Oxford Falls - freeride or downhill??

[hochiki]

I know freeride is a term open to interpretation, but what is Oxford Falls, freeride, downhill or a bit of both?? What makes a track designated downhill or Freeride??

I know this one will get you going, is Oxford Falls the best damn track in Sydney or am I missing something?????????????

[7point3]

im going to say that its a bit of both forms, you have all the drops and stuff but there are still some parths that are DH orientated, also its only the best track in sydney if thats all you want to do.

[hochiki]

im going to say that its a bit of both forms, you have all the drops and stuff but there are still some parths that are DH orientated, also its only the best track in sydney if thats all you want to do.

Yep,

I get that Oxford falls is a definitely a sytle of track that suits a specific style of riding, and there are some brilliant tracks around Sydney for other styles of riding that I really like getting out on BUT, for the sort of riding Oxford Falls is suited to, is there anywhere else that comes close?? Not being patriotic about the place, just looking for other places to ride!!:D

[CraigS]

A downhill track built for racing does not have 2m+ drops like Oxford Falls. I would say the main reason people ride Oxford Falls is for the drops over the fast downhill sections at the top which in my opinion would rate it more a freeride track but most just call it DH.
If you think it is the best DH track in Sydney I think you need to get out there and ride some of the other tracks around. I think it is a great ride but I like some variety:p If you consider them part of Sydney try Wollongong (Holytrail), Old Bathurst Rd and other local trails, speak to people from other areas and they might show you some of their hidden trails:cool:

[hochiki]

A downhill track built for racing does not have 2m+ drops like Oxford Falls. I would say the main reason people ride Oxford Falls is for the drops over the fast downhill sections at the top which in my opinion would rate it more a freeride track but most just call it DH.
If you think it is the best DH track in Sydney I think you need to get out there and ride some of the other tracks around. I think it is a great ride but I like some variety:p If you consider them part of Sydney try Wollongong (Holytrail), Old Bathurst Rd and other local trails, speak to people from other areas and they might show you some of their hidden trails:cool:

Thanks for the tips,

I've heard of the old Bathurst Road, but where do you access it? I have a mate in Glenbrook who has talked about this track but, again, is not sure where to start/finish?? Any ideas?

[Chuckie]

I'd say its more freeride now, but its going down hill :)

I think Oxford Falls is brilliant!! A big thank you to the builders. It really is a FR/DH playground

[nicho]

A downhill track built for racing does not have 2m+ drops like Oxford Falls. I would say the main reason people ride Oxford Falls is for the drops over the fast downhill sections at the top which in my opinion would rate it more a freeride track but most just call it DH.
If you think it is the best DH track in Sydney I think you need to get out there and ride some of the other tracks around. I think it is a great ride but I like some variety:p If you consider them part of Sydney try Wollongong (Holytrail), Old Bathurst Rd and other local trails, speak to people from other areas and they might show you some of their hidden trails:cool:

I have to agree with craig on this one. Oxford falls is in no way a dh track (talking about the main lines down the hill). However there are some dh tracks on the extremeties of the oxford falls area. Basically where there isnn't any wooden structures.
It's funny because there was a time when i considered the place downhill but my perspective has dramatically changed after racing for over a year and a bit now.
ANd Oxford has lost a lot of hits appeal in my opinion other than the fact that it's close to me.
A bit upset by all the structures the quality of the wood used to be honest and i think the pure dhers here would agree with me. It used to be fun where you had to find a way to launch over the few rocks etc...

But the tracks that Patton and a few other guys built on the far left of the area are good fun and challenging in a dh sorta way.

nicho

[hochiki]

I have to agree with craig on this one. Oxford falls is in no way a dh track (talking about the main lines down the hill). However there are some dh tracks on the extremeties of the oxford falls area. Basically where there isnn't any wooden structures.
It's funny because there was a time when i considered the place downhill but my perspective has dramatically changed after racing for over a year and a bit now.
ANd Oxford has lost a lot of hits appeal in my opinion other than the fact that it's close to me.
A bit upset by all the structures the quality of the wood used to be honest and i think the pure dhers here would agree with me. It used to be fun where you had to find a way to launch over the few rocks etc...

