Literally never seen the track so smooth. Howie and Ronan have put in a hell of a shift. As have you and your boys. Look forward to catching up properly tomorrow through Saturday
It's been a lot of hard work but we've done good. And those lines through the forest are well worth all the headscratching and discussion. Nice ride Jamesy.
I've gotta say, never seen the track looking so good. Kudos to all the crew for their hard work, it looks Semenuk Movie edit good. just wow, what a job!
You took on a very difficult task in being responsible for updating the Fort William DH. Looks to me as if you have done an amazing job in retaining some of the classic Fort Bill, but also updating the other area's. Well done Jamesy Boy, I hope you get the credit you deserve.
Well, thanks Alan, I was mostly in charge of things to do with the race. A whole load of other people can take credit for the majority of the track work/maintenance. They’ve done a great job
Amazing effort and the track looks wseet as but id question if you can get down it on a trail bike with an open face is ithardcore enough 🤷 still cant wait to see the racing and it looks so good 👊🤙
The track still has to be rideable for the slowest riders at World Champs. To go fast though, it’s still a big challenge! The top guys looked insane this year. Did you watch it?
@@jamesy_boy_shirley Yep. Loved it. Won by our local FOD hero Charlie too. Once worn in it certainly had more character and the fine British weather added another curve ball in too adding further complexity to the mix. Was a classic World Champs.
Yeah seemed a good way to ruin a prick of a track, what a shame, looks more manufactured than before, really disappointed of , wanted to see fort William , not bike park fort William, and even more brassed off it’s not the 5 mins it should be , gutted
Have you boys ridden it yet? I suggest you go and find out for yourselves before deciding just how perfectly smooth it’s become… Let me know when you do. Enjoy!
I've never seen that track look so good! Top job! I really do hope the investment keeps coming into the track! Do you have the trail builder job up there now James? I hope so!
@@jamesy_boy_shirley not yet unfortunately I've been riding Glencoe ahead of the bds next weekend. ill be up there immediately after that though! I'm very exited
Nice video and nice framing. (I have a long way to go to make videos like that.) I just wonder how many times I would have died coming down with my ebike from there..🤣
Hard to imagine anyone taking that first optional low line with how bad the exit corner appears to be. Love the wide taping but if it doesn’t provide an actual viable option, what’s the point?
Tv is the point that’s all, I’m crap but couldn’t ride the old one, this one , nah most everyone can ride that. It’s a shit DH track if the video dude says I was on a XC bike and it was cool
Not to sure about this update. If someone can ride the track on a trail bike with open face. Not sure if that qualifies for a Downhill World Champs Course 🤦♂️
I wouldn’t choose to race on a trail bike that’s for sure. You have to remember that actually the level of riders at the champs is on average slightly lower than that of a normal World Cup round since every country gets a rider - it made for a really good race. Did you watch it?
OK doubt Greg Minnaar will win here the eighth time, you guys have taken the old girl and given her a manicure - Where is the rugged, brutal Fort William we all know and love. And I thought Scotsman were always Real Men!
Is it me or are the downhill tracks being tamed!!! Don't think pro riders will need a DH bike after watching you go down on trail/enduro bike!! Brendan fairclough did make a comment a while ago saying the DH tracks are being made easier than they were years ago! Great work and effort gone into it but the gnarly and rutted parts are missing!
Its still pretty rough in places, and i'm sure holes will accumulate over the weekend. Also don't underestimate an enduro bike, I've ridden a capra at fort william in its rougher forms and its been fine
hardly being tamed when you consider the higher speeds that riders are going. Bernard Kerr said on the RC podcast that being more gnarly isnt necessarily a good thing as it increases the risks to riders. Theres already been 3 broken necks this season alone, and lots of other injuries. Besides, by the time the riders have been down it a few hundred times the old ruts will start to appear again
@scottmtb122 - As MTB grows and more people ride then more maintenance needs to take place. All tracks need worked on and the trend these days is generally for more flow etc so you’re kind of half right but new ruts will form soon enough… Don’t you worry!
Tape in the middle of the track shutting down line combos. Wtf UCI 🤦♂️ Props to the builders for all the work though! Everyone should relax. This track will work well once riders are on it.
