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Rank in difficulty austin area trails/segments


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I don't have near as much experience or have ridden all the trails around here as most of yall so I'll use double down as a base line.

 

I guess it's hard to break down between trail system and individual trail segments but ill just lump together for mine....

The three hardest for me have been:

1. Double down/inception

2. City park but overall I think double down tougher but city has some tougher individual

3. Mt. Lakeway trail

 

I haven't rode much south and I would put lake gtown in the mix too,not for difficulty but just grueling length.

 

Whats yalls list of favorite difficult trails..

 

 

 

 

 

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Some trails in the area vary quite a bit in difficulty over many miles, so the scale doesn't make much sense.

Agreed...not sure what way would be best way to break down, really need different categories but that gets difficult

 

So how about what you think is the most difficult section of trail that is around 1-7mile range?

 

 

 

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You sound like you’re a youngster - go ride em both, and post back up. Learning by doing!
Well if age is relative to the time spent on said topic then yes I'm a youngster....
I've rode city park once, I walked a lot, never thumper but would like to.
My question was on yalls thoughts from your experience not mine..and speaking of relativity your right this question is relative depending on your skill level combo'd with aggressiveness/speed..

And you sound like an old codger...


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If you're looking for (legal) challenging trail, then Double Down is a good place to start.  Once you can ride those trail sections you will be doing very well.  

Once Covid passes, then take AB up on his offer of a BCGB tour.  There's definitely some VERY challenging stuff out there.  All of it rideable (especially if you've gotten the hang of DD).  Let me say i like this....DD is a trail that you ride with the rhythmic spacing of tech features every so often.  Some of the 'fun stuff' at the BCGB will have those tech features linked end to end for a good bit.  Start at DD, work your way up.  Move over to CP and play around there.  This summer dial up AB for a trail date.

Later,
CJB 

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Lago Jorgevilla deserves to be in the hardest discussion. I remember when Russell to Hogg and back was a full day of wtf. The scenery alone of a full lap puts it up there for fav.  Thirdly the oh chit factor of no bailout makes BuenoAqua Trail high on the the balls list. It's like a 4 hr jackhammer to the taint....or TaintHammer...if you will.    Actually I now petition to officially rename that 26 mile beast to TaintHammer.

Edited by Bamwa
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9 hours ago, skinned elbows said:

Well if age is relative to the time spent on said topic then yes I'm a youngster....
I've rode city park once, I walked a lot, never thumper but would like to.
My question was on yalls thoughts from your experience not mine..and speaking of relativity your right this question is relative depending on your skill level combo'd with aggressiveness/speed..

And you sound like an old codger...


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I've probably done north of 800 laps at City Park, maybe a thousand. Done a few dozen under an hour, but not by much (0:59 is under an hour...). Generally trying to hit a time on that trail can be a big mistake. The older I get the more I appreciate the ride, and, being able to ride for the next 8 weeks because I am not in a cast.

I've done Thumper a lot, but I walk more of Thumper than City Park. I walk City park mostly out of the danger element (to me) and walk Thumper because of the physical challenge. The sharp ups and downs are more difficult to me, CP has more gradual climbs and drops. Ultimately in Austin, 100ft of elevation per mile is the standard based on my riding. The greenbelt is ~100, Walnut Creek is ~70-80, Lakeway is ~120. Elevation can have a big impact on overall challenge.

Also, watch who you call old. While I'm not the best rider, I regularly smoke 20 year olds on trails for a variety of reasons. Don't ever assume that the old guy can't ride as well as the kids. In many cases, because they've ridden those trails and features hundreds of times they can do a better job of clearing things than the young kids.

Ultimately challenge is what you make of it. You can make Walnut Creek pretty harder (for instance trying to ride up Endo Valley). Most trails have an easy way and a hard way. If you want to challenge yourself try riding trails and features in a different direction. Just don't do that at City Park because that one is a one-way trail.

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I've probably done north of 800 laps at City Park, maybe a thousand. Done a few dozen under an hour, but not by much (0:59 is under an hour...). Generally trying to hit a time on that trail can be a big mistake. The older I get the more I appreciate the ride, and, being able to ride for the next 8 weeks because I am not in a cast.
I've done Thumper a lot, but I walk more of Thumper than City Park. I walk City park mostly out of the danger element (to me) and walk Thumper because of the physical challenge. The sharp ups and downs are more difficult to me, CP has more gradual climbs and drops. Ultimately in Austin, 100ft of elevation per mile is the standard based on my riding. The greenbelt is ~100, Walnut Creek is ~70-80, Lakeway is ~120. Elevation can have a big impact on overall challenge.
Also, watch who you call old. While I'm not the best rider, I regularly smoke 20 year olds on trails for a variety of reasons. Don't ever assume that the old guy can't ride as well as the kids. In many cases, because they've ridden those trails and features hundreds of times they can do a better job of clearing things than the young kids.
Ultimately challenge is what you make of it. You can make Walnut Creek pretty harder (for instance trying to ride up Endo Valley). Most trails have an easy way and a hard way. If you want to challenge yourself try riding trails and features in a different direction. Just don't do that at City Park because that one is a one-way trail.


Nice reply and I'm not disparaging anybody on age.. I am going to be 42 in February and I've been passed by some old rock slingers more than young...and what you say about challenge is what you make it is very true.. I got more worn out doing a hard 10 miles at Walnut Creek than an easy pace 26 miles of Lake Georgetown...

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1 hour ago, AustinBike said:

I've probably done north of 800 laps at City Park, maybe a thousand. Done a few dozen under an hour, but not by much (0:59 is under an hour...). Generally trying to hit a time on that trail can be a big mistake. The older I get the more I appreciate the ride, and, being able to ride for the next 8 weeks because I am not in a cast.

I've done Thumper a lot, but I walk more of Thumper than City Park. I walk City park mostly out of the danger element (to me) and walk Thumper because of the physical challenge. The sharp ups and downs are more difficult to me, CP has more gradual climbs and drops. Ultimately in Austin, 100ft of elevation per mile is the standard based on my riding. The greenbelt is ~100, Walnut Creek is ~70-80, Lakeway is ~120. Elevation can have a big impact on overall challenge.

Also, watch who you call old. While I'm not the best rider, I regularly smoke 20 year olds on trails for a variety of reasons. Don't ever assume that the old guy can't ride as well as the kids. In many cases, because they've ridden those trails and features hundreds of times they can do a better job of clearing things than the young kids.

Ultimately challenge is what you make of it. You can make Walnut Creek pretty harder (for instance trying to ride up Endo Valley). Most trails have an easy way and a hard way. If you want to challenge yourself try riding trails and features in a different direction. Just don't do that at City Park because that one is a one-way trail.

This is why I refer all new riders to austinbike.com. Actual *real world* info.

Unfortunately *for me* I found BCGB area (and others) as a 60 year old heart attack survivor. Not an excuse, it just is what it is. I still enjoy it.

Edited by TheX
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4 hours ago, skinned elbows said:


I got more worn out doing a hard 10 miles at Walnut Creek than an easy pace 26 miles of Lake Georgetown...
 

 

even tho it's Christmas I'm calling bs on this one. There is no way in hell. Nut is pg13, Jorge is xxx.

Edited by Bamwa
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