Ticknock Trail maintenance...

Tenzor07

http://www.mbi.ie/2011/09/ticknock-trail-maintenance-section-closed/

Good to see this happening, the upper trails are fairly hairy now with deep rutted braking lines, and "rocks of death" waiting to sheer the shins off you and cut the collarbone if you make a mistake...

MREGAN

What are the trails at Ticknock like? Worth a drive from Belfast? I like AE, Glentress type trails. Dont mind pedaling or climbs as long as there is a good bit of a descent after it.

Tenzor07

MREGAN wrote: »

What are the trails at Ticknock like? Worth a drive from Belfast? I like AE, Glentress type trails. Dont mind pedaling or climbs as long as there is a good bit of a descent after it.

If I was driving over 2 hours to get to Dublin, i'd arrive early and do the upper and lower trails @ Ticknock, then go have lunch and drive to Ballinastoe for the afternoon, both trails would take no more than 2 hours each at a relaxed pace to complete...

youtube!

i would also love to try these trails, can you say exactly where they are located?

also what is the cost?

Tenzor07

youtube! wrote: »

i would also love to try these trails, can you say exactly where they are located?

also what is the cost?

Cost?? None!

Only trails that charge anything would be Ballyhoura, but thats just for parking...

Directions here: http://www.dublinmountains.ie/recreation_sites/ticknock_mtb_trails/

youtube!

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Cost?? None!

Only trails that charge anything would be Ballyhoura, but thats just for parking...

Directions here: http://www.dublinmountains.ie/recreation_sites/ticknock_mtb_trails/

Ah the great outdoors eh? I figured there might be a nominal charge just for the maintenance and upkeep of such trails but quite happy its free, thanx for the directions,

Is it possible to cover these trails on a hybrid or would you need a full MB?

THANX.

Tenzor07

Would not do it on a hybrid, its fairly rutted and rocky in places and with big wheels and no front suspension you will need new wheels and a physio after an hour!

MREGAN

Tenzor07 wrote: »

MREGAN wrote: »

What are the trails at Ticknock like? Worth a drive from Belfast? I like AE, Glentress type trails. Dont mind pedaling or climbs as long as there is a good bit of a descent after it.

If I was driving over 2 hours to get to Dublin, i'd arrive early and do the upper and lower trails @ Ticknock, then go have lunch and drive to Ballinastoe for the afternoon, both trails would take no more than 2 hours each at a relaxed pace to complete...

We are used to driving to scotland for trails so 2 hours to Dublin isn't much. Would rather try the local trails than going to Scotland for a change. Had thought about a weekend combining Ballyhoura, Ballinastoe and ticknock but for a day trip Ballinastoe and ticknock seems a better option. Wouldn't fancy the drive to Ballyhoura just for a few hours.

What level are the trails? In comparison with Scotland?

Tenzor07

MREGAN wrote: »

What level are the trails? In comparison with Scotland?

Never been to Scottish trails but i would say they are much more developed...


However to give you an idea; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e2307SKktc

MREGAN

Tenzor07 wrote: »

MREGAN wrote: »

What level are the trails? In comparison with Scotland?

Never been to Scottish trails but i would say they are much more developed...


However to give you an idea; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e2307SKktc

Cheers for the video. That trail looks pretty good. How many km of single track is there in total? Is the climbs all on fire road or singletrack?

That's the last questions. LOL

Tenzor07

about 16k in total i think on the official trails... All mainly surfaced narrow fireroad trails like what you see in the video...

MREGAN

Tenzor07 wrote: »

about 16k in total i think on the official trails... All mainly surfaced narrow fireroad trails like what you see in the video...

Cool Definitely must get a run down soon. Cheers

fran oconnor

MREGAN wrote: »

Cheers for the video. That trail looks pretty good. How many km of single track is there in total? Is the climbs all on fire road or singletrack?

That's the last questions. LOL

This is another good trail here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WumsFLyw1gA&feature=related, i had a nice fall up there the other week

Tenzor07

That the part of the trail that will be closed, hopefully remove those boulders and make it a bit safer.... Can't keep walkers out though! :rolleyes:

fran oconnor

I'll get one last spin up tomorrow after work before work starts so .