The tape is there for a reason. Without it there would only be one main line. With the tape it creates various options. It’s cool watching the riders in practice trying to figure it all out.
You’re totally right though, everyone should relax! 😉 Haha. A lot of work went in and all the riders seemed to enjoy the course. Overall I think it was a successful race!
I think the track looks really cool to ride but it’s not a proper worldcup tack. It’s not steep enough, to smooth and only the woods have line choice, single track is for enduro but not for downhill.
Have you been there? its steeper than it looks on camera, holes will form again in no time, the previous roughest areas are still rough, still more line choice than other tracks we've seen this year
@@MovingTargetOne yes I been there, the rocks are quite horrible and definitely demanding. But my definition of a worldcup track is steep, lots of line choice and natural like Val di Sole or this new 1899 track from Cankworks Whistler last weekend.
@McSchwabl - Not many DH Worldcup tracks fall into your DH Worldcup track category in that case I’m afraid to say! Haha. I kind of agree though, those are the courses that I prefer to ride and race myself but that type of terrain isn’t available everywhere you go. If the destinations weren’t spread across the world then it wouldn’t be a World Cup Series 🤷♂️
Well, I did cycle up and I didn’t take any risks on the way down. You’re right though, if and when uplift is available then it’s always worth having a full face just in case.
Great bike , rides smooth th-cam.com/users/postUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L I added a bigger spring loaded seat to it . Takes a bit of adjusting cables to get brakes and shifting to perfect . I've owned quite a few bikes in the past that were absolutely uncomfortable to ride and they always ended up as garage wall decor . I'm not seeing that with this one. It's pretty light I've only ridden it a few miles but I like it . As for the pedals falling off in the other reviews , the pedal arms are aluminum along with the pedal studs look to be also . I would not overtighten them. I can see it would be very easy to overtighten them and strip the threads right off . All in all I think it's pretty good quality besides the aluminum pedal thing .
Hi! What is the bike you are talking about with the red rims? Wheels are fairly easy to change so you can definitely customise your bike if you want to. Cheers!
@eph8334 - pretty handy for when the gondola isn’t running 😉 A lot of people only have an e-bike these days anyway so it certainly won’t be the last! Not sure it was the first either. Haha
@@jamesy_boy_shirley gives me a chill just thinkin about takin my enduro bike down it and its a wreck. Not been down it for a few years. No way my ebike will be near it. The track looks a bit safer though as in it appears that theres better braking zones. Seen a pov from a tourist the other day and cant believe the public are being channelled down that cobbled rock garden through the woods just a horrible bit never liked it
@@eph8334 Haha! Yeah, that section is real unpleasant but at least it’s super durable! Better that than letting them go down the natural woods section. Cheers!
Yeah seems a good way to ruin a prick of a track, what a shame, looks more manufactured than before, really disappointed wanted to see fort William , not bike park fort William, and even more disappointed it’s not the 5 mins it should be , gutted That’s not the track we all loved looks totally different , to be honest if you showed this without telling me it’s fort William I wouldn’t have known
What kind of message are you actually giving to the youngest posting a vid with a guy with not a fullface helmet and this bike?😂😂i have no words honestly..
I take it you don't like Chris kovarik! 😂 How much does this comment sum up how DH has changed! Protection was adding another 5psi to your tyres 15 years ago.
Literally never seen the track so smooth. Howie and Ronan have put in a hell of a shift. As have you and your boys. Look forward to catching up properly tomorrow through Saturday
Cheers Rory! Nice to see you on the hill 👊
Amazing course - well done to all who planned and worked on it.
🙌🙌🙌
It's been a lot of hard work but we've done good. And those lines through the forest are well worth all the headscratching and discussion. Nice ride Jamesy.
Cheers man!
Nearly 1 k subs; push guys, James deserves it.
Cheers man! We made it 🙌
That was fricking epic.
👊👊👊
I've gotta say, never seen the track looking so good. Kudos to all the crew for their hard work, it looks Semenuk Movie edit good.
just wow, what a job!
