Esher "north shore" trails, England

[hampstead bandit]

the shore style is spreading across the world

this is the latest place in england, just outside London (for riders passing through take a GBP£5 return ticket to Esher from Waterloo railway station..its a 20 minute ride)

this place is found behind a dry-ski slope centre at Sandown Race course, esher, surrey, england. its built and run by Freeborn who import Ellsworth, Banshee, Davinci, etc.

stuff is going up quicker than novices are falling off the ladder!¬

[hampstead bandit]

another bit

[hampstead bandit]

and another...

[hampstead bandit]

another view.......

[hampstead bandit]

and an action shot

[Biking Fiend]

wheres the shore style, all i see is bridges

[hampstead bandit]

yeah we thought there would be more natural stuff like fallen down trees and rock drops but it turned out to be more like a piece of woodland..

so its all ladder bridges and some dirt runs with ladder drops and kickers...

best we can do but a hella lot of fun

[EaTDuRRRT]

eww, nice construction but it's all basically treated wood...Cedar is the way to go...

it's hard to imitate the shore

[barry]

imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, consider yourself flattered ingrates!!



PS looks nice :)

[Niggz]

looks solid. doesn't look like there is any cedar around anyways. good job, working with what you've got.

[hampstead bandit]

thanks for the words


we keep on building...for people to come have fun...we can't all afford the plane ticket to Canada...yet :D

its good to see companies (Freeborn bikes, MBUK magazine, DMR bikes) REALLY putting back into biking buying the raw materials and supplying the site and insurance, etc.

[drezy]

Looks very well built. Nice job.:)

[jedi]

no cedar but the uk shore grows:O)

[hampstead bandit]

some latest images from Esher

[hampstead bandit]

another new line for "low riders"...

[hampstead bandit]

drop off at end of technical skinny line

[hampstead bandit]

tabletop leading UP rollercoaster

[hampstead bandit]

big flat drop and "suicide drop"..about 9 foot to transition but off 30 degree down angled ramp...wheelie time :eek:

[Putty]

shore it is not, but some nice stunts and good solid building it is.

i think in looking at those pictures, i figured out what makes the shore, the shore.

very nice work.

[trail worker]

cool looking stuff.i'd hate to bail into one of those holly bushes:eek:
looks like cool stuff for sure,too bad you don't have alot of cedar but it looks like you're building to the best of you're potential given the location.
keep it up!:)

[seand]

*blank stare*

def not what i was expecting when i opened the pictures.

you guys shouldnt call it 'shore' when referring to the building..but think of a new title to coin to your uk riding environment...start a new trend :)

anyways, nicely done...if i were there, id hit it up

[drezy]

Originally posted by tito jackson
*blank stare*

def not what i was expecting when i opened the pictures.

you guys shouldnt call it 'shore' when referring to the building..but think of a new title to coin to your uk riding environment...start a new trend :)

anyways, nicely done...if i were there, id hit it up That's a lot closer to looking like the actual shore than this stuff:

http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/photo/?op=view&image=122608

Time to get out the Stihl and take care of that mess before someone gets hurt. (not your stuff hamstead, the one in the pic)

[Phelonius]

No doubt, that stuff looks like matchsticks...
:hurt:

[hampstead bandit]

agree it needs its own name in the UK and its definitely NOT the north shore (no disrespect meant to Shore riders)

its been a quick way of communicating to people what kind of riding it is without having to say "wooden beams holding up wooden bridges with roofing slat runways" or something like that?

the guys from Freeborn who run the park and bike shop all spent time on the real North Shore last year they understand what needs to be done to recreate the intense riding experience u enjoy!

its at Esher, surrey

some people already say "esher shore"

any ideas anyone?

[Nelson]

Why dont you call is the Esher Village

And the riders could be the Village People

[hampstead bandit]

"Why dont you call is the Esher Village

And the riders could be the Village People"


LOL

i have to go find my cowboy outfit ;)

[Adam West]

i needs to get me to england. I wish I had that wood and space

[barry]

listen to yourself.

maybe you should wish you live in BC, oh wait, you DO.

[switch]

Don't listen to the "that's not what the shore is" comments. They're snobbish, and that's pretty much counter to the what the mindset of the riding is about.

As for the stunts - nice work! Looks like a great place to have fun, and to hone the skills.

[hampstead bandit]

gonna put up some new pictures real soon

theres loads new stunts and new lines to ride since the first pictures

[hampstead bandit]

new line through the woods

[hampstead bandit]

chicken wire for winter

photos:ian

[BigHitX]

Originally posted by Airborne Ranger
Why dont you call is the Esher Village

And the riders could be the Village People


OMG, that's some funny shit! I nearly pissed myself! :D

[Late Bloomer]

Lookin' good, Esher!! Since I didn't build it, I can't name it. I must say, I think of the Ewoks when I see all that. A little leafy camoflage draped aside it and it would be full-on that way.
I've need to touch down in that neck of the woods...that's just more incentive, now. Thank you!

