[DHPeteinSC]

Rant time!!! How many of you ride XC? Now how many of you XC riders are so caught up in the "I gotta see how fast I can do this loop" thing that you would F**k up the trail for other riders? Its a MOUNTAIN bike for Christ sake!!! Why must our trails be sanitized so you can pedal fast? We have a ''MOUNTAIN BIKE'' association here(will remain nameless) that seems like they want a paved road in the woods. Take out all the rocks and roots, tear down jumps(cant jump with the seat jacked up your A$$) and only want to ride uphill. You build trails on natural terrain, and then remove the natural elements that make it fun and challenging for many. Not everyone wants to ride XC so you keep your smooth-as-glass trails and leave the technical trails the F**k alone!!! Im not against XC riders, I have much respect for those I have seen pedal up things that I would think twice about riding down. I know you all arent like that and you enjoy riding any type of trail. XC,DH,Freeride,trail, I like to ride it all. I just want to ride. If you want to have good trails then build them to I.M.B.A. standards which I know is not a sidewalk in the woods. Im putting on my flame-proof suit now, so let the games begin

 

[ire]

why don't you name the association instead of making blanket statements about XC riders

 

[mattmatt86]

I'm guessing it rhymes with JORBA.

 

[jonKranked]

here's an option: there's a trail in the woods. the trail itself takes of very little square footage. Seeing as how that's the section they focus on paving, why not just ride in the section that's not paved?

 

[DHPeteinSC]

Most trails have some sort of difficulty rating...beginner, intermediate,expert and so on. Should we sanitize all the trails so the beginners can ride them? You learn to ride and you progress. Without something to challenge or maybe even scare you a bit there is no progression. If you get to a section you feel is too difficult, then walk it! Dont come back and destroy it so you are able to ride it now. We build jumps that even a beginner can just roll, or maybe catch some air and smile. There is always an ''easy out'' in techy sections so you dont have to ride that line. But there is always some f***er that feels its messing up his cadence and his heart rate might drop. Hey dude, try jumping that stuff and tell me your heart rate didnt go up!! I love fast gnarly downhills and recently rode WindRock for the first time and had my a$$ handed to me. I didnt complain to anyone that the trails should be more beginner friendly. I knew what I was getting into(well...maybe not) and cant wait to get back to ride the sections I had trouble on. Didnt want to offend the XC guys, just pissed about our trails(Legal) gettin screwed with.

 

[jonKranked]

maybe you should get involved with this particular group, and voice your opinion and thoughts.

maybe take some initiative and see if you could build a new trail with the sole purpose of being highly technical and rocky.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
maybe take some initiative and see if you could build a new trail with the sole purpose of being highly technical and rocky.

Worked for our local group!

 

[SkaredShtles]

Just curious - are these bike-specific trails? Meaning are they open directionally to bikes ONLY?

 

[DHPeteinSC]

maybe you should get involved with this particular group, and voice your opinion and thoughts.

maybe take some initiative and see if you could build a new trail with the sole purpose of being highly technical and rocky.

Thing is, the trails were naturally technical and rocky. We have DH trails and XC trails.

 

[DHPeteinSC]

Just curious - are these bike-specific trails? Meaning are they open directionally to bikes ONLY?

Yes, bike specific trails. Although hikers use them from time to time they are always nice enough to step aside when we pass.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Yes, bike specific trails. Although hikers use them from time to time they are always nice enough to step aside when we pass.

Wait. If they're bike-specific there should not be any hikers on them, no? Are these actually multi-use trails? Are equestrians allowed?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I worked on trails for years with a Vermont club, also gave them a lot of financial support, eventually stopped because they were hung up on "buff" trails. The down side is that I did very little trail work this year.

 

[ncrider]

Wait. If they're bike-specific there should not be any hikers on them, no? Are these actually multi-use trails? Are equestrians allowed?

The only way you get truly "bike specific" trails is in a resort. However, these trails do have bike signage and hiking trails have hiking signage. In theory they are user specific. Same goes for bike trail type and direction (XC or DH).


I agree, there needs to be a group control set in place.

 

[TheTruth]

Build secret trails. In my trail system, the trails are named by how secret they are. There is the secret, the super secret, and the super duper secret.

 

[DHPeteinSC]

I thought a ''Mountainbike Association'' should encompass all types of riding, not just what most members do. Most of these guys ride XC or CX and dont really give a crap about any other kind of riding or trails. Example: There was an XC/Super-D race at our trail this year. The ''Association'' does not maintain our trail, but come in the day before and weed-eat, clear the trail and mark the course. For this I am greatful but...they also moved stones and several small log crossings to make it ''safer''. Morning of race its pouring rain since 6am(I know, I camped there) trails are soaked, with standing water and several waterfalls. Now on there web forum, if there is even the slightest amount of rain its all '' please dont ride the trails until its dry'' but we have 80+ XC riders doing 3 laps on our trail...in the rain! Following week is another XC race at their super-buff trail...it rains the day before...race gets cancelled. WTF??

 

[SkaredShtles]

This is turning into a major-league whinefest.

NTTAWWT.

 

[sanjuro]

I thought a ''Mountainbike Association'' should encompass all types of riding, not just what most members do. Most of these guys ride XC or CX and dont really give a crap about any other kind of riding or trails. Example: There was an XC/Super-D race at our trail this year. The ''Association'' does not maintain our trail, but come in the day before and weed-eat, clear the trail and mark the course. For this I am greatful but...they also moved stones and several small log crossings to make it ''safer''. Morning of race its pouring rain since 6am(I know, I camped there) trails are soaked, with standing water and several waterfalls. Now on there web forum, if there is even the slightest amount of rain its all '' please dont ride the trails until its dry'' but we have 80+ XC riders doing 3 laps on our trail...in the rain! Following week is another XC race at their super-buff trail...it rains the day before...race gets cancelled. WTF??

I hope you are telling them this in the proper channels, not just an anonymous rant on RM.

Out here, there are a lot of riders and most are open to all kinds of biking.

Also we don't point fingers at each other because we have a much more powerful enemy that wants all of us gone from all the trails.

The name of this omnipotent organization rhymes with Cierra Slub.

 

[DHPeteinSC]

Im going to go have some cheese with my whine now

 

[ncrider]

The name of this omnipotent organization rhymes with Cierra Slub.

That is the name of which we do not speak. Brings back bad memories.

 

[lovebunny]

why cant we all be friends?

 

[bizutch]

Pete, here in NC, we have a trail organization that has one of the board members of IMBA, Woody Keen. He does his part. He owns his own professional trail building company traveling the COUNTRY and even over seas working trails. He does his best to put TTF (technical trail features) in most anywhere riders want them or he sees a spot to sneak them.

But Pisgah district rangers are very leary of such things. That being said, there also is not a large contingent of the local "ruff riders" and thrill seekers actively involved in the local chapters activities to change that.

I am one of those guilty of not being active enough. It would seem that by the time most people are mature enough to see the bigger picture, we are too old to build a bigger beast. >: )