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jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez
so now its down to picking holes in peoples grammar..[pedant]Actually, he was correcting bad spelling, not bad grammar.[/pedant]
Very True!.
To be fair if you can ride that trail at any sort of pace the old berms were too tight, it was easier to double them up.
I did always find them a bit tight actually, but assumed it was my lacking skillz.
Very True!.
Full stop and an exclamation mark. Tut tut.
the whole trail could be flattened by the Hurtwood with a few chainsaw strokes..only take 1 show to the ranger of neck brace picture...
a bit effing late now lads... Hurtwood do lurk on here!
Assuming this is the same feature (I think so) this was a bit of a surprise when I rode it on Wednesday in the dark - that's a significant change to a trail I've ridden many times before.
It seems an odd modification to do to a trail that will be very familiar to many riders - I bet it's going to catch more people out. It's not an improvement IMO, I preferred it as it was before, but that's subjective certainly. It concerns me somebody could get badly hurt there because they're not ready for a new feature on what's to them a familiar trail.
Careful out there folks, the only worthwhile lesson I guess is not to take these trail layouts for granted
@op glad you're OK, could have been nasty.
when I rode it on Wednesday in the dark
that sounds like I rode the jump ... I didn't, jumps aren't my bag. [i]It[/i] means the trail.
Very True!.Full stop and an exclamation mark. Tut tut.
i Am not sure what You mean.?
There are plenty of trails with jumps with and without gaps just a few minutes pedal from SuperNova. I think these modifications are irresponsible on what was previously a rollable "easy" trail ridden by almost everyone on their way to the bottom of the hill.
As for walking the trail, 10 or 15 mins walk down plus the same back up, so 20-30 mins. Are we assuming we chain the bike up at the top or do we push that down the trail whilst we are scoping it ?
I just go for a ride. I ride the trails that happen to be on my route and look interesting once, otherwise I would feel the urge to walk, lower my shorts and hang a full facer from my bars!
I just like to ride my bike. Why so I need to inspect trails before riding them? Surely that just wrecks a ride.
"Surrey Hills" as the phrase is used here isn't a bike park or trail centre, it's a shared access area where trails are to a degree tolerated (though there's plenty of resistance too). So warning signs and so on, as one would see in a bike park, aren't a good idea I think. Basically this is a place where anyone can go anywhere, and that stands for everyone.
It doesn't seem smart to me to add new potentially dangerous features into longstanding, not technically advanced, trails that many people will already know pretty well. It's not viable to expect people to approach a familiar trail as if it was new, every time.
If a change needs a warning sign, that's maybe an indication that it's in the wrong place.
Likewise on a normal ST trail, it's probably smart to make everything so it's rollable ... like they do in Coed y Brenin etc! This doesn't stop people jumping the feature, they can still do that. And there are plenty of other trails that have gap jumps in and always have done.
Imagine if that jump was a childs face.
It's all very well dishing out advice on how to build trails for us all to ride. But in reality there are very few out there willing to do the work, and a lot of people with advice. Maybe they should put there money/spade where there mouth is!
If a change needs a warning sign, that's maybe an indication that it's in the wrong place.
Mmm, seems about right.
But in reality there are very few out there willing to do the work, and a lot of people with advice. Maybe they should put there money/spade where there mouth is!
Well folk are generally saying that leaving the spade at home is the preferred idea when the alternative is sticking large doubles in non-technical and well used trails...
It's all very well dishing out advice on how to build trails for us all to ride. But in reality there are very few out there willing to do the work, and a lot of people with advice. Maybe they should put there money/spade where there mouth is!
So if you dig something, like say a new jump, and someone who doesn't like it grabs a spade and comes along afterwards and demolishes it, that's cool? I can see the potential for conflict within trail user groups here, let alone between them.
Yea, but if you don't like the gap, fill it in. you don't have to flatten it all. I recon the berms would have taken quite a lot of digging, don't you?
njee20 & edlong i think what freeride_frankie is trying to say is that if people get involved a bit more with build trails in the first place you will have more of a say in what they turn out like. It should be about all working together.
It’s very easy to say I don't like this and that.
What about saying how can I help to make it better?
I was kidding. I know (and agree with) what he means, but I think his comment's a bit misplaced, that's all.