Slideshowbob

wonder will they move the 2 ft high boulders away from the side of the tracks ?

they appear dangerous to me

Tenzor07

Slideshowbob wrote: »

wonder will they move the 2 ft high boulders away from the side of the tracks ?

they appear dangerous to me

that's the plan as far as i know.... You will notice a series of boulders with red paint on the Metro2 trail which will be removed...

Mr November

MREGAN wrote: »

Cheers for the video. That trail looks pretty good. How many km of single track is there in total? Is the climbs all on fire road or singletrack?

That's the last questions. LOL

The Coilte trails are 9k in total which includes the fireroad climb up (tarmac road) and another section of fireroad connecting 'Metro 2 & 1'.

The climb up is a tarmac road to the top of the 2nd coilte trail section. Some fireroad from there to the start of the coilte single track... small climb on that before fast descent with some switchbaks onto another piece of fireroad which climbs back up towards the top of the tarmac road & entrance to the 2nd piece of coilte single track which is then a descent to the car park...

There's plenty of other options however if you know the place. No need to make the boring climb on the tarmac road. There's an old walking trail through the forest from the top car park which then cuts up to the fireroad - from here you can cross over the coilte trail & climb up the boneshaker... all 100% ridable, if a little bit lung busting!... It really depends on your level of ability & fitness I guess. But if you were making a 2 hour trip to ride three rock, I'd be hell bent on using my time there to ride a lot more than just the coilte trails to be honest!

studiorat

Was up there last week, the top trail is pretty hairy before the forest on the way down. What I really noticed was the bottom trail is goobered to bits from people riding around the obstacles. Some of the switchbacks on the bottom have gotten very rocky also, don't remember it being like that before. Was very easy to stall the bike on some of those corners.

650Ginge

MREGAN wrote: »

What are the trails at Ticknock like? Worth a drive from Belfast? I like AE, Glentress type trails. Dont mind pedaling or climbs as long as there is a good bit of a descent after it.

No it is no way worth a drive. It is one short track. There lots of unofficial stuff too but it is not a trail centre anywhere near Glentress or AE.

650Ginge

These trails are boogered in record time. U know why because the way people riding them are locking up the rears. You should never be locking a wheel on a trail it is just bad skills and it ruins the trails for everyone.

ravendude

650Ginge wrote: »

These trails are boogered in record time. U know why because the way people riding them are locking up the rears. You should never be locking a wheel on a trail it is just bad skills and it ruins the trails for everyone.

That's life. You're going to get a lot of people new to biking up there, given its so close to the city, and you can hardly ban them because they're beginners.
It's all good for the growth of the sport.
If anything, its a symptom of the success and a clear indication that if if you "build it they will come" , - but in a good way .
It means they should build more!

fran oconnor

Just giving this a bump to see how does anyone know how work is getting on, and will it be finished on time??.

Tenzor07

No updates I can see, will have a look on Saturday...

Ballinastoe is next:

Ballinastoe MTB Trails - Upgrade works 21.09.11
Repairs and maintenance on our MTB Trails at Ballinastoe.

Ballinastoe MTB trail - Remedial Work

Remedial work on the single track parts of the Ballinastoe MTB trail will commence on Monday the 26th September and will be ongoing for 3 weeks until the 14th October, please note there will be rolling section closures as a result. For your health and safety please respect these closures and do not approach any machinery.

Sorry for the inconvenience - but it will be well worth it.

fran oconnor

Cheers thanks, i think i'll take a spin up on saturday morning myself and see how it went so..

C3PO

We were up that way on Tuesday night and the work was in progress!

fran oconnor

Have just been up on the trail there, its open now as the signs have been taken away, its a lot better now. The track itself is much better on the faster sections I found and the banks as you come down on both sides are a lot more smooth in places now, to stop rocks falling onto the trail I'd say. It'll take a few more people to help it bed in, but fair play to the people looking after it.

rab!dmonkey

Are the features on the top section intact? I've heard that a number of rocks were removed, but where they the jumps or the ones they string along the border?

fran oconnor

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

Are the features on the top section intact? I've heard that a number of rocks were removed, but where they the jumps or the ones they string along the border?

all the features are still on the trail, they have just added more gravel to the places that where in a bad way, I don't think they moved many rocks, I was fairly moving so couldn't take much notice. It's, defo the fastest I have been able to come down.. I might head back up in the morning so i'll report back again..

Hmmzis

Great stuff! I'll be heading up there early in the morning (about 8ish), will have to check the trail out.