B-Line at Llandegla

[Mr Pies]

Was supposed to be riding this today. Sadly I can't hold my beer and got too pissed last night.

Anyway this video pretty much sums up what ive missed out on today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwsKacRpKxQ&fea...

[Rolls]

He can properly pedal!!!!

[P-Jay]

Crying shame you missed it, it's really, really good.

It's not actually all that much like its namesake in Whistler (it's more like crank it up if anything) but it does have a real 'bike park' feel to it.

Epic bit of trail, if you could session it, it would be perfect, but I'd guess you wouldnt be able to move for riders on it then.

[the_lone_wolf]

We're off there this weekend!!! First bash at the new black runs for me

Watched that video more times than I can think of the last few weeks, properly excited...

[anonymous-user]

arse. before watching that i was seriously considering a 29" canyon grand canyon.... now i think i may be a bit poorer....

[Flippin' Kipper]

Went there today, was very wet and muddy, but still fun. Some guy decided to jump his bike into the stream that runs along side the "canal towpath" bit of trail as well and got very wet when he fell in!

[deadtom]

Rolls said:

He can properly pedal!!!!

yep, thats what happens when you put a pro DH rider on a trail bike.

very cool video, and the track looks like a whole heap of fun.

[Mr Pies]

Can anyone tell me what bike he's using in that video? Also is he using spd's? It look to me like he is not.

[P-Jay]

Think he's riding a carbon nomad, it's certainly a Santa Cruz anyway.

He's also on flats with Teva Links shoes.

[P-Jay]

P-Jay said:

Think he's riding a carbon nomad, it's certainly a Santa Cruz anyway.

He's also on flats with Teva Links shoes.

Might be a carbon Blur LT actually.

[Digga]

P-Jay said:

He's also on flats with Teva Links shoes.

Donny is the guy that Steve Peat reckons is one of teh most stylish DH racers IIRC, because he still rocks flats. He instructs around Llandegla too, so he's unlikely to be too shabby round there!

I've just switched from SPDs myself (Five Tens not Tevas though) and can't describe how much happier I am. I never consciously worried about clipping and un-clipping, but somehow must have had subconscious issues. Going flat it like popping a brave pill IMHO.

Just need to iron out those SPD bad habits - like pullling up on the pedals when jumping!

[P-Jay]

Digga said:

onny is the guy that Steve Peat reckons is one of teh most stylish DH racers IIRC, because he still rocks flats. He instructs around Llandegla too, so he's unlikely to be too shabby round there!

I've just switched from SPDs myself (Five Tens not Tevas though) and can't describe how much happier I am. I never consciously worried about clipping and un-clipping, but somehow must have had subconscious issues. Going flat it like popping a brave pill IMHO.

Just need to iron out those SPD bad habits - like pullling up on the pedals when jumping!

Not sure how much racing 'The Don' does these days, he lost his WC 'seat' when the Bike Radar (nee MBUK) team died. He was meant to be doing "a few selected WC races" last season, but I never heard his name mentioned on Freecaster, doesn’t mean he’s not blindingly quick though! I'm going to book onto his Drops & Jumps course next month, see if I can get over some of my blind drops issues and my tendency to 'kill' jumps.

I would really recommend the Teva's when the soles of your 5.10's tear. had a pair for Xmas, compared to the Sam Hills and standard 5.10's I've had before they're much lighter, much better at staying dry and far less bulky, they should last well too, the soles are all rubber, rather than a thin piece of rubber stretched over foam.

They don't grip quite as well though.

[MadDad]

Great video, makes it look efortless. . . .

Just in case you were wondering who he is;

http://www.neildonoghuecoaching.co.uk/courses/core...

[Digga]

P-Jay said:

I'm going to book onto his Drops & Jumps course next month, see if I can get over some of my blind drops issues and my tendency to 'kill' jumps.

Kill how? Keep us informed about how the course goes.

P-Jay said:

I would really recommend the Teva's ... much better at staying dry.

