Mountain biking - moving up from blue to red grade trails

[sbarclay62]

Is there much of a jump up in difficulty (no pun intended). Should I learn any skills before doing this (whenever the suits allow us out) or just think **** it and go for it?

Got a hardtail if that makes any difference.

[easy_rider33]

Specifically Red trails they will be broadly the same but with more technical features but in the main will have a chicken route round them if you are not yet confident to hit them fully.

Also Blue trails can have Red features in them too off to one side.

Give it a try and you can always stop and get off.

Black obviously are harder and tend not to have chicken routes round the demanding bits.

[boyse7en]

Not really, just take it easy on your first few runs until you know what is coming up.

[Captain Raymond Holt]

I find there’s a blurring of lines.

I ride some reds which aren’t really reds when considering against loads of trails etc. I think of reds and blues pretty much the same.

Have ridden some blacks too which you could think of as reds (as long as there are chicken routes round any gaps!) Other black routes are double bd hard

[mikey P 500]

Agree the labelling of red and blue is not really very consistent from place to place. Even the time of year and weather will effect how easy or difficult a trail is. You may find you have already ridden trails harder than some reds labeled as blue.

[lufbramatt]

Just don't overthink it!

I'm not the world most proficient MTBer (just make up for lack of skill with fitness ) but feel confident enough to do Reds at trail centres. Even done same blacks when encouraged by mates.

In terms of skills I'd say make sure you can do drop offs of reasonable size, say around 2 feet, as you don't want to be grabbing a fistful of brakes if there's people behind you and you come up to a feature that you decide to bail at the last second. I remember there being a decent sized drop at the end of one of the boardwalk bits at Llandegla where if someone bailed would probably send following riders off the edge

Just take it easy and enjoy yourself!

[Gary29]

It depends where you're riding?

A red at one place is a black at another place, and vice versa.

But yeah 100% go for it, take your time on the first few runs, get off the bike and have a look on foot if a section or feature spooks you. Just don't get in the way of other riders and make yourself a danger if you do this.

Enjoy!

[lufbramatt]

Gary29 said:

It depends where you're riding?

A red at one place is a black at another place, and vice versa.

very true, the "red" at Bedgebury in Kent is mostly easier than the blues at most other places. and the laughable "black" run there is not even a red, I think they just had to make it a black as it has two little drops and a jump that you cant go around.

[snotrag]

As per above, don't overthink it.

Trail grading is generally very poor. Some people will grade soemthing very easy, as a 'red', simply because its quite long.

A 'blue' in Scotland might be a 'Red' at a little country park somewhere built by the council as it has a 'berm'.


Regardless of this - get some coaching.

I've been riding for at least 20 years, I've raced DH at Fort William, done 24hr Enduro racing, will ride any trail centre feature etc - but still get some value out of a bit of back to basics coaching every once in a while.

100% this is the best upgrade you can make to your bike - and you get to take it with you when you buy a new bike!

(Youll find the exact same advice in the trackdays forum, for instance!).

[vwsurfbum]

snotrag said:

Regardless of this - get some coaching.

100% this is the best upgrade you can make to your bike - and you get to take it with you when you buy a new bike!

This!

[fiju]

How do you go about getting coaching?

[Mr E]

We have a “red” at my local little place that my kid has gone round. On a balance bike. When he was 3.

[easy_rider33]

fiju said:

How do you go about getting coaching?

Check out your local Facebook groups, I see a number of people advertising on there. You could always join a club and tag along on rides where people will help you on line choice and how to position yourself on the bike etc.

[Pieman68]

Interested in this - I currently stick to blue as I am a relative newcomer to MTB and have a hybrid (front suspension GT Transeo so is closer to MTB geometry than road bike) as I tend to use it on light trails and towpath

Seriously got the bug and looking at an MTB to join the collection now so that I can work on technique and look at moving up to reds. Majority of my riding for the time being would be at Leeds Urban bike park

[snotrag]

fiju said:

How do you go about getting coaching?

Depends where you are in the world, best to ask on an MTB forum (I kmow for a fact theres loads of stuff on singletrackworld.com )

I have used Gareth @ A-line Coaching before based in Sheffield, not to teach me me things I dont know, but more about getting an honest view on my riding, re-inforcing some basic principles and picking up/ironing out bad habits.

Came out of a session last year faster, smoother and safer than before.

http://www.alinecoaching.co.uk/


Theres lots of well regarded coaches over the UK if this is where you are.

[dai1983]

In my limited experience reds usually have more roots, rocks and other obstacles going up.

Coming down the jumps are a bit bigger but the turns are also more steeper and sharper with usually a less smooth surface.

[sbarclay62]

Thanks for the replies guys.

My nearest trail centre is Glentress so thats mostly where I go. Braving the reds would also give me the option of Innerleithen a few miles past that however.

Never thought of tuition before. Might give these dudes (https://www.dirtschool.co.uk/about/) a try when lockdown is lifted

[hurricane run]

I'm rubbish as well but managed the Glentress red without too much drama. Just take it easy and let anyone faster past.

[dirtbiker]

sbarclay62 said:

Thanks for the replies guys.

My nearest trail centre is Glentress so thats mostly where I go. Braving the reds would also give me the option of Innerleithen a few miles past that however.

Never thought of tuition before. Might give these dudes (https://www.dirtschool.co.uk/about/) a try when lockdown is lifted

The red trails at Glentress aren't hugely more difficult than the blues so I'm sure you'll be fine. Can definitely recommend Andy at Dirtschool though, both my wife and I have had one-to-one sessions from him and benefited greatly! The red at Innerleithen is a bit of a slog of a climb but does have some good singletrack on the descent. Might be a while before you feel comfortable on the DH trails there though as some of them are very steep and techy!

[Tall_Paul]

lufbramatt said:

Gary29 said:

It depends where you're riding?

A red at one place is a black at another place, and vice versa.

very true, the "red" at Bedgebury in Kent is mostly easier than the blues at most other places. and the laughable "black" run there is not even a red, I think they just had to make it a black as it has two little drops and a jump that you cant go around.

I was about to mention bedgebury, if you thought that was a true red trail, then went to somewhere like BPW and rode the reds there, you'd be in for a shock.

Generally, blue trails tend to be flow trails, that can be ridden slowly by kids or really fast by good riders. Red trails will have more chunk, probably a few drops but they will have chicken lines.

Innerleithen red final descent is a perfect example, I'm not great with drops and that has a series of 3 or 4 growing in size, pretty much rollable until the final one which if you take with some speed is a 5ft drop. All have chicken lines.

Basically, go ride them - it's the only way to get better. But don't be afraid to stop and look at features before you hit them or decide to go around.