[LOOnatic]

Yeah riding the rock on a hardtail seems heroic and all but those who know, know its just retarded.
Remember the guy on the Balfa hardtail who tried to be swanky and compete in the RedBull Rampage?
Well he got knocked out a hundred yards from the top and tok the chopper out.

Bring the right tool for the job and have more funn blasting proper.

 

[mattmatt86]

all right i give up, but someone steer me to a better trail

 

[Jeremy R]

all right i give up, but someone steer me to a better trail

Where all have you ridden besides Clemson?
Have you ridden most of Pisgah, any of Wilson's Creek etc.....?

 

[mattmatt86]

Where all have you ridden besides Clemson?
Have you ridden most of Pisgah, any of Wilson's Creek etc.....?

Ive ridden Bennet(I think) a couple of times but Im not from the area so i would need to ride with someone that knows the trails. And isnt pisgah mostly just natural trail? Caus my bike isnt exactly built for longer more epic rides.

 

[JeffKill]

And isnt pisgah mostly just natural trail? Caus my bike isnt exactly built for longer more epic rides.

You need to check out the wilsons creek area like Jeremy said. Its straight up hwy 181 just north of Morganton. Some days we do nothing but shuttle and others you'll have a climb or two, but never climbing all day. And the climbs are well worth it up there. If I can pedal my 45 lb vp free, Im sure you wouldnt have any trouble pedaling a hardtail.

 

[tbird0216]

I rode windrock on a hardtail ONCE and it was a blast, but you get worn out after about 2 or 3 runs and you really cant ride at the same speed everyone else can, but all of drops and jumps i did arent bad on a hardtail. I just cant wait till i finish building up my dh bike for next summer at windrock.

 

[mattmatt86]

I rode windrock on a hardtail ONCE and it was a blast, but you get worn out after about 2 or 3 runs and you really cant ride at the same speed everyone else can, but all of drops and jumps i did arent bad on a hardtail. I just cant wait till i finish building up my dh bike for next summer at windrock.

The jumps and drops are the main reason i want to go to windrock, but I dont wanna be a hazard to other riders If im going to be riding slower because Im on a hardtail.

 

[rapp]

I'll have bring my hardtail and the DH bike when I go then.

 

[tbird0216]

The jumps and drops are the main reason i want to go to windrock, but I dont wanna be a hazard to other riders If im going to be riding slower because Im on a hardtail.

yea the group i went with knew me so they knew i would be going a little slower, and if anybody came up behind me i just pulled off the trail, let them pass, and continued picking my way down the mountain.

 

[dhbuilder]

The jumps and drops are the main reason i want to go to windrock, but I dont wanna be a hazard to other riders If im going to be riding slower because Im on a hardtail.

i think something just isn't clicking here.

we're not about jumps and drops up here.
we have a couple, but that's it.

this place is all about fast, steep, highspeed downhill singletrack, made for single purpose DOWNHILL BIKES.

there's tons of places in the area you're in that cater to the freeride drop crowd.
that's just not what i'm interested in building or riding.

my bike would be so totally out of place at those places.
just like yours would be here.

and hardtail and mid travel bikes tend to go alot slower here because the trailsystem isn't designed for them.
therefore they end up dragging their brakes excessively down the trailbed absolutely f...ing them up to no end.

it's nothing against any one particular rider.
that's just the way it is.

and after almost seven years of trail repairs up here, i'm very aware of who can "roll" the trails and who can't.
most riders on full on downhill rigs, roll these trails and leave nothing but tire tracks.

others come up here and create days worth of repairs for me when i'd much rather be riding.

 

[mattmatt86]

I know, I got the point. I aleady said that ive given up on the hope of riding at windrock

 

[bizutch]

wasn't there rumor of a "rental" DH bike at the shop there Joey? He could go that route.

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

i think Harpers has a Glory they rent out, no? yes? maybe?

 

[FCLinder]

Ben told me they sold it. He tried to get it for me after I sold the Morewood for that big riding weekend up there.

 

[mattmatt86]

This is just motivating me to Build our freeride trails at Clemson bigger and better, so i dont have to travel ours away for nice jumps and drops. I will get to see windrock however,when i go wheelin there with some buddies.

 

[dhbuilder]

This is just motivating me to Build our freeride trails at Clemson bigger and better, so i dont have to travel ours away for nice jumps and drops. I will get to see windrock however,when i go wheelin there with some buddies.

somewhere along the line, the rumor got started that we have big jumps and drops.

i think you or anyone else would be hugely disappointed if you showed up here expecting that kind of action.

we just have one jump that i would consider large.
and we never really have ever had big drops.
we had two, but nobody here was into that type of stuff so we did away with them.

sounds like Jeffkill is steering you in the right direction with wilsons.

 

[ChrisKring]

The jumps on the original trail are big by most peoples standards. However, with that section being abandond, they will be poo once the ATVs take that area over. Heck, I wouldn't want to hit them at 30mph+ knowing that ATVs are able to get into the landings.

