[Closed] Went to AE forest yesterday

Only done it once and that was on an SX trail with huge sticky tyres and not enough seat post. Most of the ride was spent cursing, I should have brought my hardtail, but the final descent was fun. In hindsight I would have just pushed and sessioned the end.

When I went I didn't have much time so I just sessioned the Shredder DH track and the final descent on the red, which I thought was great fun.

It's not the easiest Stane, the more I ride it the better it gets but it is quite demanding on fitness because of the climbs, I like it for a bit of variety from the other trails.

The length is only half the story with Ae it's tough and demanding, the surface has deteriorated quite a lot making it harder to ride over the last few years but they are sorting that out.

As for constant climbing there are quite a lot of descents, nowhere near as peddaly as Dalbettie

Dalbeattie is pedaly but no killer climbs more undulating and you can mix and match trails if you want do a short ride or a longer ride.

At Ae once you are out you are commited there is no short cut in the most part and it's tough, the surface is marmite I love it as it's seems more natural and less manicured which I like.

Think they say that Ae rewards fitness 😉

i'm glad you lot say it's tough, i thought it was just me being a wimp/unfitporker

I've never found Ae too bad. Being my first stane I have always had a soft spot for it, although the last few times I have done it the trail is looking very washed out in places. The trail faries are doing their best to sort this. Dont find it too hard, climbs can be a bit of a killer but I find I can still do it non stop in sub 1hr 50. I think the quickest time round is c. 1hr 20, so I must try harder lol. Omega man makes the climb worth while.

I find that Innerleithan has harder climbs, and Kirroughtree red/black and Dalbeatie take more work (obvious I suppose due to the length of both)

I did it recently on my hardtail and was fine but i hear it can be energy sapping if very wet.

Thanks for responses. The weather was pretty wet rain and first then drizzle and mist all day, we had four newbie bikers with us so alot of stops added to the time considerably.

It didnt help that we took a wrong turn and headed 3 miles straight up a killer climb fire road!

by the time the 3 remaining guys got to Omega man we were so shattered and pushed for time(bike hire and me having to get home and ready for work) that we just rode down path next to trail!

There was some good bits. But I felt the trail condition was pretty poor overall.

we were so shattered and pushed for time(bike hire and me having to get home and ready for work) that we just rode down path next to trail!

So you didn't actually ride the best bit - no wonder you thought it was rubbish!

Hi,

I rode it last November for the first time, it was on a Monday afternoon, the week everything flooded. I thought it was good, a bit out there on my own in the mist at times. It was very wet and I thought it was holding up very well. A good mix. If you think that it is hard, then perhaps you need to think about doing some time on natural trails. I would certainly visit it again and highly recommend it, not tough but good XC terrain.
Coming from the Peak may sway my views by the way.

Paul.

I did it last year on a clear blue day with a bunch of mates and it was dusty heaven. I was there yesterday too and it was hellish. riding through cloud most of the time and hardly saw a soul all day! Mind you it was like that the last time too, we were the only people in the car park then too.
I like the boardwalk bit at the top and the edge is good fun too.

It was my first Stane back on 2005 so I also have a soft spot for it. I rode it again in April last year and could hardly tell it was the same place. Red had been extended a lot I think and didn't seem to flow as well as I had remembered it. The trail condition was very very average in parts. I'm not sure I want my trail centres silk smooth but there is not a lot of point in massive berms if they have gert big holes in them.

I've had time to reflect and although I still think it was hell on earth yesterday I m going to go back I hate not finishing something. But yesterday be time we go to Omega man we were ruined! I think the wind and rain had took their toll. Also it was 4.40 and bikes had to be back for 5pm we had no idea how close we were to trailhead.

At least with innerleithen and glentress all the graft is done at the start.

It is very rough mostly but that's it's character - think you just have to embrace the fact that it is different.

Hey Di, you and I will have to take johnboy round with us sometime.
What days you off next week? I will be off till Thurs.
Think I might have something on(cycling prof ) mind you, as usual!!!

You local johnboy?

I really enjoyed it, but there was one section up the top where it was really rough. I was on a ht and felt pretty beaten up just after that point.

I think I prefered Mabie generally but would certainly go back to Ae.

Off Mon/Tues Trekster 🙂

Personally I don't find the climbing that bad at all, but that bit at the top, Bran Burn Bash, and also the newish bits around Nil Desperandum really beat me up and are just too rocky for my liking.

