Bowden Spur Kinglake - The rebuilding of a new legal DH riding facility.

[dunndog]

For a DH track you're absolutely right but im more a xc/all mountain rider with delusions of DH so somewhere like the You Yangs is more my cup of tea and its closer.

So yeah the track looks great but I guess somewhere like the You Yangs has more appeal for me due to the closer proximity and variety, which is of course why multiple tracks would appeal to someone like me.

Fair point then. Can understand that, just recently got myself into a bit of xc/am riding and am quickly gaining an appreciation for a good variety of riding packed into a few gruelling hrs. Good for the soul and all that.. As it is though kingers is 1 downhill track, and i reckon the next thing it will be is 2 dh tracks, so yeah no am/xc for a while.. Do you ride wombat much? That's really close too

 

[James73]

I would love to see multiple tracks out there, it would give me a reason to go.

To be honest its a bit too far for me to travel for one track so variety would certainly attract more riders you would think.

I live in Geelong and it takes us an hour and a 45mins to get there. We ride Apollo Bay a bit in Summer and it takes us that long to drive down there. Plus the drive is a lot easier. Closer than Maldon and the other areas surrounding Melbourne for us to travel to. You Yangs is close to us but who wants to do push runs in that heat bowl. (Nothing against the tracks, their great fun. And i dont do XC.) Bring on another downhill track at Kinglake. I'm sold on the place.

 

[Sic]

Fair point then. Can understand that, just recently got myself into a bit of xc/am riding and am quickly gaining an appreciation for a good variety of riding packed into a few gruelling hrs. Good for the soul and all that.. As it is though kingers is 1 downhill track, and i reckon the next thing it will be is 2 dh tracks, so yeah no am/xc for a while.. Do you ride wombat much? That's really close too

Even 2 DH tracks would make the trip more worthwhile, variety is what im after and 2 is better than 1.

I love Wombat, I just need to finish building the dream bike and get back out there!

 

[Howie66]

Hey all!

Yet to check out Kinglake, and ive heard a few rumours, so looking to get some info as I want to head up there soon!

Ok, so is the track public? Can anyone go there any day?

Is the track shuttleable? Can I bring some mates and we can drive up and back or is it push runs?

How long is the track?

Ive got many more questions, as Ive seen the pics from VSS omg it looks fantastic! Great job to those who put her together!

Cheers guys!

Howie

 

[sedifus]

Hey all!

Yet to check out Kinglake, and ive heard a few rumours, so looking to get some info as I want to head up there soon!

Ok, so is the track public? Can anyone go there any day?

Is the track shuttleable? Can I bring some mates and we can drive up and back or is it push runs?

How long is the track?

Ive got many more questions, as Ive seen the pics from VSS omg it looks fantastic! Great job to those who put her together!

Cheers guys!

Howie

The track is public. Anyone can ride whenever they want unless it is closed (not at the moment).

It is very shuttleable. It isn't overly rough so you should be fine getting up and down although you will have to note that it is a public road and there's a bit of traffic.

Track is about 3-4 minutes. Here's a video of it:
[video=youtube_share;8wXj1DsF3rI]http://youtu.be/8wXj1DsF3rI[/video]

Hope that answers your questions well!

 

[Howie66]

Awesome mate thanks!!

So where do I go to get there??

Cheers

Howie

 

[cheif_m]

whats the deal with the other tracks that are going to be built in the area?
are there any plans in the near future to start building?
if so where do i sign up to help?

rode shepherds and its a great track, and so close to Melbourne, but as so many have said a little more variety would be great!

 

[sedifus]

The top of Bowden spur road. Under the large power lines.

 

[rider124]

At the kinglake track a while ago i thought i heard one of the you yangs boys saying how they want to fill all the jumps in to make them all tabletops?
did i hear this correctly?

 

[Topperharley]

fill in the jumps, jumps feel good wether there is a gap or not. Just make gimme some roots goddamit!

 

[Shredden]

At the kinglake track a while ago i thought i heard one of the you yangs boys saying how they want to fill all the jumps in to make them all tabletops?
did i hear this correctly?

Nooooo please noooooo.... Tabletops are bad.

 

[rider124]

Nooooo please noooooo.... Tabletops are bad.

im not suggesting it, im just asking.
what does it matter to you anyway, you would be gapping them

 

[24alpha]

Nooooo please noooooo.... Tabletops are bad.

Never heard anyone in Whistler saying this!

