Just been out for a local ride and on my way back came across two lads on x'ers, obvious where thy were heading. 5 mins later came across a few downhillers on their way to the same off piste they've spent many months/years building. Lad asks me did the two x'ers go that way I said yes. A look of dismay on his face! I'd rode (minced) down the runs earlier and they've done a great job! I've a feeling the mechanically powered versions however are gonna rip it to sh¥te!!

They were just restoring the balance from all the "MTB" trails that MXers created and can no longer ride. 😉

I agree to an extent.

Less we forget the phrase 'cheeky trails' either.

Thing I it's actually illegal to ride up there! Some byway law bollox

So, it's not even hearsay? Nobody's told you they've ridden the downhill, and you haven't seen them doing it?

I'd have thought that downhill runs wouldn't have been much fun on an mx bike, at least for average joes. It'd be all brakes and no throttle.

I'd have thought that downhill runs wouldn't have been much fun on an mx bike, at least for average joes. It'd be all brakes and no throttle.

Round here, if we enjoy going down a trail, the MXers like to go UP it, for them the challenge is the climb

Well yes vinny! The fact the young lad said to me it nearly ended in fisticuffs last time they were up there then I'd suggest it did and was going to happen again!

nbt – Member

I'd have thought that downhill runs wouldn't have been much fun on an mx bike, at least for average joes. It'd be all brakes and no throttle.

Round here, if we enjoy going down a trail, the MXers like to go UP it, for them the challenge is the climb

That's what they do around here as well.

Takes balls to open up the throttle on a heavy mass that could suddenly pivot then hit you repeatedly not unlike a baseball bat as you tumble backwards…

ah yes the magic of retrograde amnesia, beat them so badly they forget what happened and think they just gave it too much throttle and fell of backwards 😈

90% of the trails round here were made by the crossers in the first place!

90% of the trails round here were made by the crossers in the first place!

I'd say that's true for most places…

Not near moi.

er.. yes it is Al

Thing I it's actually illegal to ride up there! Some byway law bollox

You've never ridden a footpath then?

GW – what trails that we use were made by motorcycles? I can't think of any

No trails near me were made by crossers, other than on the local spoil heaps which were accessible by bridleway/cobbled road. The rest were bridle paths and farm paths.

So its ok for mtb'ers to rip the earth up causing damage to the environment,but not moto x bikes? ask them to help maintain trail but cant really say get off my land when its not yours in first place!

FunkyDunc – Member

So its ok for mtb'ers to rip the earth up causing damage to the environment,but not moto x bikes? ask them to help maintain trail but cant really say get off my land when its not yours in first place!

Don't start that again, far less damage caused by MTBs than by motorbikes. Think before typing, man.

If the tax payer funded free MX areas, in a large number of locations, where people could go free (and easily avoid parking charges ;-]) do you think the MX problem would reduce ?

don't know about you nbt, but the massive torque in my legs causes havoc wherever i go – when riding round town i get followed by a road repair crew to rectify the mayhem.

Al, TJ.

You ever ride anywhere near Peebles or Innerleithen?

There's quite a few trails round there that I've riden on my MTB that I recognise from a few years back when there was a British Championship Enduro in the area.

SSS – all the trails I have ridden in the area are ancient routes of one sort or another or farm access or shooting access or purpose built MTB trails. Certainly nothing created by motorcycles.

all the trails I have ridden in the area are ancient routes of one sort or another or farm access or shooting access or purpose built MTB trails.

Then you're missing some great trails. 😉

From what i understand quite a few bits at Innerleithen were originaly cut in by MX bikes. Quite like a great deal of trail centers.

don't know about you nbt, but the massive torque in my legs causes havoc wherever i go – when riding round town i get followed by a road repair crew to rectify the mayhem.

I have a similar problem with my groin and a permanent erection. Everytime I turn round in a club or on the street I know over lamposts, people and bins etc.

TJ – a hell of a lot of thge trails around innerleithen were..
when I first started riding there (nearly 20yrs ago) there were more crossers than MTBs on a sunday.
there are plenty tracks around East lothian that have been carved by motorised tyres too.

