Just, grrrrrr 👿

Okay I’m normally fussy about people digging overly technical holes in a well established all ability trail, but over the last week or two I’m seeing a number of shortcuts on well established Surrey Hills trails that have no purpose other than for the lazy or the Stravatards. Nothing they are shortcutting is beyond basic abilities.

Examples of a couple are a straight line on Evian cutting out the classic loose rocky corners towards the bottom, and the cheat entrance on Supernova that was blocked off and now some idiots have re-opened it.

Why? ! 🙄

Rant over / Surrey life 😀

I blame it on Enduro. It never happened when it was just All Mountain

Trying to picture both offences – are people avoiding the two rooty steps at the top of SN? Not aware of the Evian shortcuts although there are now several lines at the very end.

But sympathise with the sentiments. Were you there yesterday? I was hoping to make it but still suffering from after effects of Fridays OTB on Eric.

The one that really got me, perfect turns on the middle flat bit of clunk, you can hot the flat out no problem, a couple of straight lines. Really? I keep on blocking them up with branches only to be cleared again.

People rolling the drops at the bottom too, braking on the crest, ripping them up.

Nothing new,as soon as Strava got popular the the majority of the trails there got straight lined.

Really, given the popularity of the (1) the place and (2) strava – I am always surprised at how little wear and tear there is and how little straight lining exists.

The one that really got me, perfect turns on the middle flat bit of clunk, you can hot the flat out no problem, a couple of straight lines. Really? I keep on blocking them up with branches only to be cleared again.

I think that’s the people trying to find the cajones to do the 2 little doubles – they are using it as a separate run in (seen loads of people parked up there over time).

I’ve straight-lined those corners at the bottom of Evian before – there used to be a small kicker off to the side you could gap them with. I used to do it mainly because they are rubbish.

I don’t doubt that Strava and Enduro haven’t helped. However, when a lot of people ride, they want to go fast, and usually that means finding the shortest route down a trail. Having been a surrey hills regular in the past (for about 4 years), I’ve seen the development, some good, some bad. Good example is on BKB, about ¾ of the way down, there is an off camber line through some trees, or you can drop down on the existing trail. I always found the off camber straight line more challenging. It was subsequently blocked off by someone who obviously didn’t agree with the line, not really sure what gives this person the right to do so.

Obvious changing of trails can be frustrating, but I just see it as trail development. The entrance to SN has always been crap, not sure on what the other line is, but would have always preferred a quick line into it regardless.

teamhurtmore – Member 
Trying to picture both offences – are people avoiding the two rooty steps at the top of SN? Not aware of the Evian shortcuts although there are now several lines at the very end.

But sympathise with the sentiments.

Yeah, just to the left of the rooty steps on SN there’s a shortcut between trees. It appeared a year or two back and then got blocked off with branches between the trees. Obviously been ripped down and thanks to muddy conditions you can see loads of people are taking that line. The roots are part of the fun. Just take the line over them to the right just before the tree and you’re all set for speed.

Evian, it’s after the ‘new’ (now muddy) bit after the jump that got removed and you’re into the old loose rocky descent turns before it straightens out again. The Strava line is on the left, straight down muddy line. Just seems to remove one of the things that makes Evian interesting.

A few others about. Stuff cutting all over the place off top of Pitch which makes it hard to work out where the proper line actually is. And yeah, seen the stuff on Clunk.

There’s “brendog” lines on Northern Monkey which are kind of good. They’re technically faster but would be a challenge so most will do the normal lines. They just following the lines he took in that video he did. Though they’re not dug properly and as shown this week, just sloppy mud lines now.

Not so keen on the exit line at bottom of NM that goes straight towards the tree drop. Doesn’t set up the drop from what I can see. Skips the nice bit to the left down the roots with berm and kicker. Few are going down there now so it’s getting overgrown.

As for just wanting to go fast, well fine, but you could do that on fireroads or a road. The challenge is going fast on twisty and technical trails.

Were you there yesterday? I was hoping to make it but still suffering from after effects of Fridays OTB on Eric.

Yeah, little loop yesterday. Eric is another that’s a bit of a mess. I got confused which was the right line last time down there. Hope it wasn’t too bad an OTB!

Ok – can picture the SN bit. Agree the roots are part of the challenge even if they result in a slightly stumbling start 😳 there is a funny video with a bloke with an infectious/annoying laugh watching his mate do repeated OTB on that bit!!

Perhaps Evian just needs time to bed down, esp the mid section with the little gap jump.

Eric has got rockier _ at least that’s my excuse. Leg still painful and cant ride or run at the moment. Lucky not to break something – phew!!

People rolling the drops at the bottom too, braking on the crest, ripping them up.