Rode Long Mynd on Saturday and my Five Tens weigh about 5 kilgrams now. Still not dried out, although TBF the weather conditions were filthy. One of the team heading down Minton Bach in the diagonal rain/sleet:

[Samcat]

Great video, I've ridden it a few times now, and it's very very good.

What the video doesn't show you is the lung-busting climb in the middle!

[P-Jay]

Digga said:

P-Jay said:

I'm going to book onto his Drops & Jumps course next month, see if I can get over some of my blind drops issues and my tendency to 'kill' jumps.

Kill how? Keep us informed about how the course goes.

P-Jay said:

I would really recommend the Teva's ... much better at staying dry.

Rode Long Mynd on Saturday and my Five Tens weigh about 5 kilgrams now. Still not dried out, although TBF the weather conditions were filthy. One of the team heading down Minton Bach in the diagonal rain/sleet:

I have a habit of - and I'm finding this hard to put into words, 'rocking' the bike over the edge of jumps, rather than popping off them. Ironically it's a technique I learnt from a DVD called 'Fundamentals' that Donny 'stars' in, it's meant to be quicker, but it's not so much fun. It's starting to annoy me, I set myself up for a good old jump, feet right, position right, speed right (or to the best of my knowledge anyway) I'm focused on popping off the lip, I've even got my 'aire of modesty look' ready for the standing ovation I'm bound to get for my efforts and just as I go up the face I lift the front and throw my weight forward, wheels barely leave the ground and I'm away. At least that's what I think I do anyway ha ha.

Will give a proper review of the course, it's advertised as "You’re happy on our red trails and are attempting black trails. You sometimes find yourself in the air, but want more control. You can lift your front wheel over small obstacles"

I've been riding for years and on paper my experience level is a little bit higher than that, but I feel I've got a lot of gaps in my skill set and hoping I can improve my confidence on drops, a real hard point for me, frankly I hate them and will usually try to roll drops that are too big to roll or avoid them.

The Teva’s are brilliant in terms of staying dry and getting dry if they do get a little wet compared to 5.10’s something to do with the material being waterproof at a molecular level (I might have dreamt that bit) anyway the only time I’ve ever got wet feet in them was when I had to put my feet in a deep puddle and water came over the top.

[Freakuk]

I've ridden Llandegla more than enough times now, the new trails are great as is parallel universe, got some good video footage also

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLzoljLUARQ&fea...

[Digga]

P-Jay said:

Will give a proper review of the course, it's advertised as "You’re happy on our red trails and are attempting black trails. You sometimes find yourself in the air, but want more control. You can lift your front wheel over small obstacles"

Sounds very close to what I think I need to do. If they advertised a course that was something like "You've ridden a few red trail and were daft enough to think that because you didn't crash you have talent. Now you are starting to find youself in the air and running out of talent..." then I'd say it had my name all over it!

Freakuk said:

I've ridden Llandegla more than enough times now, the new trails are great as is parallel universe

Yep, I've once ridden Parallel Universe and loved it. That was the last time I was there - I guess about April last year.

[rhinochopig]

I'm obviously in a minority but I have to say that trail looks very very boring. I'm not a fan of man made trails generally, but that looks way way too smooth. I much prefer natural trails that are either rutted, rooty, or rocky with some steep descents and nasty climbs; stuff that tests your fitness as well as your technique and where you risk losing the front or the back or both and actually have to pick a line through the terrain.

These sorts of trails remind me of indoor climbing walls where all the routes are colour coded.

[P-Jay]

rhinochopig said:

I'm obviously in a minority but I have to say that trail looks very very boring. I'm not a fan of man made trails generally, but that looks way way too smooth. I much prefer natural trails that are either rutted, rooty, or rocky with some steep descents and nasty climbs; stuff that tests your fitness as well as your technique and where you risk losing the front or the back or both and actually have to pick a line through the terrain.

These sorts of trails remind me of indoor climbing walls where all the routes are colour coded.

If you're not into the well groomed type of trail (or giant BMX tracks are some call them) you probably won't enjoy much of Llandegla, it's very smooth as a rule.