Natural Riding is Much Better Than Trail Centres?

I like both – Do I win £5?

I prefer 'organic' trails to Mctrails, but they both have their place, particularly for a bit of light relief in the middle of a schlock filled winter.

I'm seeing riders coming through now that seem to have a bias for one or the other – Trail centre riders are generally faster and know how to fly on smooth and groomed stuff, whilst ROW riders seem to have more technical aptitude and line choosing skills.

I was quite surprised when I guided a couple of Cwm Carn DH sessioners round my XC patch – they were happy to ride the big jumps at speeds and heights that would scare the piss right outta me, but I left them for dead down Cheddar rockgarden, which is something I thought they would have liked, being all rad and gnarly.

They got to the bottom and couldn't get over it 'there were rocks everywhere' one said.

err yes. It woke me up to the fact that people are coming to MTB via different routes these days, and there are slightly different skill sets involved.

I have never ridden a natural trail and never would.. they are rubbish.. just old bits of countryside that no-one likes except sheep and ramblers.. If they were good people would have built roads and houses and trail centers there.. but they aren't..

My local trail centre is the bomb.. it has really good smooth singletrack and three sections with rocks.. The singletrack is really flowy cos it isn't influenced by stupid natural features.. AND Elbry rides there.. there's always at least 50 other people up there and I can get coffee if I want..

Lots of tongue in cheek comments on here (DavidTaylforth + Yunki im looking at you!) whether people actually realise that or not im not sure that they do!

Personally i've never ridden a trail centre but would certainly like to. I like the fact that you're less likely to encounter people coming up the descent than on a bridleway.
Theres plenty of room on this small island for everyone, so why try and limit yourself to one particular type of riding? Not everyone likes downhilling or xc mincing equally, so just ride what you like.
What i'd REALLY like are access laws in England like they have in Scotland i.e. See a trail ride it, end of.

Well I certainly enjoyed the (pretty much) exclusively man made trails in BC. Better than anything natural or man made I've ever ridden in the UK anyway. IMHO of course.

I've yet to ride a TC where Ive had to: stop/get off to go through gates (usually on the best descents!), dodge other non-bike users,ride on tarmac, stop/start to follow a routguide/maps etc. That said natural riding at its best just about wins for me!

'there were rocks everywhere' one said.

Yeah it's a fast trail but the rocks are pretty random, completely embedded and damn slick too. Once of my fav trails anywhere.

So all we need now Colin, is learn how to jump stuff!

In the end I don't consider people who only ride trail centres to be proper mountain bikers. They may have really good bike skills and be faster than me, but mountain biking involves finding your way and being self sufficient, looking after yourself for a day in the hills, not having the easy option of a walk back to the car if something goes wrong.

Heh – I only really consider if people on their bikes are having fun. 😀

I used to live in Peebles and rode trails in most of the Tweed valley forests, long before they became "official" trails and you had to pay for them. Once that started I never went back. Now I ride cross-country, quite often without anything much more than a sheep track across moorland and, of course, beaches and dunes at the coast. The best thing I even did was build a Surly Pugsley, goes anywhere, anytime. Go on, be different!

Gary
http://www.pugsley-on-patrol.org.uk
http://www.youtube.com/user/garybuckham

'there were rocks everywhere' one said.
Yeah it's a fast trail but the rocks are pretty random, completely embedded and damn slick too. Once of my fav trails anywhere.

Is the Cheddar rock garden near the top of 'Jacobs Ladder'. That's a real relax and go with the flow descent, fight it or looks at the polished pointy rocks and you'll be off.

Back on topic both types have a place. Trail centres can be boring and not being able to change you route on the fly can be constraining but wet the local trail are sloppy with mud nothing beats them. I guess if your live near lots of all weather natural trails then you'll never need a trail centre. I also hate stopping to look at a map so if I'm going to take the effort to drive somewhere a trail centre or being guided makes sense.

I thought you had to ride at a trail centre. Where does it say that you can ride over the hills. That doesn't sound like it should be allowed.

Before I did mountain biking I did motorbiking, and you get the exact same chat, "Oh, trackdays are so sterile, I'd rather ride the route napoleon" or whatever. And you know what? That was total s**t too. It's all just riding bikes.

