to stop those trails we will see never been to 417 pass it enough always go to the Forest even though it is 5 miles from home maybe its just me do not like paying for my riding.

The woods at the top of Cranham along the Birdlip road have been sold, and the new owners are trying to discourage MTBs. It's woodland with a protection order on it, but unfortunately they seem to be trying the block it off with logs and branches approach rather than education.

The trails off to the side of race track will be an interesting one - lots of new ones have sprung up over the last year or so, was only a matter of time the owner would notice.

Should be getting there for 9ish. We'll be on the uplift but happy to stop for coffee and cake any time.

Dark blue Whyte G170 and small lad with black and green Sworks

monkeyboyjc
Full Member
The woods at the top of Cranham along the Birdlip road have been sold, and the new owners are trying to discourage MTBs. It’s woodland with a protection order on it, but unfortunately they seem to be trying the block it off with logs and branches approach rather than education.

The trails off to the side of race track will be an interesting one – lots of new ones have sprung up over the last year or so, was only a matter of time the owner would notice.

Yeah, it's why i avoid the place as much as possible these days, the stuff all the way from that to pope's wood is just a bit too well used and a fair bit of confrontation around them, that bit down from race track you'd think would be quiet enough, guess the new owners will be doing something, to be fair a lot of those tracks were pretty sketchy even in summer, can't see them being used heavily this time of year!

Should be getting there for 9ish

Uplift doesn't start until 10 I think - also the Sunday opening time is 10am Iirc

can’t see them being used heavily this time of year!

Thats why I like them - especially on the fat bike, there are some propper sloppy parts but (bridalway to Birdlip from my house) race track to the wall, then back through cranham common and ebworth is my usual short winter loop. Only saw three other riders on Sunday - bliss!

Uplift doesn’t start until 10 I think – also the Sunday opening time is 10am Iirc

I'd love to say that means i get a lie in... but i don't really do lie-ins, so i'll be there at 10 then 😀

Fab day and great to meet and chat with monkeyboyjc and ride some trails. Even if I did only ride the same one all day lol.

Lol -  good day weeksy 👍 -  still tempted by that race next weekend, but I'll prob end up working I think.

Would be ace to see you there mate, I'm looking forward to it in a perverse way, especially now I have a rough idea where to go. Thanks for the tow down. I was pleased to get the last 2 runs in a more respectable time.

I still think I need another chunk of time next weekend though ha ha.

Oh yeah, what was the headset tool you have mate?

Granite Stash RCX

I'm still picking mud out of my eyes😄

Sounds like it was a worthwhile visit. Hope you got faster throughout the day. 😎

I did yeah.

First runs were 2.25, with a tow from the monkey I got to a 2.18

Then the last 2 runs I got a 2.16

Sadly, the small creature put in a 1:56 which clearly leaves me 20s off him, but to be honest, 20s off him, I'm fairly happy lol.

Monkey had done a 2.05 in the dry so is a decent rider, but conditions were wet and puddly etc, he got a 2.15 so I know I'm in the ball park for an average human rather than a race god lol.

Lookin good for race day then

Well, only for last, but maybe not by a huge gap

Which trail at 417 were you riding out of interest?

That one yesterday was Blue Raccoon. I was quite surprised how much i enjoyed it as i'm generally more into tech these days than sweepy.... but it was really good to try and improve throughout the day.

Only downside was how damp/wet and at times a little slippy it was, but mostly there was plenty of grip even though wet.

I don’t even know which trail that is - don’t think I’ve been to flyup for more years than I though - looking back at Strava. Is that the one that starts off next to dubby skipper (big jumpy red one)?

That's correct mate yes. Starts just to the left of Dubby. No-one really rides it as it's not as long or exciting as cheeseroller, so i think it mostly gets ridden when people want to go back to the car park...

But it actually has just about everything you want in a swoopy blue 🙂

Ah - just found I went mid 2019 - maybe it’s ‘new blue’ on Strava? Not sure which bike I was on but had a 1.53 down it. I quite enjoyed that trail just for a couple of quick runs trying to get a little bit of air where possible. Could not ride it all day though!

There's another race on the 6,th Feb if anyone fancies it?

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/255638/2022-Go-Ride-Downhill-Series-Round-1

Anyone know what the kids racing is like? I know next to nothing about DH racing, but I have a 7yo who's very enthusiastic about going downhill, and 417 is fairly local for us.

it's a 'simple' course mate and we've seen kids as small as 3 on a balance bike ride it. There's usually a gear bunch of under 6's and under 9s, with 10-15 in each Cat. Sure some of them are a bit slower, but they get down 🙂
best part is that you'll see full DH bikes to bikes with pink tassles and baskets... it's a full bunch of happiness.

Sounds good - we did an uplift day at 417 just before Christmas and he loved it.

I also found out last time you can buy a 5 uplift pass for £15.

They stamp it each time till your 5 is done. So easy to get 3 practice runs and 2 races runs. We'll be doing that for the lad this time.

Turns out he's got a party on the 6th 🙁 Hopefully we'll make the next one.