if you like the idea then check out this and sign the petition ; http://www.petitions24.com/new_purpose_built_mtb_trails_at_alice_holt_forest

Done

Done.

No because too many purpose built trails means loads and loads of people flock to particular areas which then suffer from loads of rubbish everywhere increase in theft from vehicles and then the ramblers can put more pressure on banning cycling from other areas stating there’s already places where they can go and ride without needing access to other areas.

It’s a bit like cycle lane syndrome; ‘get off the road there’s a cycle lane!’. Just means cyclists end up getting forced into particular areas/tracks and the whole ‘ride where you like’ freedom aspect becomes diluted then eroded, much like a favourite trail that ends up being overused then having to beclosed cos it’s knackered.

Perhaps it could take the pressure off existing honeypots? But they would need to reduce both the car parking charges and cafe prices for it to appeal to mtb’ers.

Elfinsafety +1

I remember when Summer Lightening got sanctioned. Part of the ‘deal’ was the closure of some other trails. Got 1 sanctioned trail and we lost 3 others.
Think there’s plans for a piece of sanctioned singletrack from Leith Hill Tower down to a farm on the South side (name escapes me) if they get the funding for a ‘bike skills park’ at said farm. I can hear the voices now….”go away and ride on that trail we gave you, you’re not welcome here”
The only beneficiary of the proposed new trail will be the farm.

I remember when Summer Lightening got sanctioned. Part of the ‘deal’ was the closure of some other trails. Got 1 sanctioned trail and we lost 3 others

Point missed. AFAIK theere’s bugger all down there to start with.

Perhaps it could take the pressure off existing honeypots?

The only thing that will do that is if people stop riding there. I have. Have you?

Perhaps it could take the pressure off existing honeypots?
The only thing that will do that is if people stop riding there. I have. Have you?

I dont agree with this although the number of mtber’s is growing there personally I think there has to be a reasonable limit of people who are really into mtbing.

I know the population is growing particularly in the SE but I just cant see the numbers of MTBers growing exponential every year.

What some one needs to do is work out what percentage of the population are likely start mtbing, then what the average time they will spend mtb each year. Then what is the average distance they will travel and compare to population densities.

Personally I think a few more purpose built centres in the SE would be a good thing and will take the pressure off the current popular areas, with out us losing overall acess.

“all weather trail based on the best of Scottish blue trails” <yawn>
still, better than nothing.

I’m undecided. I kind of share elfins attitude to this and it concerns me that for many it’s not about getting ‘out there’ and following the contours of the land on ancient trackways (legit or otherwise). I think overall I’d rather see money spent on creating a proper network of bridleways and other bike friendly access routes across the south east.

We all rode our bikes before trail centres no?

But

On the other hand it also seems counterproductive to oppose more bike trails!

Can’t we have both?

The only thing that will do that is if people stop riding there. I have. Have you?

Soon will be Pete. 🙂

I do think that people are less inclined to travel far these days due to petrol costs.

Point missed. AFAIK theere’s bugger all down there to start with.

Eh?, not sure I understand this – if you’re saying there’s no good riding around them there hills then you moved without ever finding the good stuff – Summer Lightening (proper name Becky’s Bush) not being good stuff you understand.

I think Pete is referring to what there is, or rather isn’t, at Alice Holt Forest.

Interesting, the problem here isnt one of building new trails, its how do we open up more ROW to bikes? Doing that would negate the need for more new trails I would have thought.

In the meantime, till pigs learn to fly, I shall cheeky 😉 Do you?

yossarian – Member

I’m undecided. I kind of share elfins attitude to this and it concerns me that for many it’s not about getting ‘out there’ and following the contours of the land on ancient trackways (legit or otherwise). I think overall I’d rather see money spent on creating a proper network of bridleways and other bike friendly access routes across the south east.

it’s highly unlikely a network of bridleways would be anything like the ‘super fun, fast, flowey singletrack’ they describe.

I can’t think of anywhere in the SE i’ve actually ridden decent singletrack that wasn’t cheeky, or at least of dubious cheekitude.

But anyhow, getting some decent purpose made trails isn’t mutually exclusive to having the ROW network opened up, is it?

Elfinsafety – Member
and then the ramblers can put more pressure on banning cycling from other areas stating there’s already places where they can go and ride without needing access to other areas.

Has that actually happened anywhere?

Edit: quoted wrong bit

it’s highly unlikely a network of bridleways would be anything like the ‘super fun, fast, flowey singletrack’ they describe.
I can’t think of anywhere in the SE i’ve actually ridden decent singletrack that wasn’t cheeky, or at least of dubious cheekitude.

Well there’s shitloads of unclassified forest trails down here in east Kent. All fair game as far as I know. Besides ‘super fun, fast, flowey singletrack that you have to drive to access and was made by a bloke in a digger’ isn’t the be all and end all.

Well I am sure you can all sign up to the survey on this site : http://southamptoncycle.wordpress.com/

It doesn’t replace any existing trails. There are no other trails that will be threatened because of it.

It may attract new riders but they won’t be overcroweding ‘our’ trails because this isn’t part of our trails.

Everyone’s a winner!

Done,

Build more trails, smile politely and be polite to the moaning dog walkers as you dig the cack out of your tyre that there little darling has just left behind. Rise above.
I have to say that I haven’t met anyone in the woods around here (Alton, Hampshire, Chawton park) that isn’t happy to see us blasting through the woods, enjoying ourselves on our cheeky trails of an evening. Maybe I’m lucky and live in an extraordinarily happy place.
I used to live in Fleet where the woods are a grumpy place with more poo on the ground than average, so I moved.
Alice Holt is only a short tarmac blast from my house, I don’t ride there because it’s currently rubbish, or i’ve missed all the good bits. I will check it out at the weekend for grumpsters and report back.

Elfin, pop by for happy trails and hugs!

I know the population is growing particularly in the SE but I just cant see the numbers of MTBers growing exponential every year.

The rate of population growth is exponential and if a fixed % of that population are into MTBing then the MTB population is also growing exponentially.

yossarian – Member
Well there’s shitloads of unclassified forest trails down here in east Kent. All fair game as far as I know. Besides ‘super fun, fast, flowey singletrack that you have to drive to access and was made by a bloke in a digger’ isn’t the be all and end all.

Exactly, fair game as far as you know. One day you might turn up and find the land owners have put up no cycling signs or destroyed all the trails. This has happened several times round here. 🙁 All you get left with is shitty bits of aggregate covered doubletrack and a load of self appointed trail police giving you grief.

Not saying purpose built is the be all and end all, but sometimes I like riding singletrack where I can just enjoy the flow of the trail; no map reading, no roads, no worrying about getting hassle over riding cheeky. I can’t see how having that available affects ‘normal’ local riding in any way really – having Aston Hill available doesn’t mean that the Chilterns are out of bounds for example.

Yeah this is brilliant! More lovely mtbing trails for us to enjoy! 😀

The rate of population growth is exponential and if a fixed % of that population are into MTBing then the MTB population is also growing exponentially

The rate of population growth in the UK is not exponential. In some parts of the UK ie Liverpool population is dropping, and it was dropping in Scotland as a whole till recently.

UK population

Between 1975 and 1985 the population was basically stable. Shame it didnt stay that way.