# Seven Stanes



## Cubist (25 Apr 2011)

Just got back from a week's break at Dumfries (well, near Dumfries). All the family went and 'cos Cubester had a bruised piriformis muscle ( rugby injury) he wasn't up for cycling until midweek. We spent the first three days doing various walks of various lengths in various forests, and on Thursday decided to see whether he was up to a longish ride,. Cubette has been struggling with confidence over off-road riding so we took her to do the blue route at Mabie. It was all over too soon and in truth a bit featureless but we made up for it in the skills park where she did some berms and rolled the dirt jumps. She decided to try the step down/drop-offs, and really got into it. 

Next day Cubester and I set off to ride the red route at Ae. The guy in the shop hinted that it was a bit steep and rocky, but bloody hell! Not ideal territory for a XC hardtail even with wider higher bars! It was as much as I could manage in terms of technical riding to be fair, but I rode stuff I wouldn't have dreamt of riding last year. It was a blisteringly hot day and we ran out of fuel and fluids, both hitting the wall at the 75% mark, arms pumped to hell, blisters on the webbing between thumb and palm, sunscorched and dehydrated we hit the blue descent for he last 5km. We both declared the red route the best we had ever ridden, every inch a challenge with adrenalin aplenty.






Saturday we were washed out. It hammered it down all day and only came good around teatime, so a couple of hours walking the dog in Dalbeattie forest before a curry takeaway was all the fun we had that day.

Sunday then we took Cubette to Dalbeattie. The way she had ridden the skills park showed me she was braver than she gave herself credit for, so we rode the taster loop out to the blue, and got her up and running on that. The blue at Dalbeattie has some techy little stretches of singletrack, with some "getting on for red" features to play on. All very rideable and she came out of one section with rock gardens and steps grinning from ear to ear. She expressed disappointment she had bottled one particular descent, and so we took her back and showed her how to let the bike run though a rocky chute, and she went back and nailed it twice more. 

The last few km are back on the taster loop, where there's more and more features. She loved the wall ride, where she and Cubester sessioned it for twenty minutes. 



The last km is a balls out techy little descent with loads of step-ups and rock gardens, and each time I had to work hard to clear one I half expected to hear a clatter and wail behind me, but to her credit she rode every single one. She was so pleased with herself she was in tears as she told her Mum all about how well she did when we stopped for lunch. Even Cubester was grudgingly proud of her. 





An afternoon back at the skills park in Mabie rounded off a perfect holiday, with Cubette hammering the berms and dropping off the big red drop-off like a pro. 

Downside? Her forks have packed up completely and she's buckled her back wheel, so here come the upgrades............


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## Angelfishsolo (25 Apr 2011)

I am glad to see that I am not theonly one who struggles on Red Routes whilst riding a XC Hardtail. 

The location sounds amazing. I must try and visit it one day 



Cubist said:


> Next day Cubester and I set off to ride the red route at Ae. The guy in the shop hinted that it was a bit steep and rocky, but bloody hell! Not ideal territory for a XC hardtail even with wider higher bars! It was as much as I could manage in terms of technical riding to be fair, but I rode stuff I wouldn't have dreamt of riding last year. It was a blisteringly hot day and we ran out of fuel and fluids, both hitting the wall at the 75% mark, arms pumped to hell, blisters on the webbing between thumb and palm, sunscorched and dehydrated we hit the blue descent for he last 5km. We both declared the red route the best we had ever ridden, every inch a challenge with adrenalin aplenty.


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## Cubist (25 Apr 2011)

Angelfishsolo said:


> I am glad to see that I am not theonly one who struggles on Red Routes whilst riding a XC Hardtail.


I did Kirroughtree and Dalbeattie reds last autumn. I wasn't well at the time, suffering a massive lack of confidence and fell a couple of times, putting myself off riding techy stuff for a month or two. I modified the bike a fair bit, with a higher, shorter stem and wider bars. I then went with Cubester to a quarry nearby and forced myself to ride down stuff that I had had to walk before.... I bottled anything steep, even if it was smooth, before I raised the bars. Now it no longer looks like I'm going to fall off the front of the bike on descents, and I have forced myself to trust the bike, relying on body position etc etc. I surprised myself at Ae, falling only twice, once when I simply didn't have the speed to carry myself through a rock garden, and once where I ran out of talent amongst a rooty section. 

There are some steep downhill bermed loose rocky chutes on one section that I would never have trusted myself to ride before, but a pair of knee pads and a bit of swearing at myself and I got through them. N+1 is currently a 140mm bouncer though........