 

[Nickybobie]

Hey guys,
This was the 2nd time riding the track. must admit i am surprise at the set up, is it a race track?
Why can't the jumps be filled in or have smaller gaps (like a table before the landing) 2 years off the DH bike the gaps are a bit big for me, yes i will get there eventually but need to build myself up to that level. But at the moment there isn't really anything around that i can do that at. Its either big gaps or go around which i understand for a race track but even then have smaller jumps on the side so all of us can still have some air under our wheels.
I am not here to be negative i do have good things to say, went up there today and the off camber line just coming out of the trees is a lot of fun, lots of sliding out but was fun, the rock gardens are evil (if you come off) but fun once you get use to them. overall happy with the track, but with the rain there are a lot of ruts forming through the rock garden and down the middle section through the trees might need some work on it.
Well done to the builders, and looking forward to the new trails, when will they start construction on those?

 

[Yippee_Ki_YayMF]

Australia is allergic to Tables for some reason.

I did hear around that they are going to turn those jumps into tables. Might not be true, but I hope they do. Riding around 75% of the doubles (because I have no safe place to develop my jumping) gets boring and confidence sapping. Has kept my away from Kinglake on quite a few occasions.

 

[sedifus]

Australia is allergic to Tables for some reason.

I did hear around that they are going to turn those jumps into tables. Might not be true, but I hope they do. Riding around 75% of the doubles (because I have no safe place to develop my jumping) gets boring and confidence sapping. Has kept my away from Kinglake on quite a few occasions.

I'd enjoy some tabled jumps. Or even with a hefty case pad. There isn't much room for error on these jumps and with other tracks around kinglake is quite low on my list of want to shuttle tracks. If the jumps were more forgiving I'd be more inclined to try then out and ride the track more often but tracks elsewhere are more appealing

 

[Wisey]

The track does have a few issues as is often the case with new trails and there has been some discussion about a few things that need some adjusting and reworking, the jumps was one of those and the building of the proposed start ramp another. A working group meeting is scheduled soon to discuss the next steps and priorities for the area so when any news comes to hand ill be sure to let y'all know.

 

[Topperharley]

my 2 cents worth (with a view to the upcoming build meeting)....

I don't believe the only solution is to make the jumps table tops. The problem is that the track is hard packed. It feels like a fast, downward facing bmx track in the top section, it's too scary and open to pin all the time, which you have to to hit all the jumps and connect the track properly.

Coupled with the jumps being quite big, means you pedal and lay off the brakes, which not everyone wants to do all the time, a great track (public) can be ridden hard or not so hard, depending on how you feel or what your ability is. So, by filling in the gaps, sure, you make the track rideable by more skill levels, but you still can't really get a good flow happening without pinning it.

If only there were a way to 'un-gravel' the top, or re work the track a little so it doesn't have so many potentially huge off points because you are trying so hard to connect it all. I would say mellow the track out and make it a blue or single diamond standard, and petition for something else, gnarlier, steeper, and with more dirt/natural flow.

Yes, I am more than happy to lend time with a shovel if volunteers are allowed.

 

[Yippee_Ki_YayMF]

The track does have a few issues as is often the case with new trails and there has been some discussion about a few things that need some adjusting and reworking, the jumps was one of those and the building of the proposed start ramp another. A working group meeting is scheduled soon to discuss the next steps and priorities for the area so when any news comes to hand ill be sure to let y'all know.

Hey Wisey, what about a proposed finish line? The VDHS finish line was god awful! Haha!

I'm actually looking forward to the other track that is supposed to be built, because its not World Trail this time. Any word on that one? And the inner loop? Thanks heaps. PS Happy to help out too. Close to home.

 

[Nickybobie]

Australia is allergic to Tables for some reason.

I did hear around that they are going to turn those jumps into tables. Might not be true, but I hope they do. Riding around 75% of the doubles (because I have no safe place to develop my jumping) gets boring and confidence sapping. Has kept my away from Kinglake on quite a few occasions.

Its a shame that its seems the case, I spent 2 weeks in whistler a couple of years ago, went from not hitting a drop that was 3ft or clearing table jumps, to hitting the GLC drop and riding a-line better comfortably.

Also A-line BEST TRACK IN THE WORLD, it has table jumps, with a couple gaps, people will ride better with tables, even if at the start they don't clear it the first couple of times they will ride it clean eventually, but tracks needs to allow for that, not just boost every one and hope for the best, people and bikes will be broken and you don't want. It will give the track a bad name, people wont come and ride, which is a shame given the amount of time and effort put into the track.

I like the set up of the track, just it needs to be "ridable" for everyone.

Looking forward to seeing what is in store for the track, and the others yet to be built.