# First red route attempt, and on a hard tail.



## Thompson (23 Oct 2011)

This guy had contacted me via facebook (my friends, dads friend) and was going to join me on two of the three groups i'm with. He kindly offered to take me out with him and his mate round Dalby forest on Saturday, even though i'd been ill all week and still kinda ill, I couldn't miss it! So off we drove to Dalby. It was there first time in Dalby and i'd only ever done the blue and green route as I was with a friend who wasn't keen on the more off-road. And each time we got lost! 

The guy who got in touch with me had a full suspension bike and so managed the sheer bumpiness of the ride fine. me and his mate however, had hard tails (no back suspension). I can't fully explain how bumpy it was, but the guy's friend said, and I qoute, 'I think i've lost a kidney!'. My rear mud guard managed to unscrew itself after a while.

We got parked and set off on the wrong route, the black route, also known as severe. Luckily it was downhill and we realised quite soon. It was fantastic though! Jumps and ditches etc.

The start of the route I did indeed struggle with, and I have no shame in admitting it. Climbing up to the top of Dalby via a thin track covered in boulders (slight exageration) and tree routes with hundreds of hair pin bends was too much for me. You couldn't get any speed up and one slight knock from the obstacles sent you in entirely the wrong way, and the wrong line for the corners. We were all thinking, if this is what the red route is like, we have got ourselves into a right mess.

Aside from that, the route was great, sweeping narrow tracks round the forest jumps, 'bowl-type-things' short steep descent then an immediate short steep climb. We each nearly fell a few times as it was incredibly bumpy and we all liked to go fast. 

Having a hard tail made it difficult, me and one guy couldnt pedal half the time as the back wheel just spun which gave the other guy a serious advantage. Although we only did about 20 mile, it was a painful but fantastic ride. Well worth a go if you like the off-road.

Once finished we came across some bamboo bikes we tried. Very fast! Google them. 

That is all.


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## mickeydrippin60 (31 Oct 2011)

dalby forest is ace me and a friend did it not long ago we did the same set off on the black rout assuming it was just a deviation from the red 10k later back at the same spot (woops). so off we set on the red rout then about 4hrs later we got back to the cafe much to our other halfs joy and anger ( well they did wanna come) i really wanna go again tho what a exellent ride.


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## cubby (5 Nov 2011)

I also love Dalby, done the red/black route a few times over the years, and never fails to put a smile on my face, also on a hard tail there are certain parts of it which are hard work but worth it 

This reminds me ... must get across to Dalby again soon before the winter really sets in ...


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## Thompson (5 Nov 2011)

I would love to try the black route at some point, but definately need to improve my off-road skills, the two older guys put me to shame. But it's a challenge that's well worth the risk! 

A different guy I know often goes round forests when the weather is awful in the winter. He went round kielder in the snow last year, he had great fun if not a little cold.


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## Tyres23 (16 Nov 2011)

We lOve dalby got a caravan in Pickering a yearly pass for dalby it's our family Sunday morning or afternoon


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