Trail Grades

These are a general indication of difficulty – there are easier and trickier options available within each grade.

The grades explained:

Green grade – easy trails

Green grade trails are suitable for: beginners or novice cyclists.

Bike required: most bikes and mountain bike hybrids are suitable.

Skills needed: basic bike skills are required for this grade.

Trail and surface types: these will be relatively flat and wide. Trail surface might be loose, uneven or muddy at times. Might include short flowing singletrack-style sections. Some green routes can take trailers.

Gradients and technical trail features: climbs and descents are mostly shallow. No challenging features.

Suggested fitness level: suitable for most people in good health.

Blue grade – intermediate trails

Blue grade trails are suitable for: intermediate cyclists or mountain bikers with basic off-road riding skills.

Bike required: basic mountain bike or mountain bike hybrid.

Skills needed: basic off-road riding skills to cope with uneven surfaces and small obstacles.

Trail and surface types: as for ‘green’, plus specially constructed singletrack trails. Trail surface might include small obstacles of root and rock.

Gradients and technical trail features: most gradients are moderate but might include short steep sections. Includes small technical trail features (such as roots and rock).

Suggested fitness level: a good standard of fitness can help.

Red grade – difficult trails

Red grade trails are suitable for: proficient mountain bikers with good off-roading skills.

Bike required: quality off-road mountain bikes.

Skills needed: good off-roading skills and techniques to cope with technical trail features.

Trail and surface types: steeper and tougher, mostly singletrack with technical sections. Expect very variable surface types.

Gradients or technical trail features: a wide range of climbs and descents of a challenging nature will be present. Expect boardwalks, berms, large rocks, medium steps, drop-offs, cambers and water crossings.

Suggested fitness level: a higher level of fitness and stamina is required.

Black grade – severe trails

Black grade trails are suitable for: expert mountain bike users, used to physically demanding routes.

Bike required: a good quality off-road mountain bike is needed.

Skills needed: advanced level off-roading skills and technical ability.

Trail and surface types: as for ‘red’, but with an expectation of greater challenge and continuous difficulty. Can include any useable trail and might include exposed open hill sections.

Gradients or technical trail features: expect large, committing and unavoidable technical trail features. Sections will be challenging and variable. Might also have ‘downhill’ style sections.

Suggested fitness level: suitable for very active people used to prolonged effort.

Orange – extreme: downhill (DH) trails, dirt jumps and freeride areas

Bike parks are suitable for: riders aspiring to an elite 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 or risk. Jumping ability obligatory.

Gradients or technical trail features: will include a range of small, medium and large technical trail features, including downhill trails, freeride sections and mandatory jumps.

Suggested fitness level: a good standard of fitness is recommended but technical skills are more important.

Mountain biking is a potentially hazardous activity carrying a significant risk. It should only be undertaken with a full understanding of all inherent risks. These guidelines must always be used in conjunction with the exercise of your own experience, intuition and careful judgment.