🙌🙌🙌
Perfect camera angle, great image quality, and most importantly nice riding!! Thanks for sharing video James 🙌
Except when the gimbal lags behind like 5 seconds after a corner....
Where have you watched it? Seems even mindcraft with 640p has a better solution.
@@sloops4398 watched it on my iPad and I could appreciate it,
@@dadlife8289 pros & cons when using a gimbal.. I personally don't mind a little lag now and then..
Thanks very much Michael! Glad you liked it 👊 Even if some others are harder to please 😉😅😂
Looks like the top of Mega Avalanche! You're super ready for this!!!! 🤩
🙌
Great video and great riding as always James👏👌👍
Cheers man!! Hope you’re doing well 👊
Track looks mint, good content James thanks for the upload!
Glad you liked it. Cheers!
You took on a very difficult task in being responsible for updating the Fort William DH. Looks to me as if you have done an amazing job in retaining some of the classic Fort Bill, but also updating the other area's. Well done Jamesy Boy, I hope you get the credit you deserve.
Well, thanks Alan, I was mostly in charge of things to do with the race. A whole load of other people can take credit for the majority of the track work/maintenance. They’ve done a great job
Wow some huge major changes. Well done to everyone involved. Excellent work.
Glad you appreciate it. Cheers! 👊
Never seen the track so smooth indeed but it still is one of the most demanding DH tracks of the world... And really on my bucket list!
👊👊👊 Get it ticked off!
wow, what an awesome track!
👊
That dry sunnier weather was green screen perfection
Got lucky with the weather! What a lovely evening - Couldn’t resist going for a little post work ride. Glad you liked it!
Looks a bit tame this year like.. ❤
Did you actually go and watch it?
@@jamesy_boy_shirley no mate not been for a few years now.. not a criticism just an observation.. looks sick still just not as bumpy 🤟
@@ArronCrofts_89 Haha, well, it’s true. A lot less bumpy in certain places!
Wow so many smoooth bits up top now!
Yeah, rides real nice in places and then you get to the old sections again and still get rattled to pieces 🤪 Haha
Amazing effort and the track looks wseet as but id question if you can get down it on a trail bike with an open face is ithardcore enough 🤷 still cant wait to see the racing and it looks so good 👊🤙
The track still has to be rideable for the slowest riders at World Champs. To go fast though, it’s still a big challenge! The top guys looked insane this year. Did you watch it?
@@jamesy_boy_shirley Yep. Loved it. Won by our local FOD hero Charlie too. Once worn in it certainly had more character and the fine British weather added another curve ball in too adding further complexity to the mix. Was a classic World Champs.
@@joebmtb109 Ahhh, good stuff. Glad you liked it!!
@@jamesy_boy_shirley pat yourself on the back. Half the reason I wasn't sure on the course was because of how easy you made it look 👊🤙👍
@@joebmtb109 Haha! Fair play. Thanks for that!
Good morning James. Nice work! ⛏️💪🙌
🙌🙌🙌
What a run fella, looks great!
Cheers dude! 👊
Nicely done on an enduro set up!!!
Cheers man! It’s a real capable bike.
Amazing!
Cheers!!! 🙌
Awesome, let’s hope the weather plays ball 🤞
Thankfully it held out almost till the end! 😅
Thanks! Nice work
Cheeeers! 🍻
Fort William is rough and insane just like it has been for years. Why make it so smooth.
Yeah seemed a good way to ruin a prick of a track, what a shame, looks more manufactured than before, really disappointed of , wanted to see fort William , not bike park fort William, and even more brassed off it’s not the 5 mins it should be , gutted
Have you boys ridden it yet? I suggest you go and find out for yourselves before deciding just how perfectly smooth it’s become… Let me know when you do. Enjoy!
Nicely done James 👏😃
👊🙂
Where is the Uphill? You need that for a XC Course!
I pedaled to the top. That felt pretty uphill to me! Haha. Was busy doing things all day and every day for many days before.
Cant wait to be there on Saturday for the Final!
Hope you enjoyed it!!
