What's good, what's not

[walter]

the obvious one

This site is here to help promote our sport on a local level. The banners here are from local shops that support the scene and local riding areas. The folks that bust their stones every month at the parks we ride at to correct the damage that we trail users and what mother nature does are also a big voice here. So, lets all take the subtle hints that are here. We all understand that there are new riders and riders that just "need to get out", but when it comes down to it, read between the lines.

Right now the trails everywhere are in shitty shape, the folks here are kindly saying not to ride but it seems to go unnoticed. Can we all heed a little caution and respect and take the hint.

I admit my TM time is minimal, but I'm smart enough to know that when conditions aren't good, its the road or the trainer.

PS, Brock Lesner lost.

 

[hardtale70]

To push Walt's statement a little further I will add that this is public and there are alot of "dead" members on the site. Not to say we are park officials top priority every day but they are here and checking in when they can.I have seen photo and video evidence that they are compiling on mtb misdeeds.I am busted every week for not going on certain rides and constantley begged to lead nite rides but i don't and try to lead others in the right direction.If your riding time is limited and makes you use bad judgement sometimes just quit your job(s) and ride whenever you want.It worked for me!!

 

[Purple Liquid]

Going off on another tangent, here's something I don't understand at all and something I see frequently here at CR.

1) Pick up your GU packets. If you're able to bring it with you on the ride, then you're able to ride out with it.

2) What's the point of hanging your blown tube in a tree?! Towards the end of last year I saw three-tubes hanging in various trees. WHY?! It's ugly and harmful. If you were able to change your flat with another tube that you brought into the woods, there should be enough room for you to bring the blown tube out of the woods.

In other words, don't liter.

 

[ebineezer]

cool thread...

 

[Frank]

2 more

If you come across a large log and you can see that people have been going over it, don't pile a bunch of sticks in front of, and/or in back of the log so you can get over it. Practice on smaller ones until you can tackle it. DO NOT take the challenge away from other riders.


Don't go around painting trees, rocks, or trail markers with paint. Leave trail marking to Park employees.

 

[jShort]

no ipods

Wearing an Ipod or any other music player is a bad idea.
Twice today I narrowly missed a collision because a rider wearing ear phones didnt hear me yell and didnt see me coming.

Its just a bad idea

 

[Steve Vai]

Please, wear a helmet, and discourage anyone you ride with from going without one. This is not a matter of "trail manners" necessarily, but as a long-time rider, I still see far too many riders with no lids on, at Allaire particularly.

YES!!! They're everywhere!!! I see a group of guys at "The Rock" all the time with no helmets, I've talked to them many times, but they're those "hardcore" types. It should be law to ride your bike in the woods (or anywhere else) with a helmet.

-Jim.

PS-If you wear an Ipod anywhere near me on the trails, I'll skin you and hang your dumbass from a tree.

PPS-I agree about the blaring music, it doesn't matter how you feel, it's how others feel about you, stereotypes exist for a reason, let's try not to live up to them.

 

[Frank]

it doesn't matter how you feel, it's how others feel about you, stereotypes exist for a reason, let's try not to live up to them.

WOW....well friggin' said !!

 

[Frank]

ALWAYS wear a helmet !!!

 

[olegbabich]

I like to ride with my I-Pod. Just remember that these people who are trying to control where and when we can listen to our music on public land will soon try to control how much toilet paper we can use per wipe. I do agree about the trash issue, we should always try to take more trash out of our parks than we bring in. So boys and girls just say no to Toilet Nazi and let the sound of music carry you on your ride!

 

[Sircrashalot]

This is very true..but we can all be "trail ambassadors" and spread the word in a constructive way. Like you said, most mis-users don't realize that they are being "bad". Good communication is the key....or a big stick just kidding.

Today at 6MR saw a guy with bloody knees walking his bike, and asked if he was OK. He said he had a flat. I asked if he had a spare tube or a patch kit, & he said no. I patched the flat for him & while doing so he told me that he was a new rider. He was amazed that I was willing to stop my ride to help him out. I told him that 90% of the people in the trail would do the same for anyone, because we've all had that day.
I told him to go to his LBS & get a tube/patch kit to carry, and to some day return the favor. TOld him this would please the MTB gods...
He mentioned to me that he is just getting back into riding after a bunch of years, & that he was thinking of getting a helmet (I hadn't noticed the lack of brain bucket since he was walking & not riding when I saw him). I told him about stupid random wrecks I have had where my head has hit a tree, and that its not worth risking having your friends feed you through a straw for the rest of your life. He agreed. Later in the conversation he asked what upgrades he should make to his bike. I jokingly told him he should get some gear, since he was bleeding everywhere.
So by fixing a flat I hopefully encouraged someone to carry a spare tube, and to get a helmet. I was feeling pretty good. I got to the parking lot and saw him there . He pointed out a water bottle he picked up off the trail, and said he thought of my line about appeasing the MTB gods and picked it up on his way out! FRIGGIN AWESOME!
I told him about this site & JORBA and that he could come on here and find group rides for places he wanted to check out, etc. Dude was excited. I am sure he will be wearing a helmet & carrying a tube/patch kit on his next ride.