[hampstead bandit]

if anyone travelling on a stopover in London take the train from Waterloo station to Esher its only 20 minutes local train - the esher shore place is found behind the dry ski centre at the back of Sandown Race Course, Esher, Surrey. its open every day from 9-5 in the winter GBP£5 to ride all day bring a helmet

there was some guy there today with a digital camera snapping all the new trails he gonna email me all the pics to put up here

[hampstead bandit]

here ya go

some new photos by some kid called Luke (thanks!)

Danny on new novice line - 8 inch wide

[hampstead bandit]

new line running whole length of woods

[hampstead bandit]

my latest creation...the "tree stump jump" line

over a seesaw along a 6 inch wide skinny round a corner down a ramp to dirt and then back up this line...

[hampstead bandit]

up onto the top and drop into this really steep ramp and off the kicker over the old tree stump...land in a berm :eek:

[hampstead bandit]

same stunt looking up from the landing spot

[Late Bloomer]

The one around the tree looks sweet...I've got a few lines I've been scheming that will likely have a similar style w/ splits in several directions off of it. Nice stuff!

[hampstead bandit]

it was raining hard but we celebrated new year with a ride at Esher

it was real fun but super tricky in places we need to add some more chicken wire:o

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrea.gadd/Tech0004.avi

[hampstead bandit]

won't stop...can't stop....uuummphhh

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrea.gadd/Tech0003.avi

[hampstead bandit]

rob b photos from the new years day session at esher shore

www.blurredout.com

[switch]

That looks like an awesome place to play with your bike. I'm envious as we don't have anything around here like that.

[hampstead bandit]

That looks like an awesome place to play with your bike. I'm envious as we don't have anything around here like that.

yeah its alot of fun and taking alot of hard work and $$$ to build but finally coming together nicely

heres another shot

ian riding on "fishing line" - photo rob b blurredout.com

[hampstead bandit]

and the cameraman rob b on the other side of the lens..

[hampstead bandit]

and myself braving the wet woodwork

photo Rob B blurredout.com

[Jaysin]

Tjose are some pics you got there!!! And some even sicker Building has been done!!

Props :beer:

[Black Sheep]

There's a place in bristol as well who have started building some quality stuff.
I've been nagging for ages for somebody at Afan Argoed to start making some "North Shore" type stuff but they are not interested.
Its a real shame all you BC guys are real lucky they won't even put a berm in most trails over here.
Nice to see this stuff in london happening and hopefully if it proves popular we will see more of it croping up...

[hampstead bandit]

new movie from Esher Shore



http://www.blurredout.com/Movies.htm


:eek:

[hampstead bandit]

it finally snowed here in england

photo Ian Gadd

[switch]

Break out the snow plows! :D

[hampstead bandit]

new photos

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrea.gadd/020204.htm

[01shore_rida]

nice work there you can see one large difference between there and our shoure, you bail off a ladder here, you arnt going to hit a small padded tree, youre going into a very large tree with no give and you know its going hurt.

[hampstead bandit]

new trail under development

been test ridden but still a bit soft..workin it..glad to see some heavy rain!

photos Rob B blurredout.com

[hampstead bandit]

sets of doubles dug down into ground..getting progressively larger before a deep kicker throwing you into a set of high speed berms

[hampstead bandit]

the berms

[hampstead bandit]

come out of berms high speed straight into this..gonna be dug out deep to make a big stepdown into right hand turn and then some woodwork

[Late Bloomer]

Originally posted by hampstead bandit
the berms Damn, bro...those berms make me want to go as fast as I humanly can!! Nice little run you guys are putting together, for sure!:)

[switch]

If you guys came over to North Vancouver and put that much effort into the trails around here, the NSMBA wouldn't have to do any trail days. :thepimp:

I really like what you're doing, and I wish we had something similar over here.

[switch]

Originally posted by hampstead bandit
come out of berms high speed straight into this..gonna be dug out deep to make a big stepdown into right hand turn and then some woodwork

That's what the 800m long ESB trail looked like when it was first cut.

Now it's all rocked in. :eek:

[drezy]

The ground work looks sweet on that trail. My biggest concern would have to be drainage though. One rainy afternoon and those beautiful berms would turn to mud pies up here.

[hampstead bandit]

esher is built at a place called "sandown" its a large hill overlooking a valley. the whole hill is most amazing builders gold (sand)

no drainage problems here :D we ride in the pouring rain theres not even a puddle!!

[Castle]

Originally posted by hampstead bandit
esher is built at a place called "sandown" its a large hill overlooking a valley. the whole hill is most amazing builders gold (sand)

no drainage problems here :D we ride in the pouring rain theres not even a puddle!!

if that's the case jumps galore could be made without any problems!!!!! lookin good man, looks like alotta fun!!!!!!