Whatever is built has to be done so with the expectation that everyone will ride it. If the builders don’t want people to ride it in the way you suggest then create a decent chicken line. I’m probably case and point as I can ride everything on clunk quite happily apart from that last drop so I just roll it relatively quickly.

Doesn’t set up the drop from what I can see.

I thought it works quite well as you just carry the speed across from the mini double and straight off the drop. Granted in the winter the traverse doesn’t work quite so well. I just generally prefer to finish the trail with a little drop rather than the berm. Personal preference innit?

That all said I generally agree with the sentiment where corners have been skid straight lined but then some people ride to get down a trail as fast as possible, strava or not, and if that floats their boat so be it.

Yeah, though that drop is supposed to be the end of the other trail from the top. This feels like a short cut to just do the drop and ignore what’s a really nice trail.

Whatever is built has to be done so with the expectation that everyone will ride it. If the builders don’t want people to ride it in the way you suggest then create a decent chicken line. I’m probably case and point as I can ride everything on clunk quite happily apart from that last drop so I just roll it relatively quickly.

That drop at the end of CC is nasty anyway – you arn’t missing anything!

I wish I was good enough/brave enough to try. I bail out right!! 😳

dk you have some way to go to be as grumpy as me as both of those things, technical features appearing on well know “all ability” trails and Strava straight lining. What is the point of the latter, who do people think they are kidding ?

Happens everywhere 🙁 there’s a an awesome section of singletrack I used to ride regularly when I lived with my parents that had a super tight section of trees at the end, the first of which you had to hit a section of the root of one tree that was about 4″ wide to carry any kind of speed (or just run dead narrow bars but who does that these days?!) felt great when you got it right and it set you up nicely for the next few corners. Now it’s just a straight line that doesn’t even need to braked for or any technical skill. Same for a lot of the trails round there too. Bad times indeed 🙁

But lets take a deep breath – we are bloody lucky to have such great trails DESPITE the heavy usage

Drop the end of clunk is fun, especially the speed it generates into the turn after.

Roots at the beginning of supernova are the best bit, feels so good when you get it right.

I’m probably case and point as I can ride everything on clunk quite happily apart from that last drop so I just roll it relatively quickly.

Until I put a hole in it. Then we’re into the dramas of having something that could hurt someone, when it’s their own fault for not looking first.

I wonder how much of the straight lining is accidental – I suspect quite a few start from people going wide. The next rider follows and before you know it the ‘new’ line is what catches your eye as you ride into it. (though branches put across being removed suggests not).

BKB – I always found the off camber straight line more challenging. It was subsequently blocked off by someone who obviously didn’t agree with the line, not really sure what gives this person the right to do so.

BKB is a something of an exception – it’s an officially tolerated trail that gets occasional maintenance. Adding new lines that might cause erosion on there is a bit more of a no-no than on unsanctioned trails.

Until I put a hole in it. Then we’re into the dramas of having something that could hurt someone, when it’s their own fault for not looking first.

I never get this point. A trail has been there for years, you’ve ridden it many times – you’re not going to walk every feature on it. Digging a pit on a existing feature that can’t be seen on the run in is little different to stringing a wire across a trail – its going to catch someone out badly. A completely new feature – fine – If I see something new I pull on the brakes and check it out but not every feature on a trail I know well.

From your username, simons was it you on the new Nicolai at Pitch on Friday – orange/red shorts and grey top and dodgy stereo!!!

End of clunk is beyond my abilities, though may be worth putting a hole in there as I do keep thinking I could just roll it. I think it’s a serious enough trail to expect the unexpected. 😀

teamhurtmore – Member 
But lets take a deep breath – we are bloody lucky to have such great trails DESPITE the heavy usage

Very true 🙂

Should stress it’s a bit of a tongue in cheek rant 😀

From your username, simons was it you on the new Nicolai at Pitch on Friday – orange/red shorts and grey top and dodgy stereo!!!

There really should be some STW code to identify other posters.

I still can’t believe it’s taken me 8 years to work out that the rear speakers weren’t working on Bluetooth and how to fix it.

As long as the twistier, more fun lines are still there, I couldn’t give a toss about strava shortcuts.

Until I put a hole in it. Then we’re into the dramas of having something that could hurt someone, when it’s their own fault for not looking first.

I’m with Simons on this one, especially after seeing a young-ish lad who, having apparently ridden the second drop on thick and creamy the day before, subsequently went over it to find someone had dug the back side of it out.

You can’t stop and check every existing trail feature every time you ride on well established trails. If you have the time and are willing to put in the effort to build trails (which is, by and large, massively appreciated) and you want to stop erosion from people not riding it as intended then fair enough but it can’t be that hard to put a sign next to existing, well used features saying ‘NEW GAP’ when the hole is essentially blind on approach. I think it generally boils down to a bit of common sense and consideration for others.

