Serrata track bantry bay

[MarioM]

If you mean a 29er hardtail it might be a bit awkward but should be rideable. I did both tracks on a 27.5 Anthem with 120mm fork and my mate has an old 4" Trance and he rode all of it.

The Dam would be more suitable for XC race bikes IMHO.

What`s a 29er ? The only bikes I know have 26 " wheels .

 

[thecolonel]

I ride it on a Trek Remedy 29er with 140mm travel and its great. A race xc might struggle depending on your ability but I think you need some decent travel to enjoy it better. These two tracks seem to have some very oddly placed rocks here and there, that just get in your way, you know those rockmellon sized ones, very annoying.
When I rode it I dont remember any drops anywhere?
All the rocks were roll downable with only a small drop off one rock near the beginning i'm talking only 30cm or less.

 

[thecolonel]

Is it a optical illusions of the go-pro or are the trees really close through there ?
A few of us are about to start consultation meetings with the royal national park ,
ably led by Crofty. ...... so this track will hopefully serve as a benchmark for us.

It's no illusion, it's very tight in spots on both trails.
I clipped my bars and shoulders on multiple trees and I have 690mm bars.

 

[thecolonel]

Interested to know how everyone is getting from Serrata over to Gahnia? I think I found the "worst shortcut ever" mentioned earlier in the thread on the way to Serrata, but on the way back we tried finding another way and ended up around the backstreets of Forestville.

When you go from Serrata, go to the footy fields at the end of Curry rd.
Ride straight up the road to the carpark and go straight ahead to the trail under the powerlines.
Just into this trail on the left is the Daisy Duke trail that climbs to the top of the hill(or you can follow the power lines) and it comes out behind the houses on Penrose and Moira PL.
Go right and follow the grass behind the houses around to the Bluff track and go down Bluff for about 150m then turn left for 50m and there is the start of Gahnia track.

 

[Honzo15]

It's no illusion, it's very tight in spots on both trails.
I clipped my bars and shoulders on multiple trees and I have 690mm bars.

..meaning you do something wrong but I guess you can work on that ;-)

Dont find it overly tight and I ride a 29er with 750mm bars. Its not like that you have to find a way to get your bars through the trees. Its a narrow-ish track, both of them are.

Both can be ridden with any bikes. They are slow so you dont hit rock gardens at mach speed that could knock your XC bike out. There arent any drops either that you have to take, everything is rollable. So yes, as long as you get out of my way on the downs with your xc bike, you will have a blast ;-)

 

[Ridenparadise]

That's some serious trail infrastructure on both the Serrata and Gahnia tracks. Not just the rock work, but oh for FRP bridges in our National Park. The trail width issue always gets me going. Both trails look awesome and there is no issue with line of sight safety at those speeds. However, in many, many places you have immature trees right on the trail edge. In 10 years there will either be no trail line or a political issue about removing semi-mature trees.

IMO you should not build a trail without planning for the growth of trees into the future. The single greatest problem for almost all MTB trails in Oz is regrowth. It's a pain having small brush slapping your face, but that's not the big issue. I know our park rangers would be extremely uncomfortable with removing grown natives and in places on the Gahnia trail there may not be any alternate way around some of those gums when they triple in girth. Could be a problem ahead maybe?

 

[stickso]

When you go from Serrata, go to the footy fields at the end of Curry rd.
Ride straight up the road to the carpark and go straight ahead to the trail under the powerlines.
Just into this trail on the left is the Daisy Duke trail that climbs to the top of the hill(or you can follow the power lines) and it comes out behind the houses on Penrose and Moira PL.
Go right and follow the grass behind the houses around to the Bluff track and go down Bluff for about 150m then turn left for 50m and there is the start of Gahnia track.

Thanks!

That's some serious trail infrastructure on both the Serrata and Gahnia tracks. Not just the rock work, but oh for FRP bridges in our National Park. The trail width issue always gets me going. Both trails look awesome and there is no issue with line of sight safety at those speeds. However, in many, many places you have immature trees right on the trail edge. In 10 years there will either be no trail line or a political issue about removing semi-mature trees.

IMO you should not build a trail without planning for the growth of trees into the future. The single greatest problem for almost all MTB trails in Oz is regrowth. It's a pain having small brush slapping your face, but that's not the big issue. I know our park rangers would be extremely uncomfortable with removing grown natives and in places on the Gahnia trail there may not be any alternate way around some of those gums when they triple in girth. Could be a problem ahead maybe?

On Gahnia I noticed a few saplings with bar strikes and one young tree growing at an angle to the right which had been hit by pedals a few times. I hope the rangers don't see this as destructive and that some sensible conversations can be had if this is raised as an issue.

 

[dcrofty]

Environmental approvals for the Maitenance of existing built assets is considerably simpler than the creation of new ones and in many cases the existing environmental approvals for the creation of the asset cover periodic Maitenance.

Or if there are small trees too close to the track and people keep hitting bars on them someone will probably snap them off soon anyway.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

NSW parks have no problem with tree trimming and sapling removal on or immediately beside any sanctioned trail. They do it themselves on many of their walking tracks if they have the time and budget. Whomsoever is the designated track carer (should be described in the management plan) would have carriage of that job...

 

[thecolonel]

On Gahnia I noticed a few saplings with bar strikes and one young tree growing at an angle to the right which had been hit by pedals a few times. I hope the rangers don't see this as destructive and that some sensible conversations can be had if this is raised as an issue.

On the Serrata track there are already corners where riders have straight lined it off the made trail.
WTF do you go mtb'ing for just to straight line as many corners as you can to go in a straight line? it aint no frickin XC world cup race!!!

