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Sounds good. Couldn't see this info on legacy site.

Shame u have to be a guide

I read it as have you experience of black runs (yes OR have been a guide (even that I could answer yes, as Ive occasionally shown people around some runs in Morzine/Les Gets).

Andy

Lol then yeAh I've been on black runs and I have guided plenty round danbury

Well..there you go,..you pass, youll get special 'Lemme on Olympic track' badge

Must be a really complicated course to follow if you need a guiding qualification.

Think I might get confused and do all the uphill bits the wrong way

On Hadleigh MTB FB Page its been decribed as Severe Black..which I cant agree with at all, still look forward to riding it before/if ? it gets santized too much, seems far too much talk of it being too hard at the mo, whixch I dont agree with..from what Ive seen of the talented riders Ive meet from here it would be no prob at all for people !

Andy

I disagree, that deans drop? Or the Rock garden or even the the tree drops could potentially cause some broken bones. I think Danbury rides will be ok but normal Epping/thorndon riders will have a few 5p 50p moments?

Well..I dunno how XC tracks are graded but Im comparing it to the graded runs I know, Morzine, Les Gets, Chatel etc and black does seem a bit much, Ive riden it with no problems and on that day there were lots of youngsters of naff lil bikes who had great fun on leap of faith, etc.

But maybe to a DH'er its pretty tame but for a flat XC its terrifying so maybe Im comparing apples with oranges.

Dirt mag did an interesting feature on it and were a bit cruel about it but they pointed out the journalist/riders they took down had no prob with any of it which caused some locals to ask,..'wow..they must be top pros' only for Dirt to point out they were just average riders.

Andy

Your right, apples with oranges, most of the xc tracks are pretty featureless with less DH than Thetford lol
Most of the Mags are so DH oriented now that they would think it easy.

Found the Dirt article I was thinking of, now they are a bit unfair IMO but they do put forward a different point of view to the current one I keep hearing which is 'the track is extremely hard and way too dangerous dfor you unprofessionals so lets remove any thing remotely challanging where there is a risk', I'm hoping I can influence people.

Andy

That article was written last year and was before all the changes happened and asking Brendog to ride it is just like asking Lewis Hamilton to drive round arena Essex!
I'm not a hardcore Lycra lout but appreciate different disciplines, but still don't get that stuff in the velodrome
I think all the negative comments come from DH'rs looking for DH to appear in the olympics, and I agree, id love to see it as its far more entertaining to watch. But its just not possible as not every country has mountains

Ive seen the track first hand an although it makes a good xc race course for TV and spectators... it is no way even a red MTB trail. Nothing wrong with red/ blue trails but at least call this what it is!

The guys who are saying its uber knarley, and you must be a pro rider or guide to ride it, must be smoking crack, or have never ridden anything slightly hard!

To make it even lamer is tragic.

All the Olympics XC riders rode the 'hard lines' but that's no measure - look how they struggle when the going gets slightly steep and rooty.



That section is maybe a red? Im not sure when XC will wake up and understand that its not road racing on gravel.