There really should be some STW code to identify other posters.

Using our real name 😉 ?

I am easy to identify on either a Blue BFe or White Covert with red STW neck bandanna thing and going every bit as slowly as I say I do.

We’ll have to arrange something, i’m hoping to head over next week for some gentle stuff if anyone fancies it from about 3pm ? I’m not up for gaps but i could manage hopefully to get down a fair amount of stuff with luck and the right bike 🙂

Using our real name ?

that would help. Surprisingly enough my name is Simon and my surname starts with S

I’m with Simons on this one, especially after seeing a young-ish lad who, having apparently ridden the second drop on thick and creamy the day before, subsequently went over it to find someone had dug the back side of it out.

There’s a clip of exactly that too – Guy goes over the lip but does not expect the gap, quite a good recovery from the fall though!

Belated Hi – Simon. Hope you had a better ride than me. Saw your vehicle still there when I returned with bruised leg and ego!

Weeksy – might be up for that as I have some time flexibility at the moment. Depends on how quickly my leg heals but would be fun.

A new collective noun – a mince of MTBers?

It is silly when people decide to modify a trail & chop sections out, especially when there isn’t really any need to – they arn’t making features any bigger or more ‘manly’ because there is a gap there – people can either hit it or not.

It would be nice if people built something other than just another jump line too. I’m happy to hit stuff, but I would like to mix it up a bit more than recent times 🙂

It is silly when people decide to modify a trail & chop sections out, especially when there isn’t really any need to – they arn’t making features any bigger or more ‘manly’ because there is a gap there – people can either hit it or not.

I always walk my local jump spot first, common sense.

It would be nice if people built something other than just another jump line too. I’m happy to hit stuff, but I would like to mix it up a bit more than recent times

Trailbuilder in getting to build what he/she wants shocker. Build your own line perhaps?.

We get the same folk moaning about our local stuff, funnily enough every time there’s a dig day mentioned, they go hell of a quiet…

I always walk my local jump spot first, common sense.

Really? Have/Do you ride the SH? It’s standard to put together a 30km loop, it’s not a ‘jump spot’, I don’t have a spare weekend to walk a loop first.

Trailbuilder in getting to build what he/she wants shocker. Build your own line perhaps?.

We get the same folk moaning about our local stuff, funnily enough every time there’s a dig day mentioned, they go hell of a quiet…

Brilliant.

I do build my own stuff in my local spot thanks, I’m not going to drive an hour to chop up existing trails & lines that have been there for years & have just been changed because someone fancies sticking a random gap or jump in it.

🙂

These aren’t jump spots, they’re trails. To check them all first then ride them in one would mean every ride would be accompanied by a very long walk. Not really practical.

As said before, it just takes a bit of common sense and consideration from anyone modifying existing features. No biggie.

EDIT: too slow

Fair do’s, I assumed we were taliking jump lines, not full trails, and I though surrey hills were pretty much all rider built, ie not FCS or owt?.

Some of the young team dig borrow pits in really daft places, that’s why I always have a look.

So what day are we thinking next week, who can make say 3.30pm ? Gives us enough time for some fun etc ?

Also worth noting 99% of stuff around Peaslake is unofficial – the guy who owns most of the land is hardly the most approachable when it comes to riders too 🙂

Nobeerinthefridge – Member
We get the same folk moaning about our local stuff, funnily enough every time there’s a dig day mentioned, they go hell of a quiet…

Given all the stuff talked about here is illegal, there aren’t any advertised dig days.

Anyone can pick up a shovel and go dig, though again still illegal. Building your own line is fine but give it a couple of weeks and someone’s put a gap jump in it.

I prefer some of the lesser known parts of the Surrey Hills where there are more “natural” trails with tonnes of flow, roots, rocks perhaps, twists and turns, steep and just fun. Cheeky optional features chucked in as well but usually stuff like a jump over a fallen tree, not a big industrial scale dug gap. I say natural in that they are natural feel but generally they are maintained by local pixies, but it’s a lot more subtle. Strava lines on these are not welcome, not least because they make it obvious the trail is being used by bikes and the local NIMBYs / walkers / nature lovers will get the hump.

Crack pipe?

They sell them in my local shop. Which is nice.

Supernova again 🙄

Fixed again 😉

This is what gets me. People want fast, fine, but the fast line should always be the more technical. If you’re skilled enough you can hit the difficult option and get a speed advantage. If you want easy, it shouldn’t make the technical line pointless to do because everyone finds the easy option faster. Otherwise downhillers would just have a flat smooth straight line down avoiding the gnar and the whole thing would be boring and unchallenging. Might as well ride on the road!