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Whilst out riding some "natural" trails in my local woods I was wondering, what actually defines a natural bit of MTB singletrack? Most of the so-called natural sections of trail that I ride are just hand-dug, unsurfaced trails built by a few locals- they are still man-made. Is a bridleway or hiking path a natural trail? They were both made by humans, just not designed specifically for bikes. By this logic a natural trail must be a game trail beaten out by wildlife. Or is a natural trail just anything that isn't a surfaced trail centre section?
I like riding my bike and not over thinking things.
As by default, if we as cyclists, have created it then it must be man made, I would say that following animal tracks is natural. Being slightly more reasonable I would suggest that if it has needed tools to make its surface it most definitely isn't a natural trail. Kicking the odd bramble or snapping the odd twig doesn't could but bring along a spade is definitely "making"
They're all man-made.
"purpose built" would be a better designation
"Natural" means it was constructed entirely by that there nature so Deer, Squirrels and Owls Cleared the path, carried out any excavations and brought in any additional materials required with no Human assistance...
"Man made" trails apparently means big ugly Men (No Women you'll note) Stamped all over the [I]"countryside"[/I], they probably used chainsaws and Axes and destroyed a rare ground nesting birds habitat for fun...
"Natural" means it was constructed entirely by that there nature so Deer, Squirrels and Owls Cleared the path, carried out any excavations and brought in any additional materials required with no Human assistance...
Are humans not part of nature then?
Why is a squirrel digging a jump more natural than a human digging a jump?
I think the distinction is between those trails explicitly designed and created for mountain bikes (man made) and those which were created for something else, i.e. the stalking tracks in Scotland (natural).
They are just labels and so long as (most) people know what you mean it doesn't really matter. They could be called "Fred" and "Wilma" for all the difference it makes.
interesting.
some of the most sublime tracks I've ridden recently have, I'm hazarding, been developed by wildlife - deer, sheep maybe, definitely not cyclists. But they flow well, some very well.
natural - to me could include stalkers' paths in the highlands, man-made, built, but for transport rather than 'enjoyment'...
man-made - 'purpose built' as above would be the dividing line to me..
I thought this was going to be about boobies 🙁
No I'm serious...
This was constructed entirely by woodland animals:
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Have you ever seen a Vole Nailing down the slats on a skinny? it takes them absolutely ages, and they insist on using the tiniest hammer you've ever seen...
This kicker was made by a "trail-crew" comprising seven foxes a badger and a siberian tiger (Visiting on his gap year apparently):
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Are you genuinely struggling here?
As above think man made = purpose built for bikes
Natural = not purpose built for bikes
^^ What he says.
These Jumps were all built by one Shetland pony:
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No really... it took him ages.
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An Otter working with a Goose and a Hedgehog...
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Are you genuinely struggling here?As above think man made = purpose built for bikes
Natural = not purpose built for bikes
I'd think and even stricter distinction would be 'natural' would be a trail that actually goes somewhere by the most effective route and has come into being by the actions of people travelling that route. 'Made' MTB trails tend to take the most wriggly and circuitous route they can between a corner of the carpark and another corner of the same carpark.
This shoddy bag of crap was made by a Moor hen and an Ocelot...
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... Never trust an Ocelot...
Natural = not purpose built for bikes
I'd think and even stricter distinction would be 'natural' would be a trail that actually goes somewhere by the most effective route and has come into being by the actions of people travelling that route.
According to the Oxford dictionary......
Natural = "Existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind:"
.....so pretty much nothing Iv ever ridden is natural..... Except when going scouting off piste for new lines. Of course as soon as Iv ridden them in they cease to be natural.
They're all man-made.
"purpose built" would be a better designation
This.
The difference to me is that 'purpose built' are built to be bike friendly. The camber works in your favour, the surface offers just the right amount of grip and the right amount of technical challenge, The corners might have berms to make maintaining speed easier, any jumps have just the right sort of transition and a thought out landing area.
What the OP originally started off calling natural is everything else. It might be easier it might not but it is definitely not been adapted for a bike.
Ffs, we all know what the OP meant.
This thread makes me want to kill kittens. Or people.
Just for the record, I enjoy riding trails and I couldn't give a flying fox how they were made
I really want to see a squirrel digging a jump now
Quite a lot of our local trails were made by badgers or deer - the badgers even put moderately challenging features in! We clear stuff higher up because badgers on bikes aren't as tall as humans on bikes (and pedestrian badgers are even shorter) but what we ride is natural - at least to start with...
Point taken about ocelots! 😉
Squirrels for jumps badgers for berms ,the most natural trails ever .