New Jersey - What Concerns You?

[don]

This might not be that far off. it wasn't that long ago that skateparks were uncommon. Now they are considered a viable use of public funds. As a kid who grew up in the 80's I sometime feel that I was born 15 years too early.

A public model that gets local support is all that is needed to get this going nationally. On paper a good DJ park is much cheaper that a concrete skate park. 2 acres and some dirt. that is almost free!

Again this is where working locally with the powers that be can make a difference of opinion on a regional and then national basis. I personally have been working with state park to get more mt bike trails going and i have found it to be pretty easy going. The initial challenge was to show them that the public at large valued this use of public space. Once they saw that 100's of people were using our trails they began to show a greater support for our efforts. Furthermore we provided them with free labor which made it even easier for them since they are facing heavy budget cuts.

BMX was my entry into bicycles back when I was 9 or 10. There wasn't that much if any mtn biking then and I'm sure I would prefer the jumps and racing on my BMX bike to it anyway.

Point being, skill/DJ parks made for bikes will get the younger kids riding and hopefully many of them will become lifelong cyclists. It seems that DJ and skill parks could fill an important void/grow a segment in biking right now:

- BMX racing seems to becoming more unpopular.
- Lots of older riders still jumping showing that that type of riding isn't just for kids. Good examples are Brian Foster for 20" riding and Wade Simmons for freeride.
- Modern day mtn bikes (or 24"/26" wheeled bikes) have great geometry and are made of strong and light parts. Meaning that kids with those bikes will be able to handle skill riding without the bike falling apart/them getting hurt.
- Kids are riding 16", 18" & 20" BMX, 26" full sussy, & 24" & 26" small HT's. There are lots of different bikes and styles but typically not local facilities that all can be enjoyed. A trip to Ray's will show all types of bikes and riding styles (and even some SS 29ers).
- Riding skateparks on a bike is intimidating for beginners and older riders and bikes are simply not allowed at many of them.

I agree w/ Jdog - 2 acres is all you need - that's one soccer field - more land would be better but a good design could pack a lot of features into that space. And we could use the crappy uneven areas of land too. Give some riders a any spot and we'll make it work. At the local parks I see plenty of places to play baseball, soccer, tennis, & baskteball. And there are skateparks going in all the time (Sea Bright and Highlands are getting new ones soon). What's there for us and the future bike riders?

 

[FFT]

Please ask for signs that say:

No chesse wedges here!!

 

[don]

I just saw this on another site and thought it gives a visual with what a public bike skills place would be like. Best of all it was built under a bridge in Seattle:

http://home.comcast.net/~mwestra1/p20218/Phase2.htm
http://www.bbtc.org/recreation/picture_search.php?keywords=colonnade&searching=1

Here some older footage of my favorite public dirt jump park in Stowe, VT. The pic is from a couple summers ago:

These vids aren't anything nutty, but shows how much fun the place is for both old and young and various abiliities...

http://www.defconfour.com/movies/stowe/sean_stowe_park_2007.wmv
My son Sean at the park. First clip is a train w/ him and his cousin. They both just turned 8 a week before the trip to Stowe. Sean was eyeing up that wood drop when we went there the first day. After some coaching he got it done. I don't know if he or I was more stoked!

http://www.defconfour.com/movies/stowe/don_stowe_park_2007.wmv
Me, hitting the table top/Hip line. Then the Outside line. Those are my son, his cousins and friends heckling at me.

 

[clarkenstein]

I just saw this on another site and thought it gives a visual with what a public bike skills place would be like. Best of all it was built under a bridge in Seattle:

http://home.comcast.net/~mwestra1/p20218/Phase2.htm
http://www.bbtc.org/recreation/picture_search.php?keywords=colonnade&searching=1

Here some older footage of my favorite public dirt jump park in Stowe, VT. The pic is from a couple summers ago:

These vids aren't anything nutty, but shows how much fun the place is for both old and young and various abiliities...

http://www.defconfour.com/movies/stowe/sean_stowe_park_2007.wmv
My son Sean at the park. First clip is a train w/ him and his cousin. They both just turned 8 a week before the trip to Stowe. Sean was eyeing up that wood drop when we went there the first day. After some coaching he got it done. I don't know if he or I was more stoked!

http://www.defconfour.com/movies/stowe/don_stowe_park_2007.wmv
Me, hitting the table top/Hip line. Then the Outside line. Those are my son, his cousins and friends heckling at me.

great vids! something like what is in that stowe vid would be excellent to have here in NJ.

