UKC

Hello

I recently went to redpoint Worcester on a weekend there were only a few people climbing and I asked to use the autobelay

 I was told it was their  policy not to open them on a weekend.

It wasn’t busy, there were plenty of lines for others to climb. Worcester is expensive enough as it is with out stopping you using  the facilities.

has anyone else had a problem here or elsewhere?

In reply to goodboy:

I've been to the Worcester wall quite a few times, and yes, the two autobelays are unavailable at the weekends. I assume they keep them retracted due to the potential for it getting busy. I didn't really find it to be a problem as I'd go bouldering instead.

In reply to mik82: yea I had enough of bouldering and just wanted to train some laps.

I will just have to go somewhere else or train accordingly to the people who run the wall. Cheers

 

In reply to goodboy:

I use them constantly so they probably deserve a rest

Al

In reply to GridNorth:

Yea all that upping and down can’t be good for them ????

In reply to goodboy:

interestingly they don't have a counter built in to record how often they get used. But they are supposed to be visually inspected once a week and serviced every 6months.

In reply to Jon Greengrass:

I don't know any that do.

 

In reply to Oceanrower: that would be quite good to have a counter that you could reset yourself, I always loose count / think I’ve done my goal.

I think one wall had a chalk board to record what you’d done.

they excellent training devices when you have no belayer.

warwick bear rock has recently installed some but I heard it’s such a faff to use them.

 

In reply to goodboy:

Had the same issues, It's a shame that they have invested in such facilities but I cannot use them at weekends. They have explained to me there reasons, so I guess I will go elsewhere when I want to climb without a belayer at hand on a Saturday or Sunday.

In reply to domsparkes: it would be nice to just ask someone to hold your rope but it doesn’t feel right to intrude on someone else’s climbing.

And if you want to just do 10 laps then it would be unfair to ask.

 

In reply to goodboy:

I often turn up knowing I have no partner, I either boulder or ask around. Note there is a Facebook group for finding a partner in advance if you know you're alone. I have no problem someone asking me, they did the other Sunday (you??); I was shot having had a moonboard session.

In reply to cwarby: yea maybe I should ???? no it wasn’t me who asked maybe next time cheers.

 

In reply to goodboy:

Bit daft of me not to put in link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1552533675055125/

Maybe see you there.

Chris

In reply to goodboy:

ok, I'm intrigued. Why would a wall not want you to use their autobelays just because it's a weekend?  I'm really struggling to see the logic here-clearly something related to how busy the wall is likely to be, but I see no reason why the autobelay can't remain in use if people want to use it  

Can anyone shed any light?

 

In reply to Jon Greengrass:

I'm sure it varies from manufacture to manufacture, but the ubiquitous True Blue is an annual service. The 6 monthly is just a slightly more rigorous visual inspection.

 

In reply to Otis: they stated on web page that at extremely busy times & at weekends the auto belays are not in use .

I can understand at redpoint Birmingham when they close their auto belays as its a smaller wall & the one in corner would block off probably 3 lines.

how busy is busy enough to close it at Worcester?

I’ve had to wait my turn to get on normal routes at bear rock and years ago at the rock face, and I’ve had to wait my turn at creation to use the auto belay.

These days with the amount of walls in competition it seems crazy to restrict what you can use.

 

 

In reply to cwarby: cheers I will bear that in mind.

I climbed at a wall where they had a chalk board for you to put your name down if you needed at belay buddy for the evening .

 

In reply to goodboy:

Perhaps it could be the location of the autos that causes the problem then? (If so, why put them there?!?)  

Making some grand assumptions on how long it takes to climb a route:

Lead: (tie in, set belayer, climb, clip draws, clip lower off, untie and strip rope) = 5 mins?

Top rope: (tie in, set belayer, climb, lower, untie) = 3.5 mins?

autobelay: (clip in, climb, lower, unclip) = 2 mins

Based on the above, surely autobelays make the most efficient use of a wall if you're purely interested in having lots of routes available to your customers?

I'll confess to still being baffled by the logic of this particular wall!

mike. 

In reply to Otis:

They aren't interested in the most efficient use of the wall they want to make money, a conventional line requires 2 paying customers, climber and a belayer the autobelay line only requires the climber. 

In reply to goodboy:

I went there last Saturday morning intending to mix up a bit of auto belay with bouldering and there was probably 2 or 3 other people in the wall at the time. We were outnumbered by the staff, then I was told I cannot use the auto belays at weekends. 

  I discussed this with the staff and was told it was there policy and it is linked in with health and safety, and inductions. I admit I didn't understand the logic and it was frustrating.

  Redpoint Birmingham still operates one of there auto belays at weekends which I have used on many occasions when on my own, and creation has both of theirs working at weekends. 

  2 other climbers came in a bit later but I didn't feel inclined to ask them as clearly they were climbing as a pair.

  lesson learned here is when on your own go somewhere else at weekends unless you want to boulder only. Doesn't sound good business?

  

In reply to goodboy:

There are two, not too far away, at Green Spider Climbing...

In reply to goodboy:

This is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard, makes zero business sense and will only alienate customers... knobs!