Was Great! @@jamesy_boy_shirley
that has become very smooth,, not sure it was the right thing to do to that track, see how the riders get on with it i suppose
Smooth... for now. It'll get blown out
Feedback was all good from what I heard! Did you watch the race?
@@jamesy_boy_shirley yes i did and to be fair the track cut up nice. Was a good race
I've never seen that track look so good! Top job! I really do hope the investment keeps coming into the track!
Do you have the trail builder job up there now James? I hope so!
I hope the trail builders there can keep up with maintenance etc! I was just there focusing on getting things ready for the race itself.
Freakin you styled it!
😎
Looks unreal!!! Cannot wait to get the Dh bike up there for myself 🤤
I assume you’ve ridden the life out of it by now!? What do you think?
@@jamesy_boy_shirley not yet unfortunately I've been riding Glencoe ahead of the bds next weekend. ill be up there immediately after that though! I'm very exited
@@supersandy8692 Ah ha, fair play! Good luck with the BDS 👊
Nice video and nice framing. (I have a long way to go to make videos like that.) I just wonder how many times I would have died coming down with my ebike from there..🤣
🤣🤣🤣 Hopefully not too many!! Hahaha ☠️ Thanks
Need a wind sock dude - but nice riding, considering its a trail bike
We put 3 wind socks out. Don’t worry 😉
@@jamesy_boy_shirley Ummmm. OK 🤣
Is this filmed with the current Gopro?
It was filmed with an Insta360 camera.
Hard to imagine anyone taking that first optional low line with how bad the exit corner appears to be. Love the wide taping but if it doesn’t provide an actual viable option, what’s the point?
Tv is the point that’s all, I’m crap but couldn’t ride the old one, this one , nah most everyone can ride that.
It’s a shit DH track if the video dude says I was on a XC bike and it was cool
Did you guys watch the race? Lots of different line choice and the track evolved pretty quickly. It was good. Get up there and try it for yourselves!
Too warm for elbow pads or chest protector?
Far too warm! 😅😂
This is a mellow track😂
Not anymore! Haha.
The Fort Willy Green Way
Haha!
Why doesn’t he move his feet? Left foot forward throughout the run.
Why would you alternate? All riders have a preference over which foot forward they choose to ride.
Not to sure about this update.
If someone can ride the track on a trail bike with open face. Not sure if that qualifies for a Downhill World Champs Course 🤦♂️
I wouldn’t choose to race on a trail bike that’s for sure. You have to remember that actually the level of riders at the champs is on average slightly lower than that of a normal World Cup round since every country gets a rider - it made for a really good race. Did you watch it?
i should get an electric enduro.....
Definitely! I think they’re amazing. I pedalled up after work in no time at all.
OK doubt Greg Minnaar will win here the eighth time, you guys have taken the old girl and given her a manicure - Where is the rugged, brutal Fort William we all know and love. And I thought Scotsman were always Real Men!
Don’t worry yourself - it all roughed up pretty quickly!
Is it me or are the downhill tracks being tamed!!! Don't think pro riders will need a DH bike after watching you go down on trail/enduro bike!! Brendan fairclough did make a comment a while ago saying the DH tracks are being made easier than they were years ago! Great work and effort gone into it but the gnarly and rutted parts are missing!
Its still pretty rough in places, and i'm sure holes will accumulate over the weekend. Also don't underestimate an enduro bike, I've ridden a capra at fort william in its rougher forms and its been fine
hardly being tamed when you consider the higher speeds that riders are going. Bernard Kerr said on the RC podcast that being more gnarly isnt necessarily a good thing as it increases the risks to riders. Theres already been 3 broken necks this season alone, and lots of other injuries. Besides, by the time the riders have been down it a few hundred times the old ruts will start to appear again
It'll be absolutely ruined and rough as hell by Saturday, don't worry!
All tracks need maintenance from time to time! Sure it’ll be super fast for the worlds, but it’ll degrade with time 👍
@scottmtb122 - As MTB grows and more people ride then more maintenance needs to take place. All tracks need worked on and the trend these days is generally for more flow etc so you’re kind of half right but new ruts will form soon enough… Don’t you worry!