 

[don]

great vids! something like what is in that stowe vid would be excellent to have here in NJ.

There is actually more and better stuff that those jumps in places in NJ. It's just that it's very well hidden.

Features like that in Stowe built at a few of the parks in NJ, that's mantained well and open to the public would be excellent.

 

[jbogner]

There's an even closer and more relevant example for NJ of a community jump and pump track just across the river in Manhattan... 😉

 

[t.wach]

I cant say i have anything.

Good luck!

 

[MixMastaMM]

I would be willing to hand out pamphlets in my store to encourage JORBA memberships the way that we do for IMBA. While IMBA is great, having more support for JORBA is critical for the future of MT biking in NJ. Acting locally could have a bigger impact that any dollars that people give to Imba.

You should add the jorba membership fee to every bike you sell and say its "included". That would get more members and cash for JORBA.

 

[KenS]

All points noted and printed, thanks!

 

[KenS]

You should add the jorba membership fee to every bike you sell and say its "included". That would get more members and cash for JORBA.

Stay tuned to a "paydirt" report in the next month or so that addresses this idea.

I don't want to spill all of the beans before it is 100% approved, but suffice to say we have created a lower level of membership to allow the shops to give JORBA memberships to new mt bike purchasers without adding cost to the deal. We understand that the bottom line is tight and do not want to mess with that.

 

[don]

There's an even closer and more relevant example for NJ of a community jump and pump track just across the river in Manhattan... 😉

J - sorry about that - from the pics and feedback you guys have done a tremendous job there! I'm hoping to get a trip up this spring to check it out.

 

[KenS]

I just saw this on another site and thought it gives a visual with what a public bike skills place would be like. Best of all it was built under a bridge in Seattle:

These vids aren't anything nutty, but shows how much fun the place is for both old and young and various abiliities...

A friend of mine just went out to Seattle to see the place first hand and got a tour from the people responsible for the park. They will both be in DC this week, I am looking forward to the convo's.

Seattle, Stowe, Highbridge...none of them happened overnight, but they are awesome success stories. I hope we can get the different communities together in NJ and get something legal built and maintained.

Very cool stuff in the videos, really a great reminder of what can be accomplished if we work our asses off as one unified voice of mtb'rs. That is what its all about. Seeing my kids riding is coolest feeling ever. Yours is going to be a ripper!

 

[mergs]

There's an even closer and more relevant example for NJ of a community jump and pump track just across the river in Manhattan... 😉

yes, indeed! and we may need to tap your brain for some ideas over here! 🙂

we're still working on breaking down "fear of it" mentality but once we have a willing partner in a land owner, i'd like to know that you'd at a minimum give any designs a sanity check for us and even better you'd be willing to add design ideas of your own.

our chances are good but beyond that all i can say is that we're working our charms on several locations at once. i wish i could promise it or be more specific but that would be "premature" at this point.

 

[mergs]

A friend of mine just went out to Seattle to see the place first hand and got a tour from the people responsible for the park. They will both be in DC this week, I am looking forward to the convo's.

Seattle, Stowe, Highbridge...none of them happened overnight, but they are awesome success stories. I hope we can get the different communities together in NJ and get something legal built and maintained.

Very cool stuff in the videos, really a great reminder of what can be accomplished if we work our asses off as one unified voice of mtb'rs. That is what its all about. Seeing my kids riding is coolest feeling ever. Yours is going to be a ripper!

I spent some time with Ron and Paul at Iride bikes in Stowe, part of the folks in ivolved in that (others are Hardy and Rick Solokoff of Stowe Mtb). Ron lives up the road in Morrisville and they have another park there that he maintains. Its got full on skatepark/urban features. some of you guys would really dig it. Don, you see that park?

Rick, Hardy, etc spent 2-3 years and fought many battles. You get permission fromthe land owner and then you get adjacent landowners belly aching about be able to see a jump from their porch (it matters not that they look over and past 2 soccer fields packed on weekends to see it). Its just something to complain about and you have to spend time convincing people its a good thing. They are free and clear now but they fought hard.

Kenny have a beer for me in DC.

 

[KenS]

The Bike Summit was completely awesome. Over 500 cyclists were present, the largest turnout ever. (over 70 representing IMBA) Your issues were discussed with our NJ representatives and all over capitol hill. Many of your concerns at the state level were the exact issues we were asking congress to support.

I will post a full report in the coming days. Now I am off to catch up on some work and ride my bike!

Here is most of the NJ delegation walking the hill. Look closely and you may see an albino wookie dressed in suit and tie. (Click for full rez)