If you had the chance to create a bike park, what would you do? This is not limited to DH/FR. Looking for some ideas for the progression of bike parks and what the future might hold.
Clearly, you have not been to Whistler.Im yet to see a bikepark that has flowy fr trails for smaller bikes (bottlerocket type) and at the same type WC worthy wide, steep, fast technical trails as well as slope/dirt parks that are quality. Diversify. Usually it has one or the other (well there are parks with dh and fr but ussualy they usualy put more effort in the one and the other suffers). That way I can go to ride with my fr and dj friends and not be bored (or make them bored).
See why I used word usually? Also not - I have not been but still there are not many places that offer the complete package. Leogang tries but I hate the fact how not maintained the trails are, winterberg is cool but the mountain limits them. Maybe something in Switzerland I dont know about. Maybe Hajfell.Clearly, you have not been to Whistler.
Hire buckoW!If you had the chance to create a bike park, what would you do?
Amen!Unlimited free beer!
That, and the well-endowed chick who used to give $1/minute neck and back massages at The Longhorn patio in Whistler.Unlimited free beer!
Okay I change my answerThat, and the well-endowed chick who used to give $1/minute neck and back massages at The Longhorn patio in Whistler.
is she the one who raced Pro but was really a dude?That, and the well-endowed chick who used to give $1/minute neck and back massages at The Longhorn patio in Whistler.
I agree, mostly. Highland does some great things with their trails, but they stretch them to the breaking point. Lots of the trails have so many switchbacks that it chokes any amount of speed you have....but if they went straighter down the hill, the runs would be extremely short. They're right on the edge of being too loopy to be good. For a great example, see the center of fancy feast or the very bottom of maiden...Highland. They don't have the elevation for a WC level course, but they do everything else extremely well.
I would look toward what they're doing.
Umm, no.is she the one who raced Pro but was really a dude?
Highland. They don't have the elevation for a WC level course, but they do everything else extremely well.
I would look toward what they're doing.
Ya son, HOLLA AT YOUR BOYHighland. They don't have the elevation for a WC level course, but they do everything else extremely well.
I would look toward what they're doing.
A+ on that photo, I like how it is perfectly centered!Umm, no.
(She also worked nights at Moe Joe's).
if you're talking about trail diversity diablo>highland. But I will say it's pretty rough riding a shorter travel bike all day at diablo vs highland.. But I'd say Whistler takes the cake, hard to top what Whistler can offer.. I think of Highland as a mini-whistler(very nice facilities, dirt jumps, new indoor facility much like air-dome in whistler), I just wish the mtn was bigger.agreed.. imo highland> diablo
Because they hire guys like adam billinghurst to build trails.Thanks for the feedback. I think we all know that whistler is great but why specifically.
While it's a neat idea, I can't see anybody paying to ride XC trails outside of state park entrance fees....even then I specifically try and find parks that don't charge for entrance.Thanks for the feedback. I think we all know that whistler is great but why specifically. I agree with diversity being key. My idea of a bike park would include DH, FR, AM, XC, DJ and DS on the mt. bike side and also include bmx djs and a bmx tracks. As well as different skills areas for each discipline. I think incorporating bmx with mtb would allow for more people to be introduced to mtb bike parks. A motocross and pit bike track wouldn't hurt either.
What services should this park include? For example Well-endowed massage therapists. Unlimited beer. Strip club. Camping, showers.......
And what about the future of bike parks?
Is something new brewing for central PA?Thanks for the feedback...
Thanks for the feedback. I think we all know that whistler is great but why specifically. I agree with diversity being key. My idea of a bike park would include DH, FR, AM, XC, DJ and DS on the mt. bike side and also include bmx djs and a bmx tracks. As well as different skills areas for each discipline. I think incorporating bmx with mtb would allow for more people to be introduced to mtb bike parks. A motocross and pit bike track wouldn't hurt either.
What services should this park include? For example Well-endowed massage therapists. Unlimited beer. Strip club. Camping, showers.......
And what about the future of bike parks?
Agreed... there was a great article a while back in (I think) BIKE mag about how extensive/fun the lesser known lesser traveled DH trails are there and can be....I think it was a Tour of Whistler on shorter travel 6"+ bikes type article... written by two riders and I think maybe Lopes was one of the authors...I think one thing that is cool about Whistler is the different style of trails and different difficulty levels. I don't like some of the trails there, but some people love those ones. Some that I like others don't care for. Your not stuck riding a certain style of trails. My biggest complant about Whistler is how rough A-line is. I think the trail could be build in such a way that the corners help regulate your speed better thus less braking. I went to Silverstar a few years a go and there A-Line trail seemed a bit better. I understand that with high traffic its going to get rough. Just my .02
I think it's that it is so perfectly structured. Everything at Whistler flows, an with all the table tops and such on runs like Crank It Up, it's a place where riders can really progress without killing themselves. So a good green end, a solid blue middle, and then having the upper trails off of garbonzo in an area where *most* everyone knows what they are doing so the berms don't get too rutted out.Thanks for the feedback. I think we all know that whistler is great but why specifically. I agree with diversity being key. My idea of a bike park would include DH, FR, AM, XC, DJ and DS on the mt. bike side and also include bmx djs and a bmx tracks. As well as different skills areas for each discipline. I think incorporating bmx with mtb would allow for more people to be introduced to mtb bike parks. A motocross and pit bike track wouldn't hurt either.
What services should this park include? For example Well-endowed massage therapists. Unlimited beer. Strip club. Camping, showers.......
And what about the future of bike parks?
^^^^^ This. Above all else. Hire someone with a good reputation as a builder, pay him salary, not hourly. Try to get a core group of guys willing to commit long term as head builders, as opposed to having JUST a revolving door of seasonal workers.Hire trail builders who know what they're doing and then pay them more than minimum wage.
This above all else makes the difference between average and exceptional.