Day 2 at the Gravity Fest, it's getting drier and the trails are getting faster!! Let's send it sky high in todays highlights.
Cheers,
Liam
Cheers,
Liam
Maydena Bike Park
- Thread starter Markee
- Start date
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Ok just back from Tassie, anyone who is on the fence, just do it!When? if you do do something similar let me know the detail and post it up
Binner I think the point to point is ideal and you waste a minimum of driving time, no dramas for us Dual Cab ute from Hobart to Launceston, we travelled up the East Coast as I had family in tow.
Maydena, was awesome slightly disappointing that a number of trails were closed as they were weather proofing and there was a lot of mud on the non weatherproofed trails we rode. Was drying out as we were leaving and would be mint in the dry or dryish. As others have mentioned it is steep and for someone from WA long runs! Heaps of fun though, if you are from WA grading is quite different, some Maydena green would be black at most places in WA I reckon, they are building true beginner trails though I think. I found the blues generally enough for me (Trance) and my son (140mm hardtail). Found some nice guys to ride with too, staff were great coffee was some of the best I had in Tassie! Food was good, uplifts good generally I think the guys have done an outstanding job.
We stayed at Bicheno one night in between Hobart and St Helens did the "Devils in the Dark" tour which was pretty cool if like us you hadn't seen devils in action before.
St Helens is going to be a cracking base when they get that trail network built. My kids loved it at the caravan park there with big pillow to jump on, games rooms etc and rapidly acquired new friends. It's a pretty easy shuttle up to the start of Blue Tier, the family and I enjoyed the Weldborough Pub and lunch there, much closer from St Helens to the start of Blue Tier than Derby. They will be shuttling people from there soon I believe. The Caravan Park is building MTB specific accommodation. Great guy in the local bike shop too, very helpful!
Don't really need to write anything about Derby but was super impressed, loved Atlas and Blue Tier, even swooping through the green runs like berms and ferns and sawtooth was fun and everyone should at least climb the bottom section once, it's a great bit of trail with a cool waterfall, the "twisties" and generally special trail. Derby is missing out when it comes to food and drink options. I know the Dorset is working on it but if they can get some decent options going I would think they'd do really well. Didn't get to try The Hub as it was only open Thursday to Sun and we were there Mon-Wed.
Will definitely go back to both given half a chance. Didn't even get to sample Tassie Wineries (plenty of very nice Pinot Noir though
) or the great golf courses or the North West - Hello Wild Mersey, Cradle mountain...etc, yep definitely going back!Day 3 from the gravity fest, great event and it's only going to get bigger and better.
Cheers,
Liam
Cheers,
Liam
rangersac
Medically diagnosed OMS
Not frozen, but pretty slippery apparently, especially the middle sections
clockworked
Like an orange
Went to maydena today to see what it was like mid-winter, and it was sweet! Bit chilly before you get started, and a bit muddy, but even in those conditions it's worth the drive out.
Looks like we have a legitimate year-round, shuttled bike park!
Looks like we have a legitimate year-round, shuttled bike park!
Ultra Lord
Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Those snow photo’s look amazing, will definately make the trip down
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Ok I finally sorted some video from the Tassie trip, fair warning very little actual MTB in this vid:
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Yep he did it on his hardtail and I was struggling to keep up! Fastest I have seen him ride, seems he just needed a steep hill!
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Cheers Mick yes I had high expectations and fully lived up to it I had a fantastic time riding and in Tassie in general.
Were his brakes OK?
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
XT with Hope 200mm rotor at the front - should have been able to haul down his 30 odd kg frameWere his brakes OK?
ozzybmx
taking a shit with my boobs out
Awesome ! My idea was to spend about 7 days out that way, 2-3 days of shuttles, 1-2 days riding the lower trails and 2-3 days sightseeing around Strathgordon Dam and surrounding areas.
Was going to get them a new helmet each, with removable chin bar... cheers.
rstim
Likes Dirt
When are you booked to come? There are 8 new trails opening in Derby mid November had a sneaky ride on one with one of the trail builders on the weekend and it was insane. Just going to add variety of trails on offer, with a new jumps trail, DH trail with an extra 100m of elevation drop (no shuttle access from the top sadly) family friendly trails around the old mine hole/lake. I can't wait!
It's is defiantly worth the drive but you would need a few days to ride most trails and there will be alot more pedalling involved than Maydena. So if your time poor might be worth hitting Maydena for 3-4 days as they have just opened a heap of new trail themselves and the place has been riding the best yet by all reports.
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born-again-biker
Is looking for a 16" bar
If you can make it work, Derby is worth it.
(unless you are purely a gravity-only kinda rider?)