Guide to bike Trails

What do mountain bike trail grades mean?

Every mountain bike trail is graded to give an indication of its difficulty.

The grades take account of:

  • the trail surface
  • gradients
  • technical features
  • level of fitness needed
Forest Road or Similar
Suitable for:
  • A wide range of cyclists.
  • Most bikes and hybrids.
  • Ability to use maps helpful.
  • Routes may or may not be waymarked.
Trail and surface types:
  • Relatively flat and wide.
  • The trail surface may be loose, uneven or muddy at times.
  • These roads may be used by vehicles and other users, including horse riders and dog walkers.
 Gradients and Technical Trail Features (TTFs):
  • Gradients can be very variable and may include short steep sections.
  • Occasional potholes may be present.
 Suggested fitness level:
  • A good standard of fitness can help.
Green/Easy
Suitable for:
  • Beginner/novice cyclists.
  • Basic bike skills required.
  • Most bikes and hybrids.
  • Routes may or may not be waymarked.
Trail and surface types:
  • Relatively flat and wide.
  • The trail surface may be loose, uneven or muddy at times.
  • May include short, flowing single track style sections.
 Gradients and Technical Trail Features (TTFs):
  • Climbs and descents are mostly shallow.
  • No challenging features.
 Suggested fitness level:
  • Suitable for most people in good health.
Blue/Moderate
Suitable for:
  • Intermediate cyclists/mountain bikers with basic off-road riding skills.
  • Mountain bikes or hybrids.
Trail and surface types:
  • As “Green” plus specially constructed single track.
  • Trail surface may include small obstacles of roots and rock.
 Gradients and Technical Trail Features (TTFs):
  • Most gradients are moderate but may include short steep sections.
  • Includes small TTFs.
 Suggested fitness level:
  • A good standard of fitness can help.
Red/Difficult
Suitable for:
  • Proficient mountain bikers with good off-road riding skills.
  • Suitable for better quality off-road mountain bikes.
Trail and surface types:
  • Steeper and tougher, mostly single track with technical sections.
  • Expect very variable surface types..
 Gradients and Technical Trail Features (TTFs):
  • A wide range of climbs and descents of a challenging nature will be present.
  • Expect boardwalks, berms, large rocks, medium steps, drop-offs, cambers, water crossings.
 Suggested fitness level:
  • Higher level of fitness and stamina.
Black/Severe
Suitable for:
  • Expert mountain bike users, used to physically demanding routes.
  • Quality off-road mountain bikes.
Trail and surface types:
  • As “Red” but with an expectation of greater challenge and continuous difficulty.
  • Can include any usable trail and may include exposed open hill sections.
 Gradients and Technical Trail Features (TTFs):
  • Expect large, committing and unavoidable TTFs.
  • Sections will be challenging and variable.
  • May also have “downhill” style sections.

 

 Suggested fitness level:
  • Suitable for very active people used to prolonged effort.
Bike Parks Extreme
Suitable for:
  • Riders aspiring to athlete level of technical ability, incorporates everything from full on downhill riding to big air jumps.
Trail and surface types:
  • Severe constructed trails and/or natural features.
  • All sections will be challenging.
  • Includes extreme levels of exposure and or risk.
  • Jumping ability obligatory.
 Gradients and Technical Trail Features (TTFs):
  • Will include a range of small medium and large TTFs, including downhill trails, freeride sections and mandatory jumps.
 Suggested fitness level:
  • A good standard of fitness, but technical skills more important.