A few comments suggest this is National Trust land, and that trails are removed quickly. Can anyone confirm?
Sam in some comments suggests you can trail build anywhere when folk ask him.
Sorry, but if this has the case the guy is bang out of order. Grrr.

This is a bloke who posts videos of himself riding an illegal (well definitely fishy) electric ‘motorbike’ around woods and trails.

I don’t think he GAF.

he is not very responsible. On one eposide he got a free retro bike and trashed it on trails until it was dead. Someone would have been really happy with that as a bike. It was given away by a household, left with a ‘please take me’ note. Was in good condition too. Totally out of order.

Of all the things to get annoyed about, folk building trails. 😂

why do they wear their helmets when digging and not on the bike? it’s like when I see cyclists inside a cafe sitting down having a brew wearing their helmets, like WHY?
it’s not like putting a helmet on takes a long time or is a complicated process. durr

bad hair day innit!

Sponshership I imagine Jekkyl (not sure about riders outside cafes..)

As for illegal trailbuilding, I would suggest a more camo look, dayglo hoody?

Unless he is working on the hi-viz vest principle…

Jekyll- I wear my helmet down the pub usually because I still have 5 miles to ride and absolutely hate putting a sweaty helmet back on.

It’s almost as if he does these videos to draw attention to himself, and has worked out that controversy brings attention.

It’s almost as if he does these videos to draw attention to himself, and has worked out that controversy brings attention.

This. Cash for clicks.

Fair point.
I’m more frustrated by the encouragement to just go and dig a trail anywhere, like I give a flying f… attitude. How to upset friends and badly influence people.

How to upset friends and badly influence people.

National trust? I ain’t bovvered.

What do you expect, he’s hardly the sharpest tool in the box is he?

All those blows to the head I suspect.

What do you expect, he’s hardly the sharpest tool in the box is he?

He’s made a career out of it, so I wouldn’t be so quick to call him stupid, just because you don’t ‘get’ it.

why do they wear their helmets when digging and not on the bike? it’s like when I see cyclists inside a cafe sitting down having a brew wearing their helmets, like WHY?
it’s not like putting a helmet on takes a long time or is a complicated process. durr

Dunno if our club is atypical, but there’s probably more ‘crashes’ sliding on a wet cafe floor in disco slippers than on the road!

National trust? I ain’t bovvered.

Whatever your well reasoned and nuanced arguments are against the NT. I’m not sure pissing off one of the biggest landowners in the UK is going to do us any favors in campaigning for greater access.

Its the end of the world as we know it

I’d never heard of Sam Pilgrim prior to this thread, so I suppose his video is achieving his main goal.

It’s through illegal trail building that things become more mainstream.I been building since I was a kid.

It’s through illegal trail building that things become more mainstream.I been building since I was a kid.

I don’t disagree but there’s ‘cheeky trails’ concisting of footpaths and trails in the woods int he middle of nowhere that no one knows about. And then there’s building where you know you’re just creating workload and grief for the land manager.

Build smart or the work is for nothing as it gets wrecked

TINAS, you and I have different viewpoints on this, mainly due to where we live, you in the SE IIRC, Me in Scotland, so it would be unexpected for us to agree or argue the point.

Where I live, there is vast, vast swathes of unmanaged, unloved land, ditto forests that no one ever ventures in, that will ultimately end up looking horrific once deforested and left fallow for whatever period the landowner decides.

It is in my opinion that a wee ribbon of mud in one of these areas is hardly a crime, I tend to agree that wooden built jumps are a bit shit, but in the grand scheme of things, there’s a hell of a lot worse going on by those that were born into the ownership of that land.

I accept you have a different view, and that land around you is in a different situation, fair enough.

So we can all agree that there are some areas of woodland we shouldn’t build cheeky trails on, not simply because getting caught would be a hassle?

I would agree, it breaks rule no.1

Mr Pilgrim putting it out on the internet and encouraging others to build trails wherever they want does smashes, burns, spits on and wipes a bum with rule no.1

TINAS, you and I have different viewpoints on this, mainly due to where we live,

I don’t think we disagree actually. Trailbuilding in the woods in the middle of nowhere is on the right side of cheeky. But that’s more likely to be FC rather than NT or NTS land. If it’s NT land then either it’s been purchased because it is loved or bequeathed to them. Their remit is to use/ develop / maintain /manage that land sustainably (i.e. meeting the needs of users without harming the needs of future users, their motto is “forever, for everyone”). sometimes that means a no-cycling sign. Sometimes that means they invest in 8 miles of family trails and a cafe for cyclists.

I support the NT mostly because I grew up on a series of NT farms and houses, nowt to do with moving South.

As soon as I saw him and his buddies making those stupid hand gestures I lost interest and when I saw them using those even more stupid American-style long-handled shovels to almost no effect at all I laughed and turned off. Do people understand the difference between a spade and shovel or even how to use a proper shovel? It must be one of the most efficient tools known to Mankind, used correctly.

Fair enough TINAS.

I have to skip the bits were he does bike building on his drive and is resting brand new FOX 40s on the tarmac whilst hammering the crowns on. Otherwise a talented rider, but like Deakin a bit too much Oi Oi going on.

Ever since National Trust used their block vote to overrule their members in the banning of trail hunting with dogs (a cover for illegal fox hunting) ive concluded its my public duty to do as much illegal riding as possible on their land.

But it’s not illegal is it?

They might come after you in a civil Court for the cost of restoring the land to its former state but you’re not breaking any law. Unless….. (sound of brain cogs ticking) they tried for a charge of Criminal Damage?

But it’s not illegal is it?

Correct, it was just a figure of speech. I should have said cheeky.

I really like the guy . Carry on Sam

Agreed Blackflag, that and the Glencoe naming rights fiasco.

But it’s not illegal is it?

Currently, no. Boris Chump is planning to change the laws of trespass during the life of his government. Any ammunition for the naysaying landowners is bad news from this point onwards.

No health and safety seeing a few of them have lost two digits at the knuckle

But it’s not illegal is it?

it is actually – criminal damage to someones property and uprooting of wild plants.

If he’s an accredited trail builder and wants a laugh then send him my way to sort the sketchy pumptrack and dj spot in town

But it’s not illegal is it?

Depends if it’s an SSSI or not, or any other bylaws.

It amazes me that so many people see rule #1 differently.

There is a land owner in Surrey Hills lets a trail go through their actual garden.
When they asked if people could respect a bit of quiet when the kids are in bed a bunch of #1 thought it was a funny idea to go and make noise and shine their 1000 lumen lights through the house.

and Ahem…. when the location of your own private trails is a pin 10 miles away a phrase with glass houses and stones comes to mind – Just Sayin …

it is actually – criminal damage to someones property and uprooting of wild plants.

Jesus wept.