[Closed] Innerleithen uplift day....

Theres loads of great descents that have no drops or jumps, get a look at trailforks and read the blurb on each descent.

Angry sheep is my fave tbh, just flows like you wouldn't believe!

Did it a couple of years ago. Seem to remember it was quite wet but some runs are bloody steep. Not much airtime but quite fast, slippy and techy. I found the easier runs harder going than the blues and reds at Antur Stiniog. Blues at BPW don’t compare to easier runs there...judgement may be clouded though! 😳

Something for everyone, you'll be fine.

From the very top Make or Brake is the easiest, just like a bigger version of Spooky Wood, and Caddon Bank at the bottom is huge fun, maybe do that first to get your confidence, not the most technical but great fun at speed.

Cresta and Gold runs are steeper but just about doable on an XC bike if you take it slowly.:Loads of alternative lines down these, don't think I'v done the same route twice.

Matador makes me feel a bit out of my depth on the XC bike, but is OK on the big bike (your skill levels may vary, I'm a bit of a mincer so if I'm fine you probably will be too)

Guessing you've got a big bike for an uplift day, shouldn't be much to worry about.There is indeed no compulsary jumping, there are B lines around most stuff although they don't don't always look easy if you know what I mean (kind of looks like the ground just disapears as you approach but turns out you can roll it after all, that sort of thing)

Also lots of less well known/marked stuff, like Angry Sheep mentioned above. Best advice is find someone who knows their way around and attach yourself to them.

It's not as hard as the Golfie.

What's your points of reference, is the question- if you're a red route trailcentrist it's going to be hard, if you're a #enduro locals trailist it's going to be just fine. Awesome on a trailbike.

OK so yes I broke my wrist there on saturday but the odds of that happening twice are a million to one

Cheers. I'm mostly a red trailcentrist with a bit of black the in when I'm feeling braver / it's not too hard.

I'll try not to break anything, hope you heal quick @northwind.

@andrewh I've got a big ish bike, a Whyte T130, the bike will be fine. Much better than me no doubt. Cheers for the info, I'll take a look on trailforks.

Trail bike of the year.... you'll be reet 🤟

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At least I'll look the part now.
#allthegear etc....

Start with Date Night. Once you've scared yourself silly on that (it's too steep to walk down BTW), everything else will be a breeze.

Some actual advice now. They tend to keep (guide/herd?) the uplifters to 4 trails, Matador, Gold Run, Cresta and Make or Brake. Of those, I'd recommend Make or Brake. There's no reason why you can't ride further along the fireroads to e.g. Angry Sheep or Green Wing though. You could even link up to the Red XC lower down.

What tyres are you running? I'd recommend Maxxis DHF/DHR II/Shorty

Get well soon Northwind.

@dmorts a DHF/Minion SS combo was still hooking up just fine on every track earlier in the week. it'll be a good bit drier by now.

Make or brake is a blown out lumpy mess from the treeline to fireroad. ie. poor lipless take offs on all the jumps. in order to land each jump in the open nicely you need to be absolutely pinned these days. That must feel pretty rubbish if you're a slower rider/non jumper just rolling down casing everything. I'd recommend cutting over to the end of the tunnel and riding new luge instead it's a really easy bermy trail with the odd easy to negotiate rooty bit. (ask any local/regular on the bus and they'll show you the race link from MoB to Tunnel)

Small group of us there last weekend - mostly trail centre mincers and we had a great time.
Started on Make or Brake as a warm up then enjoyed various runs incorporating Green Wing, Angry Sheep, A salmonds Tail, Rooty Bank and Caddon Bank

Bit more confident later so we had a go at Gold Run and enjoyed that and finished off the day with a much faster run down Make or Brake with a good 2,3 possibly even 4 inches of air lol.

#allthegear etc….

Gopro mount - check
Brandnew two piece full face - check
Visor pointing down - check

Do remember to wear body armour OVER your clothes and glasses inside that shiny new lid

😉

Would avoid the very bottom sections of Cresta and Gold for the first few runs. Pretty dam steep there and could give folk a fright before they're settled in.

Apart from that nothing major to worry about. Matador has the jumpy/droppy stuff but it's all avoidable or rollable.

Usual warm up is tunnel into luge or tunnel into ixs

Definitely roll down the road a bit for angry sheep and green wing. Wouldn't bother with a salmons journey

Ali Lees worth checking out.

I really wouldn't bother with caddon bank

I like Salmon's Journey personally, so many trails to choose from just on that side of the hill though.
Not been since March but I was surprised how rough Gold & Cresta Run were in a lot of places, had me wishing for a DH bike after a while!

Ali lees is likely to get an inners uplift noob lost (or at least miss a few busses).
Salmon's journey is ace but probably not for a beginner.

After the final bridleway crossing the ending of all the DH tracks get gradually steeper the higher up the bridleway you are. ie. stay left (Matador side) for the most mellow finish. Much higher up is Cadon bank which is just a regular (but rough now) pedally trail centre descent.
A little higher (right of Caddon bank looking downthe hill) the rooty natural descent that follows(ish) the wall to the uplift road is a gem but again maybe not so much fun for beginners.

A little higher (right of Caddon bank looking downthe hill) the rooty natural descent that follows(ish) the wall to the uplift road is a gem but again maybe not so much fun for beginners.

You need to watch out for leg cramps causing you to crash on this one.😉

hahahah... Yeah.

Boss advice there from Stu

I'd give Bart's trail a go too.
Really good fun.

Actually I think I meant Barts trail when I was talking about a Salmon's journey earlier. There's also Not for poofs and trail with no name off the top fireroad to try. all fairly straightforwards in the dry. It'll Depend on the weather and your wet riding skills whether you'll agree this weekend

What tyres are you running? I’d recommend Maxxis DHF/DHR II/Shorty

Vigilante on front and trail boss rear. The rear is pretty worn too so not ideal, it's due a change but haven't got around to it....

Gopro mount – check
Brandnew two piece full face – check
Visor pointing down – check

Do remember to wear body armour OVER your clothes and glasses inside that shiny new lid

😉

The mount is no more, it came pre attached 🙂

I might scuff the lid about on the floor of the bus on the way up, so I look a bit more gnarly.

I'm there tomorrow, against doctor's orders with my wrist post op, riding a 130mm travel bike with totally in appropriately slick-ish tyre on the back for the conditions. It will be just fine 🙂