I prefer natural stuff but really enjoy the odd trail centre visit too. I like the way GT makes every muscle in your body ache the next day. Really enjoyed Mabie as it has that really natural feel to it and you can pick lines in places.

It's all fun 😀

The best natural trails are better than the best trail centres.

The worst natural trails are worse than the worst trail centres.

Sometimes, I go climbing at the local indoor climbing wall.

I'm not a climber.

"Is the Cheddar rock garden near the top of 'Jacobs Ladder'. That's a real relax and go with the flow descent, fight it or look at the polished pointy rocks and you'll be off"

That's the one, and you're on the money with that description.

I just want the time and money to ride it all!

Sometimes, I go climbing at the local indoor climbing wall.

I'm not a climber.

And people who only snowboard groomed pistes, parks and halfpipes are not snowboarders?

Sometimes, I go climbing at the local indoor climbing wall.

I'm not a climber.

Err… you blatantly are!! Youv'e just admitted it! 😉

I love Trail Centres.Keeps the half-wits off the good stuff.

In the end I don't consider people who only ride trail centres to be proper mountain bikers. They may have really good bike skills and be faster than me, but mountain biking involves finding your way and being self sufficient, looking after yourself for a day in the hills, not having the easy option of a walk back to the car if something goes wrong.

What a complete bag'o'****.

My bike wont let me ride anything thats not way marked.

Nice films Gary.

Yes………..

but the centres do keep other trails quieter and I am grateful for that.

imnotverygood – Member

I thought you had to ride at a trail centre. Where does it say that you can ride over the hills. That doesn't sound like it should be allowed.

it basically isn't…

Yes………..

but the centres do keep other trails quieter and I am grateful for that.

AMEN

I prefer plucking cattle from the fields and salad from the hedgerows.

If I'm honest, I don't really consider the preparation of food purchased from shops and markets to be cooking at all.

😉

but the centres do keep other trails quieter and I am grateful for that.

I don't think they do. I think they reduce the number of 30-somethings damaging themselves on the local jump spots tho!

but the centres do keep other trails quieter and I am grateful for that.

And the natural trails keep the numbers down at the trail centres.

What's your point, caller?

🙂

So all we need now Colin, is learn how to jump stuff!

I'm not really sure that I'm prepared to invest the pain and suffering involved!

😕

Trail centres are great for lots of reasons, most already mentioned. In addition, they are great for introducing people to the sport/hobby. The are also good for people who have time constraints – its nice to know you can take your bike somewhere, squeeze in a couple of hours of good varied riding and still be back home for lunch. I've nothing against natural trails and can understand that some people have more time and/or enjoy a different experience and type of riding.

Sneering and dismissing how others get pleasure from riding their bikes says more about those peoples own insecurities than anything else.

In addition, they are great for introducing people to the sport/hobby

I dispute this, they are neither better or worse. I lead a beginner ride every week, and use a trail centre perhaps once or twice a year

he didnt say they were better or worse… just great. you're arguement is invalid 😉

Natural or man made it doesn't matter to me it's all better than waisting the day away on here.

I dispute this, they are neither better or worse. I lead a beginner ride every week, and use a trail centre perhaps once or twice a year

I wasn't talking about instructor led beginners courses though.

what proportion of beginners are introduced to the sport this way?

I wasn't talking about instructor led beginners courses though.

I'm not an instructor!

There's nothing to beat the satisfaction of riding challenging natural trails. It comes from a combination of planning the ride, the physical effort, the map reading, enjoying remoteness and natural beauty, the technical challenge of the riding, coping with the unexpected etc.

I do go to my nearest TC, Laggan, a couple of times a year for a blast and some skilz tuning, but would get bored with more than that

how do you lead a beginners ride without offering instruction?

The problem is that we build trail centres all wrong in this country: We try and make all trails rideable by everyone, which ultimately leads them being boring for the more experienced riders. What they need to do is to take on the Canadian trail grading system and build trails to fulfill all the categories i.e. green (easiest), blue, black, double black (hardest). Plus they need to to provide a mixture of fast, flowy stuff, and slower technical stuff within those aforementioned categories.

If trail centres were built like this, then we wouldn't be having this argument.