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Building a DH trail, need toughts...

BKQuill

BKQuill

Turbo Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
1,016
0
Rangers Lead the Way
Hey guys,

My father in law has a few acres of property and has been gracious enough to let me use some to build a mini trail on. He even got me a bobcat for the weekend.

First let me say that there isn't much of an elevation, and it's pretty mellow. I already have a 20' gap jump over a dried creek bed, a couple small drops, a gnarly Sea Otter rockgarden. It's only take about 45 seconds to a minute to complete. But it's nice to be able to roll out of the garage and get a few practice runs.

Anyway, I'm going to build a couple jumps tomorrow and had a couple questions for the experts. Should I just pile dirt where I want them, or should I build "backstops" and sides to contain the dirt better?

Since it's on his property, I was thinking that the "boxes" would look a little neater and it would be easy to build and I wouldn't have to cut trees down. The lumber company took care of that. The negative side to this is that all the treated limber will run about $300 for 2 launch ramps and 2 landers.

One more question, I'm not building "DJ's" as I'm going to be using the DH, so I know that I don't want peaky, lippy jumps so do I make the take-offs "wheelchair ramp" style?

Any thoughts guys.
 
UncleSixPack

UncleSixPack

Chimp
Apr 25, 2009
7
0
Pennsylvania
BKQuill said:
One more question, I'm not building "DJ's" as I'm going to be using the DH, so I know that I don't want peaky, lippy jumps so do I make the take-offs "wheelchair ramp" style?

Any thoughts guys.
Click to expand...
I would put a little radius in there. Keep the take-off curved like a dirt jump, but make it longer (horizontally) so the transition is more gradual. It takes a lot more dirt to make a nice, long take-off, but I think it is worth it.
 
T

[Tha]Shovla

Monkey
Aug 28, 2007
119
0
Somewhere over the rainbow
Shipping palates work great as a back stop, and sides of the box can be anything from trees to deadfall. It doesnt have to be a super airtight seal like you might think and if you build it in layers you actually use rocks and what not to fill in the gaps on the sides as you go. Im a big advocate of using the box method and have used everything from stacked deadfall to landscaping beams to shipping palates. it all depends on where along the trail the jump is and how far i have to haul material. a lot of corporate hotels or big operations will give palates to you for free cause they just trash them anyway.

In the long run a box jump will require less maintenance and be more sustainable as well as looking good. they take more time and construction but the advantages are huge.

A DH jump should be at least 1.5 bike lengths for take off IMO especially if your hitting them at good speed and they are around 3.5+ feet from ground to lip. it doesnt take much lip for pop when you are haulin a$$. I usually make the last 1/3 of the jump the lip and just use a rake to put a gradual lip. start with a little lip and hit it and then adjust accordingly. everyone has preference so just build to your liking,

Hope i helped.
 
Bikael Molton

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,022
1,154
El Lay
good info here

[Tha]Shovla;3213767 said:
Shipping palates work great as a back stop, and sides of the box can be anything from trees to deadfall. It doesnt have to be a super airtight seal like you might think and if you build it in layers you actually use rocks and what not to fill in the gaps on the sides as you go. Im a big advocate of using the box method and have used everything from stacked deadfall to landscaping beams to shipping palates. it all depends on where along the trail the jump is and how far i have to haul material. a lot of corporate hotels or big operations will give palates to you for free cause they just trash them anyway.

In the long run a box jump will require less maintenance and be more sustainable as well as looking good. they take more time and construction but the advantages are huge.

A DH jump should be at least 1.5 bike lengths for take off IMO especially if your hitting them at good speed and they are around 3.5+ feet from ground to lip. it doesnt take much lip for pop when you are haulin a$$. I usually make the last 1/3 of the jump the lip and just use a rake to put a gradual lip. start with a little lip and hit it and then adjust accordingly. everyone has preference so just build to your liking,

Hope i helped.
Click to expand...
 
Percy

Percy

Monkey
May 2, 2005
426
0
Christchurch NZ
[Tha]Shovla;3213767 said:
Shipping palates work great as a back stop, and sides of the box can be anything from trees to deadfall. It doesnt have to be a super airtight seal like you might think and if you build it in layers you actually use rocks and what not to fill in the gaps on the sides as you go. Im a big advocate of using the box method and have used everything from stacked deadfall to landscaping beams to shipping palates. it all depends on where along the trail the jump is and how far i have to haul material. a lot of corporate hotels or big operations will give palates to you for free cause they just trash them anyway.

In the long run a box jump will require less maintenance and be more sustainable as well as looking good. they take more time and construction but the advantages are huge.

A DH jump should be at least 1.5 bike lengths for take off IMO especially if your hitting them at good speed and they are around 3.5+ feet from ground to lip. it doesnt take much lip for pop when you are haulin a$$. I usually make the last 1/3 of the jump the lip and just use a rake to put a gradual lip. start with a little lip and hit it and then adjust accordingly. everyone has preference so just build to your liking,

Hope i helped.
Click to expand...
Yep, thats all good information there!:banana:
 
teamkranzelbike

teamkranzelbike

Monkey
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
I have a small practice course that I built last year. It also is short, about a min to finish. I was also working with little elevation and a lack of rock. The good thing is the ground is mostly clay, so jumps and berms were easy to construct. Howeverm, if it rains it takes 3 days to dry out to where it is rideable. Any way, Since the course is so short I tried to make it a little more technical. I put all my obsticales in odd spots. Most of my jumps are before turns. one of my fastest and only straights is really way off camber and insted of benching it out I left it that way. I have a couple of tight "s" turns and two jumps tht are in the middle of a couple turns. I have a 10 foot road gap with a jump right after the landing and a flat no berm "s" turn right after that. Since ithe course is so short I tried to make it all about timing and speed. The faster you go the more difficult things get. I feel it was the best use of my limited options. But just my $.02.
 
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