i've now done a couple "training" rides out there on the xc bikes with some mates. i reckon they have done a surprisingly good job of it. it is a CROSS COUNTRY track that could handle all sorts of riders of varying abilities, as the level of difficulty riding it gets harder/easier the faster/slower you go. yeah, there are a couple painful sections which aren't that fun (a couple straightish exposed uphill slogs). strange surface (hard clay?) that probably would be nightmare if even slightly wet, but love almost all the features. dunno what the issue is that others have with the uphill waterbars - they are probably there to stop/reduce errosion, and they didn't seem to cause me any major momentum loss. i though it was all pretty flowy. yeah, the thistles are taking over and it is a bit hard to keep sight of the track in some places (overhanging weeds), but on the weekend i noticed that someone ran a brushcutter over the edges of the first few km. it sure has got some nice sized berms, but the smaller ones later in the lap are often a bit blown out, made worse by riders riding over the back of the berm exits. it seemed that i added at least a couple extra double jumps every lap i rode it, which, with a bit of pumping, gets you going faster and faster.
despite the features on the track, i certainly wouldn't take my trail bike there. in fact, i reckon a light 29er hardtail would be the bike to ride there. the (hard) surface is probably closer to a groomed bmx track than a chattery (rooted/rocked) natural trail, so i don't reckon you'd be missing the rear suspension. i reckon it would be a pretty good track to do an xc event. would love to do a clubbie out there - i think wsmtb did one last year. maybe there will be another one soon.
my mates and i have agreed that it is now the designated "training" track, when we want to put some km in, on something won't beat us up too much, and has some decent fun bits thrown in along the way. it is surprising that there aren't more people riding it - while we saw a few people in the carpark, we barely saw a half dozen people out there riding it. it is great to have another riding option that is not that far from home.
i just had a look at the new airport map. geez it won't be that far from the wylde track. hopefully it survives.