But the tracks that Patton and a few other guys built on the far left of the area are good fun and challenging in a dh sorta way.



nicho

Have to agree with you about the structures, I keep thinking that each new track and structure that goes in up there pushes us one step closer to the council shuting the place down, what a shame that would be.....

[Mojo]

id deff go with a bit of both, its a sweet place, but there are lines that are DH and the other lines that are FR, some of the tracks i rode off to the left of the main trails were deffinatly DH, those drops were sik but,

[SideFX]

Nicho has summed it up and its the view shared by a lot of ridders . I used to ride there 2,3 times a week but now find that it has lost its appeal . All the faster flowing lines have had poorly made and thought out jumps put on them . The impact of building and bikes on oxfordfalls make me inbarested to be a mtb` er .

[Lestat_1753]

The way I see it is that Oxford Falls has incredible good conditions for a Freeride area, is to short for a Downhill line, and the big rocks and natural drops are to good to let go with out finding the way there, even if some time need structures to achieve it ( no much dirt there ), so... is a bit harsh to criticise the place for not having a cross country line or a fast flow, or a complete natural organic, etc.., the fact is that there is no other place in Sydney to do it, and there is a demand for that type of riding. By the way , the warringa council has nothing to do with it , and is up to the aboriginal land council to stop people riding there, and they are no interested.

[Derka Derka]

CraigS has a good point that the MTB tracks vary quite abit. Like he said the MT Keira runs like the Holy trail & Uni are fast and flowing, where as Oxford falls is abit more techy. (Having said that the Holy trail has a new massive huck line on it ). Like any mountain biking ya ride the line ya wanta ride so i guess you can still flow pretty good at the falls if that is want ya into!

I like the new building that is going on, nice work with the wall ride YOU GUYS ROCK!!!. On the old stuff yeah ya gotta check it out before ya do it. Allot of the stuff at lizard rock has gone and even a few drops on the OF side are abit doogy (eg. at the bottom across from the engine room, there is a section where you can go a small techy double drop or a 8 foot plateform drop or a 5 foot platform drop. DONT do the 5 foot as it has been removed from the ground and mega unsafe!!)..

See ya at the falls!!

[Plow King]

I rode it a while ago and IMo I hated it, I don't know why there is so much hype about the place. there afew afew drops here and there, alot of poorly built and thought out northshore. It's one big huck the whole way down. There is so much potential with that area yet people continue to build crappy northshore all the way down. Where is the old downhill race track? I only came accross 1 line that didn't have pointless drops or anything on it, and it was still quite an appauling track. You guys from the nortshore (Well downhillers) need to organise a build day, And plot out a track. There is a lot of potential. With abit of planning, and effort a sustainable good downhill trail can be built!

[Sutek]

A downhill track built for racing does not have 2m+ drops like Oxford Falls. I would say the main reason people ride Oxford Falls is for the drops over the fast downhill sections at the top which in my opinion would rate it more a freeride track but most just call it DH.
If you think it is the best DH track in Sydney I think you need to get out there and ride some of the other tracks around. I think it is a great ride but I like some variety:p If you consider them part of Sydney try Wollongong (Holytrail), Old Bathurst Rd and other local trails, speak to people from other areas and they might show you some of their hidden trails:cool:

Curse you, damn you to hell, we know Sydney is a Northern suburb of the 'Gong;)

Oxford Falls is FR. But there are way better tracks around!

[GRIM]

In my opinion Oxy is more of a Freeride Trail currently. When I started riding it, it seemed to be more of a DH thing (I thionk they even use to race there) but this was a long time ago and the trail is completely different now. Now there is more big drops it a lot more stop and start and a bit less flow, but at the end of the day its a great trail who cares what you consider it.

[frdlvr]

Fitzy

Oxford is full freeride, it has its DH parts but freeride mainly.

You and Hoops should come up to Ourimbah one weekend and ride the DH track you will see the difference

[hochiki]

Fitzy

Oxford is full freeride, it has its DH parts but freeride mainly.

