Video: Keeping it vaguely imaginary…
I don’t know. You wait ages for a video featuring a certain track and then two come along at once.
Posts about general riding stuff.
I don’t know. You wait ages for a video featuring a certain track and then two come along at once.
The Chapel Gate track in Edale has been resurfaced and turned into a smooth motorway. The long and very rocky track was previously considered by many, us included, to be one of the most technically challenging (legal) tracks in the area. This is a sad day for mountain biking in the Peak District.
Last Tuesday we went up and took some pictures of the new state of the track, although we only had time for pictures from the bottom of the main section.
11-05-18 Chapel Gate Track, 11 pictures of the current and previous state of the track.
10-01-21 Chapel Gate JI+JK, 16 Pictures by Jeff & Irwin.
Whilst the smoothing out (or “sanitising” to some) of technically challenging tracks in the Peak District often results in out cry from mountain bikers in online forums and in discussions with fellow bikers out on the tracks, there are a few more complicated issues at play with this one.
Sources and further info:
Chapel Gate Experimental Traffic Order – Peak District National Park Authority
Sensitive routes – Peak District National Park Authority
Chapel Gate Route Management Plan [PDF] – Peak District National Park Authority
Vehicles in the Countryside: March 2011 [PDF] – Peak District National Park Authority
LAF Vehicle Sub-group Meeting 5/8/2010 [PDF] – Peak District National Park Authority
Whilst it would be easy to agree with banning vehicles from Chapel Gate, and other places they can legally drive, based on the damage they cause and subsequently cost, it’s perhaps a short-sighted view. Assuming a ban would be followed, where would they go instead? Would this increase traffic and therefore erosion and cost of maintenance on other BOATs? Would they then become like Chapel Gate and get similar bans? Would this lead to more illegal use and damage in less sustainable areas or on bridleways mountain bikers value? Another valid question is; can the council (and therefore taxpayers) continue to pay a lot of money to maintain the enjoyment of a relatively small user group?
Hard problems don’t have simple solutions.
As mountain bikers who enjoy technically challenging rocky descents and don’t enjoy smoothed out sandy motorways suitable only for family leisure cycling, we a take a certain amount of pleasure in seeing such “improvements” returned to rocky mayhem by the elements, but will this take much longer if vehicles are banned?
There are many good examples of self-sustaining rocky technical tracks, Hope Cross DH and Gores being two (bridleways). One thing most tracks will benefit from, though, is targeted maintenance; stopping water flowing down the track or draining dips where it collects and becomes a mud bath. The only question that remains is who will do this targeted maintenance, where are the fabled trail fairies?
Mountain bikers want maintenance to be carried out in a way that’s sympathetic to their use and enjoyment of the trails – that’s only going to happen if mountain bikers are involved in doing it. No one is going to come and ask us how we’d like it done if we don’t get off our back sides (or saddles more likely) and do something ourselves.
Last Sunday evening Irwin and I (Jeff) rode Hope Cross DH (aka The Beast) and did some filming with my Sony a55. I’m still getting the hang of doing video on a ‘DSLR’ and need to get a better (smoother) tripod. The light sensitivity is pretty good, especially with the f1.8 50mm lense, probably better than my own eyes to a point. This proved useful as Irwin managed to get a puncher, then my spare tube turned out to be a dud and we had to use the one out my back wheel, which lost us a fair bit of time and light.
When later asked about the ride Irwin said: “Cheese and marmalade sandwiches are quite nice.”
There are also pictures of me and Matt riding there a few weeks ago in the Image Gallery:
11-04-23 HopeX JK+MA, 14 Pictures by Jeff and Matt
Back in February, when the ground was wet and muddy, the 8th and final round of the Sheffield Winter Ghetto Dual Race Series went down in some woods in Endcliffe Park. Shane was on on his new Cotic BFe, but was disappointed to come off in qualifying. Irwin qualified, but got knocked out.
11-02-22 Dual Race Rnd8 Endcliffe Park, 21 Pictures by Jeff
This post has been a while coming for various reasons and it’s mostly all been said elsewhere a few weeks back. But I will say, that it was a great event with plenty of local familiar faces, either riding, organising, media-ing (yeah I know) or just coming along to watch.
Joe Bowman and Nick Hamilton from ThisiSheffield.co.uk, amongst others, were organising.
Rob Jolley was marshalling in the open section and also chief overseer of rider encouragement.
Bamford locals Alex Megson, Oliver Spence and Jack Read where racing, with Oli beating SPS sponsored Jack, coming 1st and 2nd in Youth, receptively. Irwin probably summed it up best: “I still can’t believe Oli beat Jack!”.
![[11'03'05 Peaty's Steel City Downhill VidCap 640x360]](http://monkeyspoon.com/Pictures/SitePics/11'03'05 Peaty's Steel City Downhill VidCap 640x360.jpg)
(THE) Alex Rankin (who made the Earthed series of MTB films) was filming for Freecaster along with a motley band of local video men (including myself), with a range of video cameras from camcorders and DSLRs to a GoPro helmet-cam in use as a zip-line camera. Alex explained the sort of thing he was after from us and gave out plenty of tips and advice while we walked up the track before the race runs. Having felt quite unprepared and like I was winging it for a fair bit of the race run filming (I’m used to having Saturday to scout the track and then know where I want to be for the Sunday race runs), I was very pleased with how most of it came out. A fair bit of my footage went into the official Freecaster video, including the novelty-tree-shot (which took about 5 minutes of shivering and hoping the tree would hold while waiting for a rider to come), so that was good.
After the race many headed straight to the Showroom cinema for Progression, Alex’s special edit for ShAFF of his Sprung and Earthed series of MTB films. There were plenty of laughs (mainly at Peaty crashing) and vintage footage from the early days of Downhill, it gave an idea of where the sport has come from and got to: its Progression – or, failing that, plenty of drunk racers to laugh at!
Following the film came Rob Warner ‘interviewing’ Steve Peat, I say ‘interviewing’ because, in classic Warner style, he hadn’t actually prepared anything and just relied on the audience for questions.
“Yes, you with the straight arm.”
“Josh Bryceland has just come in wearing a cap he thinks makes him look ghetto and cool.”
I think this actually worked better, with Warner providing some great banter and entertainment, while Peaty thought up good and in-depth answers. It was a laugh a minute, on a par with any stand up comic’s show, but also very interesting at the same time – a great end to a great day of mountain biking!
My video from the race:
Alex Rankin’s official race video from the event:
Some other videos are on RootsandRain.
Some of my better (edited) and general event pics are in the Image Gallery, all the rider pictures are on RootsandRain:
11-03-05 Peatys Steel City Downhill, 45 Pictures by Jeff.
Steel City DH, Greno Woods, 5th March 2011, 163 Photos
Other related pages:
Swinny’s Race Report on ThisiSheffield.
Joe’s Organiser’s Report, top results, thanks and sponsors on ThisiSheffield.
Full Results on RootsandRain.
Jack Read’s blog entry on Factory Jackson.