O.P. Trails

I got the chance today to hit up some semi-secret somerset trails. Tom KP, Ewart and I headed into somerset to ride the OP Trails, that Ewart and Tom had been shown last week. After a bit of overnight rain the trails had been transformed from last weeks bone dry, lightning fast, to todays, soggy edged, greasy, DH on ice surface.

Tom threading his way through a greasy S bend

Ewart exiting the S bend

This made the riding 'interesting' to say the least. Many of the sections were slightly off camber with occasional roots, this became suddenly very tricky, and my decision not to put the DH tires back on and leave the skinnier AM/XC on my bike looked like the wrong choice! On my first few runs, my attempts to hurl my bike into a berm ended with crossed up handle bars and the bike still going straight on!

Me, about the air out of the bomb hole jump

The slippery conditions get the best of Tom

But after a few runs to get a feel for the slippy conditions we all slowly got the hang of it, with the speed slowly picking up. But then just when you were thinking you'd finally got a run wired, you suddenly wash out, or slip on a root and all of a sudden that great line and speed had gone! Oh well, it was great riding, and it made a change to be really challenged by the conditions.

Ewart airing into the bomb hole




Tom, mid flight, bomb hole jump

The Mafia wheels keep turning

Another night at the mafia trails, more racing the dual track, but generally a really laid back jam. People were hitting all the lines, some people going big on Daddy Bear, some of us hitting up Mummy Bear for the first time, others just rolling through the trails trying to get a feel for it all, and everyone enjoying more BBQ action! Spring has definitely sprung for us, roll on the summer and even lighter nights.

Sending Mummy bear for the first time is a great feeling

Whipping up daddy bear is where its at for others

Ewart, clean lines on Mummy bear

Adam, big lines on Daddy bear

Ollie, insane lines all over!

The Dual track berms were riding really well

Tom K on his super-light 'Mega Rig'

The bike shed lads were loving the dual course

Kicking up the dirt in the setting sun

Adam whipping the table

Combe Sydenham DH Track

This Sunday a whole bunch of Exeter Bikers headed upto Combe Sydenham, on the edge of Exmoor, to ride the Mountain bike Downhill Track. Some of us for fun, others as practice for the forth coming downhill competion.
As you might have noticed, the weather wasn't as its finest on Sunday. The whole day alternated between bright sunshine and snow showers! But when the sun was out it was wonderful and spring like, and even when the snow was falling it was still quite pleasant!

Sunshine and bikes at the carpark

Getting our breath back at the top of the hill

The Track at Combe Sydenham is broken up into roughly three sections. The top section features some great riding. Starting from right at the top of the hill, you cut through some berms in the wood land, before breifly poping out from under the trees over a roller, then you plunge back under the trees, along a rooty and rocky section, before being fired onto the large fire track, there then follows three 'Bus stop' style sections, where you shoot up off of the fire road into the trees breifly, before dropping back onto the fire road.
The second section currently starts badly, a water pipe had burst and water was running down the first few berms turning them into a quagmire, but you could sneek around it, then it was a series of berms to a step down jump, followed by more berms that lead to the 'BIG' jump, a large fire road gap, some 20ft (+?) The big jump fired you out of the woods and into a field that features another load of jumps, two tabletops, a double and then a very close pair of doubles.
The third section started with you being fired back into the trees. The route was a bit vauge at this point, the area having been used recently for a motorbike enduro event. But a series of lumpy turns and steep drops eventually lead you to the bottom of the hill!

Tom K hits the 'BIG' fire road gap

Mark H gets some air on the second tabletop

Ewart clocks some air on the tabletop

We spent more time riding the first top section, the riding was lovely and the push back up wasn't too hard! Although we tried all of the track at some point. The 'BIG' jump was just too much for me, especially on my hardtail, and that then meant you didn't have masses of speed for the tabletop jumps, even going fast they didn't jump that well.

But overall it was a great day out. Hopefully we'll head back there again some time soon. It's a shame I didn't get any more, or better pictures, but I was too busy enjoying riding to get the camera out much!