a-line
Likes Dirt
Yep. I'll be there tomorrow... again
Buller 2015/16
- Thread starter chamboy
- Start date
Ezkaton
Eats Squid
Nice, you're on an Aurum yeah?
Keep an eye out for a lime green and black Makulu, a green and black Operator, and a black and gold Operator.
)I ride like a grandma, but should be good to link up with other riders!
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smitho
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Cheers for the reply Ben.
I certainly don't doubt that you all work hard to maintain what you have - seems like the issue is lack of investment/understaffing.
That said, as above, I really enjoy the AM/XC trails. Given maintenance of them is just one facet of your workload I'm impressed by the condition of the trails. Can't wait to get up there Aus Day weekend.
Seems like the issue people have been taking is with the DH tracks - which fall in BSL's court. Underfunded and understaffed. Minimal investment by BSL. Have worked a couple of winter seasons up there and that's just scraping the surface of the issues I have with how they operate.
Cheers smitho,
we apprecite all the feedback, and take it on board all the time!
Step by step we hope we can keep moving forward and remaining a key MTB destination in OZ, let me know when your up sometime and I'll come and say hi.
Cheers,
Ben
Morgan123
Likes Dirt
Spent a couple of days there last week and even though I've been up every year I still thoroughly enjoyed the riding. Few new ramps (especially the road gap) on International have helped speed it up and even though I heard a few complaints that the Top of Inter is now too easy I was pretty happy to see it a little less rocky. Only issue has already been stated and thats the gravel (on abom and copper), on the berms it really does limit how quickly you can push it before the front end slips out.
Bit of carnage on Wednesday so hope everyones alright; A nasty broken wrist, a suspected chipped pelvis and someone knocking themselves out. Busy day for the medic lol.
Bit of carnage on Wednesday so hope everyones alright; A nasty broken wrist, a suspected chipped pelvis and someone knocking themselves out. Busy day for the medic lol.
This is what was so good about International.......Being able to ride the rocks fast was impressive. I once watched the faces of Brendog and Sam Hill as Troy Brosnan few through those rocks....and I do mean flew. Both riders were amazed at the speed he held through there. It's a shame it's gone. My rims agree with you though.
I need to get my "Buller needs more work" responses from the 2007. 2008, 2009 and 2010 threads. :rofl:
ajay
^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
Yeah i loved how rough it was. It was just the couple of corners towards the end of the top section that ruined the flow - namely that awkward corkscrew bridge. Now thats gone and the exit is fixed, happy days
smitho
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I agree - rocky sections are my favourite part of International.
John U
MTB Precision
Rode Buller yesterday. Had a great day.
My summary
Didn't mind the changes on international. It is still rough, steep and tight in places. I don't ride these bits at speed but can see how they'd be different at speed. I enjoyed it. Gave me the confidence to go a bit harder. Did the small road gap for the first time. I'm hitting the jumps at the bottom with a lot more speed. Still can't nail that wall ride.
I don't see how the gravel berms on abom are any worse than they were previously. I found abom a bit quicker than previous years. The berms that were gravel are still gravel. There were a couple of bits covered with brown soil which were much better than the gravel. It'd be good if this was used a bit more extensively. There was one spot were even the brown soil was skatey underneath.
$65 for the day. I think it's good value. Given the perfect conditions yesterday there weren't many people up there. When I get there I try to get in as many runs as I possibly can. I don't stop at the top or the bottom for a rest. I try to recover on the chair. My forearms give up before 4pm.
Sure it could use a bit more love and it could be open for longer but at least it's open. Not too long ago the lift wasn't running in summer, there were no specific XC trails, and the Delatite trail had no bridges. It has come a long way.
My summary
Didn't mind the changes on international. It is still rough, steep and tight in places. I don't ride these bits at speed but can see how they'd be different at speed. I enjoyed it. Gave me the confidence to go a bit harder. Did the small road gap for the first time. I'm hitting the jumps at the bottom with a lot more speed. Still can't nail that wall ride.
I don't see how the gravel berms on abom are any worse than they were previously. I found abom a bit quicker than previous years. The berms that were gravel are still gravel. There were a couple of bits covered with brown soil which were much better than the gravel. It'd be good if this was used a bit more extensively. There was one spot were even the brown soil was skatey underneath.
$65 for the day. I think it's good value. Given the perfect conditions yesterday there weren't many people up there. When I get there I try to get in as many runs as I possibly can. I don't stop at the top or the bottom for a rest. I try to recover on the chair. My forearms give up before 4pm.
Sure it could use a bit more love and it could be open for longer but at least it's open. Not too long ago the lift wasn't running in summer, there were no specific XC trails, and the Delatite trail had no bridges. It has come a long way.
Moodge
Likes Dirt
60km?.... step it up old fart.
i hit 59km on my chameleon hardtail, couldnt go faster felt like my teeth were coming loose and bike was gonna explode,
rustysteel
Likes Bikes
Perfectly said! After being up there twice again this year, I have to say that the DH tracks are running great (and as good as I've ever seen) for what they are. International has definitely been upgraded / modernised with the changes made and Abom (gravel or no gravel) is still quick and even quicker on a 160mm trail bike through some of those tighter corners. We would all obviously prefer dirt to be layed down instead of gravel on Abom but it really isn't that bad and with the tight resources and budget they have, I'm certainly not complaining! I'm just grateful that Buller is open as it gives us all somewhere 'new' to go each year during the warmer, lighter months - and who doesn't love being up there in the snowgums with the Delatite river and the clean alpine air?!! Ahhh so romantic!:Banane16:
Unfortunately for Mt Buller, the layout of the mountain and resort is the opposite to Thredbo with anyone being able to drive up to the Mt Buller summit (or close to), unlike at Thredbo where you have to buy a lift ticket to get up there (unless you want to walk or push your bike the whole way up!) Thredbo also has a massive tourist drawcard in Mt Kosciusko which tourists access via the chairlift - Buller has no such drawcard
Therefore, my only suggestion to the Chairlift 'dilemma' at Buller would be to not run it everyday over the school holidays and instead, use the same budget/wage cost to run it every weekend until they close the trails in April/May. Surely that would give them the highest possible turnover use for the lowest possible cost? In saying that however, Blue Dirt Shuttles do a ripper job once the chair closes and are $15 cheaper!