Tape in the middle of the track shutting down line combos. Wtf UCI 🤦♂️ Props to the builders for all the work though! Everyone should relax. This track will work well once riders are on it.
The tape is there for a reason. Without it there would only be one main line. With the tape it creates various options. It’s cool watching the riders in practice trying to figure it all out.
You’re totally right though, everyone should relax! 😉 Haha. A lot of work went in and all the riders seemed to enjoy the course. Overall I think it was a successful race!
Maybe a track Jackson cant win on?
Turns out you were right!
I think the track looks really cool to ride but it’s not a proper worldcup tack. It’s not steep enough, to smooth and only the woods have line choice, single track is for enduro but not for downhill.
Have you been there? its steeper than it looks on camera, holes will form again in no time, the previous roughest areas are still rough, still more line choice than other tracks we've seen this year
@@MovingTargetOne yes I been there, the rocks are quite horrible and definitely demanding. But my definition of a worldcup track is steep, lots of line choice and natural like Val di Sole or this new 1899 track from Cankworks Whistler last weekend.
@McSchwabl - Not many DH Worldcup tracks fall into your DH Worldcup track category in that case I’m afraid to say! Haha. I kind of agree though, those are the courses that I prefer to ride and race myself but that type of terrain isn’t available everywhere you go. If the destinations weren’t spread across the world then it wouldn’t be a World Cup Series 🤷♂️
With a half shell helmet not too smart
Well, I did cycle up and I didn’t take any risks on the way down. You’re right though, if and when uplift is available then it’s always worth having a full face just in case.
Great bike , rides smooth th-cam.com/users/postUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L I added a bigger spring loaded seat to it . Takes a bit of adjusting cables to get brakes and shifting to perfect . I've owned quite a few bikes in the past that were absolutely uncomfortable to ride and they always ended up as garage wall decor . I'm not seeing that with this one. It's pretty light I've only ridden it a few miles but I like it . As for the pedals falling off in the other reviews , the pedal arms are aluminum along with the pedal studs look to be also . I would not overtighten them. I can see it would be very easy to overtighten them and strip the threads right off . All in all I think it's pretty good quality besides the aluminum pedal thing .
Hi! What is the bike you are talking about with the red rims? Wheels are fairly easy to change so you can definitely customise your bike if you want to. Cheers!
So another cross country track
Far from it! The speeds are insane
First and last time an ebike goes down there 😂
Got the same bike and I'll be shredding with the best...wont be long till dual crown fork are relegated to the once was bin🤘
@eph8334 - pretty handy for when the gondola isn’t running 😉 A lot of people only have an e-bike these days anyway so it certainly won’t be the last! Not sure it was the first either. Haha
@@jamesy_boy_shirley gives me a chill just thinkin about takin my enduro bike down it and its a wreck. Not been down it for a few years. No way my ebike will be near it. The track looks a bit safer though as in it appears that theres better braking zones. Seen a pov from a tourist the other day and cant believe the public are being channelled down that cobbled rock garden through the woods just a horrible bit never liked it
@@eph8334 Haha! Yeah, that section is real unpleasant but at least it’s super durable! Better that than letting them go down the natural woods section. Cheers!
So this is one of those ride point to prove ebike riders. DH with single crown open face helmet and no body armour yep gotcha why not go hardtail 😂
Haha, hardtails are good fun too! When you have to pedal to the top then I’d not be choosing a DH bike that’s for sure 😉
Yeah seems a good way to ruin a prick of a track, what a shame, looks more manufactured than before, really disappointed wanted to see fort William , not bike park fort William, and even more disappointed it’s not the 5 mins it should be , gutted
That’s not the track we all loved looks totally different , to be honest if you showed this without telling me it’s fort William I wouldn’t have known
Go and try it for yourself. Let us know how you get on!
What kind of message are you actually giving to the youngest posting a vid with a guy with not a fullface helmet and this bike?😂😂i have no words honestly..
I take it you don't like Chris kovarik! 😂 How much does this comment sum up how DH has changed! Protection was adding another 5psi to your tyres 15 years ago.
Possibly true but when the gondola is shut then I wouldn’t want to pedal a DH bike up whilst wearing a full face helmet! 🥵