Swindon & Local Area Riders...

[PhillM]

Anyone from around these parts on here? Basically, I'm appealing for help at the Croft Country Park mountain bike trails! We have a thread going on Bikerader http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewt...=asc&start=195 and also a facebook group (link on the bikeradar thread). We're after volunteers to help us finish off the singletrack that we've started to build. All help and suggestions welcome!

[tomstickland]

Hello, first post here.

Phil and myself have a lot of plans for the trail, but it's early days yet. Surfacing the existing route is the current priority. Once that's done we can improve the bits we're not happy with and get on with the interesting features.

We've been to all the major routes over the last 5-10 years: Cwm Carn, Afan, Brechfa, Nant Aryian, Clichmachx, Coedybrenin, Penmachno, Llandegla, Dalbeatie, Mabie, Kirrougtree, Ae, Innerleither, Glentress, plus Morzine etc.

We have realistic expectations - ideally it'll end up as a decent loop of around 6km length, surfaced so it's not a bog, and with enough features (planks, ramps, rocks, jumps etc) to keep the entertainment levels up.

If you were to ride it today then it'd take a certain amount of imagination to appreciate what it could be rather than what it is now.

The building aspect is a lot of fun. We're planning on going down most weekends between now and Christmas and will always appreciate help. It's quite free and easy - we bounce ideas around and pretty much build what we like. Within reason - the council inspect the results, but we can have rollable jumps etc.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=41279586404









http://www.flickr.com/photos/9296186...7607966352432/

There is a google map but it seems totally unreliable.
Try searching for "croft wood swindon" on google maps using the "search options - user content" and it might work. If you're lucky.

[tomstickland]

We've been working on the route most weekends recently.

Before surfacing:


In progress:


Rock feature in finished section:


Secret weapon:

[tomstickland]

More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9296186...352432/?page=2

Test ride:




24th Dec:
Phil and myself did a test ride this afternoon.
We've identified a whole load of things that don't make sense on the route, but on the plus side there's several things that we're very happy with. We'd say "the route has potential" but needs more work to make it worth a visit.

For example:
-steeper berms near the start work, as does the sleeper bridge
-some pointless berms near the woodwork
-extra features needed on the two straights near the woodwork
-slippery woodwork needs a straight approach
-corners that need smoothing out, plus some extra bench cutting on the parts near the motorway
-muddy mess at several points, it all needs surfacing
-few areas where the route is going to be changed so that it makes more sense when riding
-first new rock garden is a bit too difficult at the start, but then is spot on
-second rock garden is difficult to get started on, but then is a decent skill test, few mods needed, though it's not even finished anyway
-roller coaster (North of pitch) we like
-section to East of pitch is going to have some corners simplified
-bermed bit approaching last section is good
-finished section (West of pitch) is pretty much right, one berm to be smoothed, few corners need to be wider, but good fun to ride, timed it at 1min 25s

[tomstickland]

Best place for updates:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?to...id=41279586404

[Sir_Queuesalot]

Hey, is that another Rock Lobster B52 - Snap!

[tomstickland]

Test pilot making inaugral run on the latest rock garden.


We've still got loads of surfacing to do. Check the facebook group for updates.

[tomstickland]

Hey, is that another Rock Lobster B52 - Snap!

Red bike is an "on one" IIRC.
Yello bike is a Cove Stiffee.

[gorehound]

And the black and yellow one is a land rover.

[tomstickland]

Things are still progressing at the trail.
We've got a new section on Piper's hill that swoops down the hill a lot better, has a loaad of logs at the top, swoops in the middle, a rock jump, decent berms and then ends up with a tight and fast section before switching back up the hill.

We've got plans for another similar section on another bit of hill. Before that we're going to completely rebuild a section that has too many sharp bends to flow properly.

Meanwhile we've smoothed out a load of areas to make them faster.

There's still loads to do.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...4&id=618044383