I think Ae is brilliant if you like to get two wheels off the ground, and also there is quite a lot of descending too, but these are a bit too much for me too, although I love the short descent after The Edge. I always keep two wheels on the ground down Omega Man, so I guess I don't ride Ae that often. That isn't a criticism, I can see how for some people it is excellent, and there are parts that I really enjoy. I guess for my type of riding, you don't get much bang for your buck, and I tend to stick with Mabie, Dalbeattie and Kirroughtree.

hi trekster , no Im in glasgow. I guess I'm not to confident on bouldery trails since going down on my head on the black trail at GT lol. It was one amight grind of a day(AE), I dont think the weather helped. I did like the tight bits between trees and the duckboard bit up top. I'll try again in the summer.

Diane - Member
Off Mon/Tues Trekster

Johnboy373 - Member
hi trekster , no Im in glasgow. I guess I'm not to confident on bouldery trails since going down on my head on the black trail at GT lol. It was one amight grind of a day(AE), I dont think the weather helped. I did like the tight bits between trees and the duckboard bit up top. I'll try again in the summer.

Thought I'd head to Ae for my after work ride today, done a lot of riding in March and was rewarded with hills that didn't feel so long just a fantastic ride in the sun, the only bit that felt draggy was the fireroad up to the beginning of the 1st part of Omega Man, but the rest was running nice with a few puddles.

Felt like my best ride at Ae yet on the red and I love the natural feel, roughness of the trails coupled with remoteness of certain parts, and didn't need lights today 🙂 Awesome ride

Mobile Phone picture of the view on granny green luv

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I've been twice, in the dry and in the wet and it was mind numbingly awful both times. the first third is so hopeful, and you just wait for this "mindblowing last descent" to find the whole rest of the trail is uphill or flat (physics defyingly so), not an ounce of fun and the final descent is a load of blown out jumps and crap singletrack.

Awful bit of trail building.

The DH is good, though.

It's certainly a love it or hate it trail. 🙂

I like training there because of the climbs, it's certainly helping my fitness coming along.

i actually quite like Ae. Definately 1 to be done at speed. If i go with mates i'll take the 5 spot which is fantastic but slow. If i go by myself i'll take the HT and ride it fast, circa 3 hours for 2 laps. The climbs dont really bother me, apart from 1 which is tough the rest are quite flowing and can keep up a good pace.
If i was round that area i'd prefer to chuck in 3 laps of Mabie instead or 2 or 3 of Dalbeattie which are faster trails and good for pace building and training

😯

😯 + 1

3 Laps of Dalbeattie in one go that's where I need to get to for the Kielder 100!!

forge
Big lap of Ae inc the Southern Upland Way and a pub stop in Moffat is what we need, just ask scotabroad who is also going.
Or..cycle out from town, head up to the Lowters and back again...... 👿
We have also decided if it is ping down on the Fri eve we will not be going 🙄

2 laps of ae in 3 hours! that is a decent speed to keep up over nearly 50km! i managed one loop in 1hour 30 last weekend but a second loop would have been no fun to ride as was truly knackered.
some of you down at ae this weekend then? don't want to bad luck the weather but the forecasts are looking good for anywhere round dumfries.

Are you going to be there default?
Off this weekend and my PA has`nt mentioned whether she has planned anything for us yet

It's my least favourite trail by a country mile.

It has a lot of climbing for what feels like very little reward and no flow.

It does feel a bit more natural than some of the stanes in places but the huge aggregate they've used on parts of the trail is far from natural.

Trekster when is that epic planned?

2 laps of ae in 3 hours! that is a decent speed to keep up over nearly 50km! i managed one loop in 1hour 30 last weekend but a second loop would have been no fun to ride as was truly knackered.

Yeah, but its a fact that i'm faster and fitter than you.

3 Laps of Dalbeattie in one go that's where I need to get to for the Kielder 100!!

And Kielder isn't that far away really. Weather should be turning soon and i'm on hols from the 16th for 10 days or so, so i'll be trying to get in some big rides from then. After that, maybe a kielder training group??

[i]Some good bit but the constant climbing was really painful[/i]

Surely though any trail that starts and ends at the same place must have an equal amount of climbing and descending?

radoggair - once I have my mileage up a little I'll head back to Kielder for some riding, I am well behind where I want to be but that's how it goes 🙂

I'd be up for Kielder training group ride, but already you do sound on another level of fitness though, be good to ride with you to see the speed and see if I can keep up at all but at the moment I suspect not 🙂

forge197, where do you stay??

radoggair - ygm

but already you do sound on another level of fitness though, be good to ride with you to see the speed and see if I can keep up at all but at the moment I suspect not

forge197 - Member
Trekster when is that epic planned?