It would be utter carnage if everyone just took a spade and modified every trail to suit! I fully appreciate what goes on up there, and the vast majority is excellent work, but folks adding things like this to suit their riding and putting others at risk is a little daft. I agree that turning it into a tabletop could work very well, but odds are someone will dig it out again in the name of rad.
Well one reason I haven't picked up a spade and modified that trail is because I liked it how it was.
Frankie I don't think anybody's raising an issue with gap jumps as a concept, just questioning the wisdom of dropping one into a well established well used used where riders are going to come upon it unexpectedly, and it's not in keeping with what was there before.
And if Josh Bender wanted to ride that trail, would he be alright to just dig it out into a 30ft drop? Does he have the right to do it, because he's actually wielding a spade?
Personally I think jumps with consequence should be kept to trails with jumps with consequence.
I'm all up for a cheeky table top etc which can be rolled, or little kickers, and drops etc - but once you start mixing the two there's always someone missing out.
The jumpers miss out because they can't build bigger and bigger.
And the trail riders miss out because they aren't into jumping.
Make it rollable and you get heated arguments about why "old Lycra clad 'xc' types" are spoiling their fun and how no one understands them etc 😉
Or at least that's a regular argument on the Swinley FB group 😀
You all know that the truth is none of us have the right to build on the h/wood. Many of us flock to the Surrey Hills to ride these iligitimate trails. If we only rode the legitimate trails, our rides would be a lot shorter and duller! don't quash the trail builders artistic licence. If you feel that there efforts are wrongly placed then why not fill that gap!
You could put the dirt out of the 30' bender bomb hole to good use!
Heal well OP, sorry to hear about the spill.
I came across this just as they started to build it. It was getting late and was very unexpected. I bailed it as I couldn't see what was there at first. But it basically looked a mess. I guess it has been finished now! On balance I am with Jambalaya on this one. But also credit to the trail pixies (I assume TD and friends) as I think they are bloody smart at creating chicken routes in most cases. The obvious example is the (increasingly well known) run not far away on W'fold. The gap jump and the jump before the big berm all have very obvious and rideable chicken lines (for the likes of me) and I was very thankful of them first time out on that trail.
I don't think signs are an answer though!!!
You either ride the trails and take responsibility or u ride fire roads and what ever,u can't ride illegal trails then moan cause they change
Gutted that you hurt yourself but buy posting pics on forums and social media is goner cause nothing but mayhem and trails to be shut down
Seems to me it's the same few riders debating/moaning about the building ,riding of the Surrey hills
Don't ride them trails stick to the other trails
We is all mountain bikers or cyclist just cause you can't / don't want to ride stuff don't make it wrong
Tony b
Gotta love the school holidays!
I can't believe that u all moan about the trails but ride them u need to sit back and think about what ya saying
I've crashed on every trail at some point but I don't post up pics saying watch out there's a root or a new super smooth fast berm
B careful there's a new roundabout on the way to Horsham from Crawley could be tricky
Tony b
Tony b
Hit a sore point big boy
Good input Toni...
Hit a sore point big boy
Me? Not in the least! I've not even moaned about the trails. I don't think it's very sensible to be digging features like that on such high traffic trails, but I've no actual problems with having stuff like that per se. If it had been like that from the start it wouldn't be a problem either.
I don't really see many (if any) people saying they aren't taking responsibility for their actions. I certainly don't think signs are necessary (or even sensible) on the trails up there.
I've crashed on every trail at some point but I don't post up pics saying watch out there's a root or a new super smooth fast berm
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Spot on tony b, common sense at last, you know what they say about common sense it ain't that common!
While I personally like to jump a little and to progress, and I don't mind avoiding stuff that's too big for me, I wouldn't place my preferences above my responsibility towards others and the continuing existence of the trails we all love.
I therefore find it ironic that the jumpers tell the rollers to take responsibility to avoid jumps built without consideration and responsibility towards those who either can't or won't jump or whether the feature is appropriate on a specific trail. The jumpers can roll, but the rollers may not be able to jump either at all, or well enough, so the jump builders and supporters are being selfish.
I doubt the builders would take responsibility instead of the landowner it someone got incapacitated and had to sue to secure the means to support themselves if they no longer could.
