Paddy's Run (formerly A-Trail)
Sidewinder & Direct Rd (to Hot X Buns)
Te Tihi-O-Tawa and onto Billy T
Access to No Brains from Kung Fu Walrus Ext
Access to Pondy New via Sandy Skid Rd from Yellow Brick Rd
Access to Shuttle via Hill Rd (from 8 Mile Gate to Shuttle Pickup)
Access to Te Tihi-O-Tawa and Tuhoto Ariki
Access to Tokorangi via Katore Rd (climb from Nursery Rd to Tokorangi)
Return from EvS via Hill Rd (from EvS to Corners)
Return from EvS via Redtank Rd / Pipeline Rd (from EvS to Direct Rd)
Bantry Bay (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Bruce Ridge (Canberra)
Bungarra Alpine Centre (Snowy Mountains)
Currumbin Border Track (NSW/QLD Border)
Daisy Hill (South Brisbane)
East Kowen (Kowen Pine Forest, Canberra)
Forest Pipeline (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Fred Caterson Reserve (Castle Hill)
Golden Jubilee Field MTB Park (North Shore, Sydney)
Hassans Walls (Lithgow)
Hinze Dam (Gold Coast)
Jackson (Jackson)
Jindabyne (Snowy Mountains)
Kiwarrak State Forest (Tarree)
Majura Pines (Majura, Canberra)
Manly Dam (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Mt Joyce (Gold Coast Hinterland)
Mt Kosciuszko (Snowy Mountains)
Nerang State Forest (Gold Coast)
Newnes (Lithgow)
Old Man's Valley (Hornsby, Sydney)
Ourimbah (Central Coast)
Oxford Falls (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Pilot Wilderness (Snowy Mountains)
Red Hill (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Rotorua Redwoods (New Zealand)
Silver Mountain (Kellogg)
Singleton (Hunter Valley)
Sparrow Hill (Kowen Pine Forest, Canberra)
St Ives and Belrose (North Shore, Sydney)
Stromlo Forest Park (Canberra)
Terrey Hills (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
The Oaks (Blue Mountains)
Thredbo Resort (Snowy Mountains)
Thredbo Valley Trail (Snowy Mountains)
Whistler Bike Park (Whistler)
Wingello (Southern Highlands)
Wylde MTB Trail (Cecil Park - Western Sydney)
Hot X Buns (2.40km)
Rotorua RedwoodsLast Update: 30/12/2014
Some trail names are made up, if there is a different name please let us know.
Difficulty - Intermediate - Advanced - A & B Lines
Slope - Undulating - Steep
Space - Tight - Extreme Caution
Surface - Dirt - Heavy leaf and branch litter - Roots - Rutted
Trail type - Single track
Notes:
The biggest problem with Hot X Buns is not the roots, nor the ruts, nor the shoots, nor the steeps, nor the drops, the biggest problem with Hot X Buns is that it takes so much energy to get to the top that you have nothing left to deal with the terror that awaits you on the trail. (Tips on how to get to Hot X Buns below).
Hot X Buns begins at the top of Direct Road however it doesn’t descend immediately, the full trail climbs up to the top of the hill. There is a short cut that runs around the hill and connects up with the main trail at the beginning of the descent. The climb is not highly trafficked, has a heavy cover of pine needles and in my opinion isn’t very rewarding. In future I will take the short cut.
Hot X Buns is the most Enduro trail I’ve ever ridden. While the technical descents I will describe shortly are amazing the punchy and often rooty climbs sap any remaining energy making the whole bottom-to-top-to-bottom experience of Hot X Buns EXHAUSTING.
With regards to the descents it was the most challenging ride I did on this particular trip. By far and away the toughest trail I’ve ridden in the forest (tougher than Corridor and required far greater bike control than Billy T).
The descents are generally pretty steep, actually some are VERY steep and at the time of riding the trail was damp making extra nervous about grip, but that was insignificant compared to the challenge of riding the enormous volume of slippery roots. Roots mean drops/steps and as you can see in the video there are plenty of them, often on corners or in areas where you desperately want to control your speed.
As mentioned, this trail was the most difficult I rode, being early in the trip it spooked me a little (not to mention the squeaking headset that was doing my head in) so I probably didn’t ride it as aggressively as I should have.
The effort required to get up there and how petrified I was descending meant I didn’t ride it again, which in hindsight I regret. It’s a trail I’m looking forward to riding with greater confidence.
Getting there:
From Eagle vs Shark
- Preferred – Hill Rd then Direct Road
- Insane – Hill Rd, Lentil Link, Sidewinder, Direct Rd
- Pretty – Redtank Rd / Pipeline Rd to the end of Hot X Buns then Direct Rd
From the Shuttle Zone
- Ride Huckleberry Hound or halfway down Corners to Hill Rd, turn right then left onto Direct Rd
From elsewhere
- Get to the intersection of Pipeline Rd, Red Tank Rd, Direct Rd. Then ride or walk up Direct Road. I’ve not done it but I’m told by fit guys that it’s torture.