Yarra Trails regulars

[cleeshoy]

was planning to do that ride myself but due to family commitments no go - how were the climbs on cx -?. have to say those cx bikes fly along on the gravel roads, of course coming from an mtber they have their limits on rough single track, but alot of fun finding the smooth line. once YTs dry out there's some great cx routes around.

Gravel Grinder was awesome - 85kms, 1700m+ of vertical. Did it in a tick over 4 hours and Josie won a loaf of bread for being first female back - woohoo, no supermarket shopping for this week ;-)

If I learnt anything, it is there is no "spinning" on a CX bike! The small front chainring is a 36 with a 11-28 at the back. Going up a 10%+ gradient on wet, slippery fireroad with a 36-28 combination is still pretty tough at times! A couple of times I was wishing for my 24 front chainring on the mtb Had to walk 2 sections of track where the gradient was >18% (one section was called "BreakNeck" and I felt like I needed crampons just to walk it!), but everything else is rideable. I would be keen to ride that route with the mtb as a comparison.

The hills were definately a real leg workout but still managed to ride the Mt Everard Track without a footdab (according to Strava I did it faster on the CX bike then the time I rode on my mtb a few months back - happy about that given I waited at the top of a few of the climbs for some people to catch up).

On the downhills it was a bit scary with the skinny tyres and cantilever brakes. Rode down some pretty bushy, wet, stick stewn fireroad and a few times I thought I was close to binning it. However on the flats the CX is bloody quick. Josie and I ended up in a group of 5 (3 on mtbs, us on CX's) and they were faster by a few seconds downhilling it, however on the roads and flats the CX was faster by a mile. It was a funny feeling having to slow down for them on those sections In the end they popped and we had to leave them behind when we hit Buttermans Track.

 

[felixmtb]

Any one on here ridden around Studley Park Boathouse and the link between it and Fairfield Boathouse? Soopah wet or just a little or perfect?

Also, any suggestions for good trails round there? Probably already know most but I often see new ones popping out while riding the boulevard on the roadie.

 

[mtb101]

Any one on here ridden around Studley Park Boathouse and the link between it and Fairfield Boathouse? Soopah wet or just a little or perfect?

Also, any suggestions for good trails round there? Probably already know most but I often see new ones popping out while riding the boulevard on the roadie.

best way to find rides is to get onto strava and find an active rider - and have a look over their courses.

 

[felixmtb]

Eeeeehhhhhhhhhh. Never used strava in my life! ahaha.

 

[cleeshoy]

Eeeeehhhhhhhhhh. Never used strava in my life! ahaha.

It's a good time to start then

 

[Coaster]

Any one on here ridden around Studley Park Boathouse and the link between it and Fairfield Boathouse? Soopah wet or just a little or perfect?

Also, any suggestions for good trails round there? Probably already know most but I often see new ones popping out while riding the boulevard on the roadie.

Hi mate,

I went out on Sunday afternoon for a quick spin around Studley Park. The tracks around the SP boathouse (including the climb up to the Boulevard) were pretty sloppy, but then the tracks higher up on the other side of the road were pretty good. The tracks around the time trial loop / monument climb were fine as were the tracks to Fairfield BH. I then crossed Pipebridge and rode down stream to the freeway, again they were very soggy. Gave up and rode up to the fly fishing ponds and headed home.

So basically, get away from river level or near that and it's OK. We've had a couple of dry days too so hopefully it has picked up a bit.

Agree with the guys here, look at the Strava site, etc but I found it's best to then ride around.

Cheers,

Coaster

 

[felixmtb]

Went out there around 1 today and the trails that I rode were in perfect condition. Not that I really rode many... But either way, I'd imagine the sun and wind did a nice job of drying out some of it. SOME.

 

[cleeshoy]

Went out there around 1 today and the trails that I rode were in perfect condition. Not that I really rode many... But either way, I'd imagine the sun and wind did a nice job of drying out some of it. SOME.

Any details on which sections you rode? Will be out on YT sometime in the early AM tomorrow - keen to avoid any of the muddy stuff

 

[felixmtb]

Any details on which sections you rode? Will be out on YT sometime in the early AM tomorrow - keen to avoid any of the muddy stuff

That part could help.
I'm a little unsure of names but I did a short circuit around the road crit loop (near what I believe could be 'Monument Climb'?) and then above Studley Park Boathouse.
There were really only 2 wet spots and they weren't even puddles, just a little mud which was well on it's way to drying up.

