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Hi all,
Planning a mid-feb uplift day and BPW is fully booked and as I haven't been to BPW for a few years, I'm quite tempted to head there instead. Given that it's likely to be raining, do the DH tracks hold up well in the wet as they do at BPW?
It was glorious sunshine last time I went so quite keen to experience it differently, but don't want to drive all the way there if it's a quagmire.
Thanks
Anyone....?
A lot of the FoD dh tracks are far more woodsy traditional rooty dh stuff than BPW so they don't hold up as well. They're still fine though, and great fun - I'm off there tomorrow, as most weekends. Just BPW is all armoured new-fangled trail centre style runs. FoD you'll probably be needing some chunky winter tyres of some sort!
Was on the uplift on the 28th December and it was very wet then!!
As wilko1999 said really, will be gloopy and slippery but as long as you have some decent tyres (Shorty/Magic Mary etc) you'll be fine. Definitely sharpens up your handling skills for summer 😆
Yeah very different to BPW in the wet! Lots of slippy roots. Puddly on places but alot of it is steep enough not to become a bog. We did a very wet day up there and it was hilarious, there were about 15 of us and it was a case of dodging people as they crashed!
Take a XC / Trail bike as well. Then if the DH stuff is too wet have a go on the Red and Blue trails. They are weather proof and good fun.
Slippery, wet,challenging. Expect skill handling increase and love of roots ha ha Want armoured trails BPW. I like and ride both. Just different
The Blue Verderers trail is fine in the wet, I prefer it a bit damp as I think it gets less grippy when it's super dry and dusty(although then it's awesome for diferent reasons). Even in pouring rain you don't really need a waterproof (I just wear a base layer under jersey and maybe a gillet if itms really horrible) as it's sheltered. The DH tracks get pretty wet and challenging, but are still fun to ride).
Just been over to lead an off-piste club ride, the trails are frozen and fast! However my mech failed after about 100 yards taking out spokes, puncturing tubeless rim tape etc so I'm home already feeling exceptionally pee'd off 🙁
Thanks guys. Booked the uplift and will take my winter tyred Bronson so we can do some pedally stuff if the DH trails are too gloopy. I love Aston Hill in the wet as it really does fine tune your bike skills so happy if it's wet as long as it's rideable. Frosty would be even better!
Just spotted that I said BPW in my original post instead of FoD so apologies for any confusion.
Quick update if anyone is thinking of giving it a whirl in the wet - was great fun, all fully rideable if a little gloopy in places. The DH runs were much more challenging than in the dry and all the better for it!
Managed 14 runs in total and felt suitably exhausted later on.
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Has someone been to FOD when it is dry then?
I thought that was just a myth...
It was dusty when we were there so in my head, it's always dry and roasting there. Too hot tbh!
I'm a trailbuilding nerd but, the red route is absolute genius in its use of space and height, it's well worth making the time for a lap if you can. You see the distance and think there's nothing to it but there's more in a mile of FOD than there is in 2 or 3 miles of most trail centres.
hughjayteens
You are Danny Hart and I claim my £5
I'm a trailbuilding nerd but, the red route is absolute genius in its use of space and height, it's well worth making the time for a lap if you can. You see the distance and think there's nothing to it but there's more in a mile of FOD than there is in 2 or 3 miles of most trail centres.
You can say that again, tried it last year after a loop of the Verdererererers, thinking "Aah, it'll be a piece of p***", they should put the height gain on the info blurb - almost killed me!!
The climb on that red was a proper bastard in the gloop last weekend!
The climb on that red was a proper bastard in the gloop last weekend!
Id agree it needs proper surfacing
v666ern - Member
hughjayteens
You are Danny Hart and I claim my £5
Rumbled... Although it was pretty cold at the weekend so I didn't have any problems sitting down!
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That's a neon yellow Bronson hiding under that mud!
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We hosed down our bikes and then hosed down ourselves! God bless GoreTex..
I love FoD, the fact its not weatherproofed and surfaced like BPW is a plus in my opinion....i wouldnt want to ride it all through winter, i've recently booked a day at BPW later this month as the relentless gloop is getting boring now....but certainly at the beginning of autumn/winter its always fun putting the mud tyres on and booking a trip to FoD....there is a certain skillset required there that you just dont use at places like BPW.
The steeper sections drain well, just stick Marys on front and rear...if its horrendous go with something properly spiky like a Dirty Dan on the front and you're good to go!
The down was fun
The up however was not so.
There wasn't anyone I saw who didn't either have to stop or actually fell off getting stuck in thick gloop where it wasn't draining
deviant - MemberThe steeper sections drain well, just stick Marys on front and rear...
Amen to that - I stuck Magic Mary's on the bike and they were astounding!
weatherproofed and surfaced like BPW
we were talking the red climb no the DH bits
There wasn't anyone I saw who didn't either have to stop or actually fell off getting stuck in thick gloop where it wasn't draining
yup IMHO you have to have surfacing on the climbs especially on what is a trail centre climb to cope with the amount of use. No complaints just think it makes it more sustainable and stops people going around and widening the single track.
For context and not including the DH riders or others that enter from off piste there was something like 190,000 riders in six months on all the trails. Counted by sensors. Conservatively Id guess something 250K riders in that area every 6 months. DTV and FC do an outstanding job
I ride the forest right through winter, although lately have being staying on the labled trails as off piste has been a nightmare. The red is great now they have extended it however it does get very sloppy on the new extensions now. Blue route is basically a cycle path now. So don't expect to get dirty on there. Not ridden many of the downhill trails over the winter so cant comment. If you do go off piste the Dowies are running fine, nothing to stodgey!
Danny hart did ride FOD yesterday (PIC on uplift Facebook page)
Was on the uplift in the rain a few weeks ago, still running nicely and quite fast other than the jump line at the start!
sheepskull in the wet was more fun then i expected 🙂