TOTAL win for everybody involved. I did this because when I was first getting basck into riding, I bumped into Jason (Wobbegong) & he told me about this site, & it has made me a much better, much more responsible rider.

I hope that what I did today takes a rider NOT on this site, who meant to do things right but wasnt sure what to do and begins turning them into a rider who IS on this site & DOES know whats right. Then he can do the same......and so on....& IMO thats how we keep our access and kill the stereotypes....

 

[Frank]

AWESOME story.....what a great way to "hook" another rider. Great job!(thumbs up)

 

[tommyjay]

Friggin Sweet!

That's a great story! IMHO, that's what being an "ambassador for the sport" is all about.

 

[Frank]

That time of year again.

Just a reminder that we are getting into the wet season for a lot of parks so please be mindful of the work that has gone into them.

 

[pooriggy]

In the last few weeks there have been a lot of posts regarding.....well let's just say what is considered good trail behavior and what is bad. This is a thread to INFORM not BASH. This is purely an FYI for all the newbies out there that don't realize that we are under constant scrutiny from land managers and other trail users. The fact that there are more of "us" out there and that we "give back" more than anyone else doesn't matter. We are always facing an access issue at one park or another. So, by taking advice from a PM I am taking the first step in helping to "inform" the masses so as not to lose what is precious to us.

We've pretty much covered skidding in other forums but it warrants repeating.
Skidding and drifting can damage to certain trails and should be avoided. That simple act can cause a rut and allow water to channelize which will lead to erosion.

Riding trails that are closed to bikes...not cool.

Not being courteous to other trail users especially equestrians....not cool. The fact is a horse is a 1200# animal that is ready to throw its rider and trample a cyclist purely for self preservation is explanation enough. Just think of them as huge deer....not for hunting though.

Riding in certain trail conditions like mud, for instance, can be very damaging to the trails. Mind you, certain parks recover differently so check with the local JORBA folk if you have any questions.

Building of trails and stunts should be avoided unless you have written permission from the land owner, or manager. This is the area that threatens our trail access most. What seems like a fun jump or trail can be looked at as a liability to land owners. This is where most of our problems come from.

If a group of volunteers has changed a trail that you liked and it is now more sustainable, please don't undo the work that was done.

so rather than go on forever, I will let others chime in to add some info. Thanks for reading and don't be afraid to ask questions.....this is a "ridicule free" post.

way ways good. especialy if your a noob like me. i like to ride c.r. too

 

[Frank]

Last edited by poor iggy; Yesterday at 09:12 PM. Reason: my kids posted it being wise guys

....and I thought you had too many post tm refreshments.

 

[pooriggy]

....and I thought you had too many post tm refreshments.

I did have too many refreshments when I got home and my kids took advantage of me

 

[Frank]

Removing trail markers = uncool

 

[Wobbegong]

Installing 10,000 little reflective markers, also uncool.

 

[grumner80]

alright, i just looked at this entire thread and gained a lot of opinions; i know i'm very new to the community, but i'm not as new to the trails. as i was reading everything, i came across alot of things i liked and didnt like so i'll start with what i didnt like so much:

it's a rule and i'm not trying to change it, but i never liked how we are soposed to yeild to hikers and walkers when we are moving 10x as fast as them with 10x as much momentum that we need to slow down and lose, when they could easily step off the trail or onto a log when we simply aren't able to; also, anyone should be respectful with they're music, but that doesnt mean they need to turn it really low or off, especially when anyone else is only going to hear it for the 10 seconds that you find a parking spot and turn ur vehicle off. last, the helmet debate; it's obviously safer, but it should be a rider's preference and decision whether or not to wear one, i've tried helmets, and they can often slide and become anoying, then i tried tightening the straps to preven that but it made breathing more difficult; in other words, it becomes more of a hazard for me, and makes me more likely to take a turn wrong and crash anyway.

.....HOWEVER, i totally respect us yeilding to horseback riders, because a horse isn't nearly as easy to control as your own body, or a bike and can hurt you and it's rider more easily than ur bike will; also, wanting more trail markers, i'm always trying new places and usually get lost all the time, and at the same time it would suck if the trails were littered with signs all over the place, because they can be a hazard if you take a turn wide or w/e. and finally the littering should DEFFINATELY be enforced more, especially in the parking lots, i see beer bottles all over the place at my local park (cheesequake).