Therefore such inconsideration puts the trails as well as the features at risk for all, and for what benefit? A gap instead of a table or otherwise rollable feature. It's unnecessary, something rollable can still be jumped. Technical trail features either belong on technical trails on the main line, or off the main line on non technical trails, although if the trail is illegal even that isn't such a great idea.
If you want to build gaps you can build them big enough to either roll each hump or jump over the gap, and then everyone's happy. Unless of course you're not rad enough to make the bigger gap.
The feature is something i wouldnt think twice about hitting, once i know what the feature is. I was riding sid trail at normal pace, noticed a change, slowed down, realised what it was, stopped, pushed back 30 yards and carried on riding down.
How hard is it if you notice a change, slow down, if need be stop and have a look? Not wanting to ruin the strava run?
Any trail is as hard and technical as you make it, the thought never crosses my mind that i can ride a trail flat out, unseen without taking a massive risk.
Tgis is the first negative ive thought of trail centre mentality, expecting no danger because its safe.
I think the further this thread goes on the more people miss the point of the thread...
I knew the feature was there I've ridden it a few times...
The last time i rode it, it was a straight jump to a flat landing, that was roll able
I was just letting everyone know that someone has come and dug out the landing to a ditch for no particular reason, so it is now no longer roll able..
You cannot see there's a ditch behind the jump until its too late..Like i discovered...lol.
in case you haven't read the entire thread..which im guessing most of you havnt...IT WAS MY FAULT I CRASHED...haha
Well whatever your feeling the Ranger has removed it. Rode the trail last night and the line has had trees felled across it.
Personally I think (although well within my comfort zone) it was the wrong trail for it. As the OP's crash proved it too well known and ridden by too broad a skill base to have a main line like that. If it had been the alternative line then it would have been OK
Well done proflexforever, I think you have got what you wanted, once again thanks.
[quote=blooddonor ]Well done proflexforever, I think you have got what you wanted, once again thanks.
Do you reckon a thread on STW got that done (delusions of the importance of this place?) or somebody doing their job saw something that was a bit silly and knocked it down.
Well done proflexforever, I think you have got what you wanted
from reading this thread, it seems like it's what everyone wanted, bar a self serving hardcore minority
apparently its all my fault that its gone...and theres now going to be a witch hunt for all the desk jockeys to come and "[i]get me[/i]"..
not the fact that the ranger is "[i]doing his job[/i]"..
Bring on the hate campaign towards me...lol
Not unexpected result.
A good, interesting, well built and well known trail that's been tolerated for a long while despite being in an area busy with non-cyclists and being visible from paths.
Gets jump feature added close to end of trail encouraging fast exit. Jump feature gets "upgraded" to make it more exciting/less safe. Rider ends up in hospital.
Trail put beyond use.
Seems a really obvious outcome. Seems strange to me that the trail builders (if it's the usual suspects) did something that meant so much of their hard work ended up wasted.
So the jump has gone - yes ? I really doubt they'd close the whole trail.
So if you dig something, like say a new jump, and someone who doesn't like it grabs a spade and comes along afterwards and demolishes it, that's cool?
Yes.
Well whatever your feeling the Ranger has removed it.
This.
Wow. 5 pages of crap and a hate campaign?? Surely the op was merely pointing out to people who have actually been riding the trail regularly (not on youtube) that the trail has changed, and to be aware??
Surely this thread has run its course and shud be closed??
Make that 6!!!
Agreed. Sounds like the ranger also did the sensible thing. Plenty of jumps and gaps nearby that people can ride if they wish, but probably better for all that they are not on the likes of supernova
Last time I rode it (a few weeks ago) I seemed to miss the turn back up the hill (sorry poor description) that was fun about half way down. Has that gone or did I just imagine it not being there?
Yes, people should take responsibility for themselves, that much is blindingly obvious. Whether they do or not only partially matters in potential litigation and liability against the landowner though. Increase trail consequences and you could also be risking the trail. How responsible is that?
I'm pretty sure a blind eye is currently turned because illegal trails mean less conflict with other users on bridleways and paths. On a cost benefit analysis it can make sense, especially as what would the alternatives be? Raise the stakes though with inappropriate trail building as assessed by the landowner, not riders, and perhaps you force them to act.
Some ramblers will probably destroy it first anyway.
EDIT: Written before removed by Ranger update.
No fair, spoiled our fun, all gone now. Boo!
😛