"Mountain biking destroys the landscape I love"

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"Mountain biking destroys the landscape I love"

43 posts & 26 voices | Started 2 years ago by Captain | Latest reply from mt

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TandemJeremy - Member

Jon - the reason the trail were damaged by the rain is that the walkers, horses and bicycles create the conditions for soil runnoff

In area with a lot of peat or with fragile mountain siols erosion leaves huge scars. Maidens in the pentlands used to be a 30+ ft wide bog before it was armoured, Ben lomond path is a scar that can be seen for miles, same with other mountains.

In the time I have been going into the mountains both by foot and bike ( 40 yrs) I have seen huge erosion and while other countryside users cause much I believe that mountainbikers are fairly unthinking or oblivious to the damage they cause - especially when some damage could be easily avoided

Posted 2 years ago #
Scienceofficer - Member

mountainbikers are fairly unthinking or oblivious to the damage they cause - especially when some damage could be easily avoided

Extend this to nearly all users of the outdoors and I think it would be a fair comment.

Few people are materially aware of the true impact of their presence or activities in the great outdoors.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mr Agreeable - Member

I think the fact that we're even discussing this shows that mountain bikers take these issues seriously. Point me to a corresponding thread on a horse riders' or ramblers' forum if you can.

Posted 2 years ago #
Scienceofficer - Member

Some MTB'ers take this seriously.

STW is a niche conclave of a niche branch of cycling. I meet more riders on the trail who have never heard of STW, MTBR, BM, Chocolatefoot etc, than not.

Posted 2 years ago #
mt - Member

TandemJeremy +1

If humans use it for whatever we generally damage it. Look at Jacobs Ladder, the section from the ford via the hairpin bend to the gate was once all grass and very ridable up (before bouncy forks), this section is mainly used by us MTB'ers and is now well worn because of over use (every mag has the two yearly article about climbing Jacobs). If we pretend we don't do damage then we undermine our credability as users of the great out doors. Just to put this in perspective, the Pennine Way from Edale has had almost all of the high level sections paved due to the massive use over Kinder Scout, Bleaklow and Black Hill. Thats done by walker not MTBers (Hmm, well I may checked it out a couple of times to see if theyed done a good job).

Posted 2 years ago #
Mr Agreeable - Member

STW is a niche conclave

Too true, but we are all united in a sense - by our two wheels, our knbbly tyres, our shared trails, and our mutual love of penis hats.

Posted 2 years ago #
oldagedpredator - Member

Ok - this bit doesnt apply to this thread but the bit in the guardian

Ill infomed inflamitory tosh in my opinion, the sort of nonsense that then starts to get quoted as gospel and just generally makes it harder to get any sensible workable ideas off the ground. Oh its in the Guardian it must be true.

Posted 2 years ago #
IdleJon - Member

Look at Jacobs Ladder, the section from the ford via the hairpin bend to the gate was once all grass and very ridable up (before bouncy forks), this section is mainly used by us MTB'ers and is now well worn because of over use

But really what difference does that make? The track is a few feet wider? A bit more difficult to ride?

Would we prefer the countryside to be a sort of museum piece that we can gaze at but not touch, or should we be using it?

Fair enough, protect the delicate, easily damaged areas (as highlighted by TJ), but why should we feel guilty about riding on the vast majority of trails.

Most areas that we ride in are not 'natural' in the strictest sense, they are all heavily influenced by human activity - whether that is Leith Hill, my local replanted slag heap, or even places like Dartmoor. We are just one of the newer users, and people resent us for that.

BTW I'm not advocating hooliganism on trails, I'm just puzzled when people invent crap to make me feel guilty for riding a bike.

Posted 2 years ago #
mt - Member

Oh its in the Guardian it must be true. LOL only a knobber would believe anything that rag, Daily Mail for the left(hargic).

IdleJon - in this case it's getting deeper not wider. Just pointing out that we as MTBers are doing considerable damage to the "honey pot" areas and this could lead to serious access problems at some point. Agree that the countryside is not and should not be a museum but there are people out there trying to preserve it as then think it should be and MTB's are not included. As far as I'm concerned the country side is a place of work for a lot of people and those of us that use it as a play thing don't give them the support and respect they are due, particulary in the Kinder area. Talk to a local shepherd, their nice enough once you get past the thousand yard stare.

Posted 2 years ago #

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