Clayton Vale

[Kestevan]

Hmmmm - Might consider a trip out there this weekend.

Never been before: is the blue suitable for the Lad ? He's on a rigid 20" Isla bike and quite happily blats round the blue at Sherwood Pines but he's tried nothing harder....

 

[I like Skol]

Hmmmm - Might consider a trip out there this weekend.

Never been before: is the blue suitable for the Lad ? He's on a rigid 20" Isla bike and quite happily blats round the blue at Sherwood Pines but he's tried nothing harder....

He can always stop and get off at anything he isn't happy with. My two found Sherwood pines red route (Kitchener?) quite easy a year ago. They won't even consider the blue track and this is when they were 6 and 9 yrs old. The tracks at Clayton are more agressive with rock features that are totally absent at Sherwood Pines but, kids learn fast and they need stretching a bit to acheive their best sometimes.

 

[Kestevan]

He's 7, on his first bike and only learned to ride in June

We've been round the blue at Sherwood several times, and he's got to the point where he's reasonably confident.... but he's not encountered anything more technical than a rooty slope, or a couple of gently banked turns - and he managed to miss one of these last time and ended up jumping off the back of the berm and crashing spectacularly.... I was crapping myself after watching him go over the bars, especially as he sat their and said "I'm bleeding" in a pitiful voice; he then held up his hand to show me the single tiny scratch from the brambles he'd landed in.......

Think we may have to visit this weekend if it's not chucking it down too hard.

 

[fossyant]

If your lad doesn't pick the red and black downhill bits he will be OK. There are also flat routes round the Vale.

 

[dan_bo]

Planning a possible visit this weekend with a colleague, weather permitting. Just been reading a review HERE and had to laugh at one of the comments - "excellent fast flowing stuff to crank graunching agony of up hills"

There's nothing there that my two boys can't ride up on a good day......

Hoping it's dry at some point this weekend, really 'need' to give the MTB a good workout.

Come on sunday after lunchtime and get caught up in the CX race! Show us all up!

 

[I like Skol]

Come on sunday after lunchtime and get caught up in the CX race! Show us all up!

I'm actually heading down there tomorrow morning with a colleague so should arrive at the Vale from about 10.30-11.00.

I am hoping to visit again on Sunday with the kids so if there is an event on I had better get there before it kicks off and avoid the jam. Otherwise I would love to come along and show you all up

 

[shouldbeinbed]

i really must get a MTB again, I ride through twice a day & only ever get to chat to the riders doing the good bits.

 

[I like Skol]

i really must get a MTB again, I ride through twice a day & only ever get to chat to the riders doing the good bits.

Ha! When I do my work commute by MTB in the summer I make sure I ride down the big flight of steps in Woodbank park, Stockport. There would be no way I could miss the good bits.

 

[I like Skol]

Wow. Had a great time today. I think I may have scared my mate from work but it was superb to try out the re-vamped Skol bus in anger and it performed flawlessly.

A word of warning though. Beware the thick layer of soggy leaf mulch. It is on top of hard packed gravel and can make some of the corners 'interesting' to say the least!!!

 

[dan_bo]

I'm actually heading down there tomorrow morning with a colleague so should arrive at the Vale from about 10.30-11.00.

I am hoping to visit again on Sunday with the kids so if there is an event on I had better get there before it kicks off and avoid the jam. Otherwise I would love to come along and show you all up

Tell ya what skolly them kids are a credit to ya. I might not be the fastest on the course but I've got the biggest fan club! How's it go? 'Dan Dan he's the man if anyone can do it.......' Kin ace mate. Ace.

 

[I like Skol]

Tell ya what skolly them kids are a credit to ya. I might not be the fastest on the course but I've got the biggest fan club! How's it go? 'Dan Dan he's the man if anyone can do it.......' Kin ace mate. Ace.

I didn't think you had heard me... them. They wanted to shout "Stop riding like a big girl!" but I wouldn't let em!

How did you do in the end? We had to scarper at about half-time (Roast chicken Sunday dinner calling) so didn't see your ride to victory

 

[dan_bo]

I didn't think you had heard me... them. They wanted to shout "Stop riding like a big girl!" but I wouldn't let em!

How did you do in the end? We had to scarper at about half-time (Roast chicken Sunday dinner calling) so didn't see your ride to victory

In terms of position, rubbish. I've got legs that weigh more than some of them farkers but hey ho. Good fun though.

 

[dan_bo]

Went and did a lap last night on the way home with the aid of the cree thingy my greengrocer loaned to me.

Must get some. Lots of fun.

 

[I like Skol]

Went back again today with my two boys. What a scream (as usual). The tracks are really rewarding and you get back as much as you put in, as you up the speed the fun factor multiplies exponentially.
We did find a new track that we have somehow managed to overlook on all previous visits as I had dismissed it as a blue run easy route to the bottom of the valley. How wrong I was. The Sidewinder route from marker post 47 on the southern side of the Vale is a fast, twisty rollercoaster ride along the valley side that encourages you to go ever faster and flick in and out of the lightly bermed corners. Not many jumps and no steps but still great fun and we got to the bottom wondering how we had not known about this track before.

I am also pleased to report that all the tracks are dry at the moment, perfect conditions for a post-work workout for all you commuters that normally just pass through

 

[I like Skol]

WooHoo! Been back to the Vale today with @potsy

This was his introduction to off-road cycling so we both had a bit of a steep learning curve. Me to understand how difficult it is for a beginner and him how different off-road riding is.
We kicked off at the skills section where I showed him how to roll down a few drop-offs and let him practice a few of the bermed corners and stuff, then we headed to the trails. Here I made my first mistake and headed straight to the red tracks which I considered to be easy. It was here that we found just how tricky an off-camber downhill corner can be to a beginner, Potsy drifted off-line and then launched over the handlebars into the brambles. He performed a perfect somersault and landed on his back, amazingly unharmed (and the bike was ok too ), unfortunately I didn't have the camera rolling but I was following close behind and can vouch for the fact that it was a very impressive dismount!

Youngest Skol Jnr was also along for the fun so the two of them had opportunities to test each other out and see who was fastest.....

Potsy even got his bike dirty

He also managed to have a puncture, but luckily had a pit crew team to repair the damage while he had a breather. Once on the second lap of the Vale he seemed to be getting the hang of it and I could see he was much more relaxed entering the slippery gravel corners and choosing a better line than he had the first time round. He also managed to get the right gear more of the time and was managing the short but steep climbs much better than at the start of the ride.

Here he is, trying to look like he is enjoying himself....

Anyway, a great ride was had by all and I think now he has had a taste of the real thing there will be no stopping him.......