Chard:
Great for building skills and confidence
Great facility
What do you like?
I think this is an outstanding facility for an inner city area. I use it a lot when I've only got a couple of hours free and it has been a great help to me in rebuilding confidence after a bad crash and in improving my MTB skills. I haven't been doing this long and I've found both Clayton Vale graded trails and the Skills Park to be great places to build confidence on several different types of trail features, especially drop offs, berms and tight switchbacks. Plenty of flights of steps to mess about on too, although I'm sure that's not really what they're for...
I started on the Skills Park and the Blue trails, quickly progressed to the Reds and then the Orange and Black. I'll continue going, even though there's nothing new, because it's the kind of place where you can then start working on improving your flow and speed. The Velodrome facilities are great, good cafe with friendly staff, great to watch BMX events going on inside and Evans run a decent bike shop on site with helpful staff.
What could be improved?
As somebody else said, there probably could be more in the way of jumps, as the opportunities that are there on the trails tend to be closely followed by drop offs and berms. I'm sure there are plenty of skilled riders who could negotiate these sections with air and speed, but I think I've got a long way to go...
I know they have limited space, but I'd like to have seen longer Black and Orange runs. I find the Black good fun, but it's over almost as soon as you've started!
Would you recommend?
*Yes*
Date written:
10/12//2014 - about 11 years agoWas this review helpful to you?
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Check out the full trail description: Clayton Vale MTB Trails
