Dumbing down of trails in NJ?

[SpartaBard]

...but do not agree that all unavoidable technicality should be removed. part of riding is challenging yourself.

I totally agree with you here, I really do not want a blank slate (or an escalator! 🙂 ), but a challenging ride where I may "gasp" fall or have to clip, but after a while I may clear occasionally.

 

[anrothar]

in the instance of a connector trail, that has some pucker factor to it, the re-route should be of similar spirit.

...only a little more rideable, and much more sustainable. i think i gently told brad that a few times. a certain trail is a technical trail as it is, the reroute should be fairly technical as well.

 

[SpartaBard]

...only a little more rideable, and much more sustainable. i think i gently told brad that a few times. if a connector trail is technical, a reroute should be fairly technical as well.

Hey I am just thinking of all my middle school aged campers 😉

 

[anrothar]

*shudders*😱 😀

 

[Norm]

To answer Brad's question, I think there should be trails that even the best technical riders clean only half the time.

 

[mergs]

I guess the question really is: How technical do you make a trail? Something 50% of riders on this board would clear? 75%?, 90%?

Do you make a sustainable alternative to a technical obstacle instead of allowing the wimps 🙂o ) to make their own which may be more intrusive/scarring of the area?

Good thread fellas....

On a trail by trail basis, it depends on the type of trail it is, and who you're catering for. If its open and flowing and you throw a 3 foot log pile around a blind turn, that's a flow breaker, and you're gonna have skidding and endos and pissed off beginners. If you have sightlines that allow that sort of thing, then, its a better situation, but yes, you might want an alternative line.

For trail systems, I like the "stacked loop" concept that imba espouses: multiple loops, stacked up.

beginner loops close to the main trail head, intermediate open and flowing next and the expert tight and twisty farthest in. This works really well if you can design the trails from the ground up... existing systems, you just try to keep this in mind. For example, you don't want a ladder built on the first mile of a beginner trail.

Again guys, these are not hard and fast rules, they're guidelines really. Every trail has its exceptions but in general these guidlines will get you through.

I don't know if that answers your question but I tried 🙂

 

[mergs]

To answer Brad's question, I think there should be trails that even the best technical riders clean only half the time.

100% agree.

There's a section of splitrock that I've never gotten 100% but I watched JimG and Nelson nail it. Its a really really tough section of trail, and they nailed it on the second try with the addedd adrenaline rush of a big audience cheering them on. Good times 😀

I'll git the f'er one day 😀

 

[mergs]

...only a little more rideable, and much more sustainable. i think i gently told brad that a few times. since the wall is a technical trail as it is, the reroute should be fairly technical as well.

I like the way you guys are thinking!

 

[anrothar]

mahlon almost follows the stacked loop plan from the ball field(picnic area) lot. from saffins, ah, almost not really....

 

[SpartaBard]

stacked loop

On a much smaller scale one place that definitely follows the Stacked Loop Plan is Huber Woods down by Hartshorne.

 

[Norm]

100% agree.

There's a section of splitrock that I've never gotten 100% but I watched JimG and Nelson nail it. Its a really really tough section of trail, and they nailed it on the second try with the addedd adrenaline rush of a big audience cheering them on. Good times 😀

I'll git the f'er one day 😀

Funny you should mention that - Kirt was telling me about that when I talked to him last night. Also mentioned your frame...