 

[dhbuilder]

The jumps on the original trail are big by most peoples standards. However, with that section being abandond, they will be poo once the ATVs take that area over. Heck, I wouldn't want to hit them at 30mph+ knowing that ATVs are able to get into the landings.

as of now the jumps are relatively secure thanks to the powers that be getting up there and cabling off the area and laying down straw where they bulldozed thru.
but before spring i will be going up there and doing away with the ramp at the first roadcrossing and the palletdrop.

i can't guarantee that the waterfall will survive through the winter and spring rains, without being eroded away completely.
construction wreaked havoc just above that entire area.

plus there's going to be a small political change up there, that i'm not going to get into here.
and from now on i believe it's going to be in our best long term interest not to use that first roadcrossing any longer.
we'll be alright dropping in right there, but that's as high up as that trailhead will be from now on.
(except for the windmill trail. which will soon be our main trailhead as we're building our future from that direction.)

 

[irishman]

I think there is another point to be made here. Beyond the fact that everyone advises against riding a hardtail here...the builder has expressly asked people not to bring them. When you do, you are disrespecting the wishes of the guy who built, builds, and maintains those trails. Common sense says this is a bad idea.

This isn't directed at anyone and i'm not trying to stir up trouble i just thought that it should be said.

 

[bizutch]

I think there is another point to be made here. Beyond the fact that everyone advises against riding a hardtail here...the builder has expressly asked people not to bring them. When you do, you are disrespecting the wishes of the guy who built, builds, and maintains those trails. Common sense says this is a bad idea.

This isn't directed at anyone and i'm not trying to stir up trouble i just thought that it should be said.

Wayehutta says it misses you and wants to see you the day after the Fontana Icycle since you'll be driving right by on your way home.

 

[dhbuilder]

I think there is another point to be made here. Beyond the fact that everyone advises against riding a hardtail here...the builder has expressly asked people not to bring them. When you do, you are disrespecting the wishes of the guy who built, builds, and maintains those trails. Common sense says this is a bad idea.

This isn't directed at anyone and i'm not trying to stir up trouble i just thought that it should be said.

first of all, thanks for your two days of labor.
they were a big help.

so you've been there when few others have been.
and seen all the time and effort it takes to build out a short "tech section" properly so that it can be ridden by a wider range of skill levels.
it usually these very sections that poor riding habits and the wrong bike for the wrong trail can do the most damage to.

like i was saying up there the other day.
"you spend hours and hours working on a section of trail that takes just a few seconds to blast through."
that's what makes it beyond aggravating to pass through after a brakeslider has flailed his way down.

 

[skatetokil]

Looking at this video makes me want to come down but I've heard some horror stories about people making 6 hour drives only to take one run and spend the rest of the day in the truck shaking and drooling on themselves.

Can anybody compare it to a place like bootleg canyon?

 

[drkenan]

Looking at this video makes me want to come down but I've heard some horror stories about people making 6 hour drives only to take one run and spend the rest of the day in the truck shaking and drooling on themselves.

Can anybody compare it to a place like bootleg canyon?

Never been to bootleg canyon but I can tell you that I have seen firsthand people shaking at the bottom after their first run (myself included). That video doesn't do the steepness any justice.

This pic sums up my first time at Windrock (2nd time not as scary):

 

[ChrisKring]

Looking at this video makes me want to come down but I've heard some horror stories about people making 6 hour drives only to take one run and spend the rest of the day in the truck shaking and drooling on themselves.

Can anybody compare it to a place like bootleg canyon?

It's different than Bootleg. Half of the reason Bootleg is so scary is that there are no trees and you can see cliffs and jaged rock. Traction is better at bootleg. The scenery is better at bootleg.

Windrock's trails are longer and more difficult. The shuttle road is better since it doesn't destroy your shocks. You also don't have to push up a goat trail.

All that said, I'd love to have either one within a few hours drive.

 

[profro]

Bootleg's trails are technical, but they are no where as steep as Windrock's. Plus, as Chris points out, the traction at Bootleg is crazy and will keep you out of trouble most of the time. But the inexperience with our traction and steepness around Windrock is what KOs most people here.

BTW, I wish Joey would make full face helmets and goggles mandantory.

 

[bizutch]

Hey Doug...where are those pics of Southern Rocks from the one trip the Canucks took?

That can show some people why a big bike and full face are mandatory.

Here are some pic threads to help...just remember folks...when you see these pics...the slope is in excess of 45 degrees most always and in the 60% range much of the time. Objects in photos more brutal in real life.

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150210&highlight=southern+rocks

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148800&highlight=southern+rocks

 

[drkenan]

BTW, I wish Joey would make full face helmets and goggles mandantory.

Lesson learned on that one.

Those are some really nice pics on that other thread. Definitely some of the best I've seen of Windrock. That picture of the upper rock garden and the waterfall section should be proof enough of why a hardtail won't work.

 

[irishman]

first of all, thanks for your two days of labor.
they were a big help.

so you've been there when few others have been.
and seen all the time and effort it takes to build out a short "tech section" properly so that it can be ridden by a wider range of skill levels.
it usually these very sections that poor riding habits and the wrong bike for the wrong trail can do the most damage to.

like i was saying up there the other day.
"you spend hours and hours working on a section of trail that takes just a few seconds to blast through."
that's what makes it beyond aggravating to pass through after a brakeslider has flailed his way down.

Honestly man it's the least I could do, I've ridden those trails more than my fair share to justify coming up to help out a little. What you and the other guys are doing up there is something great and I believe in supporting that. Windrock is growing and darn if it aint the best place to ride in the south!

(disclaimer to the statement above: it is NOT a good place to LEARN DH, come ready to ride hard or prepare to be raped by the mountain)