You and Hoops should come up to Ourimbah one weekend and ride the DH track you will see the difference

Hey Pete,

would love to come up and ride Ourimbah one weekend! Going OS for six weeks in mid September and have been banned from anything that even smells risky for the last three weeks (ahh thats eleven weeks with no decent riding!!!!) Tried to organise a bike in Sweden where we are staying for three weeks but no luck:mad:

[F1234K]

I don't quite understand why people say oxford is stop/start and not flowy? The current work that has been done over the last 2-3 months has made it very flowy and a lot faster. If you have to stop at anytime during your run down you should've stacked it otherwise your not doing it right ;-)

When me and some other guys run it it is full tilt down with some braking to adjust for speeds hitting some drops and kickers, but otherwise very flowy and "fast". You don't have to stop at any point, just adjust speed. That is what makes it a bit more technical than a run down the paved road going between falls and lizard...

I love the work being done there as there is no other place I know of that this can be done. There are tons of downhill/XC places but not freeride.

[bbspecial]

there used to be a whole lot of really good DH lines but now people have half built shatty jumps on it.

lizard rock stuff seems to have merged over now.

ive given up riding the DH tracks and have started riding the XC stuff. it requires some pushing but there are some good lines if you know where to go. the advantage is the fact that its not chopped out from all the braking. you only have to watch out for motos. P.S. if you really want to try some good jumps try hitting the water banks at speed.

if you want to practice on your technical rock garden DH and lines selection the is no better place than the old DH firetrack trail. its killer.

all in all i think that oxford falls has become to much freeride. we need to have one trail for just DH. no insane drops or jumps.

[fool554]

Maybe if some of the Downhillers actually put some effort into building something for themselves then they can stop complaining and also ride at oxford, one thing i know about the place is that people have respect for what has been built and wont build over the top of it, so if you want more downhill then make it so and stop complaining about the stuff that you cant ride.

[Chuckie]

There are a few different lines you can take at Oxford Falls anyway. If you want more flowy DH go to the right , if you want a something a bit more technical & challenging take the Huck lines.

I think Oxford falls is simply awesome. There is always something there for me to challenge myself on. My mates and I have only been doing Oxy for about 6 months now and thanks to those builders, my riding skill has progressed far more than I ever imagined it would.

The new stuff doesnt really impede on the old lines anyway, it just gives you some options now. The new wall ride/berm actually make that section faster.

I have witnessed seeing some very skillfull riders hit this stuff and have learnt a lot from watching them.

As Fool554 said if you want something more suited to you, I guess you can always get out there and build yourself

[frdlvr]

FOOL554, nobody is saying the track isn't good. I live up at the central coast and ride Ourimbah, I love coming down to OXXY when ever I can because it is different.

But it is a freeride track which differs to a DH track.

[fool554]

I did not say it is a downhill track, i know that it's mainly freeride and yes there is a lot of wooden jumps and hucks (which i love) but the downhill lines are currently not being maintained and i for one would say that if you want to ride it then build it or maintain it. There is alot of potential for downhill at Oxy but the downhillers will have to take care of it and not expect somebody else to do it for them or complain about lines that are newly built in sections where nobody has ever downhilled before.

I ride with freeriders and downhillers alike and most people love Oxford Falls, even the downhillers love Oxford.

Anyway, all arguments aside Oxford falls is 80 percent FreeRide, 20 percent downhill.

[F1234K]

I have to agree that Oxford really is more suited to freeride than downhill. It has lots of rock ledges followed by relatively flat sections. As far as I can tell downhillers prefer steep constantly descending hills. The left side is kinda downhill (and isn't that were the old downhill races used to be?). The centre doesn't seem suited to downhill at all, even if you removed all the wood it still wouldn't be used by most downhillers. Anyway, I think we can all live together as a happy family of freeloaders riding on land none of us own or control... until they develop it of course ;-)

[Cuthbert]

'There is alot of potential for downhill at Oxy but the downhillers will have to take care of it and not expect somebody else to do it for them or complain about lines that are newly built in sections where nobody has ever downhilled before'.

The DH set (me included) do take care of it, although I must admit more work is needed after the heavy rains earlier this year. Just so happens that filling in a few ruts or removing loose rock from the track isn't quite as noticable as something your could land a frickin plane on...

[W.bat]

Yeah I rode the right hand line yesterday. top bit was awesome fun, really fast. Saw heaps of new stuff that had been built through the middle. Lets hope it doesn't just break up. Almost a responsibility to the builders.

[Chuckie]

Tell ya what "Pure DH" guys

The builders will be meeting there this Sun around 2ish, for a discussion.

Come down and offer some suggestions (maybe even lend a hand)