Any time between now and mid June before I go on holiday. Will have been off the bike 4/5wks by the time I return. There are other options, that is just one of many that could be done from home without having to resort to using cars.

Now that the snow has receded from the Lowthers a trip up to Sanquhar via train could be considered. Can do 50ml/60ml trip from there back to Dfs.

radoggair, we both live in Dumfries.

forge - ygm 2

radoggair are you glupton? 😛

radoggair are you glupton?

course not, glupton couldn't keep up with me 😉

trekster, i will be at ae this weekend, all weekend!
have just started helping steve out in the bike shop at the weekends. i will have to take my bike for an evening run one day, but it will not be this weekend. am currently free during the weeks if you wanted to head out for a ride sometime? i am particularly interested in your mabie excursion as i may have commented before!

but some of those long distance routes towards moffat or the lowthers also sound very interesting. i had a look at your natural ride from durisdeer last year but didn't get around to riding it, so that is another one for this year's list.

defaultslipper - Member
trekster, i will be at ae this weekend, all weekend!

Are you there now or starting Sat, will likely be popping some time over the weekend if not biking with the wife we may be out for a walk.

I am off from this morning till next Thurs, trying to sort out a ride with Diane(Dawn) which will have to be Mon/Tues on her days off. She stays over Inners way so depends if snow has receded whether I go over there(1st time for a yr)or somewhere else

to start with just working the weekends to help cover the busy times. weather is looking good for a busy weekend, last chance for the families with kids to get in a ride before the end of the easter holidays. really enjoyed working in the shop last sunday, and the opportunity to play with some expensive bikes and learn off steve was too good an opportunity to miss!
that snow looked pretty deep last week up at glentress, i wouldn't be surprised if some of it is still lingering despite the warm temperatures. i hope im wrong if you do head up there!

just working the weekends to help cover the busy times //// learn off steve was too good an opportunity to miss!

I'll be at Ae on Sunday. Looking forward to it. I'll be the one on the Spesh XC,probably looking very hung over!!

what time Xan? or is that a daft question 🙄
Riding sometime/somewhere over the weekend but undecided and had no offers so far. Just to add to your hangover it is but a 7ml ride out from my home 😆

We're leaving Airdrie at 9 so plan to be there for about 10.15, out on the trails by 10.30. Drumlarnig tomorrow as well so I'll be keeping Sunday to the one lap as I'm not sure I'll last any further haha.

Trekster - Tues will prob be Inners or Natural stuff. Will keep you posted.

Cheers Di. Natural would be good 😆
Will give Ian a shout, not seen/heard from him for a month or so 🙁

did the days Steve was off

i think that is the plan for once i have settled in, but just getting used to what the shop caters for. for such a small space steve has got a lot of the spares covered, and still found some space for a few display bikes. lots of friendly people in last weekend, got to know a few more of the local faces.

Xan - Member
I'll be at Ae on Sunday

come in and let me know how it is riding over the weekend. last week it was surprisingly very dry and was running fast on the less rough sections. let's hope it keeps riding well after the trouble winter caused!

Trekster dont you be telling to many folk I have entered the Keilder 100 or I will have to go and do it. 😉

Have not done nearly enough cycling/ training yet, although this week have managed to squeeze in a few miles, inc a cracking road ride around Hawick and Selkirk yesterday, some cracking remote riding to be done up there.

although this week have managed to squeeze in a few miles

I will lose 5/6 wks in June/july when I go on holiday 🙄 so we will be in the same boat. forge has got a training plan 💡

You busy over weekend, got tomorrow free and fancy a ride early Sun @Ae. Check ur txt.

scotabroad - you doing the Kielder then?

[i]scotabroad - you doing the Kielder then?[/i]

Thats the plan but kids sailing taking up this weekend and the next two so training hasnt exactly kick started yet!!

Like wise on the training front, I am not meeting my monthly mileage targets at all but I have been out on the bike just not far enough or fast enough, my first goal is not to get turned back at the first checkpoint at the moment hoping to get more miles in May 🙂 Might roll April target to first weekend in May and the May target to the end of May 😀

Got out on ae today. Trails were really dry and felt good. Heat was a bit of a killer so we just took our time round and enjoyed the sunshine.

Hi Xan, decided to get out early and go exploring into the hills you see from Branburn Bash.
The road after the Bash towards Edge is in the background of this hike a bike bit;
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1/2hr later
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Mates from last week were still there 😆
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