[Manimal]

I am going to be in Nashville for a week next week and was wondering since Im bringing my bike what would be the best trail to hit up within an hours drive of the city. I have heard of Lock 4 but was looking for either confirmation or a better suggestion.

 

[macj]

Lock4 is a good trail

It is a non-technical, fast flowing trail with few climbs. It is north of Nashville in Gallatin, TN. If you like technical and rocky trails, check out Hamilton Creek in east Nashville. Go to http://nashvillemountainbike.com for directions and more details.

 

[evanssd1]

One of the best trail systems in the southeast and Nashville is located at Montgomery Bell State Park - ride GREEN and YELLOW. Ride some more if you still have enough energy!

http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/MontgomeryBell/pdf/biketrailmap.pdf

This is more XC than anything - if you want all mountain-ish hit Hamilton Creek.

HC holds water and takes forever to dry out after a rain - Montgomery Bell, on the other hand, dries very quikly.

 

[Asahi]

Having Ridden Lock 4, Chickasaw Trace, Montgomery Bell and Hamilton Creek in the Nashville area I would go to Lock 4 first, Chickasaw second, Hamilton Creek 3rd (Move to first if it's been dry and you like boulders, drops and technical) and Montgomery Bell last.

 

[evanssd1]

"Montgomery Bell last"

Asahi - are you serious? Have you been on the yellow trail at MB recently? The flow, the quick spiraling downhill burmed sections, and the challenge of MB makes Lock 4 just look like what it is - a boring, almost flat trail. Plus, you get the flowing downhill-(ish) green trail at MB. How does this even compare? L4 is easy, fast, unexciting.

Granted - I have never been on Chickasaw Trace. Hamilton Creek is a very exciting challenging technical trail (rocks, drops, and brutal the entire way around). But still. MB is the best made trail IMO.

I know who you are and I really respect your opinion. Just surprised at your ordering of the trails. Can you please elaborate? I am interested in your reasoning!

 

[Asahi]

I've ridden Montgomery Bell twice and won't be going back. A lot of the yellow trail layout is built on fall line and has poor transitions into the climbs that compress the rider and the bike in addition to causing erosion. I'd say Red and White are OK but Lock 4 if ridden at speed flows much better and is a ton of fun. I'd say Chickasaw is faster than Lock 4 with less rocks so I'd say you should try it but I'm not sure what you will think of it.

I thought the Blue and Yellow trail at MB lacked flow and followed very few of the IMBA trail building techniques for sustainability. You'll get a load of bull from some of the builders that Monty Bell has this and that type soil but that isn't an excuse for going outside building paraeters unless you are on rock; erosion will happen.

Just my opinions ad if I lived 10-15 mnutes from the trail I'm sure I'd ride it as a last resort but coming from the couth it's the farthest away from em and my least enjoyable ride of th 4.

 

[shivers]

I'd agree with Asahi's rankings of the local trails. The trail closest to me is MB and I typically ride elsewhere. A lot of mileage has been built and compressed into a small area of land. There's so many switchbacks and turns onto itself that the trails really aren't that much fun IMO. No matter how many times I go back and ride there, my opinion hasn't changed. But that's what it is ... an opinion. Ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different answers.

 

[evanssd1]

Ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different answers

You must be right! I freaking LOVE the switchbacks - ecspecially going downhill. I heard that a bunch of work had recently gone into the yellow section. I didn't see any erosion and I though the flow was incedible through the entire section. Crazy. ( i don't know diddly about IMBA standards but I thought they followed these standards on this trail)

I live on the east side of Nashville so MB is a haul for me. Lock4 is a very nice trail, has a bunch of low sections that stay muddy this season, but I am not knocking it.

I need to try out Chickasaw one day - they say it stays muddy and wet this time of year also. Its a long car ride away.

 

[Asahi]

I'd bet Chickasaw is messy this time of year as well. Want to drive a ways, check out Raccoon Mountain and Booker T in Chattanooga. Both stay pretty dry and handle rain well.

 

[Guest]

Hammi

another vote for Hamilton Creek.

10 miles of Rooty Rocky Goodness. :thumbsup:

Centrally located (freaky close to a mall & airport even)
It will be sloppy in spots after all this rain, but...
after 10 years of biking there...the sloppy parts are still sloppy.
The worst erosion (and most litter) is next to a housing development.

There was a broken teeter totter near the entrance to the trail,
if you have a good lawyer, I'd try that 1st

Bike Shops

3 bike shops are located on West End Ave (neatly clustered close together)

Bike Pedlar
Cumberland Transit (hiking gear too)
Nashville Bike Co

 

[1-track-mind]

How does Franklin State Forest near Monteagle rank among these trails ?
I thought it was great, but haven't ridden any of the other trails mentioned.

 

[Asahi]

Franklin State Forest is different. It's more remote and less groomed than most of these. It has some hike-a-bike that would be like Hamilton Creek but Hamilton Creek is mostly rideable where FSF has sections that just aren't. FSF is also an out and back but otherwise I'd say it's most like the more spread out hilly part of Chickasaw trace.

 

[bikebrainmaniac]

A lot of mileage has been built and compressed into a small area of land. There's so many switchbacks and turns onto itself that the trails really aren't that much fun IMO. No matter how many times I go back and ride there, my opinion hasn't changed.

I agree!! They've gone out of their way to put too much mileage into a small area. I know what they where trying to do, and I appreciate the effort, but IMO it would be more fun stretched out a little bit more, with less mileage.

For mid TN. HC!!!

 

[Manimal]

Thanks everyone I actually called a few of the bike shops in Nashville also and they recommended Mont. Bell due to the rain you had been having. I agree with Asahi about the compression of the rider and bike on the trail. Some of the transitions from downhill to climb were not clean and seemed to suck out all your speed. It was still a very nice trail and I hope to do the rest of the trails you guys recommended. Thanks again.