Training rides for old dudes?

[Nautonier]

I'm wanting to enter the VIC DH series (Masters class) for the first time this summer and was wondering of there are any Masters or Vets out there who go on regular training rides at the You Yangs, Red Hill or any of the tracks around Melbourne. I'm new to the sport and would really like to tag along on some training sessions if possible - especially on tracks I haven't ridden to get some experience with different conditions.

Cheers

 

[jimtron83]

Hi Rob. Come out to the Maldon shuttle day this 10th Oct and meet a few of us more mature (old farts). I,ll be on my silver S.C Bullit taking all the B lines.

 

[dunndog]

And I'll be there taking an eclectic mix of a and b lines selected at my leisure and for which I make no apologies

 

[Nautonier]

Great, I'll be there. I'll be on my black/red Glory wearing too much body armor...

Where do I find info about how to get there etc?

 

[jimtron83]

There is no such thing as too much body armour!!!!!
Directions for Maldon are:
Get on the Calder fwy and follow it till the Castlemaine turnoff.
Go throug Castlemaine following all the signs to Maldon.
Drive through Maldon, when you get past all the shops drive a bit further and you will see a small sign for Mt Tenneriffe.
Follow it to the carpark and there you are.
The alternative is you can meet me in Woodend (just off calder fwy) chuck your stuff in my ute and hitch a ride there. Let me know if you prefer that option.

Just remember if youv'e got enough speed then clear the creek.

 

[Nautonier]

There is no such thing as too much body armour!!!!!
Directions for Maldon are:
Get on the Calder fwy and follow it till the Castlemaine turnoff.
Go throug Castlemaine following all the signs to Maldon.
Drive through Maldon, when you get past all the shops drive a bit further and you will see a small sign for Mt Tenneriffe.
Follow it to the carpark and there you are.
The alternative is you can meet me in Woodend (just off calder fwy) chuck your stuff in my ute and hitch a ride there. Let me know if you prefer that option.

Just remember if youv'e got enough speed then clear the creek.

Thanks, that sounds pretty straightforward. I'm hoping I can make it now as it looks like my forks might have to go in for a warranty replacement, so hopefully this will be sorted by next weekend. I could always take my 6" bike I guess, how full-on is the track?

 

[jimtron83]

How full on is Maldon?
My first ever 2 D.H runs were on my trance on the valley run.
Every B and C line I could find.
I then grabbed a Glory and ran the other track first up with the comment of "if your going fast enough then jump the creek" before the boys took off. "WTF".
Trust me if I can make you will nail it.
Then again some of the crew were doing 10-15 foot gaps.
It's as hard or easy as you want it to be.

 

[Nautonier]

How full on is Maldon?
My first ever 2 D.H runs were on my trance on the valley run.
Every B and C line I could find.
I then grabbed a Glory and ran the other track first up with the comment of "if your going fast enough then jump the creek" before the boys took off. "WTF".
Trust me if I can make you will nail it.
Then again some of the crew were doing 10-15 foot gaps.
It's as hard or easy as you want it to be.

10 - 15 ft gaps are a deceptive thing; they can be really easy or really intimidating. the first 15 footer i attempted was on my reign in NZ and it was very much a "pedal like your life depends on it to make the creek gap" type scenario... needless to say i made the distance just fine, but i was shitting myself every step of the way.

being an inexperienced rider i tend to do some quite big jumps easily and totally freak out and not do others that are probably smaller. i think it's all about what you know and trying anything new is always the hardest part. good to hear that maldon has B and C lines so the bigger stuff can be worked up to. there's nothing worse that those tracks where there is no alternative to going super big and if you don't commit you feel like a crap rider for having to walk over the hard stuff... whatever happened to good old tabletops, they are such a good way of learning how to jump. looking at footage from canada it looks like most of the big stuff is tabletops rather than gaps, why don't we follow that trend here and in nz? i personally like the idea of not hurting myself if i pull up short...