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## Angelfishsolo (25 Apr 2011)

I am back to a 110mm stem with racing bars at the moment as I managed to rip the bolts out of my 60mm stem and thus lost the use of my DH Riser bars. I should have a 100mm stem coming any day now that will accommodate the DH Bars so I should be a little more comfortable. I have 100mm forks on my Cube and run them at 110psi. If I drop them lower off road is easier but the road kills me (The remote lock out has broken  ). Have thought about a full susser but have no room, no money and thus just the one bike at the mo. My biggest fear are drop offs rather than steep descents although I have never fallen opn a drop off but have on a steep descent (Go figure ). Glad to see your confidence is back. I hope mine will soon follow


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## zizou (25 Apr 2011)

Sounds like a great few days.


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## Cubist (25 Apr 2011)

zizou said:


> Sounds like a great few days.


It was, and I can't wait to go back and do some more.


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## Cubist (25 Apr 2011)

Angelfishsolo said:


> I am back to a 110mm stem with racing bars at the moment as I managed to rip the bolts out of my 60mm stem and thus lost the use of my DH Riser bars. I should have a 100mm stem coming any day now that will accommodate the DH Bars so I should be a little more comfortable. I have 100mm forks on my Cube and run them at 110psi. If I drop them lower off road is easier but the road kills me (The remote lock out has broken  ). Have thought about a full susser but have no room, no money and thus just the one bike at the mo. *My biggest fear are drop offs rather than steep descents although I have never fallen opn a drop off but have on a steep descent (Go figure )*. Glad to see your confidence is back. I hope mine will soon follow



That's what I mean about forcing yourself. There's a step/drop-off at the Mabie skills park which I could roll down the "blue" side, but was too high to roll on the "red" side. Cubester bullied me into carrying plenty of speed and lifting the front of the bike for a two-wheel landing and within half an hour I had got the hang of that on the blue:





It then took a bit more of a push but I eventually transferred this over to the higher, red step, which Cubester shows how it's done:


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## Angelfishsolo (26 Apr 2011)

I wish I could find a single drop off like that to practice on. All of the ones I know are integrated into Red Graded down hill slopes. I will keep looking. Great photos BTW


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## jethro10 (26 Apr 2011)

Ah, loved that wall ride, could have done it for hours.

Had great fun up there last year.

Jeff


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## flying start (29 Apr 2011)

hey up top post!!! 

as this is only a stone throw away from me i will be be checking it out with some lads from work (when my new cube ams 100 com comes!!)weve just spent the day in windlatter hired some cube acids top bikes for hard tails.

but now im sore all over with a gash in my leg!!  (yes i come off ending up down a steep bank)lol BTW some top pics


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## summerdays (30 Apr 2011)

Looks fun - I'm glad you all enjoyed yourselves and that Cubette managed to do it and build up her confidence too .. and I wish I knew how to ride those sort of routes... a friend is meant to be taking around Ashton Court (I presume tame in comparison to that) to teach me some basic skills some time.


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## MrGrumpy (30 Apr 2011)

Was down at Glentress yesterday did the whole of the red route plus a wee bit of the black only because its the hardest part of it technically and I wanted to see how I handled it. Anyway cracking day out with guys from work my son even managed the whole of the red route on his super market special all be it he pushed it some of the steeper climbs! However going to have to get him something better as he loved it. Also had my first serious off as well came of a jump near the end got the line all wrong and headed for a ditch



came to shuddering stop when the tree in said ditch got in the way



. Anyway Mrs G no a happy bunny after seeing my bruises says its time I grew up



that will be shining !


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## longers (30 Apr 2011)

We're having a week in the area (Sandyhills - reliving childhood holidays) and this thread has made me want to go and have a play at Dalbeattie, which I think is the closest. Was a bit ambivalent about the idea before reading this. Ta!

Any bike hire recommendations for Dalbeattie area please?


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## Cubist (30 Apr 2011)

longers said:


> We're having a week in the area (Sandyhills - reliving childhood holidays) and this thread has made me want to go and have a play at Dalbeattie, which I think is the closest. Was a bit ambivalent about the idea before reading this. Ta!
> 
> Any bike hire recommendations for Dalbeattie area please?


Longers, there's a bike hire place about a quarter of a mile along the road from the trail head car park,heading away from Dalbeattie village it's well signposted . The others nearby Ae and Mabie, have bike hire and bike shops at the trailheads, as does Kirroughtree which is near Newton Stewart. Have fun!


