Conveyor uplift?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I appreciate that this is probably aimed at the winter market but apparently, bikes will also be able to use the new conveyor uplift in the Cairngorms.

[Bearlegged]

Nice. Looks about wide enough to set out a picnic.

[Lazarus]

Trails not built yet and going to be aimed at families and intermediate. It's a great idea for wider participation but won't be travelling there for this personally

[sean_iow]

I saw that and had to check the date in case it was an April fools?

Given the likely complexity of the mechanism and the sensitivity to debris getting in (and the engineering success of previous uplift infrastructure in Scotland) isn't that just going to break down all the time?

I assume there's only a very small gap between the moving surface and the surrounding edge? Otherwise there would be a hazard if people fall and get their fingers trapped?

To be fair I've never designed one, but if a client came to us and wanted one I think I'd be trying to talk them into something more conventional.

Are there any others in the world? I've never heard of an outdoor conveyor for people before.

Edit, a bit of googling says it's 2 tracks 100m long, so just about all of it is in that picture?

[Lazarus]

I assumed the 100 m was vertical gain
If its just 100 m what is the point? Its like 60 seconds walking and certainly faster to ride up

You also forgot to factor in its primarily for skiing so you can add frozen water to the list of problems

[benp1]

It’s a very common thing for winter use. Known as a magic carpet

[TheBrownDog]

Yeah you see them on the kiddie slopes at ski resorts. As Sean says though, it'll suffer from grit grinding its gears. But something in me goes, like, yeah, I like it. I won't be charging up to use it but if given the opportunity I'd probably pedal up it, like walking along the travelator at an airport.

[touch]

There's one at the Lecht which has been there a few years. Only open for skiers and snowboarders but is great for the beginner slopes. Working a tow is one of the more difficult parts of learning to snowboard and if you can't do that you don't get much chance to learn anything else so the magic carpet is great.

[benp1]

What happens if you try to ride down it? Presumably at the right speed it would be like like cycling on a treadmill? Even better if gravity would keep you at the right speed

[fatbikephil]

They are very slow....
Be interested to see what sort of job they make of the bike trail. The last time Cairngorm mountain tried to run uplift and descents they used the train and sent groups of hapless people down the ski access track - steep, loose and with lots of sharp bends. Apparently they managed to break quite a few people...

[In Reverse]

What happens if you try to ride down it? Presumably at the right speed it would be like like cycling on a treadmill? Even better if gravity would keep you at the right speed

What happens if a plane tries to take off on a treadmill?

[whitestone]

What happens if you try to ride down it? Presumably at the right speed it would be like like cycling on a treadmill? Even better if gravity would keep you at the right speed

What happens if a plane tries to take off on a treadmill?

Don't you start!

[Jurassic]

As usual Cairngorm are behind the curve (in diversifying into mountain biking)
and just as is the case with their winter infrastructure this development sounds like it should be a resounding flop.
Honestly, I wonder how they're still operating at all.
They seem to make a point of not listening to the opinions of their core winter market and this sounds equally misguided. They may as well have just built a pump track next to the car park instead (or build it down at Glenmore to keep people off the hill at all).
I'm not a fan as you may have guessed.

[In Reverse]

I would absolutely travel there if they had a conveyor pump track.