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Then you won't like some of the trails that have recently opened to MTB. Grelle has some places I have to duck and turn my shoulder sideways at the same time while I work my bars thru. I recognize I'm not fast at that. The first mtbrs I took thru that trail left me behind. They are a tad smaller than me so they had a bit of an advantage.
And this was intended to be an equestrian trail. I don't think a Shetland pony could get thru there.
Tree gates should easily be integrated into the dance you are having with the trail. They should be something that, once mastered, can be flowed through like a skinny or similar TTF. Maybe not the first time through, only after getting the timing, momentum, etc. dialed in. Then, it adds to the experience. 'specially when you have someone behind you who doesn't have a clue, hot on your tail, heh heh heh...
I second Barry. I’m happy to ride any trail that allows bikes on it and appreciate any features on it. I typically choose where I ride and have yet to be forced to ride somewhere! I love flowy trails, I love jumps, I love technical challenges. I’ve never loved climbing hills, but have never insisted on getting rid of all climbs! Tree gates are ok In my book and if I encounter a place with so many they are detrimental to my psych; I probably will choose not to ride there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
PB doesn't have too many tree "gates," however we did leave as many trees as possible, while still allowing a wide corridor. The tree gate at the Wookie Quarry got a facelift at Cranksgiving with a huge roller built between the trees. The trees widen their gap as they get taller, so this was a win-win. There are several tree "handrails" that are near the "best" line. You either have to pick a crappier line or finesse the "best" line. MTB is still a thinking rider's game if played properly. Once your lines are dialed, the thinking goes out the window and you just flow.
This is kind of why I love bike parks. The blues, anyway, take most of the thinking out of the equation. You can pin most anything and the trail is forgiving. Since we didn't have the elevation, nor mechanized equipment to build flowy, buffed out bike park runs, we chose to add challenge where risk and reward had a fair balance.
I've never built trail to intentionally slow flow where it didn't need it. That's dumb.
And you built the best "Texas Flow" trail.
At PB there is that one section... not really a tree gate, but a tree near the edge of rock line, with only a foot or so of line before it falls off to nothing. This is the kind of thing where I use the "slingshot" move. That's where you grab the tree as you go by, allowing your bike--and more importantly your bar--to lean aggressively away from the tree, while your momentum and arm movement carries you aground. It's not a very high speed move, but a fun one.
Brushy has one slingshot spot as well.
I use the "twitch" move. Ride at it like the tree was not there. Just before your handlebar hits the tree, lean far enough away from the tree to clear your handlebar. Yes that *starts* a turn. Just after your handlebar clears the tree - lean it back to straight or just a tad of turn to the tree side. In that split second of leaning the bike does not have time to turn much. The end result is the bike goes almost straight but your handlebars clear the tree.
Try this move where there is not a drop off away from the tree. It is easy but you have to get your timing right.
Here is info on dealing with true tree gates - https://www.dirtrider.com/features/p...rees_technique Works the same on a mountain bike but you have more time.
Excellent! You ride it as intended vs. the hundreds of people making a sloughing off "cheater" line lower. I can get through there ?5x faster by slingshotting than either the long go-around or dismount.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
That's also the best explanation of the slingshot I've ever heard.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FJsnoozer
WE built, and Texas Flow is a cool term, especially now that Texas Flow Squad is a real ripper (albeit without gloves).
I prefer to take a chain saw and notch slots in both trees to make just enough room for my handlebars. My wife cuts them at the baby-stroller level.
We can't take you anywhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by cramsay3
Don't worry, He will start sweating one day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spicewookie
Texas flow is my go to term for when you find that perfect balance of speed a Momentum to make Eds bowl and other trails feel like a Nate Hills FCF.
This might not be a popular position to take, but my thought is that where public land useage is concerned, "... land managers and trail stewards..." do not have any "...absolute right to have the trail they want....", but need to be very considerate of local community needs first and foremost as they plan and build the trails they have... been given... the permission to build on public land.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Land managers and trail stewards related to public land use are defacto public servants, and as such should conduct themselves as public servants should (notice I used the word "should"... And not "do").
Now this doesn't mean that they need to be wusses that give into every whim and fancy of every lobbying group... They should have a plan, have it approved by the powers that be, and then execute it to their best ability, while leaving some room for adjustments as things progress. But public land is exactly that... Public, not private.
We don't like it when people in government treat public land like they own it... So we should not treat public land in the same way.
And no, I'm not saying that the folks who build trails here in Austin have that disposition, the above is simply a response to the thought that "... land managers and trail stewards..." have an "...absolute right to have the trail they want....".
I wish there was a "funny" button. I just couldn't push the like button on this, you know, because of the rabble rousing and all.;)Quote:
Originally Posted by cramsay3
Yeah? And who do you suppose has their finger on the pulse of the user group of the trails? Do you suppose it's the folks who worked to organize the local land managers and likely went to endless public planning sessions prior to building the trails that they both agreed to build? Or you think it's the asshat who didn't get involved, but later comes along and finds that he isn't happy with the trail, so he decides to modify it?Quote:
Originally Posted by RidingAgain
I could only LIKE this once, so I quoted it to say, “amen.”Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
I think there are a lot of parallels between a trail builder and a golf course architect. The golf course owners get the go ahead to build. They then hire the architect and he takes it the rest of the way. And even if the course owner wants a reworking of the course later, they still usually get the original builder to do it. And, on a related note, the architect is of course trying to please the user group. But he is the one that is making the ultimate decisions.
The really good architects find the course, in what they are given to work with, and merely release it.
Kind of obvious, right.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
But notice you said... "...the folks who worked to organize the local land managers and likely went to endless public planning sessions prior to building the trails that they both agreed to build..." . . . Which they do because they don't have "...absolute right to have the trail they want...." . . . And which supports the point I made.
But hey... Asshats are members of the community also.
No, it actually does not.Quote:
Originally Posted by RidingAgain
Especially as it pertains to this thread. We recently built a new trail with the permission of the city and specific trees were flagged and catalogued that we could not cut. Some were not easily flagged. It was the intention to have these trees remain and not have a giant open tread for all to pass 3 wide with a stroller.
Moving rocks just annoys the trail builders and riders; removing trees pisses off the land owners, gets us in deep shit and jeapordises access.
Walkers never say, "Damn, who moved that rock I used to trip over while I was texting on my nature walk?", but they do say"Whoah, where did that tree go?" Then they ask around, and sometimes Trail stewards get a call from angry land owners or managers about whats going on.
Two things will get you noticed (negatively) , removing trees and building Kickers on a trail Hikers feel is "their" walking path.
The rock mover battle between mountain bikers will always take place no matter what town you are in.
Case in point:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f08e5508a3.jpg
I'm going to posit: trails inside the CoA are lame and brought down to the LCD of lame-o's. Private land is a free for all and turns into whatever the land owner can make money on (can be be cool or lame). County/State/LCRA land is the sweet spot. They know we know what we're doing and give us the reigns, as long as we abide by natural resource guidelines. There is more trail in the works for these lands. I say, support these efforts. We (MTBers) will get the trail we want if we respect the LMs. The people that put in the work (up front AND in the woods) do get a say in what's built.