[drezy]

Originally posted by hampstead bandit
esher is built at a place called "sandown" its a large hill overlooking a valley. the whole hill is most amazing builders gold (sand)

no drainage problems here :D we ride in the pouring rain theres not even a puddle!! Good thing, I'd hate to see all that hard work get washed away.:D Keep the pics comin'. Nothing but snow to look at up here.:(

[hampstead bandit]

heres some pics of the latest work at Esher Shore ;)

[hampstead bandit]

new rollercoaster line

[hampstead bandit]

small dirtbox. larger one to follow

and much larger ones in the expert area down the hill

[hampstead bandit]

filled in area between ladders to stop mud spreading onto the trail, also it lets you do tricks along that bit :P

[hampstead bandit]

busy day at the trails..

all photos Ian Gadd

www.dirte.net

[switch]

Your winters look like your summers... :D

[seand]

Originally posted by switch
Don't listen to the "that's not what the shore is" comments. They're snobbish, and that's pretty much counter to the what the mindset of the riding is about.

As for the stunts - nice work! Looks like a great place to have fun, and to hone the skills.


nobody said "thats not the shore, dont call it that"

the points made were simply "why grab onto a trend when you can start your own"

just cause it has wood, doesnt mean it ha to be modeled in name to the shore..right?


brilliant work has been done here and it deserves its own presence...thats all *I* meant by my comments :)

[Late Bloomer]

Originally posted by hampstead bandit
busy day at the trails..

all photos Ian Gadd

www.dirte.net Is that a beer-van in the background?:beer:

Looks like alot of hours were spent out there w/ an army of nails...kudos!!:thepimp:

p.s. - prior to seeing this thread, I would never have considered bringing my bike over to the U.K. Now, I wouldn't go w/o it!!!

[hampstead bandit]

nah, freeborn have a little bike shop there, its their van- good for collecting scrap wood from industrial estates!


"esher shore" kinda stuck they cant really change it? the area where the trails are was an island thousands of years ago (hence the high concentration of sand) the archeologists had a major excavation there some years back when they built the horse racing track and dri ski slope

so i guess its a "shore" in its own right?:rolleyes:

[seand]

well then..shore it is :)

[hampstead bandit]

some new photo links

photo Ian Gadd

http://www.dirte.net/images/minirc1.jpg

http://www.dirte.net/images/minirc3.jpg

[hampstead bandit]

some action of the new stunt at esher - and start of new line through dead trees wood

http://www.dirte.net/rob.zip

[hampstead bandit]

with the freeride jam coming up in May

we've been busy building and testing out the new downhill dirt jump trail, the jumps getting progressively larger and perfect for those running suspension to get some serious height off

the bottom jumps gonna have a 25 foot gap should be sweet

theres a short movie on www.blurredout.com - March 14th 2004

and some photos

http://www.blurredout.com/Images/Esher140304/Gallery.html


real wet day and windy too but wind was behind so testing was fun

:thepimp:

[switch]

Where'd you get those pads with the Banshee logo? :thepimp:

[Late Bloomer]

Sick jumps!
Too bad I'm running a P.O.S. comp right now, the vids do not run well on it.:(
Have to visit a friend this week and watch 'em there. Was that one guy ok...did he snap his bars?!?:eek:
Tree :heart: is fun, but more so w/ pads!:D
Red Bull gives you wings!

[hampstead bandit]

Was that one guy ok...did he snap his bars?!?

nah he just buried them in the dirt :P

[hampstead bandit]

the pads are from a local supplier. we have ones with banshee, dmr, mbuk (magazine), Ellsworth, Bike Morzine, Specialized, Giant, etc.

as far as i know some of them gave $$$ to Esher Shore so they got their names on the pads

[hampstead bandit]

heres the latest stuff



www.dirte.net

we'll get some action photos / movie together soon

[switch]

You're cutting down live trees? :eek:

[hampstead bandit]

yeah we havent got much choice with some of the lines and the landowner said it doesnt matter its an immature bit of woody land (not a forest or "wood") used for years to dump junk and lots of brambles and weeds grown up everywhere

the site is pretty small at 3 acres, we leave the mature trees well alone, the tree we're cutting there was hit by lightening and the back half has rotted away.

anything cut down is reused for trail building, but there is hardly any fallen timber so its mainly sawn treated timber from builders merchants ($$$)

we do take out really immature trees as the site was really overgrown and lots of trees were struggling to grow.

its not a site of natural beauty, its next to a dry ski slope and horse racing track.

hate cutting trees , but when you spent 2 weeks by hand cutting a new trail sometimes a tree has to go. its not like we're on the shore and have endless possibilities for lines :rolleyes:

[hampstead bandit]

new photos of latest expert trails to come online..getting ready for the freeride jam 15th/16th May

http://bb.nsmb.com/newforum/showthread.php?s=&postid=674556#post674556

[hampstead bandit]

test riding the new Downhill DJ's

real tricky to get through, all jumps twisted and deep

finally got through all 4, the bottom ones a large step down :P

[hampstead bandit]

riding the 2nd jump...

(sorry for blurry images taken from little digital still camera "movie")

[hampstead bandit]

rob b on his way to an awesome superman bail-out

you overshoot the landing youre gonna go airbourne :eek:

[hampstead bandit]

higher quality shot of bottom DDJ

http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/photo/?op=view&image=194922