You are hereCalendar / First Timers @ Menai
First Timers @ Menai
When:
Saturday, 23 April, 2011 - 08:30
Duration:
2 hours
Come Rain or Shine:
If it's raining, I won't be there.
Ride Database Entry:
Menai (Lucas Heights) Meeting Point:
By the sports field on Old Illawarra Road, Barden Ridge.
-34.037591,151.006672 (Old Illawarra Rd)
Details:
Would like to ride Menai for the first time, are there any locals that can show me and mate around?
Who's in?
bikemad, hairylittlehobbit, Dicko, craked, Ivo, lezo (6 riders)
What Happened?
Were you there and have a story to tell?
Ride Gallery
This gallery is empty.
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
yeah I should be good for a menai tour on the 23rd I'll confirm.
Love Menai - know my way around pretty well there.
Will confirm by Friday.
went there yesterday. loved it heaps. Might suggest one thing: entering from the other side? -34.027519,150.994328 It starts downhill section and then goes into the bush, or not. Dw, just an idea but might be more difficult. I would love to come but will confirm later on.
the starting point at the oval on old Illawarra rd is a good spot to start from, some nice single track that takes you to Illawarra rd is too good to miss!
Hairy dude are you looking at downhill/freeride or trail /all mountain riding on your trip to Menai?
More AM/Trail stuff. dont have the nut sack for DH
One of the down hill sections at menai isnt that bad. You could do it with no nut sack at all now that the rock garden's been replaced with a pallet!
Cool, have to check that bit out aswell.
Guys,
I'd love to tag along, I've heard plenty of good reports of Menai. Buradorri put up a post with an awesome bit of youtube dh footage of menai. I'm happy to ride anything and look forward to getting out. I'm getting cabin fever...
Lezo
Hows about meeting at the ansto car park and cross the rd and go in that way.
Ride up the fire trail then start off with some nice easy catwalk/drops then ride to the down hill track once warmed up??
why not ride some nice single track from original start point to the spot you are talking about?
I'm easy, just wouldnt wanna hit the down hill straight up without getting warmed up.
my mate did that and had a pretty bad stack.
one of my mates is tagging along also for sat. so +1
Me and a mate have just added our names to the list for this ride. Looking forward to it.
I favour the regular starting point near the Sports Field. It's a good safe place to leave the car, plus you get the nice singletrack along barden ridge in both directions. Can't skip that bit!
I'm with you herzog take the high track on the way out and hit the low track hard on the way back.
im a maybe at this point-am def keen as but just have to see if i can shuffle a few things.So are you guys gonna be going quick or more playing on the numerous features there?Im not a speedster(uphill at least).big ol bike and not super fit(not very fit at all really
but would definately like to tag along,as i havent been there for about 2 years or on my current bike.
Guys,
Ive got a mate joining us, we should have an awesome train ripping through the tracks, can't wait !!!
Im not real fit at the moment but im just happy for anything really.
Hey Craig
Finally get a chance to get that long awaited tour of Menai. How long in the planning has this been 6 mths ?
Look forward to catching up - have seen you for a while.
looks like a good crew turning up for a ride.
Wayne
Im in guys looking foreward to this.Just looking at the google sat map,no wonder ive been lost in there before there are so many trails snaking around in the area,not suprised ive never found the down hll section.i will bring some armour(but will leave the mace and shield as that may be overkill
) hopefully will get a look at the downhill so i can find my way back there.
It's been a while ,this will be a Huge ride, a big mix of XC ,AM ,FR and DH all at once so will cover a fair chunk of Menai's best!Looking forward to it, see you there
Friday 22 April - Guys, you will have a ball there tomorrow. Rode it today for the first time. Had a hoot. Weather was gorgeous. Trails all single track with mixture of sand, clay and loam surface. Plenty of gnarly sections, roll-overs and small drops to test your skills, strength and fitness. It's like a wabbit warren there with trails all over the place. The bottom of the valley is very lush and peaceful except...for the bloody MotoX riders. I came across and said g'day 6 MTB in all riders in the 2 hours I was there. I came across two friendly local riders, Erin and Geoff (Jeff?) who kindly showed me the way back to New Illawarra Road where I parked (thanks guys!).
If you are getting bored of riding Terry Hills fire trails and want to step up a notch or three technically, then I highly recommend Menai (Lucas Heights). Getting there is dead easy with the M5 and recent road improvements to New Illawarra Road. 45-50 minutes from Naremburn. My partner went walking and bird spotting while I rode all this goodness. Stopped off in Crown Street, Surry Hills for lunch and coffee. All in all a great ride.
Winco
Been raining here in the east overnight, with the radar showing a bit more to come. Anyone know if it's wet out at Menai?
been some very light drizle but I think the tracks will be ok, is not raining at the moment and the clouds appear to be breaking up a bit.
A bit damp makes it more fun. See u soon.
It has been raining along the beaches constantly here since 7.20. I am going to cancel.
If your going, have fun!
only minor drizzle at menai, tracks were in great shape with just the right amount of moisture to keep the sandy bits firm .
we covered a fair bit of ground and spent some time at the freeride areas also a few runs on the downhill track ,every one was fairly Knackered at the end so a good time was had by all , thanks to everyone who turned up.
Thks for the tour Craig.
Definitely a hidden mtb paradise over there. Us northern beaches boys need to get into the car and head south a little more often I think.
Good to meet some new faces also - all the more encouraging to roll into some bigger drops when some peer pressure is present.
Great day out guys !
D
It was a great ride. I tell you what... I just wish I had half the fitness Craig has! Bloody mountain goat!!
OMG !!!
Firstly, massive thanx to the mountain goat, Craig you are a fire trucking legend, thanx so much mate...
To all the other lads that got out of bed and knew the rain would stop for us, thanx too. Today was THE most fun i've had on two wheels without a motor, it was wicked. Singletrack, tough technical up and down and some pushing sure, but that is the price you pay for the most awesome berms you can ride. Flat out horizontal action on high walled berms on the DH track that has us feeling like Sam Hill. Let's not forget the structures and drops...
Secondly, to NoBMoB for providing such a facility to make days like today happen; here were 7 blokes who didn't know each other on the other side of Sydney having a wicked day and making new mates, all with a common passion.
If the boys from Menai read this, I'd like to thank you all for the time, effort, precision and cost that you have put into those trails, it's magnificent.
Guys, I can't wait to get out there again within the next couple of weeks, lets try and make this a regular ride. Sundays a re best for me, as my young bloke has sport on Saturdays.
Has anyone got any footage, photos etc ?? Please email or post. I'm about to send the info from cyclemeter from my phone, bit boring but plenty of data for those that are into it.
guys i was all up for it stayed at a freinds at bronte to shorten the morning trip but woke up to torrential rain here,didnt thunk it wa likely the ride was a goer/bugger!wish id perservered and just headed over.never mind,next time 4 sure!
i got a pic and a short video of the big drop. ill post it up soon, when i get near a computer
cheers Mitch
http://www.youtube.com/user/mimpey#p/a/u/0/UgKW0...
http://youtu.be/UgKW00nbKx0
[Mod. embedded video]