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## Cubist (30 Apr 2011)

flying start said:


> hey up top post!!!
> 
> as this is only a stone throw away from me i will be be checking it out with some lads from work (when my new cube ams 100 com comes!!)weve just spent the day in windlatter hired some cube acids top bikes for hard tails.
> 
> but now im sore all over with a gash in my leg!!  (yes i come off ending up down a steep bank)lol BTW some top pics



Oooooh, nice bike on its way! Hope your leg mends quickly.


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## Cubist (30 Apr 2011)

summerdays said:


> Looks fun - I'm glad you all enjoyed yourselves and that Cubette managed to do it and build up her confidence too .. and I wish I knew how to ride those sort of routes... a friend is meant to be taking around Ashton Court (I presume tame in comparison to that) to teach me some basic skills some time.


Ashton Court has had a bit of a makeover and sounds like a good place to ride. I don't know about levels of challenge, but it's been built by an experienced trailbuilder, so shouldn't be bland! Have fun, it gets pretty addictive.


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## zizou (30 Apr 2011)

MrGrumpy said:


> Was down at Glentress yesterday did the whole of the red route plus a wee bit of the black only because its the hardest part of it technically and I wanted to see how I handled it. Anyway cracking day out with guys from work my son even managed the whole of the red route on his super market special all be it he pushed it some of the steeper climbs! However going to have to get him something better as he loved it. Also had my first serious off as well came of a jump near the end got the line all wrong and headed for a ditch
> 
> 
> 
> ...




If you haven't riden it before then i really recommend trying Glentress blue too - it might "only" be a blue but it is amongst the most fun trails i've riden. Less technical than the red and black but very grin enducing!


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## MrGrumpy (2 May 2011)

Usually only do blue as one of our other compadres only likes that one and is not as confident on the techical stuff. Three of us are going to do black next time really fancy it and doubt it will be too hard on me.


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## longers (2 May 2011)

Cubist said:


> there's a bike hire place about a quarter of a mile along the road from the trail head car park,heading away from Dalbeattie village it's well signposted .



Ta very much, sounds ideal.


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## Cubist (10 May 2011)

Just found a good Youtube vid of the part of Ae forest that raised my pulse the most. This is Granny Green Luv, the first named tech section. After these guys cross the fire-road at 01:50 they enter the bit with the rocky downhill chute/berms that I mentioned above. The one at 02.28 is the one that cured my constipation that day. Anyone who rides say the red route at Sherwood may wonder at the "red" grading a little ....keeps you on your toes, and you'll see why the pads were a good idea. 

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERgJ19loKg0&feature=related


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## GilesM (20 May 2011)

Cubist said:


> Just found a good Youtube vid of the part of Ae forest that raised my pulse the most. This is Granny Green Luv, the first named tech section. After these guys cross the fire-road at 01:50 they enter the bit with the rocky downhill chute/berms that I mentioned above. The one at 02.28 is the one that cured my constipation that day. Anyone who rides say the red route at Sherwood may wonder at the "red" grading a little ....keeps you on your toes, and you'll see why the pads were a good idea.
> http://www.youtube.c...feature=related



Ae is always a lot of fun, I've ridden it on a hardtail and full suss, definately more fun on the full suss, that section towards the end of the video down to the bridge is very good, however the climb after the bridge is not fun.

Glad you had a good time and that the young ones enjoyed themsleves.


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## GilesM (20 May 2011)

MrGrumpy said:


> Usually only do blue as one of our other compadres only likes that one and is not as confident on the techical stuff. Three of us are going to do black next time really fancy it and doubt it will be too hard on me.



Mr Grumpy, have you got round to the Black yet, it's my favourite trail, probably because it is quite long, and has some fanatastic descents.


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## MrGrumpy (20 May 2011)

The Black was planned for the coming BH week on Monday but think we might be doing Innerleithen !?


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## GilesM (23 May 2011)

MrGrumpy said:


> The Black was planned for the coming BH week on Monday but think we might be doing Innerleithen !?



Both are great fun, although the start of Innerleithen is a bit unpleasant as you go straight into a lung bursting climb right from the carpark, but the descent from Minch Moor is worth all of the pain.


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## Waspie (23 May 2011)

GilesM said:


> although the start of Innerleithen is a bit unpleasant as you go straight into a lung bursting climb right from the carpark



And as soon as you've got your breath back you hit the step ups which I've not managed to clear in about 20 visits! One day...


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