Didn't ride the link between Studley and Fairfield though.

 

[ando_assi]

What is the status of the legality of the Yarra MTB Trails?
Is there progress being made? Updates?

 

[gcouyant]

What is the status of the legality of the Yarra MTB Trails?
Is there progress being made? Updates?

No problems with us riding the multi-use adventure trails as long as we don't cut new ones. The relevant people within PV who are responsible for the area are flat out and have been for months. The development plans are just on hold at the moment.

Why do you ask?

It would be fantastic if each of us showed some love and didn't keep veering off the track and widening the wet sections. It's driving us nuts.

While I'm having a moan, if you see someone working on the trail, please don't go speeding past and showering us with mud. I had a pair of clowns do just that last week.

 

[felixmtb]

I thought that they were asking for riders inputs and considering legalising trails or something.
However, when a bunch of mates and I wrote a formal letter, called them a few times, sent some emails and they never replied, we gave up at trying to contact them again...

them and they being Parks.

 

[felixmtb]

No problems with us riding the trails as long as we don't cut new ones. The relevant people within PV who are responsible for the area are flat out and have been for months. The development plans are just on hold at the moment.

Why do you ask?

It would be fantastic if each of us showed some love and didn't keep veering off the track and widening the wet sections. It's driving us nuts.

While I'm having a moan, if you see someone working on the trail, please don't go speeding past and showering us with mud. I had a pair of clowns do just that last week.

Well that could be a reason why we never got a reply, which of course is understandable.

 

[gcouyant]

I thought that they were asking for riders inputs and considering legalising trails or something.
However, when a bunch of mates and I wrote a formal letter, called them a few times, sent some emails and they never replied, we gave up at trying to contact them again...

them and they being Parks.

There have been a number of interested parties and I think that the request for comment had come from a cycling body rather than PV.

 

[ando_assi]

Just interested...

Personally i think that developing places like the Yarra Trails and Lysty, will do more for MTBing in this country than Gold medals and World Champions combined...

 

[felixmtb]

There have been a number of interested parties and I think that the request for comment had come from a cycling body rather than PV.

I may have misunderstood you here, but in my case, a bunch of notices was put up around the area of interest by Parks Vic. I can't exactly remember what they said though, other than asking us if we would like to comment or put in ideas or something.
This all happen a number of months ago, and we haven't heard anything yet.

 

[yiannos18]

I may have misunderstood you here, but in my case, a bunch of notices was put up around the area of interest by Parks Vic. I can't exactly remember what they said though, other than asking us if we would like to comment or put in ideas or something.
This all happen a number of months ago, and we haven't heard anything yet.

where were these signs? All I remember was "caution: trail surface is rutted" "this area has been sprayed for berries"... unless that was for the area at banyule flats where most of us took part in the online survey?

 

[felixmtb]

where were these signs? All I remember was "caution: trail surface is rutted" "this area has been sprayed for berries"... unless that was for the area at banyule flats where most of us took part in the online survey?

It's a smallish pump track which I'm sure many people already know about and ride regularly.
Maybe understandable why they put up the sings...

 

[yiannos18]

It's a smallish pump track which I'm sure many people already know about and ride regularly.
Maybe understandable why they put up the sings...

Ah ok.. I haven't been out that way in months, so I wouldn't know what's gone on

 

[KDB]

Bridge gone

It would be fantastic if each of us showed some love and didn't keep veering off the track and widening the wet sections. It's driving us nuts.

While I'm having a moan, if you see someone working on the trail, please don't go speeding past and showering us with mud. I had a pair of clowns do just that last week.

With you there George.its happened to me too, maybe it's the pressure of all that sponsorship on display - "cant stop, contractual obligations and all that".
As for the track widening, if you can't deal with mud, stay off , stay away, grace the bitumen, whatever .. Just don't keep widening the track in search of a drier line .... This is mountain biking.

BTW has anyone noticed that the little 2 plank bridge in the gully at the bottom of the heavily rutted track over from the GSB has been removed? Not a trace of it, so my guess it's gone off in a ute .. Ranger/PV? .. a sign of things to come?