Nautonier
Eats Squid
International is running great, sure it's not as challenging on a DH bike, but it's more do-able on a trail bike, which opens it up to more riders, which is important considering how shit the other chairlift tracks are. Hopefully the gravel on Abom has packed down or farked off since I rode it when it first opened last year. As has been mentioned, shitty gravel surfacing can be found much closer to home at minimal cost... Buller has natural loam, why not work with it?? International has achieved this. Copperhead is still the butt of everyone's joke - so easy to hate! And if gravel is some kind of OHS/sustainability imperative, HELLO - it's actually pretty farking dangerous!Perfectly said! After being up there twice again this year, I have to say that the DH tracks are running great (and as good as I've ever seen) for what they are. International has definitely been upgraded / modernised with the changes made and Abom (gravel or no gravel) is still quick and even quicker on a 160mm trail bike through some of those tighter corners. We would all obviously prefer dirt to be layed down instead of gravel on Abom but it really isn't that bad and with the tight resources and budget they have, I'm certainly not complaining! I'm just grateful that Buller is open as it gives us all somewhere 'new' to go each year during the warmer, lighter months - and who doesn't love being up there in the snowgums with the Delatite river and the clean alpine air?!! Ahhh so romantic!:Banane16:
Unfortunately for Mt Buller, the layout of the mountain and resort is the opposite to Thredbo with anyone being able to drive up to the Mt Buller summit (or close to), unlike at Thredbo where you have to buy a lift ticket to get up there (unless you want to walk or push your bike the whole way up!) Thredbo also has a massive tourist drawcard in Mt Kosciusko which tourists access via the chairlift - Buller has no such drawcard
Therefore, my only suggestion to the Chairlift 'dilemma' at Buller would be to not run it everyday over the school holidays and instead, use the same budget/wage cost to run it every weekend until they close the trails in April/May. Surely that would give them the highest possible turnover use for the lowest possible cost? In saying that however, Blue Dirt Shuttles do a ripper job once the chair closes and are $15 cheaper!
The excellent Blue Dirt shuttles are hugely more appealing than some blink or you'll miss it tokenistic chairlift option with bikes on laps (at own risk).
Infrastructure is pathetic compared to anywhere else in the world that is interested in making money as well as providing a complete package for MTB clients. I was up there last year just outside of the typical holiday period and was told that there would be somewhere to get a drink and something to eat. Um, not the case. Had to scab toast off other guests at the lodge for dinner and this was a weekend! People like Andy are doing great work in providing accomodation, but jeez, would it really kill people to perhaps have a restaurant, pub or cafe open? They must make so much money fleecing tourists in winter that they don't give a rats...
Do people even stop at the tollgate? I was told by the Mirimbah shuttle people that that was a total crock of shit. Some glorified market research doomed to fail epically. I saw lots of people not stopping. Probably locals who knew better.
Still worth a couple of trips per year considering the AM trails as well, but woeful compared to what it could be. It's so intensely annoying seeing opportunities that could be good for everyone go to waste.
PS: Klingsporn is crap - so much vertical and no trail work done on it since, since I dunno, cattle were herded down it decades ago... Makes the 4WD tameness of Delatite seem appealing.
Caveat: IMHO
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John U
MTB Precision
I don't think this is correct. Despite the prices, they get good snow for about 1 random weekend a year now. The get ok cover for somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks (more likely closer to 4), and they get enough cover for beginners to have a go for about 8 weeks. No one's raking in the cash and no one in their right mind would be investing up their purely to make money out of the increasingly short winter.
Which makes it all the more surprising that Grollo won't give expanding the chairlift operation over the mountain further in summer a go.
jarrod839
Banned
I agree with rustysteel, get rid of running the chairlifts on the holidays and have them running on weekends for the season.
I was told of the running costs for the lifts for the one month 2 years ago and i dear say in the 2 years it has most likely increased.
Use this money instead to improve the existing trails and create new ones and get more busineses involved as the place becomes a ghost town when the lifts stop.
With the construction of athurs seat and the new tassie bike park if these trails get made correctly and done right it will most likely spell the end for buller unless they get there shit together
I was told of the running costs for the lifts for the one month 2 years ago and i dear say in the 2 years it has most likely increased.
Use this money instead to improve the existing trails and create new ones and get more busineses involved as the place becomes a ghost town when the lifts stop.
With the construction of athurs seat and the new tassie bike park if these trails get made correctly and done right it will most likely spell the end for buller unless they get there shit together
Mywifesirrational
I however am very normal. Trust me.
Is the MTB aspect / trails confirmed? being an hour from Melbourne, the trails at worst case only have to be 'good enough' to get me (and half a dozen peeps I ride with) there every second weekend or to buy a season/year pass, it's a shit load closer to buller and their chairlift trails aren't exactly the drawcard for an extra 4 hours of driving.
Just had a googe, chairlift is meant to open by the end of the year, exciting times.
Also skylift hours 8am til 9pm!
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John U
MTB Precision
Agree 100%.