First trip advice

[jayley]

I've been riding for a few months now with my Ebike and am lucky enough to have Bedgebury on my doorstep. I'm looking to venture out a bit further and wanted advice on trail centres and or bike parks suitable for someone relative new. I'm no spring chicken so am not looking for massive air but do want to progress and challenge.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Bear-uk]

The general grading for trail difficulty is green, blue,red, black and orange with a couple of varieties added to the later last few.
Green is a kids/family trail and they progress from there.
It's up to you where you want to start from depending on your ability.
Exceptions to the grading system is places like bike park Wales where everything is up a notch and where I found out I could only manage half of the reds and I would normally have a go at blacks anywhere else.
And definitely take body armour like knee and elbow protectors plus even a full face helmet if your trying the harder technical stuff.

 

[jayley]

The general grading for trail difficulty is green, blue,red, black and orange with a couple of varieties added to the later last few.
Green is a kids/family trail and they progress from there.
It's up to you where you want to start from depending on your ability.
Exceptions to the grading system is places like bike park Wales where everything is up a notch and where I found out I could only manage half of the reds and I would normally have a go at blacks anywhere else.
And definitely take body armour like knee and elbow protectors plus even a full face helmet if your trying the harder technical stuff.

Thanks for the reply. I've gotten myself a FFH in readiness. Been doing reds comfortable enough (slower than a lot of others of course) , understand Bedgebury version of red is a tad generous compared to some others.

 

[Bear-uk]

I've no idea where Beggebury is or what's near to you.
It doesn't really matter how fast you are when you're on your own, it's all about enjoyment and staying in one piece

 

[Bear-uk]

Another bit of advice is, if part of the trail has a black diamond section, then that's another step up in difficulty.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Hiya,
I use bedgebury from time to time. I think staying with that style of trail centre, the natural next step I think, would be Swinley.
Then, a bit further out, you'd be looking at Cannock before heading into the South Wales trail centres or further North to Llandegla.

 

[James_C]

bluebell hill, stuff near robin hood pub. There is also westfield woods and boxley but I dont think you'll like them from what you've said.

 

[Steve0101]

Thanks for the reply. I've gotten myself a FFH in readiness. Been doing reds comfortable enough (slower than a lot of others of course) , understand Bedgebury version of red is a tad generous compared to some others.

I don't know what app you use or if you use any apps for routes but I can highly recommend komoot designed mainly for bike routes. It's great for e bikes trail bikes walking routes anyway it will give you local routes anywhere in the world. Having an Angi sensor fitted to your helmet is great idea for safety as well. It's a crash sensor which sends your location to someone in case your out in the sticks an no one knows where you are. Its designed by specialised using GPS/ Sat location.

 

[jayley]

Hiya,
I use bedgebury from time to time. I think staying with that style of trail centre, the natural next step I think, would be Swinley.
Then, a bit further out, you'd be looking at Cannock before heading into the South Wales trail centres or further North to Llandegla.

Went to bexley and monks wood this weekend and managed to get through it, slow steady and new pants afterwards but through it.

 

[jayley]

I don't know what app you use or if you use any apps for routes but I can highly recommend komoot designed mainly for bike routes. It's great for e bikes trail bikes walking routes anyway it will give you local routes anywhere in the world. Having an Angi sensor fitted to your helmet is great idea for safety as well. It's a crash sensor which sends your location to someone in case your out in the sticks an no one knows where you are. Its designed by specialised using GPS/ Sat location.

Have been using strava but more to track afterwards rather than plan. If I ride solo I've been putting my garmin on the impact mode. It thinks I have a lot

 

[jayley]

bluebell hill, stuff near robin hood pub. There is also westfield woods and boxley but I dont think you'll like them from what you've said.

Have booked rogate bike park but getting a 2hour lesson there. Seems a good a way as any to give it a go. Looks steep on the videos.

 

[James_C]

Have booked rogate bike park but getting a 2hour lesson there. Seems a good a way as any to give it a go. Looks steep on the videos.

top half is steep. bottom half, less steep but more jumps.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Getting a coaching session anywhere is 100% worth doing though.

UK Bike Skills, Jedi (Or Tony to his Mates) is brilliant at reading you before downloading information.

 

[Paulquattro]

Welcome
I cant add to the advice anymore than above
Its only as hard as you want it to be