 

[thecolonel]

..meaning you do something wrong but I guess you can work on that ;-)

Dont find it overly tight and I ride a 29er with 750mm bars. Its not like that you have to find a way to get your bars through the trees. Its a narrow-ish track, both of them are.

Both can be ridden with any bikes. They are slow so you dont hit rock gardens at mach speed that could knock your XC bike out. There arent any drops either that you have to take, everything is rollable. So yes, as long as you get out of my way on the downs with your xc bike, you will have a blast ;-)

With 750mm bars you've never clipped a tree once in a while?

I think it's more that I am unfamiliar with the trail, it was my first run through, once I know the right lines i think i'll be fine.

 

[loc81]

On the Serrata track there are already corners where riders have straight lined it off the made trail.
WTF do you go mtb'ing for just to straight line as many corners as you can to go in a straight line? it aint no frickin XC world cup race!!!

Unfortanely we get this at Ourimbah too. I always take the time to hop off and cover over the short cuts!
If trail builders have to keep loading up corners with large rocks to keep these dopes in check then so be it.
On a lighter note, I can't wait to check out this second section in the coming weeks!
Any news on the ETA of the link trail?

 

[Honzo15]

With 750mm bars you've never clipped a tree once in a while?

I think it's more that I am unfamiliar with the trail, it was my first run through, once I know the right lines i think i'll be fine.

Not yet no, was riding it again and again this morning. Never sweated as much before in my life though, these temps are killing me (I'm originally from Europe). I really love this trail and it gets better with every time you ride it. Found myself already going much too fast on some sections but the speed did increase the fun. It doesnt seem to get ridden by too many people though. I was still catching spider webs at around 7am and didnt really met anyone while riding it either. Many do seem to use the near by car spot on Bantry Bay Road but dont ride the trail as it seems. Maybe too technical for some? Noticed the same with Serrata, it was packed the day it opened but numbers are slowly thining out. At least in the early mornings when I ride. Find this really interesting as both trails are awesome and made so that the fun increases the more you ride them. Love the fact that both are targeted for more experienced riders and/or for those who want to get better. I do notice that at least 50% of the riders on the beaches show up in lycra with Strava on the ready and maybe that contributes to the fact that the new trails dont seem to be ridden by huge numbers.

 

[thecolonel]

Not yet no, was riding it again and again this morning. Never sweated as much before in my life though, these temps are killing me (I'm originally from Europe). I really love this trail and it gets better with every time you ride it. Found myself already going much too fast on some sections but the speed did increase the fun. It doesnt seem to get ridden by too many people though. I was still catching spider webs at around 7am and didnt really met anyone while riding it either. Many do seem to use the near by car spot on Bantry Bay Road but dont ride the trail as it seems. Maybe too technical for some? Noticed the same with Serrata, it was packed the day it opened but numbers are slowly thining out. At least in the early mornings when I ride. Find this really interesting as both trails are awesome and made so that the fun increases the more you ride them. Love the fact that both are targeted for more experienced riders and/or for those who want to get better. I do notice that at least 50% of the riders on the beaches show up in lycra with Strava on the ready and maybe that contributes to the fact that the new trails dont seem to be ridden by huge numbers.

Yes they are both great trails and right up my alley I love his type of techo stuff.
Went for a ride yesterday(sunday) with a group of guys and met at 8am. There were mtb'ers every where!!!
It was good to see. And yes it was very humid and uncomfortable, very energy sapping.
Tho I dont strava or lycra, I just cruise....I'm not in a race like some seem to be. Doesn't mean I dont mind going quick tho.

 

[thecolonel]

Unfortanely we get this at Ourimbah too. I always take the time to hop off and cover over the short cuts!
If trail builders have to keep loading up corners with large rocks to keep these dopes in check then so be it.
On a lighter note, I can't wait to check out this second section in the coming weeks!
Any news on the ETA of the link trail?

Man I love Ourimbah.
Don't know about the link trail but you can ride up the really good locally built one off the trail under the powerline.

 

[jrewing]

Not a bad run but too narrow, rocky, dusty to flow at all. First 200m are the best otherwise it's a bit too technical. It's fine for some of it to be tech but IMO it'd be better to be able to carry more speed. But seeing how rocky it is I reckon I'd be doing new rims too often.
I suppose I'm being a bit too critical.
Need a 29er I suppose

 

[stickso]

Not a bad run but too narrow, rocky, dusty to flow at all. First 200m are the best otherwise it's a bit too technical. It's fine for some of it to be tech but IMO it'd be better to be able to carry more speed. But seeing how rocky it is I reckon I'd be doing new rims too often.
I suppose I'm being a bit too critical.
Need a 29er I suppose

Presume you're talking about Gahnia? That's how I felt after the first ride but really started getting into it when I went back a week later. Serrata's still the pick for me though.

 

[jrewing]

Presume you're talking about Gahnia? That's how I felt after the first ride but really started getting into it when I went back a week later. Serrata's still the pick for me though.

Will do serrata next time. Is there a way to get from the start over ghania over to serrata by bike?

 

[stickso]

Yep, I've used 2 options gleaned from this thread. Ride to the end of Penrose Pl, through the walkway and straight across the grass to the fire trail. Once you get to the fire trail keep your eyes to the right and 4-5m in you'll spot some singletrack.

The other option is to keep going straight ahead on the fire trail and veer left and walk down some rough rock steps. Both options end up in the same place. From there just follow the road down and the fire trail entrance is on the left as you start to head uphill.

 

[ChopSticks]

after tearing a hole on the FIRST jump off serrata, I walked back to the car, patched up the tyre and threw in a tube and rode up to gahnia for the first time yesterday.
wow what a track, some sweet lines you can do if you have the skills/balls, and def not a track everyone can do. (did manage all the features so I'm happy)
However that grated climb out is a BITCH and a half !!