WE get MXers on my local trails. One of my fave trails was wrecked more or less for good in ONE DAY by some MXers. Cheers guys.

This seems to happen a lot. Got nothing against MXers in principle but they need to be aware of the damage they cause. Likewise horse riders.

horse riders are worse IMO

And why don't the riders pick up their shite!

GW – I didn't realise about Innerleithan – I did know about the stuff out in East Lothian – but its not stuff I ride.

Way off the mark again then TJ. 😉

I said not the trails I use – I don't go to innerleithan very often

Not 90% GW – I am thinking of the Pentlands and GT, fair point re Inners/Lammermuirs but I don't ride the trails you refer to (do many?)

Virtually all the good trails used on the Dyfi Enduro in the early days were created for the motorbike enduro, I think they have created a few new trails recently but certainly the open hillside where the cutoff used to be was the enduro special test. Same is true of the forests around Rhayader and Builth Wells used in Merida events.

And Thetford.
And Brechfa.

There's a massive amount of places where if it wasn't for enduro's there wouldn't be any trails there.

certainly the open hillside where the cutoff used to be was the enduro special test.

One of the best cross country tests I've ever riden at an enduro. Propper hanging on by the skin of your teath riding in the wet. 😀

Nbt i've seen more damage in wharncliffe woods from mtb'ers than the quadbikes/moto x bikes. For some reason its ok to create mtb trails, jumps, north shore but not ride x bikes? I've. Never seen mtb'ers return land to its natural state when they have got bored and gone away

I'll second the Tweed Valley trails being used/created by enduro bikes and crossers, quite often back in the day you could meet a crosser coming up Traquair road on the back wheel ……..barp barrrppp

FunkyDunc – Member
Nbt i've seen more damage in wharncliffe woods from mtb'ers than the quadbikes/moto x bikes. For some reason its ok to create mtb trails, jumps, north shore but not ride x bikes? I've. Never seen mtb'ers return land to its natural state when they have got bored and gone away

could show some bits at wharncliffe that have been ripped apart by regular use by quads, the mx (simple description) riders spread out a bit more and the damage is less apparent and remember the number of mtb's relative to mx/quads is much much higher

potential problem at wharncliffe is that the dh's exit onto forest trails and these areas are very obvious in terms of damage and potential conflict with horseriders (plus the rubbish that gets left) the riders collective / singletraction were trying to sort some of these issues but as i understand it FE became unhelpful and so it is back to free for all and potential conflict other users

personally i find the noise of mx/quads the biggest problem – i live below wharncliffe and can often hear them in house with radio on and can usually find them in the woods when i've got time to go out

on a more general note the number of pro mx posters on here probably shouldn't surprise me but it always does – think mtb's have much more in common with red socks than some believe and aligning sympathies with illegal mx/quad riding just plays into the hands of walkers/horseriders/birdwatchers/landowners/countryside managers who sometimes fail to differentiate between motorised and non motorised 2 wheeled things

as to more facilities for mx/quads – yes too limited too distant for many but nimby – current enforcement / detterent costs complete waste of money

FWIW, a day at a moto-x track is about £25, for that you probably get to ride for 20 mins in every hour as track time is divided into age & ability groups usually starting at 10, finishing at 5.00 with about 45mins dinner break. Admitedly you do get attendance from st johns ambulance all day but only at weekends.
If GT or other government/lottery funded trail centres were run in a similar way, would you be as keen to go, or would you go somewhere else that was free & risk getting caught riding cheeky trails?

FYI, i do have a motocross bike & only ride it at legal tracks and Yes they are stupidly loud.

Al – sorry, obviously I didn't mean 90% :oops:, just that there are plenty.
I couldn't care less how many people ride any trails.

mos – I take it you don't ride DH then? coz MX is far cheaper and you get way more riding time

GW, i did race downhill but sold it to by my mx bike. I would get another, but can't be arsed with the pushing & uplift days are few and far between in w.yorks.